1864 Sleeping in Cotton
Brownsboro, Ala., Friday, Jan. 8. Arose in good time, while it was broad daylight, and found that one of the party had his hat burned up during the night. An inch of snow on the ground, and it was chillingly cold. But a small portion of the train came up last night, therefore did not move until nearly noon. The roads were slippery and hard to travel. E. W. E. and I took the R. R. After a hard march of ten miles we reached Brownsboro at 4 P. M. on Flint River, the terminus of the R. R. communications as yet. Here we found the boys that had come through on the cars. Cooked our supper by their fires and went in search of shelter for the night. Seven of us in the squad found a cotton patch in the middle of a dense forest with a cotton pen. Built a crib of rails, crammed a foot of cotton into it and covered with the rubbers. The wagon road seen on the opposite side of a range of mountains, and the Brigade had not yet come up. Nigger Henry had kindly taken my blankets on his horse in the morning and was now with the Battery. We could hear the rattle of the wagons coming in from a distance, and as I was in much need of my blankets I started to meet them, but found they had camped three-quarters of a mile back. Climbed a little hill and the hundreds of fires burned brightly in the distance, whither I turned myself. Wandered through the city of lights some time before I found the Battery, found my blankets, thanked Henry for carrying them, and turned my steps towards my bedfellow in the woods. Taking a bee line, I thought to find them there. I tugged through a dense thicket of briar and underbrush, scratched my face, tearing my clothes, and in water to the tops of my boots most of the time. It was very dark, but still I kept on certain of finding them. Suddenly the light blazed up before me and I found them going to bed at 9 P. M. I was tired out and footsore.
Huntsville, Ala., Saturday, Jan. 9. I felt very good on our "downy" bed, so good that I did not wake up till broad daylight. Rolled up our blankets in great haste and started toward camp, as we were out of rations, but we found the Battery moving and were obliged to "fall in" with an empty stomach, as a reward for our straggling. Flint River was crossed on mule wagons, which were very slow, obliging us to stand on the banks for nearly an hour. It was freezing very hard and all were chilled through. The natives say it was the coldest day known for years. Animals and wagons covered with ice. Cooked coffee on the other side while the remainder of the Brigade crossed. By that time we were ready to follow with our breakfast eaten. Marched very fast through a beautiful country interspersed with a low range of bluffs of the Cumberland Range. Good timber and beautiful water. Sun shone in the afternoon making roads muddy and slippery, very tiresome walking. Met John A. Logan and staff going back afoot from Huntsville.
4 P. M. Coming around the point of the bluff we could see Huntsville in the valley below three miles distant. And weary as I was I could but enjoy the beautiful scenery before me greatly. The sun shone brightly on the snow-covered roofs of this beautiful town with their tall church spires raising their snow-capped peaks to the heavens as a witness of better and happier days gone by. On either side broad fields with beautiful mansions were spread to view, the whole enclosed by the frost-covered range of low mountains. Marched through the town with colors flying and bands playing, much to the satisfaction of the large crowds of contrabands that flocked at every corner. Came into camp a mile north of the town on Russell Hill. Old quarters here were soon taken possession of by the boys. I was very tired.
Huntsville, Sunday, Jan. 10. Notwithstanding that all were very tired from the fatiguing march of the past three days through severe weather, the camp reverberated with the sound of axe, saw and lumber, erecting quarters for the third time this winter. Teams busy and in great demand hauling lumber and brick, of which there is plenty. Our tent is back with the boys on the R. R.; therefore E. W. E. got a load of lumber and built a hut in accordance with our means, and by night had it up and covered with shakes. Slept in it but it was quite cold.
Huntsville, Monday, Jan. 11. Worked quite hard all day building fireplace. Had to carry much of the brick on our shoulders twenty rods, but we had completed it by night, and had the satisfaction of sitting by the fire in the evening. Draws well.