Holly Springs, Miss., January 7, 1862.
The colonel and I were ordered to report here to give
evidence before the “Court of Inquiry,” convened to inquire into the case of
the 109th Illinois Infantry reported for disloyalty. I started from Jackson
yesterday but had to lay over at Grand Junction last night waiting for a train.
We got here this p. m., immediately gave our evidence, and will return
to-morrow. Don't know that they will do anything with the 109th, but am
satisfied that to prevent its dishonoring our state it should be broken up. I
heard General Grant say that if the charges were sustained he would transfer
the loyal men to some of the old regiments, cashier the officers and make the
disloyal men work their time out at Alton. Am staying tonight at Mr. Barney's.
He is a Northern man and thank God, a loyal one. He built a portion of the M.
& C. R. R. and most of the M. C. R. R. His wife is also Northern and loyal.
Have been very wealthy, but the war has reduced them. They both, after seven
years in the South, bear me out in the opinion I expressed in my last, of these
Southern people. They have lost $50,000 worth of negroes by our army, but are
willing to lose the rest for our cause. The army has all moved back to the M.
& C .R. R. line except one division, Lanman's, which occupies this place.
General Grant's headquarters are yet here. There is the d-------st state of
affairs in this country now that 'tis possible to think of. Every house within
ten miles of the army is visited about five times a day by our soldiers,
and the guerrillas (both work on the same principles) and each time visitors
divide with the family the provisions and household goods. There is more
stealing in one day here than the whole United States suffered in a year before
the war. The correspondent of the St. Louis Democrat is writing on the
same table with me for his paper, ever and anon ripping out some tall oaths
because he was not at the Vicksburg battle. We heard last night, direct, that
the place was taken, but we are not sure of it yet. We have lost immensely at
that place but the gain is worth it. Trains are coming through from Memphis now
and the army will be on full rations again shortly. The M. & O. R. R. will
not be running for ten days yet. There are some eight miles of the latter road
almost totally destroyed above Trenton, much of it trestle work. The sick will
all leave here to-night and within five days this secesh hole (what there is
left of it) will be left to its secesh inhabitants.
SOURCE: Charles Wright Wills, Army Life of an
Illinois Soldier, p. 52-3
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