The Lancaster gazette. [volume] (Lancaster, Ohio) 1863-1886, 1863-11-19
Army Correspondence.
.BRIpaEroRr, Ala., Oot. An, '63

Ilce py inc hehulnR OF InlS letter that
we are in Alabama, We left Chatta-
nooga, Tenn, last Sunday morning
one week ago, The night previous to
leaving Chattanooga we received or.
ders to be ready to leave at a moments
notice, and drew rations for three days
l was up all night issuing rations and
preparing for this move, We. left at
2 o'clock Sunday morning. Our or.
ders were to leave every tent standing
and to take none along, The night
was dark as pitch and the road was
knee deep in mud. We crossed the
Tennessee on the pontoon bridge and
logged along at an awfulrate. | don't
suppose there was a mud hole in the
road but what it was my luck to fall
into. Through swamps and bogs, over
corduroy roads, through miry fields,
the long dark columns urged on. No
time to stop and look for chuck holes
You hadIto plunge right in at the i'm
minent risk of being lost forever to the
outer world in the trcacherous soil
Flop would go man before you on
his face in the mud; here another at
your side, and back of you another.
We marched on without rest till we
reached the top of themountain, about
seven miles from Chattanooga. A halt
was ordered by General Palmer, and
we stopped and cooked our breakfast.
Our marching now was on the top of a
high mountain ridge. and slow and
easy We went up and down hills,
and crossed large mountain, one of
the largest of the Cumberland range
IN Tennessee. We left the mountain
and struck the Sequatchie Valley
one of the richest valleys in the State
While on Sand Mountain Ridge we
Travelled for miles along the brow OF
the mountain. The views were mag
nifcent.
Way down in the valley just below
your feet is the beautiful Sequatchie
Valley stretched for miles. Opposite
you. about Is miles distant, but sc
short the distance seemed that it ap,
pearcd as if you could throw stonl
across, extends another range Of noun
tails, equal in height and running out
Of sight in the far distance. Scattered
over the valley were the white tents
ofnumerous camps looking like a sal
when seen about five miles out at sea
Houses appeared like specks; long
wagon trains stretching for miles
} through the valley seemed like minute
movinganimals. So small they seemed
that you had to observe very closely
to detect whether they were moving
or stationary. A beautiful river rur
in winding course through the valley
and its glistening waters appeared like
) those of mirror. About the centr,
of the valley could be seen what ap
peared to me like mound thickly
covered with wood, but what was il
. reality Il high mountnin, small thougl
, in comparison to the one | was on
The prospect was enchanting. 1t i'm
! pressed one with q feeling somewha
y elevated.
October 2Sth we reached Shel
| Mound Station, crossing the Tcnnes
see river on pontoon bridge. Shel
Mound is a natural phenomenon, no
q the name, but the place. Dig wher
you will in the soil and you will shove
t up hundreds and thousands Of shells
Q from the large muscle shell to tn
small sea.shoreshell. From the bank
Of the Tennessee up into the mountain
you will find them. Wonder if Agassi
has heard of Shell Mound?
= About three -fourths Of mile fror
! the banks of the Tennessee runs
range OF the Cumberland mountains
l. Il cave fifteen miles in length extend
through them. Saltpetrc in almos
, incXhaustible quantities is found in il
+ The rebels hung most tcnaciously t
+ the place and were mining the nitr
q to the day of our taking possession
J. They got about 1000 lbs a day from
c The entrance to the cave is abou
300 feet and 100 feet in hight. Th
. most peculiar feature of the cave is
lake, fathomless in depth, and extend
- ing 13 miles under the mountain
You go into the cave about half
o mile before you see the lake. Sewers
IS canoes are on the lake, and taking
" torch you can row around over tn
If internal regions as much as you wisl
e, The lake has an outlet from the moul
n tain and forms Il stream as large 4;
,e Hooking river. The second day aft,
N reaching Shell Mound we went G
10 picket. As usual it commenced rail
g ing and continued for II hours. Wit