Kingston, Sunday, July 10. Company inspection at 6 A. M. Grazed 7 A. M. Met wagon train moving in, they had had pleasant journey. Returned to camp by 10:30 A. M. with our dishes full of the rich blackberries. They are our staple diet. Hard-tack and "sow belly" dessert. No mail to-day again. No news. Reading matter very limited, the effect of which is very apparent. Three or four squads to be seen gambling at one time in camp, notwithstanding it is the Sabbath day. I have never known more open gambling in the Battery. The only checking influence is withdrawn when the letters cease to come from home, parents, sisters and brothers.
1864 Letters From Home
Kingston, Monday, July 11. Evie took my team out to graze. Spencer and I built, lower in park, shebang with table, etc. Boys hard at work putting up houses, sheds. 4 P. M. on detail hauling brush for sheds. Orders received to march 3 A. M. in the morning. All work on quarters ceased in an instant, our dreams of cool shade and easy time gone in a moment. Hurriedly washed dirty shirt in the stream, and prepared for the moving. Received a letter this evening. Health good. Expect to go to the front.
Cartersville, Ga., Tuesday, July 12. Reveille sounded in the small hours of the night, and with the first rays of the morn we descended the hill and were on the way. After more delay we started, seven regiments, two batteries and division train. Most of the 2nd and 3rd Brigades left behind on the roads. Marched steady and fast. Passed through Cassville at 10 A. M., a very pretty country town hid away among the hills. Four mills on the road. A large college used as general hospital by rebs here. Ascended to the observatory, had a splendid view. A large library filled with books going to waste. As we marched, country improved. Land more arable, much less stony. Passed most excellent corn fields, although they received no care or protection. Marched through Cartersville 3 P. M., a place of some pretensions in time of peace, occupied by the cavalrymen relieved at Kingston. Camped a mile below in a pretty grove, a good ways from water. Slept in an old house that threatened to demolish us by tumbling over.
Etowah Bridge, Ga., Wednesday, July 13. Up early. Moved 6 A. M. 4th Minnesota, 18th Wisconsin, 80th Ohio and 12th Battery moved on to Allatoona, four miles further on. We went into a fort on a steep cliff or point on the Etowah River and commanding the railroad bridge seventy feet high, erected by Sherman's Construction Corps. Found everything ready for us, a luck we never before met with, strong fortifications already built, good and neat shebangs, horse-sheds for most of the horses made of lumber, stalls and mangers all ready, and in a few minutes we were as much at home as though we had worked a week. The scenery here is romantic and I hope we may stay here for a time at least. Bathed in the river early evening. Pretty stream.
Etowah Bridge, Thursday, July 14. All still and dull, the monotony of camp settled down upon us very soon, a few new shebangs and fixing up around quarters. No mail or news found us in this wild mountainous locality. Country people very ignorant.