Eastport Miss 25^th Jan 1865

 

Dear Brother

                        It is with pleasure I now attempt to write you few lines to let you know how things are going down here in dixie the weather is quite cold with some snow on the ground We drew rations of corn to day to eat and in winter quarters on the Tennesse river and that after we have been here near three weeks and have received our mail two or three times since we have been here I think it is getting to be time for the war to play out when we cannot get any thing to eat and a river that communicates with all parts of the northern states If I was one of the growling kind I would growl when they take the grub away from me then I think it is time to quit soldiering and hunting dont you to I believe I told you of my narrow escape from captivity in my last letter William Steele Jo Steeles brother is dead he died day before yesterday here in camp Jo started home with his remains to night I received a letter from Uncle Jo yesterday What do you think of peace committee it is a current report down here that there has been peace commissioners apointed from both sides to make peace and I for my part donot know what to think of it I think it is high time that they were doing something about it we have been fighting long enough and I am getting tired of soldiering but I donot want to go home toes up with a wooden over coat If Shermans raid down through the bowells of seceshia does not give them them the belly ache I think that we will in the spring when we leave here/ For I expect we will move down south from here through Mississippi towards Columbus and down that way some place and perhaps we will go as far down as Mobile It is my opinion (if that is good for any thing) that the most of the troops will be discharged in 65 my time is out any way in 66 and that is not long after 65 I received a letter from John Hayes from Duvalls bluff Arkansas a few day ago and that is not all either O yes Our artillery has all been remodeled lately from 8 Batteries in the Corps we have been cut down to 4 and from 6 gun batteries they have been deduce to 4 We have to turn over two of our guns we keep 6 caissons and have 4 teams to each caisson where we only had 3 teams before the 4 batteries are Brigaded the same as Infantry Our captain commands all the Artillery of this part of the 16^th Corps that is up here the two extra Caissons are sent and kept at brigade HeadQuarters The other 4 batteries that was in this Corps all turn over their horses and guns and are sent to the rear to do guard duty in field fortifications with muskets all except one battery and they take charge of the extra caissons O wouldent I like that to take care of amunition for another battery to shoot away I would tempted to desert very strong too Let me give you a little description of our shebong (camp term) and I donot know any name that will suit better) first we commenced on a side hill and duge the upper side down about three feet and leveld it off and then built it up with logs about 6 feet high covered it with our tents and an old tarpaulin that we had for the purpose there is 6 of us sleep in it and 11 eat in it O yes it is 12 by 16 the fire place is in the middle on one side and the door in the middle on the other side the bunks in one end one above another and the table in the other end (the south end) and the cubboad in at the end of the bunks to night we have got a good hickory fire and it is quite comfertable in here and we would live first rate now if we could only get something to eat I wrote uncle Dave a big letter the other night filled one sheet like this full and a sheet of nothe note papper full but I did not write it as fine as I have this The boys are going to p[?]ing corn to eat How would you/ like to take breakfast with us nothing to eat but corn and coffee wont that be gay I am afraid we will all get the gout and that will be bad for soldiering If we could get it anything to eat at the commissary for love and money we would go and buy but we cant get a thing John it would do you good to get one look into our shebong just now and see how it is arranged This country has been foraged through so much there is no chance to get anything beside all being foraged out it is an awfull poor country pine hills the soil is so poor that white beans will scarcely grow Our corn is getting nearly done and I will have to quit writeing awhile to eat some of it The corn is eat and I am about through writing for to night it is getting to nearly nine oclock and that is about bed time I think if I was up to Kendallville this winter I could enjoy myself some sleighrideing If I couldent I could amost                       It is the report here that the river is blockaded below but I guess that that is all gammon what prospect for the draft up there this spring I expect there will be some big some big bounties given for substitutes good night

 

Jan. 30^th 1 oclock AM Dear brother again at this early hour I find myself pen in hand trying to find words to fill a few lines for your amusement it is avery fine morning or night if you had rather term it so I am detailed as corporal of the guard to night and by that reason have plenty of time to write and no one to bother me except every two hours when I have to relieve guard We have received rations from below and we do not have to eat corn now as we did for awhile I tell you there was arush for the commissary with orders for flour when it came evry one was in ahury to get some of it The draught appears to be at the rong end of my chimney to night for it smokes in the house in stead of at the top of the house I hear fireing far off east to night I guess it is our boys and and band of guerrillas that keep off a cross astream call bear river no way of getting at them unless there is a party of our men sent over on purpose and then as quick as our men come back across the river the rebs follow them right up as far as they like and stop/ and it hardly pays to chase them it is about time to relieve guard for two oclock The boat (Eclipse) that Jo Steele took passage in to go home in with the remains of William has blown up and I hear only two lives saved of all that was on board so it is quite probable that Jo Steele is no more but we hope for the best yet untill we are better satisfied one way or the other you probably will see an account of it in the papers I will give you an account of my narrow escape of captivity and if I did give you an account of it in my last you need not read this I have been writeing so many letters I donot recolect but I guess I will eat a bite first and I will feel better The 15^th of this month our wagons three in number started into the country for forage in company with two wagons of the ninth Ind battery we got our wagons loaded out about 6 miles from camp There was about 30 men from both batteries put on a guard for the teams we all took a load of fodder on our horses going back to have it to sleep on our wagons were behind and the load of fodder that we had on one of our wagons came off and we stoped to fix and the rest kept on and that left us farther behind than ever we rode on aways farther and I stoped to fix my fodder while I was engaged fixing it a gang of guerrillas dashed into the road on a little by road right by me not more than 15 feet from me and told me to surrender not likeing their style I told I would not do it any such a thing and lost no time in getting out of that I tell you but my horse was tied so I had to leave him and take it afoot but the rebs were after the wagon and did not stop to get me I had a good long ways to foot it I tell you about 5 miles and had to take it I across the woods too they got the wagon and two men that were with the wagon they burned the wagon and then skedadled for parts unknown Since that time there was a lot of our cavalry out scouting that way and they went a long careless had no arms in sight and the rebs that are always on the look out seeking whom they may [?] some body made a charge on them and the cavalry returned their compliment when they got them in a tight place and took nearly all of them prisoners and brought them into camp

 

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