Grant County herald. [volume] (Lancaster, Wis.) 1850-1968, 1863-03-10
Letter from the ssd Regiment.
LA GRANG X, TENx J
an go B

LA GRANGE, TENN
Jan. % 90
FRIEND Cover: II is with pleasure that
| try to inform the readers of your paper
how the boys Of "Old Grant" are getting
along, and what il the condition Of the
branch of the army to which belong.
am member of Capt. Geo. r. Franks
Company. We left the State of Wiscon-
sin the 18th of November, for Memphis,
where we arrived the Sunday morning az
ter; marched some two miles back from the
river and camped in nice location where
we remained till the 26th of November.
When We left Camp Utley (Racine) our
Company numbered ninety-six men. When
we left Camp Moore for our march south
ward we were obliged TO leave twelve of our
number behind. Our boys stood the march,
burdened with their heavy knapsacks, first
rate till about the time we started on our
march back, when the measles broke out
among US; this sent good many of our
boys off to the general hospital, where the
fare was enough to put any man under the
sod in fact we have never had plenty to
eat since we left Camp Utley. Some OF the
time we had nothing to eat except what we
jayhawked, and even then, our officers pa
troled squads to pick up all the boys they
could find trying to get anything 10 keep
off starvation. On our backward march,
between Christmas and Newly ear, we liy-
ed four days on corn boiled with the huiIs
on and little beef bones without any salt,
Then we got thousand pounds Of corn
meal (not sifted.) for the regiment two
days, then drew crackers for one days ra-
tions All this time we were in camp two
miles from the Tallahatchie river. The
next morning started for Holly Springs,
having had one pint Of unboted wheat -four
dealt out to each of US. Two days after
reaching Holly Springs l, with eight 9th
ers of our company, left camp for the Hos
pital. They had left by twos and threes
all along for the last three weeks. When
| left, our company could not raise over
forty men fit for duty. Five hundred men
we're called for to go on picket, only about
four hundred and fifty could be raised; so,
you will see our regiment has lost half her
men by sickness, though but few have died.
The way we We're moved to the hoF3ital.
about four o'clock in the afternocd one
ambulance wagon and one of or big six
mule wagons were brought up, we loaded
up and taken TO the depot. iIich was about
a mile off. Here we were placed 10, and
on some old freight cars which had no doors
nor seats. We were obliged to stand up,
or sit, or lie on the dirty floor; except those
who were very low, who were placed on
mattresses. The cars were filed as full as
they could be, and there we lay till about
eight o'clock, when we started for this place,
where we arrived about midnight almost
frozen and without supper Arrived here
we were placed in large brick building
which had been female seminary, about
a quarter of a mile from the depot, where
your humble servant had to lay on the
floor, with only one blanket, in a room with
no fire IN it. About ten o'clock next morn
ing we got some breakfast which consisted
of beef soup, crackers and coffee without
cream or sugar. After breakfast | was
moved 10 another room where lad on the
floor TIL next morning, cot and mattress
were provided for me, but, as luck would
have ii, | was obliged 70 keep it but iYe
days, when | was again able TO get about.
was then detailed by The Doctor as one
of the hospital nurses, which am at pres
ent. The hospital fare is very poor, con
sisiing bali the time, of hard bread the 9TH
er half, soft bread, cold fat pork, beef and
bean or beefsoup, coffee or black tea, rice or
corn-meal pudding and occasionally little
dried apples 1T matters not how sick
man is,the fare is the same unless the nurses
fix up little toast. Butter is out Of the
question II is getting to be no uncom-
mon tbiag for man 10 die here. Yester
day, 10 the room which occupy, three
died, two Of bloody fux and one Of typhoid
fever. There are about seventy sick men
in one room aud only eight Of US TO take
care Of them.
There is one thing sure, if anything Is
sent, by the SOLDIERS Aid Society" for
the sick ones here, ii it gets as far south as
here, it is only used to fatten the Officers
on, for it is impossible to get anything that
a sick man should have here. One of the
men who died here yesterday had only
been here four days, and TO my certain
knowledge did not eat half dozen spoon
falls Of anything while here When be
came here he was able to walk up stairs
and carry bis own knapsack. a great ma
ny die here just for want Of proper care,
the right kind Of food and good doctors.
How they are getting along at the regi-
ment now can not Tell, for left them the
eiqhth and have not hear from them since,
except that they have moved to Moscow,
where they are at present Yours,
CALVIN p. BRAIEARD.
REBy order Of the Couoty Board Of