Original Listing Description

Very RARE Civil war-dated First Hand Accounts- Union officer's letters, 10 single pages., on varying paper, from 2nd Lieut. John B. Hawthorn, Co. F, 9th lowa Vols., Bridgeport, [Ala.], Nov. & Dec. 1863, to his niece concerning the operations of his regiment during the Chattanooga campaign. Written over a three-month period, letter covers movements of the 9th lowa up until the end of January, 1864. Hawthorn describes movements his unit made during the march and also recounting the battles of Lookout Mountain, Missionary Ridge, and Ringgold, Georgia, additionally adding two small maps. The letters were transcribed in a good faith effort and may not be 100% accurate depending on spelling / legibility / context. From the letters:... we got into camp one night... [the] boys filled canteens arose in morning & repaired...for more water...a dead rotten mule lay in the water... of the hole we had got water out of the night before...all spoke of the coffee tasting very odd & disagreeable... [then] such ghastly looking faces & crooked mouths...they were about to throw up their boots...we started on 4th Nov from Waterloo...our advance had quite a...brush with some 4 or 500 Rebs... they were in ambush...they attacked our train...killing several mules & horses wounding some teamsters & taking one surgeon prisoner... [Nov.] 6th we passed thro Florence...its splendid college buildings are used for hospitals & jails for prisoners... 15 days we had been upon a forced march...we marched...about 260 miles... [Nov.] 21st...it was mud & mire...by urging hard & often prying the batteries along our Divis,... got to Shell Mound... Lieut. and 14 men went in to explore a little & had not been seen or heard from since citizens say it has been explored 15 miles & [the] end not us... wounded 2 stragglers...we passed within half rifle shot of the Reb pickets...our boys wanted to try their rifles badly... 10 am advance...our Divis started with a yell, shouting as they ran... picking off the Rebs as they raised up from behind advance on the Ridge...we had to advance under a perfect shower of bullets...our Regt, 4 lowa, & 76th Ohio was in thefound... [Nov.] 22nd...we were urged on with all possible dispatch...to run the Lookout Mountain Blockade before daylight... where the Rebs could reach us [with gun fire] a fog & smoke...covered us from view...they fired three shells atof 23[rd] we got into Genl Hooker's [camp]...who informed us that the Rebs had floated a raft down against our pontoon bridge & broken it in two...cut off from joining Genl Sherman...at half past 6... we were to fight with 'fighting Joe'...on morn 24th we fell in...our Divis... in line of battle... we... found the Rebs quietly waiting for us...drove them from...behind [a] RRembankment bullets whistled among us like hail...with...a yell we charged they fled like sheep they threw down their arms & surrendered... Genl Hooker...said, 'You lowa boys must go with me into Chattanooga over Lookout Mt tonight, socharge to the front....we began to climb...some of our boys (31st lowa)... found they could crawl...above the Rebel works &got a raking fire on them...the rebs...turned a savage fire upon them...midnight they ceased firing...our boys...found it [Lookout Mountain] vacated &...took possession...on top of old Lookout; some...shouted for a flag which was soon planted by 2 Regts(31 lowa & 76 Ohio)...3 cheers for the old flag & the Union & Old Lookout echoed...on Missionary Ridge...our Divis...in advance, divided - 1st Brig to right & ours, 2nd Brig...to left...soon [we came] upon their infantry... we pressed on, climbing up we cut off their retreat taking 4 guns when came a horseman down a gorge...2 of our boys halted him...they brotdown their rifles...he leaped from his horse & took off his hat... the young man proved to be John C. Breckenridge's son who was bearing a dispatch...to hold the gap at all hazards...along the Ridge we could see a large body of troops, banners flying, moving up towards us in line of battle... from...one till 4 it was one constant roar...the order was given to our line totheir breastworks whole squads - throw up their hands & fall flat on their faces to escape our fire & give themselves up...to Old Bragg's Headquarters corralling our prisoners in a hollow square...morn, 26th...we found 3 of our Regt wounded; 7 hadbeen brot in the night before...a detail [was organized] from each Regt to collect the Rebel dead...& pick up all arms...& 10 pieces cannon...we started... in pursuit of the retreating Rebs...we got...to Chickamauga Creek... 'Old Joe' came to our Gen (Osterhaus) &, says...'as soon as you find the enemy engage them'...on Taylor's Ridge along the West sideof... [Ringgold] stood the Rebs in line of battle...2 miles long...as we crossed a covered Bridge into town, a masked battery opened upon the bridge... the splinters flew like hailstones the Reb Battery commanded the town...our Divis was ordered tocenter...we carried our point & gained the crest of the hill...the Rebs, seeing the other Regts had fled... were emboldened to advance on us... [the] Rebs...plumped 2 shell almost right into our midst... we crawled up to front &...again charged the Rebs...the Rebs fled...pell mell...leaving their dead &...wounded... out of 168 of 76th O. they had lost 72, 33 killed & 39wounded; 4th lowa-35, 17 killed & 18 wounded; 9th lowa - 18, 3 killed & 15 wounded...not a Regt could be found to brave the storm of bullets... old fighting Joe' sent