Colonel Lyon’s Letters.
Claysville, Ala., Thurs., Aug. 11, 1864.—I have just got back from my trip, tired but well. I stayed three nights at Huntsville, one at Whitesburg with Colonel Chapman, and last night with Company G at Law’s Landing. I saw Captain Woodman, Captain Norcross, Dr. Smith, Lieutenants Brown, Wemple, Dutton and Murray, who is sick in Huntsville.
I suppose there is a good deal of squirming about the coming draft, and I really sympathize with many of those who will be drawn, for I know from the experience of these long, weary, anxious years what a terrible thing it is to be separated from wife, children and home, and to be surrounded by peril, suffering and death for so long a time; yet I do not know that it is any harder for them than it is for those who are already in the service. Besides, this draft is only for a year. Efforts are being made to get negroes here to fill the quotas of some localities, but without much success. The soldiers are strongly opposed to it and throw every obstacle in the way of the recruiting agents.
by John Beauchamp Jones
AUGUST 11TH.—Hot and dry.
Dispatches from secret agents atWashington state that Grant and his staff have arrived, that half his army preceded him, and the remainder will soon follow. The campaign is considered a disastrous failure, and it is anticipated that henceforth the scene of operations is to be transferred fromRichmond toWashington. They say President Lincoln’s face expresses “great terror,” and affairs there are in a critical condition.
A dispatch from Gen. Lee states that Gen. Bradley Johnson’s brigade of cavalry was surprised and routed on the 7th inst. by Averill. He has directed that Gen. J. be relieved.
A dispatch from Gen. Hood (Atlanta,Ga.) says no important change in affair has occurred since yesterday, except that Major-Gen. Bates is wounded. There are 5000 militia in the trenches.
August 11th, 1864.—Communication is established once more and Oh, the horrible, horrible news that has come to us! Capers’ Battalion reached Petersburg just in time for that terrible explosion and a part of his command were blown to atoms. Frank Baker is killed and so is my little new cousin. Mr. Kellar will never sing for us again. When he said goodbye and we told him we hoped to have him back before long and hear his sweet songs again, he said, “If I don’t come back I’ll join the Choir as soon as I get to Heaven and I’ll sing for you there.”
It is heart-rending to think of death and destruction, bodily destruction, for those young boys, who were so thoroughly alive, who were looking forward to a speedy return home and the home folks who were waiting for them. Oh, it is dreadful!
