Camp 103d Illinois
Infantry, Jackson, Tenn.,
February 1, 1863.
I'm on duty as “field officer of the day,” and have been
temping around in the mud looking to policing, guards, etc., and just now a
detail has come for me to go on picket to-morrow. I was only relieved from
picket yesterday morning. We are very short of officers, having only 11 for
duty in the regiment. All sick. D--n 'em, they ought to resign and let men draw
the pay who do the work. I have seven men in the hospital now, one of whom is
going to die. Poor fellow, how I do pity him. I never thought as much, even of
my sick comrades in the 8th, as I do of my men when they get sick. James Colton
is the one's name who is the sickest. He is a real good young man and has a
wife. Lives in the west part of the country. Mine is the only company that has
no deserters yet, and I don't believe I will have any. Half of these desertions
are the fault of officers. I have been out this evening calling on a family
named Stephens, living near our camp. They are strongly secesh, but very fine
people. No girls in the family but a splendid looking young wife. I guess that
we are cut out of that Vicksburg fight, though if this place is evacuated,
there is a chance yet. That is the only one though, for all the troops except
our brigade have left here. Some to Memphis, and I suppose, below. It makes our
duty pretty heavy. Picket every third day, besides police, foraging, and
fatigue and camp guard. But I always enjoy duty better than quiet camp life.
I'm afraid this agitation North is going to play the d---1 with the army. The
great body is loyal enough but can't help being discouraged and, in a degree,
disappointed when treason is preached openly in the North and unrebuked.
Confining a lot of those traitors would have an excellent effect on the
soldiers; but I believe that Lincoln is almost afraid to try that again. If
this regiment is paid off before there is the change in officers there should
be, I'm afraid desertions will be very numerous. I begin to feel some of the
old soldier's prejudice against the “forty-dollar man,” but I do believe we
can, if properly officered, make a crack regiment. I tell you, between
ourselves, that of the 30 line officers there are not more than six that are
worth their salt. The others do 100 times more harm than good to the service. I
modestly count myself one of the six, so that you can judge better what I think
they are. I read Dick Oglesby's speech to-day. The sentiment is all right, but
he can talk much better than that. Suppose he is out of practice. We are a
little afraid of the result of the Vicksburg fight. If we get whipped I'd like
to die there, for I believe if that army is whipped it will be annihilated; and
the cause about lost, which little event I don't care to live to hear. You
can't imagine how careful the commanders are here of secesh property. Well, if
'tis through the right motive, I say all right, and I guess it is, but it hurts
me anyway. I can't help hoping that this town will be burned when evacuated,
for it is the most intensely secession place of all. It first unfurled the
Rebel flag in this State, and sticks to its colors nobly. It is rumored that
Van Dorn is coming in this direction again. I do hope he will come here, for if
we can drive him off, it would hurt the natives so much to see him whipped.
SOURCE: Charles Wright Wills, Army Life of an
Illinois Soldier, p. 151-3
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