The weekly Lancaster gazette. (Lancaster, Ohio) 1860-1863, 1862-04-10
Letter From the Fo,ty.sixrh Ohio.

| We we're kindly furnished the follow
ing interesting letter by our young friend
VIM, E. Thompson, Of Rushcreek Town
ship: 'a'a. .4tss .ata
CAMP DoN'T KSow,xEAR PrrrspURq
. LANDING. TENN, March 60 1869 T
DEAR BROrHEa: l suppose you have
arrived at the conclusion that Ihad ceas
ed writing altogether, but such Is not the
Gct-this, being the fifth letter that 1
have written since we left Paducah, Ky.,
but had no opportunity to send them, prior
to this time, no boat having gone down
the river, by which to send letters to a
Post Office. am we'll and we are all
enjoying ourselves away down here in
Dixie first rate. We are now enoamped
at distance Of miles from the river, and
near the scene Of the skirmish Of the lst
Of March. l was over the battle ground
afeW days since. and saw everywhere
'hs signs Of conflict aud destruction. -
Pieces OF shells and cannon talIs lay
scattered over the ground The enemy
occupied hill covered with short scrub
4 by timber, with here aad there large
tree. There is scarce bush on the
ground that is not Gu. and torn by the
balls and shells from our gunboa,s and
the ground is torn up BY The shot 10 the
depth Of two or three feet in many places.
The loss of the rebels is not known.-
We found nine graves on the field;I sho d
not, however, say graves. for they were
merely shallow holes scooped out and the
bodies in them being left with their arms
and legs 10 some Instances stick ing out
Of the ground. Some Of our boys were
out on a scout the other day, and came
upon seventeen dead bodies in brush
heap. There are more, no doubt, bu,
these are all that We have yet found.
] had heard SO much talk about Pitts
burg before we came here that expected
to see quite town; but imagine our
surprise when we saw thrce old log hou-
ses, looking more Ike stables than resi-.
dences for human beings. The scenery
here is not so fine as we expected to End
in the "sunny South" instead of rich
highly cultivated farms we see nothing
but succession Of dreary swamps, aud
the high land is so poor that the Whip
poor,wiIls have tosa'ry haversacks tc
keep from starving when flying over it
l have not seen comfortable dwelling
house since we left Kentucky. ..e.
The 46h Ohio is in the lst Brigade Of
the lst Division under General Shermau
The rebels are strongly fortified within
fifteen miles Of us, and it is said they in
tend to make their last stand here. Their
number is estimated at ons hundred thou.
sand. AS we came up the river to this
place one Of our boys had the misfortune
to be taken prisoner by the enemy. He
left the boat at a landing and went to a
corn crib at some distance, TO get some
corn, after getting the corn he wandered
on some distance further to examine a
canebrake, when he was surrounded by
cavalry and taken prisoner. They tool;
him some As miles to their quarters in a
dwelling house where they kept him two
days and nights; the third morning of his
imprisonment they compelled him to take
, the oath Of allegiance 10 the Southern
/, Confederacy, aud then after taking So
from him. all the money he bad. except a
: quarter, which he managed to slip into
= his boot, they released him on parole and
he started for camp; he reached here by
t IL o'clock at night, bringing a great dea
: of information relating to the situation ol
9 affairs in this part of Secess;a. He sayl
IS that they are very uneasy and say that il
y we whip them OF CO'inth they will give
s up tho struggle, You may soon hear O.
o the rebels being driven from their ditch
: es for we are bound 10 whip them.
Q q, The boys are all we'll. All letters IN
!, tended for this regiment should be sent t,
d Paducah, Ky, from whence they will b.
= forwarded 10 US at any point to which WI
g are moved. Your Brother, ..s
! r,R t.-,r Jas, A. THOMPSON,
l. ,, Co. c., 46lh Regiment O, vi.