Prospect Station, Tenn. Nov. 21, 1863.

 

My Dear Sister:

                        Yesterday we received a mail for the first time in 18 days. I was the recipient of 6 letters, one of which was from yourself and one from mother. I was very glad to hear from home again after being so long deprived of the opportunity. Your letter was dated the 3^d and mothers the 6^th. I presume that our mail facilities will continue to be irregular until the railroad is finished to this point. Our mail now comes via Nashville.

 

            I will now continue my account of our trip to this point. On the

 

            Fourth Day we left Lauderdale Mills, and took rather more of a northerly course. We marched 15 miles, and camped at night near the Tennessee line. We passed through a very / good section of country, and one not lately traversed by troops. Forage of every kind was plenty, and great was the hawl made amongst chickens, turkeys, sheep, etc. On our way we passed through a little place of some 30 or 40 buildings called Lexington. It bore the usual dilapidated look of small towns here. All the old store buildings were deserted and desolate. The town had a terribly old fogy appearance about it, most of the houses looking almost too crazy to stand a line. We camped for the night in the valley of a small creek. Private foraging parties scoured the surrounding country and great were the spoils. Let me tell you the portion of our little mess of five men. It was 1 turkey, 2 chickens, and all the honey we could eat, together with all the meal we needed. I brought in a horse that I found hid away in the woods, amongst the spoils. Con- / sidering that this was my first "jayhawking", I think that I made out pretty well. The horse we turned over to the government. On the

 

            Fifth Day, we entered Lawrence Co. Tenn. The day's march was a long and weary one, through a thinly settled portion of country. We were in the rear, and as there were many creeks to cross, where only one or two could pass at a time we frequently would be compelled to hurry to catch up. For about 3 miles our road lay along a little creek which I will venture to say we crossed and recrossed not less that twenty times. The distance traveled over this day was not less than 20 miles. For the last 6 miles we made no halt, as it was already getting late. The boys began to be very tired, and bestowed many left handed blessings on our commander. Everyone was cross and weary. Sud- / denly there came a halt, and camp was visible ahead. What a change immediately took place. After resting a moment no one was tired any more, and cheerfulness and jokes took the place of grumness and growls. No one would have imagined to have seen us then that we had passed a weary day's march. Rest was before us. Won't it be somewhat thus with the Christian when the journey of life is over? He will forget all his trials by the way, and his sorrows and weariness, for he has finally reached his resting place.

 

            But I must defer further record of our trip until another time. I will write to mother in three or four days. The papers mention that we have a chaplain, do they? Well the papers know more about it than we do then; for very certainly we have seen none. If we could have a good one, I should like it very much indeed, for it would be a great help to us. But I had rather be without one than to have a poor one, or one who is afraid of the officers, for he will do more harm than good. We are trying to keep up a religious interest, and have had two or three prayer meetings lately. I have my theory about chaplains, formed from observation here, and some day I will write you about it.

 

            I am in good health.

 

            There is a prospect of our still remaining here several days.

 

            Tell mother to send me some writing paper soon, and not to fail to send the Examiner always.

                                               

Your Brother,

George.

 

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Direct your letters to Prospect Station, Fuller's Brigade, Dodge's Division, via Nashville.

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