The Ohio Democrat. [volume] (Canal Dover, Ohio) 1840-1900, 1863-01-09
Letter from the sOth.
HEAD QUARTERS SOth o. Regt.
MpNpu1s Tam Doo On 1890

MEMPHIS, Tenn, Dec. 80, 1862.
Mr.. EDIToR:-We have been so con-
Linually on the qui viUe since my last,
that / have been unable to give you even
D flying report" of the S0th. l will
copy few lines from my diary which
must suffice for the present:
Dec. l2 Marched from Oxford, Miss.
five miles to Yockona Potaphy river,
(what name,) Dec, II. Lieut.. Wag-
staff arrived with % recruits and draft
ed men. Dec, Is. Lieuts. Powleson
and Hay arrived with IL more recruits
to swell our ranks. Dec. 81. We march
again from Yockona back to Oxford, and
go into camp. At 8 o'clock p. m. while
the boys were sleeping soundly, and
dreaming of home, we were called up
suddenly to go into line of battle, ex-
pecting guerilla attack. We marched
two miles and sent out our pickets and
laid on our arms that night, but no at
tack. Dec. %. March back to Able.
vile, cross the Tallahatchie river; made
Is miles. Dec. 90. Marched to Holly
Springs and bivouacked for the night.
Rations short. Secesh pigs squealed
Justify around camp. Boys must eat
Had o chat with aRev. Johnson, told
him the church North and South had
done much to produce the present state
of affairs-tbat the church had split first,
the State afterwards, that they must now
throw their reverend "heads" togeth~
er and endeavor to "fx things up" and
if they failed then we men of the world
would try our "hands" That was po.
ser. He thought the South never would
submit short of complete subjugatiou,
and would never consent that the negro
should remain in the South at all in any
other than their present state.
Dec. 25. Christmas in camp. But
alas, there is nothing here to remind me
of the day save the hollybuSh and the
mizzletoe which grow here in profusion,
and call up the pleasing recollections Of
former days. had almost forgotten q
little "soriee" at headquarters this even
ing, given by our Carroll county friends.
Oysters, Strawberries, pineapples, sar'
dimes and what-nots, to which l may add
little "commissary" whisky; formed the
repast. We had gay time, consider
ing the time when and the place where.
Order to march again.
Dec. 26 Start for Memphis. Rained
like pitchforks, mud knee deep. "Timt
and tide waits for no man." Away We
GO; sick men sent to the rear. We &c
to guard a provision train. Expect trou
BILE on the way and are prepared to meet
it; made l3 miles through mud and rain.
Who wouldn't be q soldier? Lay dowr
at dark, tired; rain continues; can'tslecp
get up and stand around the fires; nevel
mind, rails are plenty and burn briskly
Dec, 81. March at s a. M, Is mile'
to Byhalia; camped; night cold and fros
ty; slept without tents again, toes to tht
fire. No tronble to "keep cool" these
nights. Dec. 2S. Sunday, march agail
and made Is miles to within miles o
this city, Saw Col. Murphy, who's
cowardly surrender of Iuka and Holl,
Springs has made him somewhat noto
rious. Dec. 80. March to Memphis
which is much the largest place we hav,
seen for many months. Many fine hon
ses are being "razed" to make room 70
adding TO the extensive fortifcation
here. Can't tell you much about the city
except that it boasts theater, and ono
contained about $4,000, more or less. =
Folks are digging up and removing tree
and shrubs in front gardens, reminding
us of "the seasons difference"
Sometimes, as "the icy fang and chuT
liSh chiding of the winters wind, whic
blows and bites upon the body till W
shrink with cold, we smile and say thi
is no dattery, these are but counsellor
that feelingLy do tell us what we are.
Sweet are the uses Of adversely, whic
like the toad, ugly and venomous, ye
wears precious jewel in his head, an
this our life, (of sodiering) exempt frol
public haunt, finds tongues in trees
books in the running brooks, sermon
in stones and good in everything.
Truly yours,
G. H MATHEWS.
N. B. had almost forgotten to mer
tion that band of guerillas fired let
the rear of our train, composed of abor