a Division of his Potomac boys to follow them... [the] Star Regts [12th Corps regiments]of the Potomac & Old Hooker...can't fight like Western Boys...we staid at R[inggold] till 30 Nov... we returned to Chattanooga Valley. Passed in review before Genl Howard... Thomas, Hunter, Hooker, Granger, Butterfield & others...got clothing & shoes for many of our boys were about barefooted from an unworthy Uncle...".Also, there are 4 single page letters written by Hathorn, Pittston, [Iowa], March 5, 1854 to his cousin concerning life between the local youth. Please see photos for condition of letters Pittston March the 5th 1854My Dear Cousin,You cannot tell what pleasure it gave me to receive your letter. I can assure you I read it with very great interest. It brought up fresh before me the form and the pleasing associations of one of my best friends. How often have I thought of you while on your passage with great anxiety, for I feared something had happened to thy ship, but on the receipt of your letter my mind was very much relieved. You gave a very pleasing description of your voyage. I think you must have enjoyed yourself with a few exceptions of a disagreeable seasickness, to which all are liable to in their first going to sea. I know how to sympathize with you. Your description of your voyage highly arose my ideas to a very great extent. I do so regret that I could not of gone, but alas, how vain for me to regret when I cannot have my anticipations realized. I am very happy to hear that you think your health is improving. May good health, happiness and my sincere wishes attend my Dear Cousin forever.You say Johnny you have plenty of music at all times of day; how delightful it must be. I very often dream that I am at sea and fancifully enjoying the picturesque scenery of foreign countries. But, dear me, what is it but foolish thoughts that occupies our minds through the silent hours of night, but on awaking I still find myself in old Pittston. I think how often you wished to get away from Pittston and not to blame neither. There has not been any change here and not any prospect of any at present. They have had quite a number of parties on Beach Hill. I have only attended one, and that was at Mr. Chapman's. It was not exactly a party, though we all met there and surprised and presented him with a barrel of flour. Had a nice time. There was also one at your friend. Henry Rollins's. Most of the young ones are carrying on quite a flirtation with the girls. Gilbert Watson, for instance, he is courting a Miss Mamsell - sets up with her every Sunday night till a very late hour. Is it not laughable? Really I think it distressingly so. I tell you, Susy, I think she and I are slighted, but she saysthere are no ones here she would look at, and I say the same. Mr. Rollins has been here quite a number of times since you left and John Sopard[?] but once.Tell Mr. Cord[?] that I saw his Victoria last evening. She was well. They say it is very sickly in Havana. Do be careful and not get sick. There were seven corpses brought here last week, all from Havana with the exceptions of one, and that was the remains of Capt. Henry Bailey. He is to be buried this afternoon; the Free Masons are going to superintend. They are going to have the band from Gardiner. They have got a bad snow storm for the funeral; Mother has gone. They say Sarah Watson has got a beau and who do you suppose it is? It is Mr. William Cooper. Is it not funny?Robert Merryman was up here last week. Carrie has been quite sick for a few days past. She was threatened with a fever but is now better. It is still quite sickly around here. I have learned quite a number of pieces to play since you left. If it was not for our Melodeon I do really believe I should die of lonesomeness. I tell Mother I can play if I cannot go anywhere. I do get so lonely sometimes that I do not know what to do with myself. If I only had wings of a dove how soon you would see me. Dear one, I have written almost beyond the limits of my paper. I would like to write more but cannot. Save it for another time. I think you will get tired of reading this nonsensical stuff, for I have written just what came into my mind first.Long, very long may you enjoy your present felicity, my dear cousin; neither time nor distance shall ever obliterate you from my memory. It was with the greatest reluctance I parted from you, and still greater do I regret your long absence. Good by for this time. Johnny, may you be returned home safely is the wish of your loving cousin Fannie Colburn.John B. Hathorn[P.S.] I look at your Amber type very often. Good by.Con. of Bridgeport letter, Nov. & Dec. [1863"]Dear Niece Susie,[Jan. also included]I sent you a letter not long ago answering yours & giving you a description or narration of events from Memphis to Waterloo, I think, where I will begin again my tale of wonders, hair breadth escapes, & journeyings - a road you will see by the RR Map as crooked as the Hebrews made when they "went marching on" towards the land of Canaan. But we were bound for Chattanooga, a land flowing with mule & horse soup - for every stream & mud hole was filled with them. We got into camp one night after dark & boys were told that good water could be got only a little way off, so we got some, filled our canteens, made us some nice coffee, lay down, slept finely. Much strengthened, we arose in morning & repaired to our spring for more water - when, low & behold, a dead rotten mule lay in the water within 10 