As we retraced our steps, I noticed an aged lady sitting where I had seen her two weeks before, at her cottage door, smoking her pipe of cob with a stem two feet long, as unconcerned and contented, apparently, as if the rude hand of war had not laid its devastating touch upon the country about her. I do not know but what she is there yet; she seemed to enjoy her pipe very much.
In due time we reached our old camp-ground. After staying in camp about one week, we again got aboard of the boat and started down the river. We had not gone far before we run aground, and in backing off, broke the rudder, and were obliged to lay there all night. In the morning a tug came up and helped us off; they took on board a part of the Sixth New Hampshire Volunteers, giving us more room. We were eleven days going up the Mississippi river. I took up my quarters on the pilot deck, and enjoyed myself much in looking at the scenery along the route; it was grand.
In due time we arrived at Cairo, Illinois; got aboard of the cattle train, and were rolled away at railroad speed, till at length we arrived at Cincinnati, and recrossed the river to Covington. Here we again got aboard the cars, stopping next at or near Camp Nelson, Kentucky, where we had a good camp-ground, and plenty of good water. The following day we were ordered out for dress-parade; there were but twenty-five officers and men, all told; the remainder had been excused by the surgeon in the morning, or were sick with the “shakes;” so it will be seen that our regiment was very badly used up.
We remained here about a week, and then our regiment was distributed along the Kentucky Central railroad, a company or two at each bridge, with headquarters at Paris. Companies A and F were stationed at Kimbrae’s bridge, so called, about one mile south of a pretty little village called Cynthiana. There was a block-house on each side of the bridge, which made us very good quarters. Our duty, which was to guard the bridge nights, was very light, and gave us plenty of time to visit our neighbors.
The people here were very kind and generous, with the exception of a man by the name of Smith, a union man, and because he was such he thought the boys ought to work for him: cut up his tobacco, pick his apples, etc., and take their pay in promises; but this soon played out, and I have no doubt but what he lost ten times as much as it would have taken to fulfill all his promises.
In October, I was detailed acting Sergeant of the provost guard at Cynthiana. Here I had a chance to become more acquainted with the inhabitants, and learn their views in regard to the war. It was a nigger war to most of them; but for all that, they treated us well with but few exceptions.
There were four churches in the place; two black and two white, so called. I attended them all, but I liked best at one of the colored churches, as they had the smartest preacher.
In December, 1863, the State of New Hampshire sent us about four hundred substitutes gathered from all parts of the country. About one-half of them deserted.
In January, 1864, we were ordered to Camp Nelson; went into camp on the south-east side, near Daniel Boone’s cave. On the 25th, we broke up camp, and passed through the following places: Camp Dick Robertson, Lancaster, Stanford, Hall’s Gap, Cuba, Somerset, and arrived at Point Burnside on the 30th, a distance of eighty-four miles February 1st, we were occupied in fixing up our camp; while we remained here we drilled four hours per day. On the 23d, we had orders to be in readiness to march. On the morning of the 27th, struck tents, and took up our line of march; passed through Somerset and Grundy, and forded Buck Creek, Church Valley.
It rained very hard the second day and snowed and rained the third day, so there were three inches of snow on the ground that night, and we were wet and cold and covered with mud; but on the 4th of March, we arrived near an ancient village called London; a distance of sixty miles. We remained here till the 6th, when we started on our journey again, passed through London, and, tired and footsore, arrived on the north side of Cumberland Gap, a distance of fifty-six miles, on the 10th, just as the sun was setting behind the western hills; having for supper only the crumbs of our morning meal.