Scottsboro, Ala., March
20, 1864.
What under the sun can I tell you that will interest you.
That it is intolerably dull, bah! Have just had a long visit from Lieutenant
Colonel Wright, now army assistant inspector general of the division, and
Lieutenant Van Dyke, A. D. C., to our new commander, General Harrow. The
lieutenant is a splendid looking fellow of about 23 years, and has served up to
the time of coming into our division with the 2d Corps, Army Potomac. Van Dyke
informed me that a despatch from Logan was received by Harrow this a. m.,
informing him that Forrest was prowling around on the other side of the river
with intention of crossing and making a little dash on some part of our line.
"Our" railroad from Nashville via Decatur is about completed (will be
finished to-morrow) and then we hope to have something to eat once more. This
railroad will be all for our corps, or at least we will get the choice of what
comes over it. We are at outs with the general to-day. In the field we are not
accustomed to having camp guard, considering a strong picket and the regular
property alarm guards sufficient. But because two or three men got drunk
yesterday, and a gun or two was fired, out comes Harrow in an order and
requires a strong camp guard. It may be one of the faults of our discipline,
but 'tis a fact that our men would much prefer two days of any other duty, to
one of camp guard. Our court gets on slowly. Oh! We had a dance a few nights
since. Northern ladies, officers' wives, and a few "Mountain Ewes"
(the poetical name given the Jackson county beauties by some genius of a
Yankee). We really had a delightful time; and I understand they are to be
continued, one every two weeks Anything to keep a man from getting blue. I see
Abraham calls for 200,000 more. Keep asking for them Lincoln, that's right, I'm
sure there are yet many who can be spared for their country's good in more
meanings than one. It's queer that our regiment don't get more recruits. We
need them very much, and yet I dread getting them, they are so much trouble for
a year. The 26th and 48th Illinois have respectively 200 and 500 and the
officers are bored terribly over them. There is to my eye, as much difference
between the average of recruits and the average of veterans, as there is
between the physique of a tailor and that of a blacksmith. Some of the veterans
who have returned to camp, are sick of their last bargain with the United
States, but the majority are right glad to get back.
SOURCE: Charles Wright Wills, Army Life of an
Illinois Soldier, p. 220-1
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