feet of the hole we had got water out of the night before. We all spoke of the coffee tasting very odd & disagreeable; & when told of the discovery, such ghastly looking faces & crooked mouths, why you would have thought they were about to throw up their boots.But I was going to begin at Waterloo across the Tenn. River from Eastport. E. is in Miss.; Chickasaw, on same (south) side only separated by Big Bear Creek, is in Ala & Waterloo, too, tho North of Tenn River.Jan. 10th, Sunday PM. Well, we are doing finely tho having cold weather. [On the] 8th, in night we had about an inch of snow fall way down here in Ala & has frozen hard. But we like this much better then mud, for we have had it in all shapes - thick & thin, deep & shallow. We started on 4th Nov from Waterloo, marching thro Gravel Springs, Cypress Mills. Our advance had quite a little brush with some 4 or 500 Rebs who had got over this river under Roddy. They were in ambush, & the first we knew they attacked our train which was in advance, killing several mules & horses, burning several wagons, wounding some teamsters & taking one surgeon prisoner. But we, after that, guarded our trains so snug that they could not get at them. [Nov.] 6th we passed thro Florence, 30 miles from W. This is a finely located & well built place; the war has plucked off its fine feathers. Even its splendid college buildings are used for hospitals & jails for prisoners, Its nice fences torn down & burned, &c. From F. we turned NE thro Lexington &c to Pulaski on the Nashville RR - to Decatur 58 miles from F. & 75 miles south of Nashville. Tis quite a large & beautiful town; the largest, best looking, & least destroyed of any town I have seen except Memphis; & the only place we have passed through where the ladies gave us a cordial welcome by waving hdkfs &c. as we passed thro. From P we struck E to Fayetteville, 38 miles from P, an old worn-out town looked as tho it had been built 100 years ago & then the perpetrators of the deed got ashamed of themselves & doings & fled. But it has seen war & shook hands with Desolation & Destruction had made its acquaintance. This is the terminus of a branch R R from Dechard (Deck-ard pronounced) on the Nashville & Stevenson RR. We kept along this branch SE to near Winchester -39 miles, when we tacked ship & stood off SW & a fair breeze & 14 miles run brot us to New Market thence 8 miles to Marysville, both old dilapidated & soldierly cursed towns. From M-ville we went to Paint Rock, 15 miles thence to Woodville (where we now are on one backtrack), 5 miles thence to Larkinsville, 12 mile thence over the Mountains to Belle Fonte (Mart or place of gay, fashionable young ladies), 21 miles thence to Stevenson, 14 miles thence to Bridgeport, 12 miles here. We had to stop a day for troop ahead of us to cross the rive here on pontoon bridge: 60 pontoons first bridge on to an Island, & then 28 pontoons held up the other Bridge from Island to East shore. Could you but see the desolations of war as seen in the towns I have mentioned & the country thro which we passed, fences all burned, windows of buildings all smashed &c. - you would think this whole country had been wedded to Miss Fortune & that Miss Demeanor had been a constant dweller in town & a cherished country maid. Thus 15 days we had been upon a forced march, & 4 days of the time it rained like mad; but in these 15 days we marched over awful roads in many places - about 260 miles & upward. Jan 13th. I again sit down to write a few more lines. I had halted at Bridgeport. BothRR bridges over these streams had been burned by the Rebs when they retreatedbefore Rosecrans last fall & were not rebuilt till into Dec. Cars now run to Whiteside, 16 miles towards Chattanooga where there is a long bridge burned [?] spanning a gulch from one mountain side to the other. The 3 middle piers are from 75 to 100 fee high. This is about half way between B-port & C. Well, on 21st near noon our forces got straitened [straightened] out & we began to move. Rained hard all 20th thro the night & all the forenoon 21st; & it was mud & mire, cloudy and cold, but Uncle Sam's business was urgent & so his boys must push on. Every mile passed brot us so muc nearer where U. S. had work for us to do.Well, by urging hard & often prying the batteries -3 - along with our Divis, abo dark we got to Shell Mound, a pretty & large flat in a bend of T. river & Raccoon Mountains. And on the flat at the C center was a mound about 500 feet high; & the whole mound & the whole flat, too, is almost wholly formed or composed of various kinds of shells. Hence its name. Well, running thro this flat is a fine stream of water issuing from the mountain about 20 feet up & is of sufficient force or size to carry a sawmill & gristmill at same time. It roars like a young Niagara as it leaps out over the rock. Well, this is not all: Nick O Jack Cave is here too. Its entrance is about 60 feet above where the stream rushes out. We went up early next morn to see it but found officer & guard there to keep such fellows out for some ten days before, an Ind. Regt passing, a Lieut. And 14 men went in to explore a little & had not been seen or heard from since, tho an officer & several men with 3 days' rations & 10 lb candles went in search of them but found no signs of them but foot prints in several places. They we in 2 days & 3 nights - did not find the end of it but gave up the hunt. They think their lights went out &, in wandering about, fell into some of the