En Route to Chattanooga
Memphis, Monday, Oct. 5. I was on guard last night. It was very cold, a heavy frost. Reveille was sounded in the infantry camp before dawn and at 5 A. M. they moved out; also the 12th Wisconsin Battery. Our quartermaster drew three sets of artillery harness, whips, curry combs and leather buckets. Water call in the afternoon, after which hitched up as soon as possible, struck tents and moved toward the depot of the Memphis and Charleston road. Came into battery on the planked floor which we found between the depots of about an acre in area. Unhitched and stretched the picket ropes. Amused ourselves rolling cannon balls, good fun for soldiers. Made our beds down in the open air, but dry floor.
1863 Memphis To Corinth
Corinth, Tuesday, Oct. 6. Had but a very poor night's sleep, having a terrible toothache all night, in fact the last three or four days—a decayed back tooth. If my teeth will decay as fast next year, as last, I will have to go home toothless. The cooks were called up at 3:30 A. M. and reveille at 4. Fed, harnessed, ate breakfast and immediately loaded the guns, wagons, etc. on the open cars. The horses put in the box cars with the harness on. By 8 o'clock we were all loaded, when to our surprise Captain Dillon made his appearance, having come in by the boat last night. 9 A. M. we started in two trains, infantry on top the box cars and the artillery boys stowed away on their carriages. At the same time it commenced raining and it continued all day.
Passed by Buntyn Station without stopping, but we saw where we lived during the month of January last, but our shebangs were gone.
Raleigh—we stopped here for wood and water. We recognized this as the place where we stopped the night before we reached Buntyn Station and we lay in the rain. All the road to Germantown was familiar to us. Stopped here fifteen minutes.
Collierville was our next stopping place, a large cavalry force being stationed here. One of our mules dropped off here and we passed on and left him.
Lafayette—as familiar as ever. We halted here nearly three hours. Four long trains passed us. The switch was too short so we were obliged to run up and down every train. The 66th Indiana were stationed and reported guerrillas very troublesome. The road is patrolled the whole length every two hours by cavalry, each patrol having six miles of a beat. Two reb lieutenants were in the depot, caught yesterday cutting the telegraph wires. They look like flashy desperadoes.
Started on at 1 P. M. Ran very fast thirty-seven miles from Memphis. Stockades and block houses are to be seen all along the line, some large enough to hold a regiment, but most of them are left vacant.