An Artilleryman's Diary Part 21

Bridgeport, Sunday, Dec. 20. Considerable frost this morning, but the boys came out in high spirits, full of fun and very noisy. The fireplaces doing good service to keep up spirits, and all have drawn clothing enough to keep warm. We received no mail or papers for three days, the cars having run off the track this side of Nashville. Captain Dillon left for Nashville this P. M. after artillery equipment. Wrote a letter to brother John. Darned stockings, etc. Signed receipt roll for clothing.

Bridgeport, Monday, Dec. 21. Awakened long before daylight by bugles of the _Dutch_ in Osterhaus's camp to rally the men to prepare for marching, and at daylight ours sounded, which brought us out to roll call, the cold morning air giving electricity to horses and boys, unusually lively and noisy. 1st Brigade of our Division marched by with knapsacks, guns. They told us we were to follow soon. They were followed by Osterhaus's Division, leaving their comfortable quarters that they had been diligently building for the last week. Mail and papers arrived.

Order received at evening roll-call from Sherman permanently transferring the 2nd Division, 17th Corps, to the 3rd Division, 15th Corps, which was met with decided dissatisfaction by most of the boys, as we did not like to leave McPherson.

8 P. M. a.s.sembly sounded to give us the expected orders to march at 8 A.

M. to-morrow and make ready knapsacks. Packed, etc.

En route, Tuesday, Dec. 22. Reveille called us before daylight.

Breakfast over, tents struck by sunrise. All the horses still to be turned over to the 12th Battery with the exception of enough to draw the battery wagons and forges. The harness had to be hauled in the wagons, so all had to carry blankets, and at the appointed time we "fell in" in marching train, three days' rations in haversacks. Blankets rolled up and slung over shoulder. Strict orders against straggling. A beautiful sunny day. We marched in rear of 12th Battery which advanced with difficulty. Camped at 4 P. M. in a grove, very beautiful and close to good water. Cooked suppers, and large fine blazing rail fires built, by which we sat till late.

Stevenson, Ala., Wednesday, Dec. 23. Broke camp at 8 P. M. and marched to Stevenson. Before we arrived at 11:30 A. M. Osterhaus's train, going in cars, went to camp to the left of town and put up tents in a fine open field.

En route, Thursday, Dec. 24. Lay waiting for orders to move till 10 A.

M., when it came--"to strike tents" and march out. Marched through town which was once an active place from appearances. Followed the Nashville road for one mile then turned east through a low swampy bottom, and of course progressed very slowly through mud holes and over corduroys, having to halt frequently to allow trains to close up. Made coffee.

Camped at 4 P. M. Pitched our tents at will in a thicket of oak and pine on a side hill. Rails plenty out of which we made large fires and gathered large piles of leaves for "downy beds." The evening was calm and still, the thick growth above giving our camp a picturesque appearance like a mammoth hall. It was Christmas eve, and many were the loving wishes that "we were home". Game of cards whiled away the hours pleasantly to many. I was suffering with a severe toothache. The very thing to relieve it--lay down early and contrasted past scenes with present, trying to pry into the future, until weary nature lulled pain and homesickness, and I slept to dream of home.

[Sidenote: 1863 Christmas Marching]

Bellefonte, Ala., Friday, Dec. 25. Christmas Night. Awoke, not to the chiming voices of happy children as they cried "Wish you Merry Christmas", but to the notes of the bugle calling us to be ready to move. Struck tents at 8 A. M. Roads much better than those we have pa.s.sed. Marched fast most of the time, having to go much out of the way to avoid swamps or bluffs. Marched quietly along, absorbed in thinking of home, and what they are doing this Christmas Day. Came into camp late at night near the county seat of Jackson County. The buildings burned and gone to ruin. I was very tired and footsore. No crackers for supper, so we made up the Christmas supper on parched corn and coffee. Tooth ached badly, had but little sleep. During the night rained very heavy.

