Thursday, 27th—I signed the allotment roll for my father to draw $10.00 of my pay at home. The division received orders to be ready to march tomorrow morning. We are to pack our extra clothing in our knapsacks, which are to be stored at La Grange. Our tents are to be taken with us, the quartermaster delivering them to us every night so that we will not have to lie out in all kinds of weather.
Tuesday, November 27, 2012
Thursday, 27th. Up at 3 A. M. and ready to march at sunrise. Went as advance of whole division. I had charge of advance, 20 men. Moved south till within a mile of Rhea’s Mills. Fed ourselves and horses at Gin. and went on. The scouts were in advance most of the time, saw no enemy. Got some nice apples at a house. Went into camp on the hill and went out as picket on the road to the south. Slept without fires.
Moscow, Thursday, Nov. 27. Our boys returned in the afternoon having been out to Collierville, eighteen miles distant, burned a bridge, came upon a party of rebs, capturing three. Weather cold and clear. Health improving.
November 27.—Colonel Kirk, commanding the Fifth brigade of General Sill’s division, made a reconnoissance from Nashville toward La Vergne, Tenn., with two companies of the Third Indiana cavalry, and that portion of his brigade not on picket-duty. He came upon the rebel outposts of cavalry three quarters of a mile beyond Scrougesville. The rebels fired a few rounds and fled, until they fell in with their other outposts on the right and left of the road, when they made a stand at a church three fourths of a mile beyond. Here they discharged several rounds at the Union advance, slightly wounding Lieutenant Colonel Hurd, of the Thirtieth Indiana, who was bravely leading his men. This regiment, under lead of Colonel Dodge, quickly drove the guerrillas from their position, who retreated until they reached their artillery, which was planted on a hill. They fired a few rounds and continued retreating. The National troops chased them some two miles beyond La Vergne, when the rebels fled so fast, that they soon became invisible. Several of the rebels were killed and wounded, a number of them being seen to fall. They were carried off by their friends. The Nationals had ten privates wounded; none killed. A guerrilla, who was captured, stated that General Wheeler, who was in command, was wounded. — Nashville Union, November 29.
—A Union cavalry force, two thousand five hundred strong, under the command of Brigadier General C. C. Washburne, left Helena, Ark., this afternoon, on an expedition into the State of Mississippi.—(Doc. 61.)
—Political prisoners were released from Fort Warren, Mass. —At Louisville, Ky., General Boyle issued the following order: “All commanding officers serving in this district are ordered not to permit any negroes or slaves to enter the camps, and all officers and privates are forbidden to interfere or intermeddle with the slaves in any way.”—The schooner Mary E. Mangum, while entering the port of Roseau, Dominica, was fired into by the rebel steamer Alabama, without damage.—This morning the United States forces consisting of the Ninth Illinois and part of the Fourteenth Missouri regiments, under the command of Colonel Mersey, evacuated Rienzi, Miss., carrying away all the government stores and property. This movement was made in anticipation of an attack upon Corinth by the rebels, who were reported to be advancing in two heavy columns upon that place, respectively from the south and cast—Missouri Democrat.
November 7—It commenced to snow this morning at 6 o’clock, and continued until one in the afternoon. It is three inches deep. We got some whiskey into camp, which tasted very good and made us forget the cold. The balance of this month passed off very quietly. We are hard at work on our winter huts.
NOVEMBER 27TH—Some of the late Secretary’s friends are hinting that affairs will go amiss now, as if he would have prevented any disaster! Who gave up Norfolk? That was a calamitous blunder! Letters from North Carolina are distressing enough. They say, but for the influence of Gov. Vance, the legislature would favor reconstruction!
Gen. Marshall writes lugubriously. He says his men are all barefoot.
Gen. Magruder writes that Pemberton has only 20,000 men, and should have 50,000 more at once—else the Mississippi Valley will be lost, and the cause ruined. He thinks there should be a concentration of troops there immediately, no matter how much other places might suffer; the enemy beaten, and the Mississippi secured at all hazards. If not, Mobile is lost, and perhaps Montgomery, as well as Vicksburg, Holly Springs, etc.
One of our paroled men from Washington writes the President that, on the 6th instant, Burnside had but seventy regiments and the President seemed to credit it! The idea of Burnside advancing with seventy regiments is absurd. But how many absurd ideas have been entertained by the government, and have influenced it! Nous verrons.
November 27. [Chattanooga] —W. H. Williams, one of Hardee’s body-guard, died on the 25th. Had one case of small-pox, which has been sent to the pest-house. I am told the disease is of a mild type, and very few die of it.
The enemy are preparing to give battle to the Tennessee army; Rosecrans, their ablest general, is in command. News of a battle is daily expected.
Two ladies of this place, Mrs. Brooks and Mrs. Brewer, called on us to-day. I was much pleased with them.
