Friday, 9th.—All quiet yesterday. Sleeting and snowing all day; went to picket late in the evening.
Monday, December 8, 2014
Thursday, December 8. — Day passed as usual. About 5 P.M. Major Griswold and a Mr. Isaacs came into the room. They had a list for exchange with them. My name was on it, thank God! Colonel Marshall, Colonel Buffum, Sterling, Captain Norris and Sherman were also on the list. Had a regular scrape-down all night. All of us were sorry for Captain Amory, whose name was not on the list.
Thursday, 8. —Windy and very cold, but dry. Rode with Dr. Joe around the works on our left. Bitterly cold. Some things look as if we were to move up the Valley to stop Early from going to Richmond, so as to give Grant a fair field.
Colonel Lyon’s Letters.
Stevenson, Dec. 8, 1864.—I write to you at the usual time, although I am as completely isolated from you as I would be were I in the Fiji Islands. Communication with Nashville is entirely cut off and we have no idea what is going on up there. You, I suppose, know all about it. The last we heard from there was that Hood was near Nashville. I expect to hear next that he has crossed the Cumberland and gone to Kentucky.
I am still in command of the brigade, but as soon as the road is open Colonel Doolittle will return and take command, when I shall go to the regiment once more I hope. We are hard at work building fortifications and getting ready for any rebel force that may stray off in this direction.
December 8th.—Rained hard in the night; clear and pleasant in the morning.
A letter from John T. Bourne, St. Georges, Bermuda, says he has some 1800 barrels government gunpowder under his care, of which be desires to be relieved.
Gen. Lee sent to the Secretary the following dispatch this morning: “2d and 5th corps, Gregg’s division of [enemy’s] cavalry, are moving South, on Jerusalem Plank Road. Cavalry reached Sussex Court House at 7 P.M. yesterday. Hill and Hampton [Confederate States generals] are following. Appearances indicate they are moving against Weldon, where I am concentrating all the depot guards I can.
“R. E. Lee, General.
“Petersburg, Dec. 8th, 1864”
.
There are rumors of the enemy having effected a lodgment on the south side of the river, between Howell and Drewry’s Bluff. This may be serious. I do not learn (yet) that the Dutch Gap Canal is finished; but the enemy landed from barges in the fog. Gen. Lee, some weeks ago, designated such a movement and lodgment as important and embarrassing, probably involving the holding of Petersburg.
Nothing from Bragg.
One of Gen. Early’s divisions is passing through the city toward Petersburg.
Fort Gillem, Thursday, Dec. 8. The weather that turned cold last evening is growing colder and colder. It is all we can do to keep warm. Clothing issued and I failed not to secure a great coat and other comforts. Wrote to John. There has been no firing of any consequence to-day. What does it mean, is asked by all. Is the weather too cold to fight, or is Hood gone! The latter seems to be the prevailing opinion in camp.
8th. Thursday. Relieved in good season.
Five miles from James’ Point, Canoochie River,
December 8, 1864.
Another “Shermanism.” Our 3d and 4th Divisions crossed the Ogeechee river yesterday at Eden. We all supposed that we would follow, this morning, but here we are after 18 miles hard marching. The 2d Division is ahead of us and part of it at the river. Heard a few cannon shots there a few minutes ago. We are after the railroad that runs from Savannah to Thomasville. Kilpatrick crossed the Savannah river yesterday, into South Carolina. Miserable country to-day. The last ten days have been quite warm. One perspires freely lying in the shade during some of the warmest hours.
Thursday, 8th—We left bivouac at 8 o’clock this morning, but owing to the roads, we moved very slowly, making only twelve miles before going into camp. Just before our regiment started into bivouac, we were ordered to stack arms and help our teams across a narrow swamp. We went about a half mile for rails, each man carrying from two to four, to corduroy the road so that the artillery and wagons could cross. Our cavalry had a skirmish with the rebels at noon today, when passing through Marlow Station, and captured a train of cars by cutting the railroad before the rebels could get the train past the station. We drew two days’ rations today, with orders to make them last five days.
