Knoxville tri-weekly Whig and rebel ventilator. [volume] (Knoxville, Tenn.) 1864-1866, 1864-07-29


dispersed throughout the counties Of Easr
Tennessee we give an extract from a lone
letter TO friend, written by the CoIone
commanding the regiment:
HEADQUARTERS 1sT Tenn. CAvALRr1
On the banks of the Chattahooch-e
July lG, 1864
Tifs hastily written letter leaves ME on the bank.
If the Chattahoochee, eighteen miles from the cit,
81 Atlanta, in excellent spirits and ENJOYING fin,
health. The health of my men was never better
and although they would prefe7 going to the rear t.
no re-mounted, they perfectly contented None
arc home Sick but all satisfied with our condi-
ton. All is harmony and good feeling in our reci
mont F'nd harsh words is uttered bv one TO anotA
t~ W" have about 945 men left. all told, as brave
and generous Il set OF men as belong to any COM
Innnd.
We scarcely ever stay more than two or three
nights in the same situation or locality. Day before
yesterday moved from the left to the right Last
week We were detached to guard '.Cochran's Ford. "
osl the extreme right The river here is very shall
low, and We have to be on the alert night and day
was glad 10 have the position from the fact that if
Was locality where soldiers had ever been, and
Wa consequently could live on the fat of tho land
we nave potatoes berries, honey and chickens for
1'~Fiy every meal. There are five LARGE fi>h-traps
" this ford and the river furnishes an abundance of
nah However, we can only get them by visiting
the trap under cover of night
Directly opposite to Us is rebel post. The day
l.:fore ordered to leave this post | ordered
Capt Moses Wiley, with two companies, to strip
Themselves and to be ready TO cross and charge the
osAomy at the ford, whilst / would take a select de-
tHch'mcnt Of men and swim the river four hundred
yards above for the purpose of capturing the rebel
pickles. / selected the best swimmers in the rcgi-
n':nt put our guns in canoe, and started over As
%.n as Capt. Wiley saw that had nearly reached
the opposite shore charged very bravey but missing
The ford, when half way over, he and every man
went plunging in over their heads, and Just then
the rohels opened fire upon them, and compelled
every to seek shelter under the large rocks in
the river as best they could. Capt. Wiley was now
in such condition to be unable to advance or
retreat and unfortunately left me and my ten men
the enemies side Of the river, without help, and
with prospect of going to Atlanta sooner than we
desired, destitute of even much as shirt. Not
fdncying this, and acting upon tho the maxim that
'he who never bets never wins" l determined to
charge upon the rear of the rebels who were firing
az Wiley's party. My charge was u success COM
pc<ejy surprised Them and took them prisoners and
with them captured long forry-boat and returned
10 my command. The Sergeant in command of the
rsbels was a New York Dentist, who told me that
lie had been living in the South but short time
Ia aai1 he and
think any person was bold enough to swim a river
and attack them. Gen. Sherman is said to have
leen pleased with our exploits, and the Special
Artist for Harpers Weekly has prepared sketch
Of cur charging the Chattahoochee.
now weigh but l56 pounds, so you see that
have been reduced in flesh, but my flesh is perfectly
firm, and my health never better. l am SC
much sun-burnt that / lcolS more like Indian
than q white man. l have good crackers, bacon
and boans to eat-go to bed at sunset, unless the
march, get up before SUNRISE and sleep in the open
air, enjoying the luxurious climate of the Sunny
South
Vol, don't know what you will think of thi:
letter / have already been interrupted four times
since began it. with a fair prospect of having the
dose repeated before close: l finish on a beautiful
moon-t Sunday night, and as the Chaplain is pay.
ing US visit, stop writing to collect my command
together and attend to preaching: 1 must confess
that everything taken together, Iget little "homt
sick" Here is a congregation of men who, for more
than two years, have been accustomedto every hard
ship and to all the dangers of the soldiers life
whose only music for the last two months has been