Athens, Alabama, April 7, 1864.

 

My Dear Sister:

                        I received a letter from you about one week since, but as I wrote to mother the next day I have delayed answering yours until now.

 

            Since last I wrote home, Capt. Moore, a notorious guerrilla, who once fired on a foraging party from our company, has been captured. He had become quite notorious, obstructing the railroad, capturing forage trains and plundering generally. His capture gives general joy. He formerly resided near this place. He was sent to Nashville, and will be tried there. He claims to have a commission in the rebel army, but it is extremely doubtful whether he is anything more than an independent chief of a robbing / band. He was captured after a chase of three miles, during which his saddle girth broke and pitched him to the ground, thus enabling our cavalry to come up with him.

 

            I am no longer a mere insignificant private. I have attained to the high dignity of eighth Corporal. The sudden and unlooked for elevation is very great, but I try to bear my honors with beaming meekness. I can scarcely realize the importance of my position, at times forgetting that I am no longer a poor private. Strange to say the change in rank makes no difference with my appetite. I can eat pork and hard tack and drink creamless coffee with as much relish as ever. I don't feel half so dignified as when I emerged from a poor verdant Freshman into a wise, / stately Sophomore. The change in rank need cause no change in the direction of your letters. Corporal Geo. R. Gear is high sounding to be sure, but i don't wish such an address on any of my letters.

 

            I received a day or two since that towel sent by mother, and also some papers.

 

            Our religious privileges are very good now. There is preaching every Sabbath, and prayer meeting on Wednesday and Friday evening. The attendance at the prayer meetings is very good. Last evening there were as many as eighty or a hundred present and we had an excellent meeting. The time was all filled up and promptly now, too. There is a Bible Class Saturday evenings, which promises to be interesting.

 

            The weather is beginning to be / much warmer than it was. Yesterday and to-day the sun shone with considerable heat, making the shade feel not ungrateful.

 

            Nothing of special interest is transpiring here now.

 

            I attended the darkey church here last Sabbath. A mulatto preached. His sermon was somewhat wandering, but I have heard white men who did not excel him. Sometimes it was delivered in a sing song tone that was really musical. I was curious to notice the effect of such a tone upon his audience, the women especially. They swayed to and fro, and at the same time moaned in an inexpressible, musical tone, that as it rose and fell formed a wild melody. Occasionally one, more excited than the rest, would scream, and jump almost out of her seat. The audience was of every shade of color from the coal black to the white. I have noticed in this place a species of negro that I have never seen elsewhere. The hair is perfectly straight and coal black, the features are brown rather than black and the nose less flat and lip less thick than in the ordinary negro. I know not how to account for them unless they are a mixture of the Indian and negro.

 

But I must close,

                                   

Write soon to

Your aff. brother,                   

SOURCES