We passed through Moscow without stopping. The place looks decidedly better than it did when we were here before, all the dirty wood-colored houses having been burned down and the whole policed nicely.
Halted at La Grange a few minutes. This is the pleasantest place on the whole line, very elegant mansions here, several stores running and a large body of troops.
Grand Junction—forty-three miles from Memphis and forty-five miles from here to Corinth. The Mississippi Central crosses here. The last ten miles of the R. R. were very crooked. The three trains were coupled together part of the way, and they crawled like a serpent, ran very slow. Our train laid here two hours to steam and oil up, and it was dark before it started, but when once under headway it endeavored to make up for lost time, and it plunged into the darkness around curves and through cuts at a fearful rate in the condition the road was in. The carriages on the cars were loose, and they flew back and forth and were in great danger of being thrown off, which would be a fatal catastrophe.
Our next halt was at a small station twenty-nine miles from Corinth called Porter's Creek. Took wood and water. Talked with a member of the 118th Illinois who were stationed here. He said they had seen no trace of civilization for six months. All they did was to hunt guerrillas who were very thick and very wicked.
Pocahontas—fourteen miles from Corinth. We stopped here thirty minutes. Several buildings to be seen. Tatoo sounded while here. We were now all fatigued, sleepy, hungry and cold, the rain having fallen all day, and it was quite chilly. There was no room to lie down and I sat on the foot-board of the limber and bracing myself, went to sleep, but it was broken. I dreamt of a warm room and a comfortable bed (tantalizing dream that). I was next conscious at Corinth, where we halted, but we supposed we were going right along. I crawled under the caisson and fell asleep with no covering save my overcoat and poncho. Woke up at midnight chilled through. Found us still at Corinth and fires lit on the roadside. I sat up for about half an hour and warmed, when big drops of rain commenced falling. I sought shelter under a warehouse stoop and laid down between two infantry men in a space nine inches by five feet, with my rubber over my head and slept.
1863 A Good Camp
Glendale, Miss., Wednesday, Oct. 7. When next I opened my eyes it was daylight and I felt thankful for it. I was cold and numb with a bad headache. I got up, doubled up my poncho and found that I had escaped a very heavy shower. The train stood on the east side of the town in a deep cut. Fires were blazing all along the track, and I soon was by one. Met my bedfellow Evie. He had slept down-town, but was wetter than I. Had we known we were to stay here all night, we would have spread our blankets and slept comfortably. The train backed up on the side track, and I got some water and a handful of unground coffee, which I boiled. We had soft bread drawn in Memphis, which made up my breakfast. It was 8 A. M. before we started out. The track was full of curves up and down. Ran out seven miles and stopped at what is called Glendale. The only building, a shed one story high, is graced with the name of "Saw and Grist Mill". On the left hand side is the "Yates's Sharpshooters", and 1st Alabama Cavalry in neat barracks, encircled by a stockade. They have been stationed here nearly a year. On the right are the newly erected tents of the 7th Division and the part of our Battery having come through last night were unloaded and waiting for us. The horses were taken off, having been thirty hours without food and drink. Of course they looked very bad. My team was taken off last night. The Battery was taken into park by noon on a high knoll, but covered with oak brush. Unhitched and watered. By that time the welcome sound of the bugle called us to meat and coffee, and after dinner sufficient room was grubbed out to stretch a picket-rope and tie our horses. Tents were pitched in the thicket of oak and pine so that one could not see his neighbor. Gathered pine twigs enough to make a fine bed and I laid down to rest in this. A "lodge in some vast wilderness". A very pretty clear brook runs close by under the hill with several beautiful springs. Fences lay around so we have good wood and water. What more does a soldier want?