To Mrs. Lyon
Feb. 16, 1862.—We are in a post of honor, and except that it keeps us out of battle would be deemed very desirable, but we want a hand in. I suppose that Fort Donelson is taken, or will be in a day or two, and then the backbone of this rebellion will be broken up west here. A part of our regiment went to Paducah, I hear, as a bodyguard for General Sherman, who I understand has gone up there.
To Mrs. Lyon
Mound City, Feb. 14, 1862.—Here we are, separated from the regiment for reserve duty again. We are to guard a large amount of ammunition. The hospital here contains from 600 to 700 patients, with accommodations for 1,000. Bartlett and I were all through it yesterday. Saw the men that were scalded on the Essex. They are an awful sight.
We are now almost discouraged about getting into the field. I hate this reserve duty.
To Mrs. Lyon
Mound City, Ill., Wed. p. m., Feb. 12, 1862.—Last night an order was received on dress parade that Company K proceed to Mound City and take charge of the post. So we went on a steamer this afternoon, and here we are.
To Mrs. Lyon
Cairo, Sunday, Feb. 9, 1862.—Since writing to you there has been a battle and victory at Fort Henry, on the Tennessee river. The battle was fought on our side by the gunboats, our infantry taking no part in It. We are not stationed here permanently. We were only left because we had not our blue uniforms.[1] We have them now. But for this we should doubtless have been at Fort Henry. The boys are much disappointed. We may go there yet, as regiments are constantly going up there. I suppose they will have another fight in a few days on the Cumberland river about fourteen miles east of Fort Henry, at Fort Donelson, but we have no orders as yet.
I have been for the last two days acting as President of a Regimental Court Martial for the trial of minor offenses. There were twelve cases before us. It takes a good deal of evidence in my court to convict.
[1] When the soldiers enlisted, gray uniforms were furnished by the State. This caused confusion because the Confederates also wore gray uniforms—hence the change.
To Mrs. Lyon
Feb. 2, 1862.—Large numbers of troops, several regiments of General McClernard’s Brigade, leave here today for Smithland, at the mouth of the Cumberland river. It is supposed they will go on an expedition up the Cumberland river. We were attached to this brigade, but I now learn we are to be attached to General Paine’s Brigade. He is in command at Bird’s Point, just across the Mississippi river, in Missouri.
Our fear now is that the fight will come off at Bowling Green before we start, and if the rebels are defeated there they may retreat from Columbus without giving us battle. We really want a turn with them at Columbus.
To Mrs. Lyon
Camp Cairo, Cairo, Ill., Sunday a. m., Jan. 26, 1862.—The weather is fine, mud all dried up, and we drill every day four hours. The health of the men is good, except some diarrhœa occasioned by drinking the river water. This water looks like weak coffee with milk in it, it is so muddy, but it tastes very well. I do not drink any of it. My drink is almost entirely coffee. I keep out of the night air and take every possible care of my health, and with entire success. When warm weather comes there will be a good deal of ague here.
To Mrs. Lyon
Cairo, Wednesday p. m., Jan. 22, 1862.—The boys are all in good health and spirits. The mud has dried up so that it is comfortable getting about on foot. A steamer that passed Sulphur Springs the next evening after you left there, with a regiment, the 55th Illinois, on board, has just arrived here. Wouldn’t we have had a nice time had we got off on a steamboat?
We are very well situated. The boys have fixed up the barracks (each company has a building by itself) so that they are very comfortable. Our quarters at one end are almost as good as a parlor. We have three coal stoves, one in the quarters and two in the barracks, and have no difficulty in keeping dry and warm.
We are gratified with the victory at Somerset, Ky., over Zollicoffer. It shows how western men fight. We shall whip them every time we meet them on anything like equal terms—up west here. Deserters from below say that the rebels fear and dread the Northwestern troops. When the grand expedition starts down the Mississippi the blows will fall thick and fast and most effectually on secession.
To Mrs. Lyon
Cairo, Sun., Jan. 19, 1862.—Cairo is on a very low peninsula at the junction of two rivers, and has a levee all around it to protect it in high water, the surface being some feet below high water mark. Cairo contains about 2,000 inhabitants I think, but how they live here is more than I can tell. The business of the place is all done on the Ohio river, which appears nearly as large as the Mississippi.
The troops that have already left here are back of Columbus somewhere, and have done no fighting yet. Some of the gunboats have gone down the river and there are seven here, all finished but one, and that is nearly done. I can not tell you anything about what is to be done; and, indeed, we know but little about what is going on all around us. We rely upon Chicago papers for intelligence mainly.
Columbus is only twenty miles from here, and of course is to be taken; but when, and who is to do it, I do not know. The ragged 8th expects to have a hand in it, however, when the thing is to be done. The companies are in barracks and in the best of spirits. Barracks comfortable.
To Mrs. Lyon
Cairo, Sat., Jan. 18, 1862.—We arrived here last night, slept in the cars, and have this moment taken possession of the barracks. Do not know when we shall go. It rained, thundered and lightened all night. The storms here are terrific. I never saw mud before. It is sublime beyond description. The mud here is ankle deep everywhere off the sidewalks, and you may judge what sort of traveling it is.
Adelia’s Diary.
We started the next week on Tuesday. I had to go to the military headquarters in Chicago to get our transportation. We stayed in St. Louis all night. We arrived in Victoria a few days before Christmas and met with a warm reception. The regiment had been sent to Victoria from Sulphur Springs to guard a number of bridges on the Iron Mountain Railroad, after they sent for us.
Mrs. Bartlett and I went out and bought chickens and potatoes for a Christmas dinner for Company K. The boys were very happy to be remembered. We were at a pretty fair hotel and had more comforts than we expected to have. Our babies were great pets. John Humphrey would often come and borrow my baby and take him out to the company. He told me that some of the men shed tears when they kissed him.
The regiment remained at Victoria until about Jan. 12. Our husbands went to Sulphur Springs with us, and we stayed there a couple of days. They were ordered to Cairo. We left them at Sulphur Springs. The regiment moved a few days after. The boat they were going on got on a sand bar, so they went by railroad.
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