holes scattered all thro [a to all appearance bottomless. They found a stream of water in it & boats in it & sailed several miles on the stream. Citizens say it has been explored 15 miles & end not found [but] has several branches leading off under the different Ranges of the Racco Mts. So much for Shell Mound and its vicinity.22nd. We started & crowded on all day & eve till 10 when we halted, made coffee at tunnel 3 miles above Whiteside. Rested till 2 to feed battery horses & rest them for. they were all beat out. At 2 we started over the mountain & such climbing you never did see. We had to lift & hold on to the caissons & guns to keep from turning over & to get them up the mountains. We were urged on with all possible dispatch so as to run the Lookout Mountain Blockade before daylight, but fate seemed against us. One gur got stuck & in getting it out broke the axletree & had to send back to near Whiteside fo another axletree & so day broke us before we had reached the first gauntlet -. & there were 3. But just as we came out of the mountain gap where the Rebs could reach us fog & smoke arose along the mt. side & covered us from view, so we got thro that safe The second, on about 2 miles, they fired three shells at us, but all passed over our line of troops but wounded 2 stragglers - who no doubt thought by being out of the main body they would be safer - knocked one ambulance to pieces & one wagon & killed or or 2 horses. At the 3 blockade the rebs fired at us twice, & both went a long way over us, killing one man in a camp on opposite side of mountain. As we passed thro the 2m gap we passed within half rifle shot of the Reb pickets, but we were strictly forbidden t fire upon them - even should they fire upon us - unless ordered to do so; but they (Rebs) stood there, gazed at us, & soon sat down by a fire & we took no notice of then Our boys wanted to try their rifles badly. About 10 am of 23[rd] we got into Genl Hooker's camp & reported to him, who informed us that the Rebs had floated a raft down against our pontoon bridge & broken it in two, so we could not cross & therefore were cut off from joining Genl Sherman & our Army Corps who had crossed the night before & had gone up to C & perhaps still on above. So we were brot to a halt & to wai further orders that PM Genl Geary of Hooker's command went around to a point where Lookout comes close to the river & cuts off communication with Chattanooga on this side of river. A bend of the river meets old Lookout, & they had in this case joined issue to stop us with the Rebels help-thus (a map drawn). Lookout is 23 miles long, one continuous Mount & on its top near the West end is a village, a large public house & some 100 houses once called Summerville; & on its top are some of the best farms have seen in this section. It is at some places a mile wide on top, very level & free fromstone, although its sides are all stone. The west end comes out to the river, having to cut a way round its point for a RR & common road it rises gradual from river till about a 1000 feet up then it is a perpendicular & oft overhanging rock up from 3 to 500 feet higher. This perpendicular rock reaches around on both sides of mt for a mile or so, preventing any access to its crest - only thro one opening thro this rock without going slanting dicular[sic] around beyond this upindiclar[sic] rocks. But I was going to tell you how Genl H. entertained us on the afternoon of 23 - sent out Genl Geary with a Divis of 12th Army Corps to pitch into them around next the junction of the river & mt with several pieces of artillery. This was only to feel of them, & they soon sent down to the support of their advance line some 5 regts. They did look grand marching down the mountain side along their snake-like road, colors flying so proudly; but they little dreamed that lowa boys the next day were to carry them, conquered & surrendered rags.Well about midnight we got orders to be ready to move at 6 next morn & to fight at half past 6, so we made up our minds we were to fight with fighting Joe. So early on morn 24th we fell in, & soon our Divis was in line of battle & ordered to hold & engage the enemy on the extreme right. So, deploying to the right about a mile & half or 2 miles, we began to feel of our position by a few shots from our battery. When advancing our skirmishers, we soon found the Rebs quietly waiting for us to open the ball, which we soon did & drove them from a covet behind RR embankment well fixed up for breastworks. And still we were foiled, for we found a creek to cross (Lookout Creek) - narrow, only about 4 or5 rods wide but deep. Then the rebs held us till we could change our position, when we got a flanking or enfilading fire on them & they fell back; & thus we soon fell[ed] trees & got a temporary bridge over; & pell mell we crossed like a flock of sheep while the bullets whistled over our heads & among us like hail; & marvelous to say, only one was wounded in our Regt. Then we formed as quick as possible; & with volley & a yell we charged onto them upon the run & they broke & fled like sheep; & Genl Crafts' Divis, having driven them in on the center, had cut off the retreat of those in our front as they could not go straight up the mt. & get out of the way & in running up their road ran right onto Genl C's troops & turned back & we brot them to a stand. When the 4 Regt threw down their arms & surrendered, Genl Osterhaus ordered our Regt to take charge of the prisoners & take them across