Oct 24^th We left Cowan this morning at daylight and have been marching all day and are now near Anderson Station Alabama in Camp for the night. it rained all day yesterday and is awful walking and part of our way was over one of the mountains and it was very tedious and the rest of it was (7 mile) on the Rail Road and that is an awful place to walk with both soles of your shoes which is my case.

 

Oct 25^th We started from Anderson about daylight and came to Stevenson marching all the way on the Rail Road / a distance of 10 miles and stopped at Stevenson 3 or 4 hours and the Reg^mt was divided one Co went up the Rail Road to guard a bridge another into a fort some on Provost Duty in Stevenson and our Co was sent about 6 miles below Stevenson to guard a Rail Road bridge and we got here just after dark and I tell you we are tired for in all we have been 16 or 17 miles today and all that on the Rail Road and one of the roughest I ever see

 

Oct 26^th When we got up this morning I could scarcely step my feet were so sore but / I got limbered up after a while and we have had nothing to do today for the Co that was here did not leave till this afternoon. they went about 4 oclock and we put up our tents and I am now in mine writing by a little piece of candle. we are about 4 miles from Bridgeport and I presume we shall go nearer the front soon. this is a nice place to be although there is no houses within a half a mile or more but the cars go by every little while but I must go to bed for the candle is most played out and I have / no more.

 

Thursday Oct 29^th 1863

Dear Mother

            I had a little wrote in my book so I will write you a few lines on these leaves and send it all. We are here at the Rail Road bridge yet, 5 miles from Stevenson and about 4 from Bridgeport. Part of the Regiment are at Stevenson and the Companies are scattered around only our Co here, no houses near. Bill Clark and I have been building a chimney to our shantie today and have got a fire in our fire place / this evening it seams quite cheerful. it has been a very nice day I have been in my shirt sleeves all day and did not feel cold but it is pretty cool nights. I expect it is quite cold North now. I can hardly realize that I am in Alabama, a state that borders on the Gulf of Mexico. But I suppose I am, much as ever though. We came here Sunday as you will see by the diary leaves and while we stopped at Stevenson we had a mail and I received 2 letters from you and so did Father. Sept 27^th and Oct 10^th. We have been / here (in this Department) over a month and I have written you quite a number of letters and you had received none of them when you wrote last I hope you have got them before this for I sent for some money in one, and I want you to send me a pair of gloves or have Antoinette. You can send them the cheapest. Something stout and warm light buck skin, lined like I had one winter if you remember. Mr Frisbie gave me a vest that he had got through with and it comes just the thing. I expect Aunt Hall is better before this. I should be very / much surprised to hear that she was not likely to live. I guess one chicken at a time would do me if I had other things to go with it. Yes the stamps came just in time for I was out. I shall not send to Ansonia for things unless they will take pay for them. I like being in this part of the U S Army very well only we dont get hardly enough to eat. we have been on half and 3 quarters rations some of the time and at Chatanooga they do not have full rations it is so far to carry them. if the Rebs could destroy some of the Rail Road between here and / Nashville we could get no grub. So you see it all depends on this single track of 2 or 300 miles. Yes I think what news you get in Wolcott ought to be good. But I tell you Mother if you could see how destitute some of the citizens in the South are and the miserable houses they live in you would think Wolcott was a Pallace. Some of them are fed by Government, in rations. I tell you the people at home to know what war is in reality must have it right in barn. What would Uncle Mark think to have a Brigade of Soldiers stop on his lots a week or so, take fences for fires / kill chickens, sheep and perhaps a cow and skin it cut of a quarter or half of it and leave the rest lying and when they wanted more kill another &c &c. it seems to me that the South hold out under such trials better than the North would but the North has not been put to that yet. I hope Clarkes barn will hold out so the chickens will keep fat. I got that Ballous that you sent to Va. Charlie is on duty with a few more of our Co at Stevenson so I dont see him. What do you mean by paying up for his trip to Richmond. But I must stop for this / time Remember me with Love to all and accept with much love from your affectionate Son

Evelyn E Moulthrop

 

S M Moulthrop

SOURCES