Larkinsville, Ala., Sat.u.r.day, Dec. 26. Four small crackers (1/3 day's rations) were issued to us this morning for breakfast, reserving the others for the day's march. Struck tents in a drenching rain, and continued all day. We marched along through the mud and rain, part of the roads exceedingly bad, being a low marshy ground covered with water for miles, timbered with large beech trees and green holly. Scottsboro is a very pretty little station five miles from Larkinsville, headquarters of the 15th Corps. Warning given not to enter houses as smallpox was prevalent, one house had five patients, another a corpse.

Reached this place at 4 P. M. wet, footsore, and quite hungry, and had to wait until after night for rations. 3rd Brigade to go in winter quarters. Plenty of cedar rails.

Larkinsville, Sunday, Dec. 27. Rain, rain, all last night, and to-day I was on guard. Stood with toothache and swollen right side of face in no pleasant mood. Felt cross and lonesome. Foragers sent after corn.

Returned with plenty of fresh meat, etc. Larkinsville is situated in a very fertile valley, and citizens well disposed and loyal. Forty miles east of Huntsville, twenty-two west of Stevenson and two hundred twenty-six east of Memphis. 3rd Brigade and 12th Battery busy at work hauling stones, timber, etc. for winter quarters.

Larkinsville, Monday, Dec. 28. Rain ceased and sky cleared off. Sun shone down on mud six inches deep on level. Camping ground staked out and tents ordered to be moved into position. Blake gone out after fresh meat. Dixon and Evie started after cedar timber to wall the tent. I snaked them down with horse team. By night we had tent up, four feet red cedar logs with bed of cedar boughs. Rather cold bed. Blake and Snyder [Seiders?] returned with half a porker. Snyder [Seiders?] changed with Schmidt and came into our mess and tent.

Larkinsville, Tuesday, Dec. 29. Warm and pleasant. Long train sent foraging under escort. Snyder sent on detail. Hauled stone from bluff and put up fireplace and chimney, mudded up, etc. Streets of the Battery presenting a lively appearance, men's sleeves rolled up, coats off, rolling stones, chopping, making mud buildings of every fancy and description to suit the proprietors. Soldiers are not lazy when they work for their own immediate interest.

4 P. M. Snyder's [Seiders?] horses led into camp by infantry men loaded with five hogs, twenty-six chickens. Guards took him to headquarters, but he outgeneraled them by sending off the game which they wanted, therefore he was returned.

Larkinsville, Wednesday, Dec. 30. Cold and cloudy day. I suffered much from neuralgia and toothache, from which I could get no rest. Dressed the two hogs brought yesterday, and salted them. The chickens hung up for New Year's. We drew rations for the tent and cooked at the fireplace, a family of our own. Camp still busy improving. Women and boys in camp trading cornbread off for coffee and salt, etc. with the soldiers. Eight hundred rounds of powder ammunition received by Lieutenant Clark for new battery. Unloaded and stored down town.

Larkinsville, Thursday, Dec. 31. Wet and disagreeable. Rained all night and day. Water running into our houses so as to threaten drowning us out. So we stole lumber enough from a deserted house to build us bunks, E. W. and myself on the upper shelf four feet above, where I laid and tossed from pain until late; the other bunk underneath. Could not sleep and I thought of the closing year that we had commenced two hundred miles west of here on a tedious march from Germantown to Lafayette, and since then travelled many a hundred miles of rebel country, meeting the enemy and winning.

[Sidenote: 1864 Reenlistment?]

Larkinsville, Friday, Jan. 1, 1864. The new year came in very cold with a little snow, the first of the season. Ground frozen several inches in depth. Veteran enlistments began this morning. John Eagion headed the list and was followed by eighteen before breakfast, which continued rapidly through the day accompanied with considerable excitement and hesitation. Thus New Year's day was spent, a striking contrast to those that our minds were continually turning to. A good supper for a soldier, of "chicken fixin" which helped to make us very contented during the long evening.

Larkinsville, Sat.u.r.day, Jan. 2. Continued very cold and freezing. Good fires and comfortable quarters, very essential to keep warm. Captain Dillon arrived from Nashville, reports battery [of new guns] on the way.