the creek & guard them. Genl Hooker soon came up &asked what Regt was guarding the prisoners & upon being told the 9th lowa, came up to our Col & said, "You lowa boys must go with me into Chattanooga over Lookout Mt tonight, so charge to the front." When back over the creek & up the mountainside, we began to climb finding behind this rock & in this hole a skulking Reb which were sent back. Soon we got to the part of the mountain; so, passing along under it to the left, we soon ran on to a snag. At the very point of the mount they had a fort of 2 guns & - in front from this perpendicular cliff running slantwise down the mt. side - a strong breastwork. So work was to be done; & it was most night raining & had been all PM like great guns, & great guns on top of the mount was raining Iron hail down onto us into the bargain. But Heavenly rain or Secesh hail the Rebs must be routed, so we began to try what virtue there was in minie balls, but they threw back their slugs with a vengeance. Dark came on & still we fought on, when about 9 o'clock some of our boys (31st lowa) on our right kept crawling up, up the rocks and forward & found they could crawl around above the Rebel works & got a raking fire on them. Which as soon as the rebs found out they turned a savage fire upon them, but our boys were safe behind rocks & would dodge up & out & fire into them & kept crawling around till the Rebs found it too warm, tho very dark, to remain in the ditches even; & about 12 midnight they ceased firing.And our boys crawling down in the darkness to the ditch, found it vacated & so took possession; & tho raining hard, all felt joyful & sent up a shout that made old Lookout ring; & resting on our arms by turns we slept sitting against a stone stump or tree till near day, when we built fires. And those that had little tin pails (made of oyster cans) or tin cups made a cup of coffee, ate some hard tack & sow belly, & soon two of 31st lowa had found a path up thro rocks &c leading up thro a crack in the ledge & covered over at top with heavy plank. These they got aside & were on top of old Lookout; so, marching out on to the very point, waved a h'dkc'f on a pole & shouted for a flag which was soon planted by 2 Regts (31 lowa & 76 Ohio). I hardly know whichfirst, but the 31st lowa claim to be first & were the first onto it. Rebs had fled & taken off all their guns but one big 64 pounder burst. Then went up three times 3 cheers for the old flag & the Union & Old Lookout echoed back from her thousand voices a hearty response in favor of Union & as the sun rose bright & looked her full in the face, she blushed like a blue cabbage - no doubt to think of the company she had kept the night before & for some time past. So bidding her good bye, we started down her sides to find what had become of those aspiring souls who the day before fought us above the clouds and perhaps thot that because so near Heaven the Lord of Hosts would help cast that hellish Yankee crew down. But Lucifer like they were, cast out & thinking they might feel bad about matters, they would seek light & relief of or on Missionary Ridge & so we two, thinking our case might be improved, followed to the Missionary Sanctum across Chattanooga Valley some 5 miles & better. We had not advanced over half way before they began to warn us of our danger, & in thunder tones preached to us of repentance for such persistent wickedness of destroying their sunny South - eating up their substance & hunting them like deer in the mountains & partridges in the wilderness - & soon turn aside from the wrath to come. So our Divis being in advance, divided - 1st Brig to right & ours, 2nd Brig, deployed to left of these Missionary persuaders. Soon [we came] upon their infantry thrown out in front to protect their Battery, which belched forth its appeals in fire & smoke & told us plainly that they thought brimstone was our fate. But we pressed on, climbing up some other way, & they declared us thieves & robbers - which we soon verified to them by cutting off their retreat & taking 4 guns, 18 spans horses & mules, & 4 caissons & took 14 of their ministers. So taking them & their books(guns) of service to rear, we were resting a few minutes (for we had climbed the ridge driving 2 Regts of Reb Inft. before us pell mell, & all were tired) when clatter, clatter came a horseman down a gorge between two ranges of M Ridge called Ross Gap or Missionary Gap. 2 of our boys halted him, but he turned up the Ridge side on the gallop, but they brot down their rifles & [had taken] aim when he leaped from his horse & took off his hat, & our boys brot him to the Regt & horse; & upon inquiry the young man proved to be John C. Brickenridge's son, who was bearing a dispatch found on his person to the troops & very Battery we had just taken to hold the gap at all hazards, & he would soon reenforce them. But we had done it for him, & so he had his forces to hold other parts of the ridge. Directly we got orders to about face and get position; our Divis on the Chat & Cleveland road thus getting in the rear of M Ridge & soon we could see there was work coming. For along the Ridge we could see a large body of troops, banners flying, moving up towards us in line of battle. So, throwing out our skirmishers - 2 Cos from each Regt, they soon brot them to a stand. I tell you from about one till 4 it was one constant roar or rattle of musketry & many a poor fellow was found beyond Missionary favor. After about an hour or so sharp