Cedar Town, Ga., November 1, 1864.
Abomination of abominations, train guard to-day. It is the most disagreeable duty we are subject to on the march. I escaped the afternoon duty by being sent out foraging. Got all the men would carry, and disgusted a rich citizen considerably, also saw a nice, rosy-faced girl, whose teeth and fingernails would spoil a meal for any one of ordinary constitution. One man in our brigade wounded, 40th Illinois, in a little skirmish to-day.
Near Cave Springs, Ga., 26 miles south of Rome,
October 31, 1864, 1 a.m.
We think we are going to Rome. Had an extremely disagreeable march yesterday of only 12 miles, over pine and scrub oak ridges. A swamp in every valley. Camped before dark for almost the first time of the trip. This is the 27th day since we broke camp at Eastpoint. Everybody is all right. Compliments to Colonel Wright, if he is at home, and tell him immense rumors are afloat of a Montgomery campaign. Had an immense supper of fresh pork and sweet potatoes.
Camp in piney woods, five miles South of Cedar Bluffs,
October 29, 1864.
Such a march over pine ridges and through swamps; Egyptian darkness would take a back seat in comparison with this night. It just happened to strike the men as funny, and they kept up a roar of cheering the whole distance.
Cedar Bluff, Ala., October 27, 1864.
Waiting here for the 17th Army Corps to get across the Coosa. It is a beautiful little river, not as wide as the Illinois, but has a deeper channel. We are starting on the road to Talladega; don’t even know whether we are starting on a campaign or not. Hood is reported across the Tennessee. We understand that Sherman has men enough to attend to him, and that Sherman intends to use us to Christianize this country. Many think we are now on the way to Montgomery or Selma. River here about 120 yards wide. About a thousand head of our cattle swam across, some of them swam over and back two or three times, and many of the thin ones drowned, for which we were grateful to the drovers as it saved us some very hard chewing.
At Little River again, October 26, 1864.
Got back on the 25th, and have been laying quiet. Our foragers have been skirmishing a good deal with the enemies’ scouts, but few casualties however.
Nine miles northwest of Gadsden, Ala.,
October 25, 1864.
Found the Rebels about noon to-day in position behind a rail work, running across from Lookout Mountain to Coosa river. It was only Wheeler’s cavalry, and we blew them out easily. We formed to charge them, but they wouldn’t wait. We followed until we were satisfied there was no infantry behind them, and then settled for the night, and sent out foragers. There was some miserable artillery firing by both sides. Not a dozen men were hurt; only one in our brigade, 100th Indiana.
Eight miles southeast of last night’s camp,
October 24, 1864.
With five brigades of our corps started at 3.30 p.m. to look after Rebels reported. Came through a little hamlet called Blue Pond from a little lake in the neighborhood of a dirty mud color. Plenty of milk and honey.
October 23, 1864.
A day of rest and washing. The cavalry was out some dozen miles southwest, and report the enemy intrenched and in force.
October 22, 1864.
I was foraging to-day for the regiment with about 20 men. Got plenty of hogs and potatoes. Sweet potatoes are about the size of ordinary pumpkins and most delicious.
Gaylesville, Ala., October 21, 1864.
Marched about 18 miles yesterday down a very fine valley, between Lookout Mountain and Taylor’s Ridge, crossed the latter after dark through a pass that beat all for blackness and stones, to tumble over, that I ever saw. Got a very large mail yesterday, but only one letter from you. We move again this morning, but don’t know when. Can send a letter back from here, first chance we have had this month. I guess we have halted here to wait the building of a bridge over the Coosa. The Rebels burned it yesterday.
What we are going for nobody knows. I saw Sherman yesterday as we passed through Gaylesville. He was talking with Jeff. C. Davis. He always has a cigar hanging from the corner of his mouth. It is always about half-gone, but I never saw it lighted. He is certainly the most peculiar-looking man I ever saw. At one house we passed this morning we saw three of the ugliest-looking women imaginable. They sat on the porch step, side by side, hoopless, unkempt and unwashed. I’ll swear that man never before witnessed three such frights together. All three were singing a Rebel song. I knew they were trying to sing, but although close to them, could not distinguish a word. Some of the men recognized the tune as belonging to a tune called the “Rebel Soldier.” The men were so completely surprised and thunderstruck by the show that they had not a word to say. It tickles us to see that you home folks are uneasy about us because Hood has got into our rear. I tell you that I have not seen a man uneasy for a minute, on that subject, and that Hood has to run like a hound to get away from us. If Hood’s army was to-day, twice as strong as it is, we would be too many for him.
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