McDonough, November 16, 1864, 11 p.m.
Made 14 miles to-day through a really fine country. Only saw one house though, that looked like living. Forage is no name for the good things our foragers find here. I notify you that I had eggs for supper. There was some lively cannonading toward Lovejoy this morning, but it has been quiet ever since. Think the “Militia” has discovered that this party “sizes their pile,” and have “fled to the mountain.” Our whole corps are on the road to-day. The advance got into camp five miles ahead, at noon. We got here one hour ago, and our division camps six miles back. The roads are excellent and we travel right along. We all voted this morning that opossum meat was good enough for white folks. I liked it very much.
Near Jonesboro, November 15, 1864.
The grand expeditionary force has commenced moving. Our regiment has the honor of leading our corps in the first day’s march. Made about 18 miles to-day, the first ten of which the two or three companies of cavalry who led us had quite lively skirmishing.
At one point the Rebels took advantage of an old line of works and made quite a stubborn resistance, but our regiment, though we were deployed and advanced as skirmishers, did not get a shot the whole day. Just as we turned off the road to bivouac the Rebels opened a piece of artillery on us, but fired only a few shots and hurt no one. Item: Saw a lovely girl today. Item: Had on the Union to-day. Item: Had my first drink of milk since the 26th of December, ’63. Item: Have an oppossum which “Rueben” is to cook for my breakfast. Heavy cannonading west of us.
November 14, 1864.
Troops are coming in to-day on all the roads. ‘Tis said that we will be ready to move to-morrow. So be it. The cracker line is cut now and we don’t want to lie still eating up our precious rations. I was again over the old position we occupied before Atlanta. I would like to be your guide over that ground some day. Tremendous fires in Atlanta to-day.
White Hall, two miles west of Atlanta,
November 13, 1864.
We made 15 miles to-day very easily. Coming through Atlanta the smoke almost blinded us. I believe everything of any importance there is on fire. Understand that all the large buildings are to be burned. Tremendous smoke also rising over the site of Marietta. It is said that we will lie here two or three days. We are only one-half mile from where we did our hard fighting “before Atlanta.”
November 12, 1864.
The Rubicon is passed, the die is cast, and all that sort of thing. We to-day severed our own cracker line. At 11 a.m. ours and the 17th Corps were let loose on the railroad, the men worked with a will and before dark the 12 miles of track between here and Marietta were destroyed. The ties were piled and burned and the rails, after being heated red hot in the middle were looped around trees or telegraph poles. Old destruction himself could not have done the work better. The way the Rebels destroyed our road on their raid was not even a fair parody on our style. The 20th Corps is at it between Atlanta and the river, and the 14th and 23d north of Marietta. We have orders to-night to move at 7 a.m.
November 6, 1864.
Rain all day. We are preparing for a huge campaign, and are all right glad of it; 50 days’ rations is the word. Don’t know when we start. Montgomery or Augusta are probably the points. We are going to shake up the bones of the rebellion. I would not miss this campaign for anything.
Vinings Station, November 5, 1864.
Our brigade rear guard all day. Foragers could not find a thing. Traveled through a perfect labyrinth of breastworks. Rebel or Yankee grave every 100 yards. One month ago we passed here confident of overtaking Hood, but he was too swift for us, and after 300 miles travel we are back at the starting point. Altogether it has been the most pleasant campaign of my soldiering. The officers of the regiment have all messed together, and we have had all the good living and fun we wanted. I was under the civilizing influence of a white woman’s society to-day for five minutes, and in consequence feel duly amiable.
Powder Springs, November 4, 1864, 6 p.m.
Cold rain to-day. Made 15 miles. Country only fit for (?) Come through a long line of fine works the Rebels put up after they took up our railroad at Acworth. This about the last day of pork and potatoes; to-morrow will bring us to a country we have worn out.
Five miles northwest of Villa Rica, Ga.,
Novembebr 3, 1864, 6 p.m.
Forty-eight hours’ rain without a stop and a good prospect for as much more. We left Van Wirt and Dallas to the left, and by 16 miles hard marching have got near enough over this barren ridge, I think, to find a few marks of civilization. Rumor says we are going to Atlanta to relieve the 20th Corps, and will then be paid. Passed to-day a one-horse wagon, a large ox in the shafts and four women in the wagon dressed for a party.
Van Wirt, Ga., November 2, 1864.
It has rained steadily all day. Moved 12 miles. I have an excellent pair of shoes. A good deal of water got into them to-day, but it all ran out. Camp to-night on a high pine ridge. Pine knot fires come in first rate. That 40th boy that was wounded last night was captured with three more of our men by 30 Rebels and taken eight or ten miles, then formed in line and ordered to about face and fired upon; two fell dead and the other two ran away.
