Colonel Lyon’s Letters.
Huntsville, Ala., Sept. 21,1864.—I go out as far as Woodville, 24 miles on the railroad, in the morning, but will not be gone long. They run out a special train for me, so I can return when I please.
Everything is perfectly quiet throughout my whole command. I have a lot of cavalry out after guerilla Johnson, and they are spreading terror amongst the people who have been guilty of harboring these fellows. If the cavalry fail to smoke him out, I shall try him with infantry and go myself.
I have a pleasant room in the second story, well furnished, my amiable and excellent landlady (whom I have not seen since we have been in her house) having left the furniture. The room is nearly twenty feet square, and at least fifteen feet high, has a grate, four large windows with blinds outside and damask curtains inside. The floor is carpeted. The furniture is all old-fashioned—an enormous bedstead with high posts and a canopy, spring mattress, bolster, pillows with ruffled slips, sheets and a white counterpane; an arm rocking chair, cushioned; several flag bottomed chairs; a chest of drawers, wardrobe (kept locked), marble-topped washstand, a little table, on which I am writing; large looking glass, a sewing machine, a few lithographs in square, gilt frames; wash bowl and pitcher, some earthern candlesticks and a thermometer, constitute my furniture. The Adjutant has a similar room, with rather more furniture, which we use as an office. There is only a hall between us. Our kitchen and dining room, where old Minty and her little girl, six years old, live, is a few rods back of the house, and Jerry, Johnny, clerk and orderlies, live in their tents in the back yard.
I think you could stand it if you were here, especially after wintering in a tent. I have sent by Captain Noyes to Nashville to try and get a permit for you and Minerva to come. He is acquainted with Colonel Sawyer, General Sherman’s Adjutant-General, who has power to grant these permits, and thinks he can get it. He left here for Nashville this morning. No ladies are coming south of Nashville, so far as I know. If you were to apply to him for leave to come he would say to you that if the Government would be as much benefited by your coming as it would be were 175 pounds of corn shipped in your place, he would let you come. Mrs. Moulton wishes to come, and I think to accomplish it she will take an appointment as matron in the hospital at Decatur. Of course, it is entirely inadmissible for you to get here in any such manner.