fighting & the Rebs rather crowding us - being continually reinforced, the order was given to our line to advance. We had to cross a hollow, & no sooner was the word given to advance than our Divis started with a yell, shouting as they ran & were soon at the foot of the last rise of the Ridge & advancing as best we could from tree to tree, picking off the Rebs as they raised up from behind their rude breastworks & as they fled back along the ridge, every one would help them on by a minie thrown as near to them each & all as possible. Soon the forces on the other side fronting to Chattanooga opened on them & were in on their flank, & then you could see them huddling up together behind some protection like a flock of sheep. Lots threw down their arms, and then others, thinking they might escape & probably possessed of more pluck, took leg bail & like deer ran for dear life; but many a poor fellow never got thro the gauntlet - our line closing in on them snugger & nearer every step when, after cutting off cartridge boxes throwing away guns & everything to impede progress, they would - in whole squads - throw up their hands & fall flat on their faces to escape our fire & give themselves up. Thus it ran along the whole length of the ridge to Old Bragg's Headquarters, at least 3 miles from where we first encountered them. The [Reb] advance, who were retreating for dear life, went along the ridge; when near Bragg's head quarters met a small force of ours sent forward to cut off a retreat; on the first start & in a body, came forward, stacked arms, & gave themselves up. Thus, it being about dark, ended the Missionary Ridge fight; & corralling our prisoners in a hollow square,we rested on our arms - no tents, no blankets & wind blowing over the ridge very cold.We collected what wood we could find, tore down some of Old Bragg's quarters & burned them, ate our hardtack & raw hog, boiled a cup of coffee & did as best we could. Next morn, 26th, Our National Thanksgiving & Pres. Sunday - How different our lots & circumstances, Dear Sis, on this bright lovely morn. With us, we at daylight [were] ordered to search the ground over which we fought the afternoon & day before to find our dead & wounded, if any were left on the field. We found 3 of our Regt wounded; 7 had been brot in the night before; so burying our dead & making a detail from each Regt to collect the Rebel dead & bury & take their wounded to Chattanooga, 5 miles & pick up all arms, of which we took a pile large as a small house & 10 pieces cannon & guard the prisoners &c, the rest of our forces eating a cold lunch & a little coffee - those that had any. We started again in pursuit of the retreating Rebs, thankful indeed that we still lived to fight for Uncle Sam & support his Constitution, which you know one while was fast failing. But thro the kindness of his boys - O, yes, tender nursing of his daughters, his general health is much improved & on this beautiful day as we go marching on, we feel joyful & thankful that so good a prospect is before us of a speedy restoration to perfect health of all the powers & faculties our good Old Uncle Sam. Long may he live & never may his shadows be less. Thus situated, tho we have no turkey & no dinner but little breakfast & but a poor prospect for supper for our 3 days rations are out & no teams up & we marching right away from them, we can say, Let the wide world war as it will, we'll be gay & happy still. So jogging on thro mud, wading creeks we got at sunset to Chickamauga Creek where once raged a fierce & bloody contest &, could you have seen the scarred trees & in spots cut off like stubble by the cannon balls, you would not wonder that Uncle Sam's boys, some of them, would grow chicken-hearted & think the old Uncle better die first, & so thinking, they would be justified in acting upon the first law of nature, "Self preservation" - should run away & thus live to fight another day.15 miles took us over Chickamauga Creek about 12 night where we halted. No supper, no teams up & building a good fire, gathered up some leaves & on them before the fires we rested our weary limbs till 3, when we were aroused by an orderly call which gave us notice that our teams had got to the C creek & could not get over, & we must send back for our rations. So 4 men from each Co went back 3 miles & brot up sugar, coffee, hard bread, bacon; & thus we soon got us a cup of coffee, ate our hog meat broiled on a stick over the fire & hard bread & before daylight were ready to move. Thus Thanksgiving passed with lots of U. Sam's boys; & how was it with you the 27th? I'll stop, for I must leave for duty, having to go to Stevenson on business & others are waiting. Did hope to have finished this short letter, Sis, & took it to office with me but will have to stop; & I don't know but you will say this is too long now, but you have not sent me my letters once a month, & so you may expect to be bored. Why don't you send my letters along once a month? Which I will do when I can send them. "Now do you hear?" Good by for this 17th day of Jan. & did I hear you say it is Sunday? I know it; but Uncle Sam is not religious, tho he claims to be very honest & true moral, & I hope he will go to a better Realm at last.Well, Dear Niece, here it is Jan 27th ['64] & this not done yet. Neither have I rec'd any letter from you for over 2 months. I sent you a short one some three weeks ago. I got a letter from Mary TJ last night & a line from Asbury. Mother has been very sick of