Sunday, April 17.— Day showery. Had the usual Sunday inspection, which was very creditable to the regiment. Nothing new happened.
Thursday, April 17, 2014
Colonel Lyon’s Letters.
Edgefield, Tenn., Sun. eve., April 17, 1864.—There is a great demand for houses here, and many efforts are being made to turn these poor refugees out of doors, you know they are numerous here. I have been and am still protecting them, and in doing so get complained of occasionally at headquarters. I am ahead, though, up to this present writing. I think that these rebels here who got up this war and made refugees of these poor people, ought to furnish houses for them to live in, and I mean they shall to some extent.
Sunday, April 17th.
The churches in these parts being “closed for repairs,” or the clergymen being on their vacations, we were compelled to spend the day in camp, and “works of necessity and mercy” being always in order, and the materials having arrived, with the assistance of my men Lynch and Joe Solomon, who for gallant and meritorious services as “beats,” have long since been promoted from the ranks to the position of Acting Assistant Adjutant Generals at my Headquarters, I completed my mansion at the head of the company street. This imposing structure, calculated to furnish accommodations for Lieut. Edmonston and myself, is built to the height of about three feet, of poles laid up after the manner of the cob houses of my boyhood, and is covered with canvas sustained by a ridge pole about five feet from the ground. Its dimensions are six feet by ten, it being constructed on the sound architectural principal that “man wants but little here below but wants that little” longer than it is broad, and though some maliciously inclined individual might at first profanely take it for a third-rate hog pen, yet the massive chimney of two headless barrels and a cracker box, pointing heavenward from one corner, would soon dispel the possible illusion, and suggest the more pleasing and Christian idea of a little modern church, with its lofty gable and castellated tower. The internal arrangements are all made with the strictest reference to economical utility. The farther end is occupied by the inevitable “bunk” of poles, whereon by strictly conforming the wearied form to Hogarth’s line of beauty, a moderate share of sleep and rest may be enjoyed, particularly if the various joints and angles of the said form are judiciously disposed with due reference to the interstices between the poles. Under the bed is a spacious closet used as a general storeroom for old muskets and the various odds and ends of surplus and decayed “camp and garrison equipage.” A single board propped against the poles and supporting an inkstand, graces the western wall, and the modest but handsome furniture of the apartment is completed by an empty cracker box, which performs the various offices of table, desk, chair, buffet, commode or candlestick, as “the exigencies of the service” may require.
Sunday, 17th—It is cloudy and quite cool. There was some rain today, but toward evening it cleared off and became quite pleasant. I attended church at the Sparks schoolhouse, where the few members of the Christian church in this settlement have organized a church. They have prayer meeting and communion every Sunday at 10 o’clock, with preaching every fourth Sunday. May God help those who are trying to keep His holy laws, and may He help the churches all over the world, that they may do much good in bringing sinners to repentance and into the service of the Lord their Savior. After services I went home with John Moore, perhaps for the last time this spring. John and I spent the early evening at the home of Mr. William Listenwalter.
Huntsville, Sunday, April 17. A beautiful and holy Sabbath morning. Warmed even the coldest heart to softness and filled the thoughtful mind with piety, though to many imperceptibly. Knapsack inspection at 8 A. M. Afterwards D. J. D., Griff and myself attended Sabbath school taught by a chaplain. The presiding elder of the Methodist church was sick, and to my astonishment the Yankee chaplain was invited to preach, which he did very fittingly, delivering an excellent sermon from Romans 8th chapter, XV verse. Went down in the afternoon to witness the baptizing at the Methodist church, but we were too late. Visited the new font that is going up, and caught in heavy rain storm before we got back.
April 17.—Fort Gray, near Plymouth, North-Carolina, garrisoned by National troops under the command of Captain Brown, of the Eighty-fifth New-York regiment, was attacked by a force of rebels belonging to the command of General Pickett, who was repulsed after having made several attempts to carry the position by assault.—An unsuccessful attempt to capture the steamer Luminary was made by the rebels at a point thirty-five miles below Memphis, on the Mississippi River.—The English schooner Lily was captured by the gunboat Owasco, off Velasco, Texas.
—A riot occurred in Savannah, Georgia, this day. Women collected in a body, with arms, and marched the streets in a procession, demanding bread or blood. They seized food wherever it could be found. The soldiers were called out, and, after a brief conflict, the most active and prominent leaders were put in jail.
by John Beauchamp Jones
APRIL 17TH.—Rained until bedtime—then cleared off quite cold. This morning it is cold, with occasional sunshine.
Gen. Beauregard’s instructions to Major-Gen. Anderson in Florida, who has but 8000 men, opposed by 15,000, were referred by the Secretary of War to Gen. Bragg, who returned them with the following snappish indorsement: “The enemy’s strength seems greatly exaggerated, and the instructions too much on the defensive.”
