U. S. Military Telegraph.

March 19^th 1865

By Telegraph from Johnsonville Tennessee 1864

 

To Dear Mother:

I have received nothing from you since February 22^d but Time hangs heavy on my hands, so contrary to my "usual custom" (I am sorry to say), I "take up my pen to let you know" &c. Not that I have any news to tell you but just to show you I intend following your advice about writing often. Night before last, Henry sent father a dispatch to which I added a few words to let you know, if you had not received my letters, that I was still alive & had not forgotten to write. Today, Henry starts with Wilson's Expedition from Chickasaw Miss. They will go to Selma or Montgomery, perhaps both & will probably be gone about three weeks. Henry I believe intends going to Springfield / to be mustered out, as soon as he returns. As for me, you see I have not yet established Head Qrs in the saddle. If operations commence in East Tennessee, I think I shall go back to my old stamping-ground around Bulls Gap. If I do, I mean to be better provided for than I was last spring & will cut the acquaintance of those little friends who stuck so close to me all through the campaign. I hope Van will let me go as I think Thomas means to move on Lynchburg. For some 3 weeks we have had no railroad to Nashville the bridges across Harpeth river, being washed away by the late great freshets. For a long time the Tennessee river was two feet deep / on the lower floor of my office which is ordinarily about 150 yards from its banks. The whole town was under water, & rafts canoes &c, were the only means of travel. Jack Ingle, the opr. I relieved here, having nothing else to do amused himself & everybody else by falling in about four times a day & coming upstairs to change his clothes. All our meals were brought in a dugout & I made myself useful by making the coffee & washing the dishes, in both of which accomplishments I flatter myself I am a proficient. Have also acquired considerable skill in bilin taters, beans & sich. I think Auntie would stare if /she could see me making a bean soup. My love to her & tell her St Patricks day in the morning was as beautiful a day in Tennessee as any day on the fourth of July. Today the 19^th is very fine & reminds me of one of our Northern Sundays—minus the church-bells. The flood has nearly subsided & the river is very quiet. Almost all the boats are at Eastport & other points up the river. Occasionally one passes but it fails to relieve the silence—toot-toot & it turns the corner out of sight. Even my instrument has stopped its click: havent sent a message this morning. Things are growing oppressively dull & unless they brighten I shall / petition to be sent to Knoxville, where I hear Dick Taylor is trying to raise a row. I shall certainly die of inactivity here, laziness is so foreign to my nature. Your last letter to Henry was brought to me by mistake. I opened it & found your photograph inside. I wish you and father would each send me one. I dont think yours is at all natural but the one Henry showed me of father was very. By the way I wish you would send one of my Photographs, if there are any extra ones at home, to Maria Scott. Her address is St. Johns Place, between Lake & Fulton Sts. Chicago. I havent heard from her since last November & if you will do this /

 

Mch 19.65

RBL to Mother /

 

[fragment]

 

Wisconsin papers of them. Have a Chicago Tribune of the 4^th April but have not seen a Mis. paper since I saw a Sentinel at Chattanooga.

Love to all, when will father start?

 

Your affectionate Son

R. B. Lines

O. U. S. M. T. C.

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