Tuesday, 9th—We started at 3 o’clock this morning and marched fifteen miles, going into bivouac on the banks of the James river near Manchester. Sherman’s entire army is arriving at this place and will lie here three or four days, after which we are to start for Washington City to be mustered out of the service.
May 2015
9th. Went off on the 4:25 A. M. train on Ohio Central. Reached Bellaire at 10:30 A. M. Crossed the river and took the Baltimore & Ohio R. R. Very poor conveniences. Enjoyed the scenery along the Monongahela, Cheat river and Potomac. Slept considerably.
Washington, D. C, May 9, 1865.
Dear Laura: — I suppose from what I hear of your gallant husband that he will be here in a few days. I guess also that after the grand doings of the army, when it gets here, that he will resign, as I mean to do, and go home. Now, why shouldn’t our wives come after us? I hereby empower you to order Lucy to come with you to Washington about the 20th or 25th. Write me what you think of it.
Affectionately,
R.
Mrs. Laura Mitchell,
Columbus.
Washington, May 9, 1865.
Dearest: — I am here looking on at the closing scenes. I wish you were here with me. I shall know in a few days how long I shall stay. If I am to remain long you must come here.
I now think it probable I shall stay in service just a month longer. If so, I will send for you. Otherwise, you will see me at home within a fortnight.
I could talk to you a great deal about things, but I don’t care to write them.
I am a very little bored by having my name mentioned for governor. The answer is simply, I have accepted another place, and that is reason enough for not looking further.
I send you Bishop Simpson’s excellent address on Lincoln. — The foolish talk about your husband was not paid for I assure you.
Affectionately ever,
R.
Mrs. Hayes.
Colonel Lyon’s Letters.
May 9, 1865.—Yesterday was quite a gala day here. The Fourth Army Corps, mustering 20,000 muskets, was reviewed by Major-General Thomas. The day was very fine and everything passed off nicely. Our women never saw anything of the kind before, and of course were delighted. Adelia brought a side-saddle from home and I have a nice, gentle little mare which she proposes to ride about the country. We are pleasantly situated in a beautiful grove on Mill creek, about four miles south of town, and are enjoying unadulterated camp life. When we were gone a few days ago the boys built an arbor over our tent and made us a rude bedstead. We eat from a rough table set under a tree, and have no floor in our tent.
We are all watching with great interest the final disposition to be made of the army, with strong hopes that we shall be sent home before many weeks elapse. Certainly there is no more active service for us in this war. The Government has failed to pay the troops as it should. There is eight months’ pay due this corps. Adelia will stay as long as the prospect is good for our being soon discharged.
_
Letter from Mrs. Lyon’.
Tuesday, May 9, 1865.—We attended the review. It was the most gorgeous sight I ever saw. The bugler makes more music in the calls than I ever heard before. He passed in review alone and played all the bugle calls. We had an ambulance at our disposal, and we went around to see the sights. I saw much more of Nashville than I did when we were living there.
I must tell you how our bedstead is made. The posts are four posts driven into the ground, and the end and side pieces are nailed onto them. Some small trees were split and laid on them, the flat side up, and over that is a straw bed. The quilts are in a bad plight. William has gone to bed so often with his spurs on that they are pretty well used up. I frequently got my arms through the holes, but I have had them washed clean and have mended them the best I could, and get along with them the best I can. The blue spread covers it all and looks nice. We can’t get any more here. I forgot to tell you about the headboard of our bedstead. There are three boards four inches wide driven into the ground lengthwise. This keeps the pillows in place.
Chattanooga, Tuesday, May 9. Very much pleasanter after yesterday’s rain. Drilled to-day in camp twice. No orders disposing of us poor “critters” received yet, although much expected. Great dissatisfaction exists among the veterans in regard to the government mustering out all the sick soldiers, recruits, etc. except the veterans. It is not right, I think. They came out first and have been the means of bringing about this happy end, and they should be the first to receive the reward, I think. We have been eating hard-tack for the last two days, and I find myself suffering from the change. My system, weakened from living on inadequate food, is not vigorous enough to digest it, hence the return of diarrhea.
Petersburg, Va., May 8, 1865.
I’ll take back all I ever said against the Potomac Army. I have been down to Fort Steadman to-day and troops who will work up to an enemy as they did there, will do anything if handled right. There were some sad sights along that part of the line. Right in front of Steadman 40 or 50 of our men are lying with only a few shovelfuls of dirt thrown over them, their heads and feet exposed. I passed through the Rebel burying ground, quite a large and thickly settled village. Poor fellows. I wish the leaders who led or rather pushed them into these little clay hills were all beside them. This is a nice town, not very pretty though. Good deal of business done. Hundreds of Rebel officers, Lieutenant General Gordon among them, walk the streets in full uniform.
Monday, 8th—We started at 7 a. m., and while passing through Petersburg by platoons, were reviewed by General Ord, in command at Petersburg. The Fifteenth Corps had to pass through the city in our rear. We crossed the Appomattox river at 9 a. m. and went into bivouac six miles out from Petersburg, making a march of only eight miles for the day. Petersburg is a lively place; business is going on regularly. The people are at work repairing the damages done by the war, and are even erecting new buildings. It is a fine city with beautiful country around, although badly cut up with fortifications. The town was strongly fortified.
8th. Left on the 8 A. M. train. Reached Columbus at 2 P. M. Went up to Capitol and ascertained that Nettleton had been commissioned Col. and Seward’s commission revoked. Wrote home and to Uncle Albert. Rained. Looked around the city a little.
May 8th. 1865.
Two weeks today we arrived in sight of Washington, from our year’s campaign, crowned, this time, with victory. Why the impatience with which I await my discharge? I wonder, am I homesick, at this late day, just on the point of going home?
I certainly am not well; it is equally true I can think of naught but home. But, I am better than when I came; therefore I will write it down—impatience.
There are rumors of grand reviews, triumphal processions, and all the rest of it; and our flag, too, must have all the various battles in which we were engaged inscribed upon it. And officers are in no hurry to lay aside their trappings. Why should they be? It clothes them with authority which, lain aside, they never more can wear.
