Prospect, Giles Co., Tenn.

November 14, 1863

 

Dear Mother:

            To-day, for the first time in 8 days, I have a few leisure moments, which I will improve by writing a few lines to you, although I know not when I shall have opportunity to send mail. We have neither received any or had opportunity to send for some 8 or 10 days. For the past week we have been on the march every day, and have traveled in that time over 90 miles, and since leaving Memphis have marched in all about 225 miles. We are now in camp at this place, which is merely a collection of half a dozen houses and a store or two. It is a railroad station on the Memph Nashville and Decatur R.R., and is about 3 miles from the Al- / abama line. We have marched a quite devious course in coming here, probably in consequence of some change of plan.—But now that I have generalized a little let me go back to my old plan and take the march by detail. But before doing so I will add one thing more lest I forget it, viz: I am in the best of health and spirits and have enjoyed the trip exceedingly. Now I will begin with the

 

            First Day's march. You will bear in mind that I take my start in the Northwestern corner of Alabama, on the north side of the Tennessee. It was in this camp that I last wrote to Jerusha. The anticipations of good living that I then expressed were verified even before we left, as we had a glorious mess of fresh pork and sweet potatoes. The first day we traveled but 8 miles. Our / route lay along the base of a range of river hills for most of the way, and the ground was rather swampy. On the whole, one would hardly call it a good country. We passed through Waterloo, a little, dilapidated, half deserted town of some 20 or 25 houses. There is a look of desolation about these little towns that is truly pitiable. The small st country stores that were once the place where the country people came to do their trading and tell the neighborhood news, are now deserted and lone, a refuge for the rats and bats, their old signs of "Family Grocery", "Sugar", "Tobacco", etc. dangling in the wind, a mere mockery, the windows smashed in, and counters turned up. On the

 

            Second Day we marched 12 miles, although we did not get under way until about 12 o'clock. The country began to grow better, and we passed some very fine plantations. There was / evidence that the spirit of improvement had reached even these remote regions; for the large, rude log house which is the abode of many rich owners of plantations in the South, had given way to elegant country mansions in more than one instance. We camped for the night on a beautiful creek. And this leads me to speak of the numerous creeks which abound in this country. They are all beautiful, pure crystal water, and are very numerous. Not a day passed that we did not cross several of them. They are all bridgeless, and our only way of crossing was on logs and rails, whilst the teams forded. It was amusing to see the motions oftentimes made by those who were scary, in crossing them. In fact it was sometimes no small feat to walk a log successfully, after it had been made slippery from mud and water, and more than one unlucky fellow got a ducking. I was fortunate enough to escape every time, wetting my feet only once or twice. Providence favored us with pleasant weather during our whole march. A heavy rain would have speedily made further progress impossible, as the creeks would have been impassible.—We camped for the night on a fine plantation where we obtained plenty of sweet potatoes and meat. On the

 

            3^d Day we marched 14 miles. Early in the morning we passed some very fine plantations, but afterwards the country became more woody and hilly. About noon we crossed a large creek on which stood a mill. The banks of the creek were entire On both sides, / the creek was surrounded by high hills. One of them was the steepest hill that we have ever had to climb. We were now traveling on a by road, having left the main Florence road, on which we started the day previously. The women and children crowded the doorways to catch a sight of the Yankees whom they had never seen before. I have no doubt, but that they thought that there were at least ten thousand of us, although only our Brigade was on the road. Most of them did not seem afraid of us, although occasionally they would run and hide. At one house a white rag was streaming from a bean pole which the man of the house told our boys in answer to the inquiry whether he had surrendered that it was a "flag of peace". At night we reached Lauderdale Mills, a little manufacturing village on Shoal Creek, 10 miles north of Florence. It contains some 25 or 30 log houses, and a large brick cotton factory. There were a great many women and children in the place, although but few men. They were much surprised at our appearance amongst them, we being the first Yankee troops they had seen for nearly two years. Great was their astonishment at our numbers, our 2000 men and wagon train seeming to them an immense army. We crossed Shoal Creek on a little foot path which goes from rock to rock and which only one can pass at a time. There has been a good bridge across the stream at one time but it has been washed away by freshets. The creek is quite / a steam, being somewhat larger than Little Muskingum.

 

            But I must close for the present.

 

Direct your next letter to this point.

                                   

Your Son

George.

 

Nov. 16, 1863.

            To-day there is opportunity to send mail, and I will forward this. We are in camp here still, and are likely to remain for a few days at least.

Write as soon as possible.

Geo.

SOURCES