Camp at Lagrange,
Tenn., March 29, 1863.
All perfectly quiet except the regular picket firing every
night which here exceeds anything I ever before met in my experience. ’Tis
singular, too, for we have a large force of cavalry here and I should think the
rascals would hardly dare to venture so near them. A few days since three
guerrillas came up to one of our cavalry pickets, and while he was examining
one of their passes the others watching their chance gobbled him. They at once
retreated. The sergeant of the picket heard a little noise on the post and just
got there in time to see the secesh disappear. He raised the alarm, and a party
followed them on the run for 15 miles, rescued our man, killed three and
captured four of the rascals, Yesterday some of Richardson's men displaced a
rail on the track ten miles west of this place, and captured a train. They got
away with their prisoners, but hadn't time to destroy the cars. ’Tisn't safe to
go three miles from camp now, although 100 men can go 40 miles in any direction
safely. Do you hear of any deserters returning under the President's
proclamation? I hope to the Lord that my black sheep won't come back. A letter
came for him to-day, and I opened it. ’Twas from his father advising him to get
out of this “Abolishun” war as quickly as he could. His “Pa and Ma” are welcome
to him. Generals Sullivan, Denver and Hamilton have all left this country
within the last few days, for Vicksburg. General Smith commands our division
now. We are now in the 2d Brigade, 1st Division, 16th Army Corps. The colonel
of the 6th Iowa is the ranking officer in the brigade but he is now sick, so
Colonel Wolcott of the 46th Ohio now runs. Two captains of the 46th Ohio, and
myself have been constituted by Smith a “Board of Survey,” to appraise damages
committed by our army in the property of loyal citizens here. I think he has
just done it to get the citizens off his hands. Have no idea that they will
ever be allowed anything for their losses. There were three bills, each over
$2,500. sent in to us yesterday. I hope the general will allow us to drop the
business this week; if he will not, however, we can be kept busy for almost any
length of time. By Smith’s orders the reveille is sounded now at 4 o'clock a.
m. and the men appear with arms and accoutrements, and form line of battle.
This is to avoid any bad consequnces which follow a Rebel cavalry dash at
daylight, if we should be found in our tents. I think 'tis an excellent policy
to be always ready for the enemy, but I declare I dislike this early rising
very much.
SOURCE: Charles Wright Wills, Army Life of an
Illinois Soldier, p. 165-6
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