The Athens post. [volume] (Athens, Tenn.) 1848-1917, 1863-01-30
Letter from Mississippi.
CANP5 MILES BELOW VIcKsBURG,
January 10Th 1862

the railroad, except the short time we
were in Kentucky last fall and most of
the men convenient TO their homes, so
that | have deemed Il unnecessary to
trouble you TO give publicity to any thing
that could write; but now that we are
way down in Dixie, some seven or eight
hundred miles from our homes, and
knowing that rumors are often ahoat cal
culated to mislead the public minG and
cause our friends ar unnecessary amount
of trouble, ask place in your columns.
The men broke up camps at Kingston,
Tenn, on Saturday, the Goth December,
and returned to Lenoir's Station, where,
on the Odd, they took the train and set
off for the land of Dixie. Our route Law
by the way of Atlanta, Montgomery. and
Mobile. Our destination was Jackson,
which we reached on the 30th. We soon
learned that they had been fighting at
Vicksburg, and that we were TO proceed
TO that place. We were detained, how
ever, till Thursday, train having run off
between Jackson and Vicksbug on We'd
nesday, and torn up the track, so that we
had to wait till it was repaired. In the
running off of the train, alluded to above,
there were six men killed dead, aud for
ty-two wounded. They were not the AID
however; il was not on the train at ALL
We saw three of the wounded. They
were awfully bruised. One poor fellow
had both legs broken. The Doctor told
us that one had died since, making seven
dead, and several more he thought would
die. We saw five of the dead the next
day, lying on the platform of the depot,
in their blood, all daubed with mud, just
as they were taken up from where they
met their fate, only wrapped in their
blankets. But we passed over the same
road and reached Vicksburg, Thursday
night, the first January, between IL and
II o'clock, without mishap or accident,
save that two men were left behind sick,
one at jackson and one at Meridian, and
one man had his leg hurt with stick of
wood. He is getting well. Well, the men
had barely time to cook and eat their sup.
per, till they were ordered forward to the
line of battle, about two and half miles
off. Notwithstanding they were worn out,
from confinement, and loss of sleep, hav-
ing been eleven days and nights on the
road, sometimes on fat cars lat least a
good many of them) without shelter and
the rain pouring upon them, consequent
ly having slept but little, yet, when order
ed to the battle line, they moved off cheer
fully, though expecting that in few
hours, in all probability they would have
to join in deadly strife with the foe, as
their East Tennessee brothers had done
but few days before. Friday, Friday
night, and Saturday, it rained-and oh!
such time. The men were without
tents. But the Yankees having retired,
and nothing save the smoking of their
gun-boats to be seen, and them at great
distance, our men were recalled on Sum
day, and ordered into camps. No fight
ing since we came here. Some cannon
aiding one morning by the Yankees from
their boats in the Yazoo river. Think
they will hardly attack this place soon
don't believe they ever can take it.
There is good deal ofsckness in our
regiment A disease has made its appear
ance amongst us resembling the small
ISpA NCtl DCNtu CuScS nave Ottn
sent on to the Hospital, three of which
the Doctor has pronounced smallpox
The others, If smallpox at all, it is in
form, and not dangerous. None
of tise cases have proved fatal as yet. Doc
tor says he don't think they will. Every
precaution is being taken to prevent its
spreading. The men are being vaccinnat-
ed as. rapidly as they can. Asa Kincade,
of Capt. Turner's Company, died yester-
day of typhoid fever. You will hear from
us again soon. CHAP.
sS- Vallandigham is down on the
"Pilgrim Fathers" In late speech he
said:
II would not deny or disparage the
austere virtues of the old Puritans of
England or America. But do believe
that, in the very nature Of things, no
community could exist long in peace, and
no government endure long alone. or be-
come great, where that element in its
earliest or its more recent form holds su-
preme control. And it is my solemn con.
viction that there can be no possible or
durable reunion of these States until it
shall have been again subordnated to
other and more liberal and conservative
elements, and, above all, until its worst
and most mischievous development, ab-
olitionism, has been utterly extinguish-
ed. Sir, the peace of the Union and of
this continent demands it.
at was abolition, the purpose to abol-
ish or interfere with and hem in slavery,
which has caused dsunion and war;
Slavery is only the Subject but aboli-
ton the cause of this civil war"