Enlistment yet the talk. I have serious thoughts upon it. I am confident that it is the best thing for us recruits. Griff, Dan and others in the same way; if one goes, all go. A dance held down town by "Alabam" gals and Yankee soldiers. Running rumor afloat that we are to leave our quarters soon for Huntsville. Don't like it.

Larkinsville, Sunday, Jan. 3. Little warmer to-day. Stormed a little. It is hoped by many that a sufficient number will enlist so as to return to the state and reorganize. Forty-eight on the rolls now, ninety-eight required. Y---- returned to the Battery, having been under guard at headquarters ever since we left Gilbertsboro. Court-martialed and punishment read at evening roll call, the loss of two months' pay for offering violence to superior officers and slandering. Dillon received orders, it is said, to allow Battery to stay where they are if they are comfortably quartered.

Larkinsville, Monday, Jan. 4. Rained heavy all night. Cloudy and misty all day. Many to-day expressed their willingness to re-enlist, if allowed to return to the state and elect their own officers. At evening roll-call Lieutenant Simpson called all those desiring to return to the state under their old officers to step to the front. But none desired to under those conditions, as they desire to choose their own officers.

Mail arrived. I received news of the 27th ult. from Brother John. Quite ill, but true to his custom wrote on the last Sunday of the month, having not missed one through the year.

Larkinsville, Tuesday, Jan. 5. Rain of yesterday ceased and it is a soft sunny day, everything calm and quiet in camp, it being the last day allowed for enlisting. But n.o.body goes forward. 12 M. a.s.sembly sounded and a telegraphic dispatch from the war department stating three-fourths of the actual number present would take the organization home, etc. If Captain Dillon would express his determination to command the Battery, a sufficient number would go in, to go home, as the boys would rather have him with all his faults, than ----, incompetent to command.

Larkinsville, Wednesday, Jan. 6. Cold and freezing. Everything quiet, the theme of the last five days having been dropped since the time expired. At evening roll call marching orders were read to us to leave at 8 A. M. in the morning. All extra baggage, harness, etc. loaded on cars and a detail of twenty men to accompany them. Camp was still at an early hour. All felt bad at being obliged to leave their comfortable quarters, so recently built by hard labor, and face the stern, hard march. None of the quarters were to be destroyed as they were to be occupied by troops coming in to occupy the place.

[Sidenote: 1864 "Merciless Drivers"]

Near Paint Rock River, Ala., Thursday, Jan. 7. Reveille woke us to prepare for the march at 4 A. M. Breakfast cooked and eaten. Tents struck and loaded in due time. I was detailed to stay with the wagons, and did not start for half an hour after Battery left. The roads are frozen and very rough, the weather extremely cold, the air damp and filled with frozen mists, covering our clothes with ice and sleet. The troops marched fast and kept warm, but the train moved slow and tedious, wagons sticking in ruts, mules giving up, lying down in the road; to receive beastly cruelty from merciless drivers, and horrid oaths from impatient wagon masters. Often obliged to put our shoulders to the wheel to get along. Suffered severely from the cold with bare hands.

2 P. M. came upon the officers' wagon on side of the road, axle-tree broken, where we had to stop and take on the load, and it followed in the rear, with a pole for wheel. A little farther on pa.s.sed the battery wagon and forge, both wheel teams having given out, and abandoned and waiting for men to be sent back. Pa.s.sed through Woodville at 4 P. M.

Crossed Paint Rock River at dark, having yet three miles to camp through a low wet bottom, timbered thickly with large tall beach, and it grew very dark. Sergeant Runyan drew his wagons one side to wait till morning, but Lieutenant Clark ordered them on.

I reached camp with our wagon at 9 P. M. after much trouble. I never was out in a darker night. Boys were scattered along the road for miles doing the best they could to keep warm and escape the storm, as it began to snow very heavy. Found a bedfellow and joined a squad in an old field where we made shelter between two old corn cribs from the shakes. Built a roaring fire. Received mail, and I was happy to read by the light of the rails of home. Made our beds on the rough frozen ground and slept well till morning.

