The Kenosha telegraph. [volume] (Kenosha, Wis.) 1860-1888, 1864-03-24
Our Southern Correspondence.
U. S, SANITARY COMMISSION
uATTANOOcA Horoh 7 1924

, CHATTANOOGA. March Z. 1864 4
FRIEND SCHoFF:
When | wrote you last at Nashville l pur.
posed to have written again ere this, but my
time has been SO entirely occupied with the
special duties of my mission that have not
fenpd leisure to do so. left Nashville OF
the 9th ult for Murfreesboro met the 22c
Regiment Col. Utley) at Levern, half way
between Nashville and Murfreesboro, or
march to Nashville, but as l was on the cars
and they on march I had no opportunity Of
communicating with them. The town de
vern) was burned by our troops with the ex-
ception. of one house, on their march from
Nashville to Murfreesboro, or soon after they
had passed that point, in consequence of Its
being sort of a-rendezvou for raiders on
the railroad. 1t contained | am told some
three or four hundred inhabitants. On arri-
wing at Murfreesboro found there, on CARR
son duty the 31st Wis, Init, Col. West also, az
Surgeon ofthe Regiment, our fellow towns,
man, Major ?. S. Arndt upon whom quar-
tered myselfy while [ remained at that place
and had very pleasant time. The Doctor
is comfortably quartered, occupying very
good house in the suburbs Of the
town, for his own quarters and also for the
Regimental Hospital The premises like
thousands Of others in the South, has been
abandoned by its owner, who is in the
Southern army. Murfreesboro before the
war, contained a population of about three
thousand; many of the original inhabitants
have however, left. The Court House is oc-
cupied by our troops as barracks and mill
tary prison. The female Seminary and acad-
envy, two large three story brick buildings
are occupied as hospitals, as also the city
hotel and several blocks of stores. About
four hundred are under treatment here in
hospital. l found one poor boy here from
Kenosha, John Eastman. His parents moved
from Kenosha last fall to Michigan. John
enlisted i II the first regt., before he was sew
enteen years old, was wounded in the knee
at Chicamauga, and after an effort of some
weeks to save the limb it was finally ampu-
great deal; is reduced to mere skeleton,
but is now doing well.
Murfreesboro will occupy prominent
page in the history Of the rebeIlion being
the scene of the fight between Rosecraus and
Bragg, or rather the main battle was fought
at Stone River about three miles from the
town. 1t may also be noted for another in
cident Of the war; the circumstance was re-
lated to me by gentleman connected with
the sanitary commission agent at this place,
and which | do not recollect to have seen in
print 1t was here that the celebrated John
Morgan found his wife, her father whose
name is Reader, still resides here The sto-
ry is this: That this Miss Reader refused to
marry Morgan until he had captured or
slain frye hundred yankees and that he &C
| tually did succeed in taking five hundred
Union men prisoners of war, marched them
into town and paraded them before her faith
er's door, when this interesting specimen of
she rebel came out and with undisguised
satisfaction viewed the crowd. Thus our
brave boys had not only to submit them
selves prisoners of war; but must be further
Inundated and insulted by being thus pa
raded to crafty the caprice and malignant
hate of a Southern belle.
This same Mr.. Reader now pretends to be
good Union man, has taken the oath of
allegiance; whether he has taken the Presi-
dents amnesty oath or not, I do not know,
no confidence however, is placed in his pre-
tended Union sentiments. He may be taken
as a fair specimen of great many of the SO
called Union men of the south, but enough
of Murfreesboro.
The rail road from Nashville to Chatta-
nooga is lined with soldiers guarding bridg-
es and patroling the road its entire length.
At Bridgeport where the road crosses the
Tennessee River is garrison of several thou
sand; there are probably about ten thousand
troops along the roads from Nashville to
! this place.
The main army is at present, all along
rom here in the direction of Dalton Ga.
reaching out some twelve miles,
Opinions are conflicting as regards the prob
ability of fight at or in the neighborEood
Of Dalton.
awaited myself Of the opportunity while
here of visiting Lookout mountain, where |
found what was left of the 21st Regt. Ma
jor NJ. H. Fitch in command, Lieut.. Col.
Hobart not having yet returned from his
compulsory visit to Libby prison at Rich
mond. You will, however, recoIlect that
he was among the number who recently
made their escape from that prison.
was very Hospitality received and agree
ably entertained while there by Major Fitch
the Medical staff and the Chaplain, Rev. MIR.
Clinton who formerly resided in Kenosha
The range of Lookout mountain is from
south west to north east, the Tennessee Riv-.
er flowing at the foot of the north east point.
The mountain rises abruptly from the river
and in places perpendicularly to a hight Of
two thousand four hundred feet above the
level Of the river. The last ascent of some
thirty feet is made by footmen upon ladders
placed for the purpose. Tire is, however.
a winding wagon road which reaches the
top, but some considerable distance from its
northern terminus. Arrived at the top, up
on this last promontory Of solid rock, one OF
the most magnsfcent and enchanting views
bursts upon the vision that it is possible to
conceive Placed at that hight above the
valleys, there is nothing to obstruct the
vision from the west, north or east. On the
west is Whitesides Valley, stdded here and
there with villages Of tents and encamprnents
On the north is the valley of the Tennessee
River and the town of Chattanooga. The
valley here l should judge is about three
| miles wide and is terminated on the east by
Missionary Ridge. On the top of the noun
tain and about a mile and half from its
northern point is a village, called Summer
vile. A large hotel has been erected
there and there are several neat and tasty
residences. 1t is fashionable summer re-
sort for the aristocracy of the surrounding
country There is also here Female. Sem
mary and school for boys or at least build
ings for that purpose. The boarding house
of the Seminary is occupied by Major Fitch
and other officers of the 21st.
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