Wartrace, Tenn., October 15, 1863.
You see where I am at once, but before telling you how it
came about I will go back a little. My last letter was from Nashville, dated
the 8th. The next day, Friday, the railroad was reopened. I took a train about
two, P. M., and started to find my regiment. At Murfreesboro, where we arrived
about five, I came across General Williams and staff, who told me that the
Second was at Christiana, about ten miles further on. It was after dark before
we got there, but the regiment was near at hand, and I soon found myself in
camp again, much to the surprise of the Colonel and other officers, who
welcomed me with open arms. That night, I returned to first principles, hard
bread and coffee out of a tin cup, sleeping under a shelter tent with no
covering but my rubber cloak. We were roused up before daylight in the morning,
to start on a long march towards Tullahoma. I started on foot, but one of
General Ruger's aides soon after furnished me with an ancient Government animal
which had been turned away as unfit for service and was caparisoned with a
saddle and bridle of the country, in a very lamentable state of decay; however,
this was better than walking, so I mounted him, not without serious misgivings
that I should suddenly be lowered to the ground by reason of his knees giving
way under him. This did occur once when I urged him to a trot, but I stuck
manfully to my seat and made him rise with me.
Colonel Cogswell's charger was also of the Rosinante pattern,
and being white showed his “points” to a still greater advantage. Thus mounted,
you can imagine we did not make a very imposing appearance. We marched till
eight P. M., accomplishing about twenty-four miles, and camped in a corn field.
We were off again before daylight the next morning, and marched fifteen miles
to within four miles of Deckard, camping on the banks of the Elk Run, over
which there is an important railroad bridge. For the present, this bridge is to
be guarded by our regiment, the Third Wisconsin, One Hundred and Seventh New
York, First Tennessee Black Regiment, a battery and a few other detachments.
Our camp was right alongside of the “darks.” Their Colonel and Lieutenant
Colonel came over to see us and proved to be very pleasant gentlemen; they were
profuse in their offers of hospitality. This is one very noticeable
characteristic of western officers; no matter how rough they are, or how much
they blow for their army, etc., they are perfectly liberal in their ideas and
are as hospitable as men can be, offering us horses, rations or anything else
we want. They brag a great deal of the fighting and marching of the Army of the
Cumberland, and pretend to think that the Army of the Potomac has done very
little of either, but the western regiments in our corps give these gentlemen
very emphatic information as to our fights and losses, and they seldom have as
good stories to tell in return. They acknowledge to have been very severely
handled both at Stone River and Chickamauga, although at the former place, the
enemy retreated and we claimed a victory.
To go back to the black regiment. The night of our arrival,
we all went over to see dress parade. We were told beforehand by Colonel
Thompson (formerly of General Rosecrans' staff) that his men had not been in
camp quite a month and had not yet been drilled on account of the heavy amount
of picket duty, so we went prepared to excuse a great deal. I was very
agreeably surprised by the whole appearance of the regiment; the men had a soldierly
bearing, marched well, and stood in line better than nine-tenths of the white
regiments I have seen. I didn't have an opportunity, myself, but the Colonel
and Major both visited their picket line, and said that they never saw
sentinels do their duty better. These men are nearly all of the blackest
description, and very ignorant.
All our privates went over to see their parade. I would not
want any severer critics. During the whole ceremony I saw no sneering or
attempt to laugh, and after it was all over and the companies were marching
off, our men applauded by a very hearty clapping. I looked upon this as a very strong indication of what the general
feeling would be among our troops.
Monday morning, I received a telegram ordering me to report
at corps headquarters at Wartrace. I was very much surprised at receiving it,
as General Slocum had given me no intimation of it at Nashville. I felt sorry
to leave the regiment so soon again; but, of course, there were some reasons
that made me glad to get to headquarters. I received that night the written
order appointing me Provost Marshal and acting Assistant Adjutant General of
the Twelfth Corps.
SOURCE: Charles Fessenden Morse, Letters Written
During the Civil War, 1861-1865, p. 147-50
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