[Sidenote: 1864 Sleeping in Cotton]

Brownsboro, Ala., Friday, Jan. 8. Arose in good time, while it was broad daylight, and found that one of the party had his hat burned up during the night. An inch of snow on the ground, and it was chillingly cold.

But a small portion of the train came up last night, therefore did not move until nearly noon. The roads were slippery and hard to travel. E.

W. E. and I took the R. R. After a hard march of ten miles we reached Brownsboro at 4 P. M. on Flint River, the terminus of the R. R.

communications as yet. Here we found the boys that had come through on the cars. Cooked our supper by their fires and went in search of shelter for the night. Seven of us in the squad found a cotton patch in the middle of a dense forest with a cotton pen. Built a crib of rails, crammed a foot of cotton into it and covered with the rubbers. The wagon road seen on the opposite side of a range of mountains, and the Brigade had not yet come up. n.i.g.g.e.r Henry had kindly taken my blankets on his horse in the morning and was now with the Battery. We could hear the rattle of the wagons coming in from a distance, and as I was in much need of my blankets I started to meet them, but found they had camped three-quarters of a mile back. Climbed a little hill and the hundreds of fires burned brightly in the distance, whither I turned myself. Wandered through the city of lights some time before I found the Battery, found my blankets, thanked Henry for carrying them, and turned my steps towards my bedfellow in the woods. Taking a bee line, I thought to find them there. I tugged through a dense thicket of briar and underbrush, scratched my face, tearing my clothes, and in water to the tops of my boots most of the time. It was very dark, but still I kept on certain of finding them. Suddenly the light blazed up before me and I found them going to bed at 9 P. M. I was tired out and footsore.

Huntsville, Ala., Sat.u.r.day, Jan. 9. I felt very good on our "downy" bed, so good that I did not wake up till broad daylight. Rolled up our blankets in great haste and started toward camp, as we were out of rations, but we found the Battery moving and were obliged to "fall in"

with an empty stomach, as a reward for our straggling. Flint River was crossed on mule wagons, which were very slow, obliging us to stand on the banks for nearly an hour. It was freezing very hard and all were chilled through. The natives say it was the coldest day known for years.

Animals and wagons covered with ice. Cooked coffee on the other side while the remainder of the Brigade crossed. By that time we were ready to follow with our breakfast eaten. Marched very fast through a beautiful country interspersed with a low range of bluffs of the c.u.mberland Range. Good timber and beautiful water. Sun shone in the afternoon making roads muddy and slippery, very tiresome walking. Met John A. Logan and staff going back afoot from Huntsville.

4 P. M. Coming around the point of the bluff we could see Huntsville in the valley below three miles distant. And weary as I was I could but enjoy the beautiful scenery before me greatly. The sun shone brightly on the snow-covered roofs of this beautiful town with their tall church spires raising their snow-capped peaks to the heavens as a witness of better and happier days gone by. On either side broad fields with beautiful mansions were spread to view, the whole enclosed by the frost-covered range of low mountains. Marched through the town with colors flying and bands playing, much to the satisfaction of the large crowds of contrabands that flocked at every corner. Came into camp a mile north of the town on Russell Hill. Old quarters here were soon taken possession of by the boys. I was very tired.

Huntsville, Sunday, Jan. 10. Notwithstanding that all were very tired from the fatiguing march of the past three days through severe weather, the camp reverberated with the sound of axe, saw and lumber, erecting quarters for the third time this winter. Teams busy and in great demand hauling lumber and brick, of which there is plenty. Our tent is back with the boys on the R. R.; therefore E. W. E. got a load of lumber and built a hut in accordance with our means, and by night had it up and covered with shakes. Slept in it but it was quite cold.

Huntsville, Monday, Jan. 11. Worked quite hard all day building fireplace. Had to carry much of the brick on our shoulders twenty rods, but we had completed it by night, and had the satisfaction of sitting by the fire in the evening. Draws well.