Wood County reporter. [volume] (Grand Rapids [i.e. Wisconsin Rapids], Wis.) 1857-1923, 1864-12-22

me C0napdag'a m Ie11neSSee-A Change Of Base
-Johnsoat0'Ne Abaredomed-A Forced March
Gut off from Nash0iNe-A rest at Cla7.ks-
O@(e-Rovages of Var.
Correspondence OF the State Journal
HEADQUARTERS ADD Reg. WIS VoLs,l
GAINESVILLE, Tenn, December 6, 1864.
McssrS. Editors: This beautiful morning
finds the headquarters of the 43d very pleas
antly located on an eminence overlooking the
town of GAINESVILLE, on the Cumberland riv-
er, at which place we are supposed to be but
temporarily stopping, to recruit after long
and weary march which has Just been com
pleted
On the 29th of November we were ordered
to pack knapsacks and be ready to march
Long before the break of day our old quar-
ters and the town Of Johns nvile were a
scene of confusion. About o'clock A. NJ
we started, Our long train was seen to be
moving in the direction of Nashville, and be-
fore shutdown the town (Which one month ago
promised to be one of the most thriving
towns in the South) was scene of desola-
ton, such as always follows the war trail, and
is now left to the whole control of the rebel
hordes which have long surrounded it. Our
train consisted of some 5000 soldiers, 500
teams, 800 cattle and mules, and many citi-
zens and refugees, making in all a train some
three miles in length, which it was no easy
task to move through the almost unbroken
wilderness that lay before US.
The first days march brought US to halt
some nine miles from our starting point. The
| next day, long before daylight, we were con-
WINGED forced march to Nashville lay before
US, and were ordered to prepare for the task,
| which was indeed no light one, as every sol
der had nearly 70 pounds weight to carry on
his back. But the order soon came to throw
away the heaviest part of our clothing
| as we were to march through at all haz-
yards, both night and day, and thus we
pressed on, and before our stopping had
made our way, over the mountains of Tennes-
see distance of twenty-three miles, which
under the circumstances in which we were
placed, was indeed heavy march for mex
| perienced soldiers. Dropping ourselves
down wherever we could find a dry spot to
lay upon, we couched upon the ground and
sweetly slept, though the rain poured down
in torrents, and many did not awake until we
were again ordered to start, notwithstanding
they were sleeping in a complete mudhole,
| with every thread of garment drenched with
rain.
Shortly, we were again striding onward,
in haste to reach our destination, to render
assistance in protecting Nashville against
Hood, when the news came that we were cut
off from Nashville, and we were ordered to
change our course backward to the present
| place of encampment, which we reached Dec.
9Th, after a march of five days.
| During the whole march, we passed through
| a broken, mountainous region of wilderness,
! only trod by the guerrilla seeking his usual
prev. The mark of desolation was every
. where visible, and would have shown the
weary traveller that he was upon the war
| trail and he would have been more firmly
| convinced had he followed our path, for
nearly every house we passed was thronged
| with Jayhawk eTs from our ranks, helping
| themselves to the best the house afforded
! (Jayhawking is trade easily learned by every
| soldier, most being very apt and willing to
| learn) Many ladies of Wisconsin could have
provided themselves with good feather beds
| had they followed our track, as every hen
coop, goose-pen and turkey-roost was left va
cant, and many houses and barns emptied
of their contents, and many farms of their
! houses and fences. Such is the result in ev-
cry country through which soldiers pass
The end OF our journey finds Us destitute oil
clothing, blankets, tents, and every article OF
value a soldier possesses, as we were Obliged
TO throw all away. The loss of the ADD may
safely be set down at sc, 900 in articles thrown
away and burned up, which may be a lessor
j to new soldiers in the future, in drawing
/ large amounts of clothing, as many do. The
Cumberland river is closed at present, a.
Hood has batteries planted above US, pre-
venting all navigation, but will soon be open
/ as some monitors are soon expected up from
below, to open upon them. g
We are expecting lively times in Tennes