October 15. [Chattanooga] —The day has cleared off beautifully. Good news continues to come in from Kentucky. I have just received a note from a Kentuckian, with a vest, requesting me to enlarge it, as the hope of soon seeing his wife and children, whom he has been separated from for some time, has so inflated him that it needs altering.
J. Tew, a member of the Thirty-second Alabama Regiment, died to-day; is from Red Creek, Ala.; was a married man.
The colonel of that regiment (McKinstry) is from Mobile. He has visited his men in the hospital, and seemed much interested in them. He was post commandant of this place.
Two of our men died to-day: Robert Arnold, member of the Tenth South Carolina Regiment, and Mr. Schoff, member of the Sixteenth Louisiana Regiment.
We are in despair for diet for the men, as our money is all gone. I have written to our friends in Mobile to send us some. If they do not, I do not know what we will do, as we have nothing but beef, bread, and coffee; many of the men can not taste either of these things. I believe that many a man dies for want of proper nourishment. When they have money themselves, they give it to us to buy things with; but money is an article of which they have very little at this time. I hope there will be a change for the better soon, and that we will be able to get plenty of money, as Dr. Stout (who is said to be an excellent manager) is now medical director of the hospital department, from Atlanta to this post.
