American citizen. [volume] (Canton, Miss.) 1851-1863, 1861-12-21
correspondence of The Citizen.
CAnP At UxIox CRY, TESs.,
December II, 1861. ]

NR. BoswoRTn: Pursuant to my promise,
now drop you a line--hasty though it
must be- have not written sooner because
what few items Of interest the :. Yankee
Hunters" have had for their friends have
been sent By telegraph
On Saturday afternoon last we were order
ed to cook four days rations, and prepare by
dawn of day Sunday morning to embark for
Union City Accordingly, the next rising OF
!. old Sol Witnessed the striking of tents,
and the mass of chaos consequent thereupon.
jus, upon the eve Of our departure, the
regiment having been drawn up in line, Lieut..
Col. Hill came forward and announced his
signation, which, be said, was necessary
result of his legal disability to hold two Of
fees in the service, as he then held COM
mission in Virginia, aud having failed to Sc
cure a transfer The resignation of Colonel
Hin was a subject of regret to the whole reg
ilrcnt, but more especially to the . Yankee
Hunters"
b II . clock 4. VI. our regiment, in two
trains, weighed anchor for the port Of Jack
son. Tenn, where the FIRST train, containing,
among other disfing1ashed passengers, your
humble correspondent, arrived at 7 p. NJ
the other train being some three hours be-
hind Here we built fires and lay over till
about O'Clock Monday morning, when we
resumed our journey, entire force and
baggage being packed upon Hat cars, in one
train with only one engine. / have seer
packed .j,,ries, bat such packing as this | have
seldom seen eqnaled-"niggers, buckra" and
all the other luggage being pressed into one
heterogeneous mass.
/ will here remark that all along the route
we were greeted with manifestations of the
most enthusiastic character by both sexes, of
all ages and conditions. one person in par
ticular-a Tennessee lady-with more ardor
than elegance clapped her hands and shouted
at the top Of her voice.
Finally, about 10 O'Clock P. NJ Monday
we reached the but recently famous Union
City. which is situated at the junction of
the Mobile and Ohio with the Nashville and
Northwestern Railroad, about twenty-five
miles south of Columbus, and only three or
four miles from the Kentucky line. The
city is 4 small place, of mushroom growth
containing six seven hundred inhabitants.
One advantage it possesses is the total alb
sence of all intoxicating drinks. The pleas
ing result of this fact Will be the strictest
sobriety on the part of the entire 5000 sol
diers now encamped here.
The eucampme-t of the First Regiment of
Ten Thousand Mississippi Volunteers, among
which are the % Yankee Hunters," may be
seen by the side of the railroad, about mile
and quarter north of the town.
The difference between this climate and
that Of Mississippi is as yet scarcely percept-
IDLE. We all sleep comfortably at night. For
many OF our comforts we have ourselves to
thank; for many others we are often led to
bless the +" dear folks at home
Upon the arrival of our train and the I'M
burdcning of the same, many of our men APP
peared much like the poor little % orphing"
boy, who had neither = farther nor MUIR
thcr,' all his % parents F." having died but
" Richards himself again"
We are now in near proximity to the enc
my 1t is reporfed-I know not how true it
is-that the space between the Yankees and
:. Yankee Hunters" is not above fifteen miles
1t is also reported, but discredited, that
there are four hundred Union men encamped
in McNuiry county, in this State, which is
south of US. We passed regiment of Ten
nessee Confederates at Trenton.
The general health of the regiment is very
good. although colds and sore throats are
numerous.
The ''camp jokes" have not yet broken out
amongst us, although quite prevalent at
times When they become epidemic will re-
cord few for the amusement of your read
ers.
Yours truly, +. II. II.