Thursday, 8. —Windy and very cold, but dry. Rode with Dr. Joe around the works on our left. Bitterly cold. Some things look as if we were to move up the Valley to stop Early from going to Richmond, so as to give Grant a fair field.
Colonel Lyon’s Letters.
Stevenson, Dec. 8, 1864.—I write to you at the usual time, although I am as completely isolated from you as I would be were I in the Fiji Islands. Communication with Nashville is entirely cut off and we have no idea what is going on up there. You, I suppose, know all about it. The last we heard from there was that Hood was near Nashville. I expect to hear next that he has crossed the Cumberland and gone to Kentucky.
I am still in command of the brigade, but as soon as the road is open Colonel Doolittle will return and take command, when I shall go to the regiment once more I hope. We are hard at work building fortifications and getting ready for any rebel force that may stray off in this direction.
December 8th.—Rained hard in the night; clear and pleasant in the morning.
A letter from John T. Bourne, St. Georges, Bermuda, says he has some 1800 barrels government gunpowder under his care, of which be desires to be relieved.
Gen. Lee sent to the Secretary the following dispatch this morning: “2d and 5th corps, Gregg’s division of [enemy’s] cavalry, are moving South, on Jerusalem Plank Road. Cavalry reached Sussex Court House at 7 P.M. yesterday. Hill and Hampton [Confederate States generals] are following. Appearances indicate they are moving against Weldon, where I am concentrating all the depot guards I can.
“R. E. Lee, General.
“Petersburg, Dec. 8th, 1864”
.
There are rumors of the enemy having effected a lodgment on the south side of the river, between Howell and Drewry’s Bluff. This may be serious. I do not learn (yet) that the Dutch Gap Canal is finished; but the enemy landed from barges in the fog. Gen. Lee, some weeks ago, designated such a movement and lodgment as important and embarrassing, probably involving the holding of Petersburg.
Nothing from Bragg.
One of Gen. Early’s divisions is passing through the city toward Petersburg.
Fort Gillem, Thursday, Dec. 8. The weather that turned cold last evening is growing colder and colder. It is all we can do to keep warm. Clothing issued and I failed not to secure a great coat and other comforts. Wrote to John. There has been no firing of any consequence to-day. What does it mean, is asked by all. Is the weather too cold to fight, or is Hood gone! The latter seems to be the prevailing opinion in camp.
8th. Thursday. Relieved in good season.
Five miles from James’ Point, Canoochie River,
December 8, 1864.
Another “Shermanism.” Our 3d and 4th Divisions crossed the Ogeechee river yesterday at Eden. We all supposed that we would follow, this morning, but here we are after 18 miles hard marching. The 2d Division is ahead of us and part of it at the river. Heard a few cannon shots there a few minutes ago. We are after the railroad that runs from Savannah to Thomasville. Kilpatrick crossed the Savannah river yesterday, into South Carolina. Miserable country to-day. The last ten days have been quite warm. One perspires freely lying in the shade during some of the warmest hours.
Thursday, 8th—We left bivouac at 8 o’clock this morning, but owing to the roads, we moved very slowly, making only twelve miles before going into camp. Just before our regiment started into bivouac, we were ordered to stack arms and help our teams across a narrow swamp. We went about a half mile for rails, each man carrying from two to four, to corduroy the road so that the artillery and wagons could cross. Our cavalry had a skirmish with the rebels at noon today, when passing through Marlow Station, and captured a train of cars by cutting the railroad before the rebels could get the train past the station. We drew two days’ rations today, with orders to make them last five days.
Wednesday, December 7. — Rained a little in the morning. Cleared off during the day. Received news of Hood’s defeat at Franklin. Wheeler whipped by Sherman. Exchange resumed at Charleston.
Wednesday, December 7, 1864. — Fine weather. We still inquire as to Early’s position, not feeling sure but that he will visit us. Sherman is reported to have taken Millen. If so he is safe; quite sure to reach the sea.
Chapin’s Farm, Va.,
December 7, 1864.
Dear Sister L.:—
The move I spoke of has taken place. Our regiment moved only about forty rods, but enough to oblige them to leave all their nice log houses they had been so long building. We moved into the camp of the Fortieth Massachusetts, which was a much smaller regiment than ours, and there were not quarters enough for us. I do not move, as I am about as near the new camp as the old one, and could gain nothing by moving.
Last night just as I got into a comfortable doze between those sheets the brigade quartermaster came into my house and said: “Are you aware, young man, that we have orders to be ready to move at a moment’s notice, teams harnessed and ready to hitch up?” Well, I had not been aware of it, but it did not take me long to become so. Then at midnight I had to get up and issue two days’ rations to the regiment, and was up and down all night, so to-day I feel rather blue. It is 10 o’clock and we have not moved yet and perhaps we may not. as it began to rain at daylight this morning and there is a prospect of its continuance. We have had most delightful weather lately, dreamy Indian summer weather, but treacherous as the Indian. You cannot tell on one warm, bright, dry day that the next will not be cold, wet and awful for outdoor work.
The “Corps d’Afrique” is organized and there are a thousand rumors. The Sixth and Nineteenth corps landed at City Point a day or two ago and some say they will relieve us and we be sent to Wilmington or Savannah or Florida, and others that the Dutch Gap canal is all done but blowing out the end, and that is to be done at once and a grand rush made for Richmond with “Cuffee in advance,” so the rebs say, so altogether we are in a state of great uncertainty.
My coming home is very doubtful. In fact I do not care to leave till I get my appointment as regimental quartermaster. I am only acting now, but our regimental quartermaster expects promotion soon, and if some one else is acting when he gets it and I am off on leave, my chances for stepping into his shoes will not be so good as though I was here on hand. That is one reason. Another is that when he gets his promotion he will be absent for some time settling up his accounts as regimental quartermaster and I shall probably take his place as brigade quartermaster, and in the time I am acting I shall be showing if I am competent to be Captain and Assistant Quartermaster, which may come in due time. Perhaps you don’t understand all this, but you know I am a little ambitious and you can understand that “Captain and Assistant Quartermaster” is parlance militaire for quartermaster of a brigade or division.
