Eagle Grove

Sunday Morning

March 15^th 1863

 

            Dear Kate or twee

                                                I have none of your kind favors before me this pleasant morning to reply to, but as I cannot be better employed than to spend an hour or two in corresponding with you, hence I find myself seated at our mess table in company with Co^s J.E.C. & Mr J.D. Anderson all hands writing to our dear ones at home. We write to day also from another reason—that is—we have a good chance to send up our letters by Henry & Del Perkins, who have at last succeeded in getting their "Greasy" Detail as the boys name it, & will in all probability get off this evening at about 2 or 3 o'clk—though I recon Henry can give you all the news down this way & 'tis not scarcely worth my while to attempt to give you any-thing like full detailed accounts of things down this way as he Henry can give you all the news that we have, which quite meager—the excitement about the major portion of our Regt being ordered off to the Naches River (Griggsby's Bluff) has ceased to be one of the topics of conversation as was once the great "wonderment" of the Regt as to what 6 Companies would be the fortunate or unfortunate Co^s to be sent, but to the great satisfaction of all hands the order was counter-manded and Col Griffin's Battalion sent in lieu there-of—Our Company have been looking with a wishful eye for the reception of our order sending us to Houston—but looks like it is making short strides towards reaching here. John says he was told that it had been made before he left Houston—We wish to get up there because of different reasons, one is, that is, it will be a Change, another is and a more essential of all—is that we will be nearer home—probably better chance to get home occasionally, probably better fair—& we would have our own Commanders—Not that we don't like this place as a healthy place & a pleasant locality for a camp—for we believe it is both, as much so as any place we can find, but you know that soldiers will get tired staying any one place a great while—We have not yet herd / the results of Capt Daniel's case as it has not yet been determined it will probably be decided in the course of 3 or 4 days—

 

I will relate an affair that took place here in camp on day before yesterday evening & night—every thing was getting along as smooth as usual, & no one had discovered any discord any where in Camp—but to our supprise on Dress Parade on said evening, our Col had the acting adjutant to read out one of his old orders requiring the Commanders of Companies "to keep better order, to keep down riotous noise & tumultious hollowing &c &c" well no one had discerned any more noise in Camp than usual & was of course was some what supprised at the reading of the order—everything went on as usual. when night came some of the boys in Co^s "D & F" got to playing & rastling & making some noise, no more than usual, the Col sent around for the Officer of the Day, (who was Lt. Lockhart) to go and arrest the Commanders of those Co^s that were making so much noise, where upon the Commanders (Lt Cooly  F & Lt Adams  D) of Co^s D & F were arrested—the Companies so offended & of all other Companies got together with all of kind of horns tin pans bells &c &c & gave the Col a general Shivaree all around his tents. when he came out of his tent, some of the boys say that some men shook the bells in his face & asked him if he had seen any thing of Col Elmore to night or, what he said about such noise as this &c &c. every thing soon quieted down—after a little while Roll Call came on, but during this time the men had concluded to make another demonstration of some kind, as soon as Roll Call was over. so the Col anticipating it, issued an order to the Officer of the Day to arrest every man engaged in any kind of riot—Roll Call came & was over, so soon as over a crowd could be seen gathering along towards the upper part of the Regiment—which passed along by every Co, gathering more & more as they passed by—untill they had gone through the whole Regt, when the crowd so gathered about 100 I recon—when they marched through the encampment—but during this time the Officer of the Day had his orders to call all of the Co^s to his assistance, where upon all of the Co^s were ordered out armed & equiped—& by the time the command "Fall in" was given to the Companies & by the time they got formed—there was not a man to be formed in the Rioting Crowd—it all had vanished—& thus had put an end to the row—but some of the Co^s so formed got so far along as to order their men to load—(for you see we had quite a lively time of it) & thus ended the Battle of the immortal 13^th March in Elmores Regt—but I have taken more space & time than it deserves & woried your patience too—Henry can give you full details of same: the officers so arrested were released that night, & every thing goes on smoothly, & believe all hands benefited by the same—I don't think that any of our Co took any part in the row—We han't any late news of any interest. Nothing late from the Blockade—I sent to town to day by Perkins to buy a little hat for Charlie if he gets it Henry will take it up,—I hope you have recovered by this time from your illness, you all must speak a good word for Henry & Perkins to [?] Bacon I have written you several times during the week; I will close for the present, & will go up & hear a portion of a sermon that is going on—I will keep open this letter untill the train comes & if any worthy relate I will do so—so good Bye Twee—while I remain yr affect Husband

 

3 P.M. The cars have come No news came                                       

J. E. Wallis

We are all well J.E.W.

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