Jan 9 - Started without them. Perforce left boxes and cot also at Columbus Ky. With others walked over break in R.R. made by late raid. A hard 5 miles. Evening at Jackson. Raining.
Jan 10 - Fine weather. Reached Bolivar Tenn. and my regiment about noon much to my joy. Encamped in a pleasant healthy place. Bolivar is a nice southern town. A warm welcome from Col. Swayne*. Letter here from wife. Tent with and mess with Col. Swayne and adjutant.
Jan 11 - A beautiful Sabbath. Balmy air. Not with standing camp noises, passes it rather pleasantly and profitably. a.m. went with officers to Bolivar but we were disappointed in finding no services. Afternoon at 3:30 preached to the regiment chiefly of Dan 5:24.
Jan 12 - Beautiful weather. Rode about almost all a.m. With Wagar [Swayne] p.m. Visited hospital. Few sick. Eve wrote to Ella. Some diarrhea again. Would gladly be free from it. Engaged a poor homeless negro lad for a servant.
Jan 13 - Mild. a.m. at horse corral. p.m. at hospital and saw contrabands at bridge under charge of Capt. Wright. Saw some albinos. Eve almost warm weather.
Jan 14 - Raining from daylight all day. Staid in almost all day. Reading and writing. In eve stove smoked and damp. Were driven out of our tent by smoke. Soldiers' tents leak.
*Colonel Wager Swayne (10 Nov 1834 - 18 Dec 1909) was born in New York City, but grew up in Columbus Ohio. He graduated from Yale University in 1856 and the Cincinnati Law School in 1859. At the outbreak of the war he joined the army and commanded the 43rd OVI which was forming in Mount Vernon. He later rose to the rank of Brigadier General and won the Congressional Medal of Honor for leading a charge at the Second Battle of Corinth Mississippi in October 1862. Late in the war he lost his right leg at Rivers Bridge in South Carolina.
Col. Swayne served as Military Governor of Alabama during the early days of reconstruction after the war, serving from 1867 to 1868. He was a fervant Episcopalian throughout his life, as well as a staunch Republican and Abolitionist. Pictured below
No comments:
Post a Comment