fever; said they had heard from Johnie by some means, & that he was in Boston. Now I hope as an Old patriotic Uncle to hear from him ere he leaves for sea again.Here let me say, Sis, one Regt has reenlisted, 289 out of 320 aggregate present & out of 515 aggregate present & absent; & I hear several of those absent have reenlisted where they are. We all go home as a Regt in a few days on a 30 days furlough in lowa, which time, I tell you, will be put in with a zest; & all are planning for Company suppers, dances &c. And the 7th & 8th of March as a Regt we are going to celebrate at Dubuque in commemoration of the Battle of Pea Ridge, Ark when our Regt., out of 569 that went into the fight on first day, lost in killed & wounded 265. Our Col wounded & taken prisoner, our Maj twice wounded, our Adjt wounded, 4 Capts. & 5 Lts. killed & several wounded - over half of our Company Officers killed & wounded. Our Co out of 58 we lost killed wounded 29. 1st Lt. killed; Capt, 2d Lt, & Orderly all wounded; & I - tho 2ndSergt - had to take charge of Co, & ours kept the field till we whipped the Rebs on the 8th. Our whole force -13,600 under Genl Curtis V Seigel, the Rebs under Van Dorn, Price, McCullock, McIntosh-the last 2 killed-& their force they acknowledged to be 45,000 & more artillery then we had. We had 48 pieces - they had 75. That is the time we hope to celebrate. Come go with us and we will do you good.But here it is again another sheet about filled & Ringgold fight & our other marches not written up. Well, say you, I wish it was, for this much is a plague & waste of time, do I hear you say? Well, I must tell you Old Joe came to our Gen (Osterhaus) &, says he, as your boys are such go ahead fellows, you take the advance & as soon as you find the enemy engage them. Well that morn we soon began to pick up stragglers & find wagons, caissons &c stuck in the mud. Some wagons loaded with corn meal & on fire, some cut down &c, piles of tents burning, lots of corn meal emptied into mud holes & trod in &c. Thus 6 or 7 miles we were in sight of Ringgold. & on Taylor's Ridge along the West side of the town stood the Rebs in line of battle full 2 miles long. & as we crossed a covered Bridge into town, a masked battery opened upon the bridge & the splinters flew like hailstones & hurt several of our boys; but not a shot or shell struck one crossing, tho as we were crossing a street one of our Regt was struck by a ball, cutting a blanket & knapsack off his shoulders, tuned him topsy turvy, & laid him flat in the street & all thought him dead. But after we had charged the Rebs &c, he came to us & kept with us all day but has done nothing since & has liked to died from internal hurt."215 miles from Chattanooga - arrived Jan.[?] 27." 9th Page. Well Susie! Here it is 28th & letter not gone yet. But I have had so much writing to do of late - making out our muster-out & muster-in papers, enlistment & discharge papers, &c &c - that I have found but little time to write to any one. But our Regt has been remustered for 3 years or the war from the 23rd of this month; & the boys were paid off yesterday - their old pay of 2 months $100, old bounty & $73 advance on their new bounty of $402 & including one month's pay. So the boys are rich, & as they tell it, lousy with money averaging over $200 apiece, & great plans are made for a good time when they get home. & we expect to start day after tomorrow(30th) & should you write before 20 of Feb after getting this, direct to Fayette, Fayette Co lowa. After that time send to 9th lowa V. Vols In the field to follow Regt.-via Cairo, Ill.Now then to that fray at Ringgold. At the SE corner of the village is a gap thro the ridge called Taylor's Gap. In this was planted the Reb Battery & commanded the town, & they could rake several of the main streets & the Bridge. After we got into town & had formed behind the Brick blocks, our Divis was ordered to advance on the Ridge, & from the RR running thro the center of the town, some 80 rods from foot of Bluffs, we had to advance under a perfect shower of bullets & raking fire of canister & grape. One Brig of our Divis went to right of the gap, the other 6 Regts (ours) to left as we faced to advance; & after leaving the RR which - being quite a grade or embankment - left us no protection, only as we could get under cover of several low small houses; & then with a rush we had to run for dear life to get under cover of rocks, sharp or steep banks, trees &c on & up the Ridge side. Our Regt, 4 lowa, & 76th Ohio was in the center & had to charge a point & bluff in 3 columns - 76th, then 4th then 9th followed as fast as we could climb up the hill, fighting our way from stone to tree & stump & log &c as we could get cover from the storm that so cruelly met us, laying low & rolling over & over from top to bottom of the steep hill side. We carried our point & gained the crest of the hill; but, being outflanked on both sides - for we found our support on our right & left had not come up - & being exposed [to] a raking or enfilading fire from both right & left, we had to fall back under cover of the hill & with heavy loss & a good prospect of being all of us gobbled up. For the Rebs, seeing the other Regts had fled back behind the RR embankment, were emboldened to advance on us & swung round down the hill on our right & left & poured into us on all sides; but we soon formed so as to defend ourselves on three sides - front, right, &left - thus (map); & thus flat on the hill side