Letter from Adjutant E. H. King

Headqu’r’s 15th Iowa Inft. Vol’s.
Vicksburg Miss. Dec. 28th 1863

Mr. Caverly:-

How vain are the thoughts and imagination of man! In one short hour the fairest hopes are blasted, and the brightest pictures of imaginative joy are hurled away, leaving only a pang as the price of anticipated bliss.

Every thing had been passing with an even tenure in camp: the approach of the holidays had created a desire in many minds to enjoy a season of pleasure as in days of yore, and to this end, preparations of no mean character had been in progress from the beginning of the week until the evening of the 24th inst., when everything was in a state bordering on completion, and high hopes were on the point of realization, and those who had predicted the sudden tumbling of all their expectations, were constrained to admit those were to be realized on this occasion, and the morrow would witness the full fruition of their hopes. But not so. In the midst of all, with countless numbers of half cooked turkeys, and well filled baskets of sweetmeats of every variety, and wines and liquors in greatest profusion: - when every thing had been provided which it was possible to secure to make Christmas a day of the gayest festivities, all was thrown into confusion and disappointment by an order for the 11th and the 15th Iowa Inft. To move at once to “Red Bone” 12 miles distant, under command of Col. Belknap of the 15th Iowa and reenforce [sic] the 2nd Miss. Cavalry, and 16th Miss. Infantry, stationed at that point, and which the Rebels were expected to attack early on the morning of the 25th. The column was moving by 11 p.m. and at 3 o’clock a.m. of the 25th was at its destination, and ready for enacting any scene the rebels might see fit to introduce. But considering, possibly, that discretion was the better part of valor, and that their foe being forewarned and fore-armed and doubled in numbers, were too powerful for them to be sure of a victory, the rebels failed to make the descent and at 2 o’clock p.m. of the 26th was enroute for Vicksburg, where it arrived at 5 ½ p. m. of the same day.

I did think of writing a description of the country through which we passed, but it beggars description. It is the poorest hilliest, and must desolate looking country it has been my misfortune to behold in the Southern Confederacy. There is not an acre of level ground for the whole 12 miles and not half an acre any place but is cut by gutters, five, ten and even twenty feet in depth. A more good-for-nothing, God-forsaken country than this appears to be, is certainly beyond the conception of man, and he who possess [sic] his ten thousand acres of such land, would be ten thousand times more intensely poor, than the meanest operative in New York city. “God bless our native land,” but save us from a land cursed with such hills and ditches. Every year adds to the poverty of such a country.

The weather is cold, windy, disagreeable at present, though it is generally very pleasant. No snow has yet fallen, and we are not anxious for any to fall, as it would only add to the discomfort of the troops. The health is magnificent. One could not ask for it to be better.

An effort is making in some quarters to have a good time on New Year’s day to make up for the disappointment on Christmas. As to the subscriber, he expects to spend it as any other day is spent in the army. The returns to be made up for the month, the two months, the quarter and the year just closing, will sufficiently occupy his attention, without indulging extensively in any of the festivities of the day.

But – wishing you and your readers a merry Christmas and a happy New Year – I bid you a kind good night.

E. H. King

- Published in The Union Sentinel, Oscoela, Iowa, January, 16, 1864