Dec. 8th. I have heard this morning of poor Beckham's death.
What a cruel, hard thing is war! The individual suffering, however, is the
public gain. Over the road, on which moved Cheatham's Corps, was hung, just at
the Tennessee State line, an inscription in these words: “Tennessee, A grave,
or a free home.” A good many graves have been already filled — but better we
should all meet that fate than fail to gain the prize we struggle for. As he
passed over the line, Gen. Hood received a formal welcome into the state from
Governor Harris, who has been with us since we took up the line of march for
Tennessee. If we can gain Nashville, what a glorious termination it will be for
the campaign. Even if we fail in this, for I fear the fortifications are too
strong, and hold the enemy in his lines round the city, it will be one of the
grandest achievements an army has ever performed. Think of it! Starting from
Lovejoy's thirty miles beyond Atlanta on the 18th Sept., here we are on the 8th
Dec. in front of Nashville with the enemy cooped up in his works and the fruits
of two years hard marching and fighting lost to him. . . .
SOURCE: Louise Wigfall Wright, A Southern Girl in
’61, p. 213-4
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