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.
Colonel Lyon’s Letters.
Edgefield, Tenn., Thursday, April 14, 1864.—I think that I told you that the right wing of the regiment was over beyond the city doing picket duty. We now picket the whole city, on both sides of the river, and guard all the trains running on the Louisville R. R.
Colonel Lyon’s Letters.
Edgefield, Tenn., Sun., April 10, 1864.—I have sent Lieut. Wemple’s detail to General Thomas for approval, but have not yet heard from it. In addition to picket duty we have been put on tram-guard duty on the railroad between here and Louisville. This takes the whole regiment. I have sent the right wing across the river on the picket line beyond the city, under command of Colonel Chapman, to do that duty. All the men in the left wing are on the railroad, and I do not think I have fifty men in camp today. Rather lonesome. Jerry sends his best love to Minerva. He gets homesick sometimes. Somebody cut through his tent and stole his watch a few nights since.
Colonel Lyon’s Letters.
Edgefield, April 7, 1864.—Everything is pleasant at Morrison’s and I am more comfortable than I would be if I ran a mess. We were on picket duty yesterday. I have the whole regiment at work today cleaning the camp.
Colonel Lyon’s Letters.
Edgefield, April 3, 1864.—I have got nearly settled in my new tent. I have a floor and stove in it. Mr. Barker is here today. He is installed in his new place in Nashville and thinks he will get along. There is a house full at Morrison’s, Norcross, Noyes, Hewitt, Hollister, Dr. Smith, Lamoreau, Walters, the Chaplain, and myself. Wallahan and his wife are there, besides a number of refugees, I think, by their looks. There is some one in our old place. It makes me homesick to pass there. It is all cleaned up and looks so homelike.
I spent most of yesterday with Colonel Hobart. We dined at General Rosecrans’ headquarters, and visited the 22d Wisconsin. Met Colonel Straight again.
Colonel Lyon’s Letters.
Nashville, Tenn., March 31, 1864—We got here, six companies of us, this morning just at daylight. The other four companies, E, K, G and B, were left at Chicago for want of transportation—will probably be here tomorrow. We were on the cars three nights and got but little sleep. I have commenced boarding at Mrs. Morrison’s, in Edgefield.
Colonel Lyon’s Letters.
Feb. 7, 1864.—We have received our veterans’ furlough, and expect to leave here for Janesville the last of the week, with between 400 and 500 of the regiment; in which case we shall reach there about the 17th, and get home two or three days later. Jerry and Minerva will go home with us. They will make arrangements for housekeeping.
Colonel Lyon’s Letters.
Edgefield, Sun., Jan. 31, 1864.—I received between 50 and 60 new recruits from Wisconsin yesterday, and expect a good many more. The regiment will probably fill up. Three hundred and forty-eight of my men have re-enlisted and have been mustered as veterans, and the number will probably increase to 400. I have just forwarded an application for the regiment to be furloughed home. It will be about two weeks before we hear from it. If the application is granted, and I expect that it will be, we shall probably get off between the 15th and 20th of February. This veteran movement is a grand thing, and the most discouraging to the rebels of anything that has transpired during the war. I feel it my duty to encourage it by all proper means.
Mrs. Lyon’s Diary.
Jan. 16, 1864.—A large party of us went in ambulances to visit the penitentiary.
Mrs. Lyon’s Diary.
January 2, 1864.—Still very cold, six degrees below zero. The houses here are not built for warmth, but to keep cool in summer.
