The weekly Lancaster gazette. (Lancaster, Ohio) 1860-1863, 1862-04-24
Letter from ,,he F. Forty-sixth ohio.

Letter from tAe F0Hty-Sixth Ohio.
The following letter from the 4etb Reg
ioent. though written before the battle,
contains many items Of interest: ar
.la 5CAaH sHILoAH, April Sd, 1862.
EpfToRs GAzRrrE; Isit down this morn
ing to drop a few liues for publica'ionin
your valuable paper, If you deem It ft.
for the benefit of our friends and folks 10
Fairfield, who no doubt are anxious to
hear whore We are and what We are doing
We'a encamped about twelve miles up
the river, from Savannah, al a place call
cd Pittsburg Landing. We landed here
the 10Th Of March. About eight days be-
fore we came up the river, the gunboa's
came along and shslled the town. burning
every building in it, the rebels making
good use Of their heels, Of course. The
boats are now lying at the landing, while
the troops are encamped along different
roads for four or five miles from the river.
~ 4a* y Our Regiment
is encamped on very good and dry ground;
the soil bere naturally dries Of very quick.
The weather has been warm and beautiful
since we landed at this place; in fac. it is
almost like summer in Ohio. Trees. espe.
cially fruit trees. are pushing forth their
buds of green, while peaches are already
out in full bloom. There are some large
beautiful orchards in this county. Inflow
lands the soil is rich and fertile, while up
land Is mostly very poor and overgroWr
with wild sage grass. Wheat is scarce
but what little have seen looks good and
promising. Corn. there is but little rails
ed here; IN shott'I have not seen any cul
,tiystiou or farming Of any Kind since W.
have been ia this State even king Cot
ton''pis neglected. The trnth is there i
no one here TO cultivate the land. Ric
men we're generally secesh aud bad +
lssvs theiI homes on account 0f'he UniO
toops, while Others were nearly aIlPress
ed into service, or forced to leave tbei
families behind and Ace for protection
About two thirds of the houses are unoc
cupied, and every occupied house you wi
find three or four women to one man. an
about twice as many tow-headed chlldre
to Zach woman. The cause Of this is, j
many families men were oil absent, an
wOmen, left entirely alone, and no dout
almost destitute Of both food and clothing
as we'll as many other necessary article
needed in the family circle, especially !
cold seasons Of the year. and hence thi'
on Iour risuilies move together and shi
and manage to get alonge living aluo
wholly on corn bread. But there is st
some game to be found. The hare ar
wild tsrkey are pretty numerous deer a
also found along low lands and swamp
also a few bear can be seen at times Alor
the river. But l must tell you sOmethil
more about our situation. Our Regime
is camPed about three miles 'front.'
boats, aud II I mistake not. on the ro
leading 70 Purds, a small town in Tisl
omingO county. Miss, about ten mil
distant About week ago it was repo
cd that ten thousand rebels were encam
Cd there. but they have since evacust
the place; nothing more than habit th
have been accustomed to practice
while past. TITS also reported, and p,
haps |. is true, that $4,000 rebels ",
enOanped at COrinth, Mississippi,
whether true or not do not think th
are very dangerous. About ten days a