Captain Charles Wright Wills: June 19, 1863

Lagrange, Tenn., June 19, 1863.

The general and Sam went to Memphis yesterday to visit General Hurlbut, and the major and I have charge of the machine. The cavalry under command of Colonel Mizner went south last Tuesday. They have a good sized object in view, and if they succeed will be gone some ten days, though they may possibly be back by Wednesday next. They will operate between Panola and Grenada. Another mounted expedition has gone from Corinth to Okolona, a third from Corinth to Pikeville, Ala., and a fourth also from Corinth to Jackson, Tenn., which place has, since we evacuated it, been occupied by some Rebel cavalry (infantry also reported) from the east of the Tennessee river. All of this cavalry (of course excepting the Rebel) belongs to General Oglesby's command. You see he has it in motion. Deserters are constantly coming in from Johnston's army; and if we can believe their stories, and the information gained from the corps of spies employed along this line, Grant's rear is not in as much danger as our southern brethren would fain have us think. Johnston's army is not in the best condition imaginable; and it is far from being as strong as he would like it. Have no idea that he can march thirty-five thousand men. Grant must have an enormous army. How awful it would be if the yellow fever would visit his camps. I suppose you know that my regiment is at Snyder's Bluff. I think that is on the Yazoo, near Haines. Don't you see some more of my extraordinary fortune in being detached just as the regiment is ordered to where there is a prospect of hard knocks. We were all loaded on the cars ready to move, when Sam came down to the train and took me. The regiment then left immediately. There is a possible chance now of the general's being ordered to Vicksburg; but I've given up all hope of my getting there. We are having a great deal of trouble with the citizens here. A great many secesh citizens ask to be exempted from taking the oath, because they have rendered service to our army. This one gave a quart of buttermilk to a sick soldier, another donated an onion to the hospital, another allowed a sick officer to stay in his house for only $2. per day, etc. A number of the claims really have some point to them, and although 'tis against my theory, I really can't help pitying some of them. We had a sad accident last week near this post. General Hurlbut ordered a small train with a guard of some 60 men to be sent north on the railroad to repair the telegraph line. Twelve miles only from here the train broke through a little bridge over a deep but narrow "swash" and killed five and wounded ten of the party. An examination showed that the bridge had been burned the night before, and afterward the rails had been propped up only strongly enough to keep their places when no weight was upon them. 'Twas a fiendish, cowardly act, but of course committed by men whose business is robbery and murder, and who have no connection with the army.

SOURCE: Charles Wright Wills, Army Life of an Illinois Soldier, p. 181-2