The Hancock Jeffersonian. [volume] (Findlay, Ohio) 1857-1870, 1864-03-25
From the First Obi" Heavy Artillery
Knoxville, Tenn,
March 10th. 1864

w v. tltuNY AIIlllcTY WOnlu DO OIL
interest to your readers, I thought
would drop YOU few lines concerns
ing our march from Point Burnside,
Ky. to this place. Nine companies
Of this regiment left the Point on the
2Sth of February, taking the line of
march for this place, which We reach
led after nine days march. The
route which we travelled is new road
laid ont through vast wilderness,
and taking in its line n range Of the
Cumberland Mountains. which added
much to the interest of the march. -
Before starting, our baggage was re.
duced to the lowest possible stand
ard, and with the exception Of one
wagon belonging to headquarters,
our only means Of transportation was
limited to pack mules, it having been
reported that the ronds were impas.
sable for wagons. This was a novel.
tv to a great many Of us, never hav-
ing seen train of this kind. 1t is
surprising what loads these docile
animals are capable Of carrying, and
and with what kindness they submit
to the wishes of man. Whcr we
started our command numbered about
nine hundred men, and, strange as it
may seem, only three were left on
the road, notwithstanding the fact
that only four ambulnnces were pro.
vided for the accommodation Of those
who might fail Another feature of
Of this march was the almost total alb.
sence of struggling along the road, n
practice 80 deleterious to the good
discipline of troops, and curse "a
/ the country through which they pass.
There were no special incidents to
record on the march, and, hence,
shall conflne myself to facts connect
ed with the characteristics Of the
country.
As l before said, our line Of march
carried us over n range Of the Cum
berland Mountains. But I am not
prepared to designate the particular
passes or gaps through we passed -
Suffice it to say, that for two success
i've days we were almost continually
ascending one steep after another I'M
I'll we were certainly MANY thousand
feet above tho level Of the Ohio river.
Some Of these hills were very steep,
and owing TO the great amount OF
rain which had recently fallen were
very difficult TO ascend, yet the men
toiled slowly up and on, scarcely. a
Imurmur escaping the lips Of any one.
In onr course we also crossed many
small streams which were 40 swollen
rs to compel us, in several instances,
to erect temporary bridges; Others
we waded Or crossoa on foot-logs, ~
best we could. So bad are tn, roads
over which we marched, that mt short
intervals, during the whole route, VIC
found dead mules, and abandoned
wagons; the latter having been left
to rot by the wayside, and the for
| mer stuck in some mud-holc, hac
been left to perish for lack OF food
So mueh was this the case, that 1t be
came a general remark among th,
men, that it wonld certainly he cheap
er for the government TO transpor
} troops by water and rail almost any
distance, than attempt to bring the n
over this road; and | must confess
that your correspondent shares in tn,
same opinion. A writer in the Gin
. cinnau Commercial, believe, has es
timated the dead mules between thos
: two points at two to- every mile, hu
: am satisfied that this estimate vii
fall far short of the true number
| which / know | am safe in putting
Q at five to every mile, and the wagon
abandoned, will reach two to tn
? mile, which is n low estimate, for
4 counted twenty seven one day, an
that day, I am sure, we did not trare
more than thirteen miles. l onl,
mention these facts in order tina
t your readers may form some idea O
= the hardships we endured on thi
i march. Not, however, that I wonl
wish to create the impression tina
7 we are inclined to grumble at our lot
Il for such is not the case. On tho con
:, trary, we are willing to continue o
4 In well doing until the Last arme
traitor dies in "the last ditch"
# A word now in regard TO our pres
: ent situation, and I am done. On
9 battalion Of our regiment, Of whie
4 Co. L is member, occupies Fol-
1 Saunders, In one of the bitches {
:. which nine hundred rebels laid dow
their lives in the vain attempt I
J. storm the fort during the seige la
y Fall, as the price of their folly in a
c tempting to destroy our government
J. The men ofmy company are general
II in good health and fine spirits, a9
also all the troops here, At preser
we do not draw full rations, but til
It men understand the cause and do ne
ie murmur. The East Tennessee e. vi
Il ginia Railroad 10 now in running o
81 der, and in very few days the SUI
D. ply will be equal to the demand
W There are not great many trool
] here at this time--all the availab
- ferces having gone in pursuit
ID Longstreet, who is retreating towal
lg Virginia.
By giving this an insertion IN yo'
paper and sending a copy to my a
RI 'ress at this place, you will much 0
rs lige the members Of Co. L.
IN CAPT. J, S. PREBLE.