Scottsboro, Ala., March
6, 1864.
By marching 21 miles on the railroad ties we reached “home”
yesterday, after an absence of 24 days, in which we traveled 280 miles.
Altogether it was a very pleasant trip, although the first 10 nights were
almost too cold for outdoor sleeping. I kept a “sort” of a diary of this trip
in a memorandum book, and being too lazy to copy, tore out the leaves and
mailed to you. You should receive three letters of that kind. One about the “Wills
Valley” trip, one of the march from here to Cleveland, and the third of the
trip from Cleveland to Dalton and back. The rain was pouring down when we
received orders to start home from Chattanooga and it rained almost until
night. We marched 16 miles without a rest, and did it in five hours. Did
exactly the same thing next day, although it did not rain. This was from
Oltewah to Chattanooga. In addition to this march I took a look over the part
of Mission Ridge where our regiment fought, and also climbed Lookout mountain.
The 103d, the brigade they were with, undoubtedly got the hottest part of the
whole Lookout, and Mission Ridge fight. The nature of the ground was such that
not a shot was fired by either side until they were within 200 yards of each
other, when our men charged. Some of our boys were killed a little to the right
of, but on a line with the Rebel guns. The trees and shrubs show marks of
extraordinary hot musketry work. I cut a hickory walking stick right where our
men commenced the charge. This hickory stood by an oak that I should think was
hit by 400 musket and canister balls. It helped me later in the day to climb
Lookout Mountain. I think the view from Lookout worth 1,000 miles travel. The
high mountains of Western North Carolina, and the Blue Mountains of Virginia
are very plainly seen from the summit. There is a summer retreat, some 40 or 50
nice houses with public hall and school on top.
SOURCE: Charles Wright Wills, Army Life of an
Illinois Soldier, p. 216-7
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