loading our rifles, many of us laying on our backs, we fought the Rebs and kept them back from 10 AM till 3 PM & even advanced on & crowded them back from our right & left. When about 8 PM a light battery of 4 Parrott 6 pounders came & 2 pieces were planted to help us, as we thot, & 2 to drive out the Reb Battery. But what was our consternation when we with anxiety had watched every move below to find that the officers of the Battery had thot us, way up in the hillside, to be Rebs & plumped 2 shell almost right into our midst. One bursting - wounded 2 but not fatally. When Genl Osterhaus galloped up to them, we soon [saw] a different position of affairs & it was lucky for us. So they fired to our right & left & we crawled up to front & soon again charged the Rebs in front & gained possession of a slight breastwork the Rebs had made of trees, rails, stone &c; & after a sharp but short brush, the Rebs fled from our hill like sheep pell mell down the opposite side, leaving their dead & some wounded. And so, following them up for about a mile, we took off stragglers found hid in the bushes & behind rocks &c, 200 & better. When orders came for us to fall back to the top of the hill & care for our dead & wounded where we found out of 168 of 76th O. they had lost 72, 33 killed & 39 wounded; 4th lowa - 35, 17 killed & 18 wounded; 9th lowa - 18, 3 killed & 15 wounded. Thus you see at what a dear rate we held our position & at what a painful cost we carried the day. Not a Regt could be found to brave the storm of bullets & come to our support; several started & all fled behind the RR. Our 1st Brig on the right of the gap had been cut up as bad - & even in two & three Regts worse than - our 3. The 12th Mo. out of 198 had but 78 left; the 13th III out of 203 lost 81 &c. Our Divis not numbering over 25- or 2800 had lost over 500 killed & wounded, but we had carried the Ridge, taken 2 guns & driven the Rebs from an almost invulnerable position (& by prisoners taken) learned that their forces was 9,000 & 6 guns. Now I think were I Reb officers & with their forces & in such positions as Lookout Mountain Missionary Ridge & Taylor's Ridge, if I could not hold my position & repulse any force the Yanks could or have been able to bring against them, I would break my sword, tear off my uniform & flee to some place where I was never heard of & swear by all that is good or great that I was always a peace man &, as one of our boys said who fled at the battle of Pea Ridge & hid, "Why you know I never seed War before & it frightened me." He was an Arkansas boy who joined us only a few days before. Well old fighting Joe sent a Division of his Potomac. boys to follow them up under Genl Crafts, & they took some 300 prisoners & 80 Wagons & compelled them to burn their transportation. They reported 400 wagons & blew up son caissons &c. I tell you your Star Regts of the Potomac & Old Hooker & they themselves give it up. They can't fight like Western Boys; they haven't got the daring & pluck to carry it out. N.E. boys have earned a glorious name, but lowa Boys can beat them all & you can ask Genl Hooker.Well we staid at R till 30 Nov. when we returned to Chattanooga Valley passed in review before Genl Howard (Me. Genl) Thomas Hunter, Hooker, Granger, Butterfield & others on 3 Dec & started on our back track over same road. We came to Bridgeport where we stopped until 18th - got clothing & shoes for many of our boys were about barefooted - when we again took up the line of march to this place, 215 miles from Chattanooga. There we arrived Dec 27th - teams all beat out, dead & dying, & the boys most as bad; but we are all getting fat & saucy & feel as independent as a wood sawyers clerk - neither saw nor keep count. Say lots of good word to Jonnie for me & tell him I will write him as often as he will me; & I can learn where to direct. I expect you are having a grand good glorious jollification now brother has got home once more; but O how soon gone & then what a void. But today is thine - improve today. Happy the man (& of course the woman) who finds no condemnation tomorrow for ought of today. Aye, thrice happy they who depend not on Outward circumstances for true joy & pleasure. And now, sis, hoping to hear from you & Johnnie when I get up to see Aunt Hannah & Sarah & tell them of your kind & long letters I will close.I calculated to have torn this off but before I was aware of it had written clear to the bottom so as I have written but a little before will fill this with questions. Won't you and Johnnie come out in Feb &see us? I'll be at home then I think & tho not a pleasant season to visit the West, yet perhaps the people might be cheerful & thus make it a pleasant time. Write me Everything. Now do you remember who it was that said Talking to a true friend is only thinking aloud. & to such & with such Sis, nothing is ill said. Only to those who evil think are words amiss. Now give my sincere regard to Johnny, Uncle G & wife Aunt E Your Uncle Reuben's family & should you see any of father Johnson's folks my love to them & lots of them down amid scenes of youth & boyhood days. Give Copperheads a right cut, left cut & when you can a severe cut & those who will not with a will dare to defend his country a broad berth, & always steer clear of conditional Union men; & now aren't you glad my paper is out & I have to say goodby? God bless you & Brother. From an unworthy Uncle. (Condition: Pre-Owned)

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