The Bellefontaine Republican. [volume] (Bellefontaine, Logan County, Ohio) 1855-1905, 1904-08-30
DAYS
of theCiviI War
Recalled
BY Letters From a
Soldier.
HARDSHIPS
Suffered by Brave
Boys
Told of by One Who Was in
the Strife.---Interesting
Facts

Letter No. of the series written by
Edward l.. Moore is as follows:
Headquarters of the 7th Division Army
Of the Ohio.
Camp Cumberland Ford. May %. '6s.
Dear Brother Daniel:
Your very welcome letter of the 10Th
inst, written in Bellefontsine, and.
as you say, In my own room, my wife
and Clara singing Sunday school songs.
was received today. have no apology
to offer for not writing you and sd-
init that it was negligence, although
until recently my advantages for writ
ing were quite hmited-paper and ink
scarce, postage stamps uncome-at-able,
busy drilling through the day and tired
at night. But I am. for the present,
situated so can offer no excuse for
not writing to my friends oftener.
1 was appointed some two weeks
since as private secretary for Brigadier
General Morgan, the commander of
this division Of the army, and there
fore I have free access to plenty Of
writing material and plenty of spare
time to write. l am kept at the desk
from 8 O'Clock in the morning until
ten or eleven at night, but not steady,
copying letters. general and special
orders, kilograms, etc.
l.. You ask if / got a letter you sent
me while up the Big Sandy last winter.
1 got it a few days beforeI started
home and / was unable to answer at
the time but intended to write when
got to Bellefontaine and was under
the impression that / had done 50.
Well, will try to give you short
sketch of my tramp since 1 took my
leave of Bellefontaine.
1 met my regiment in Louisville,
Ky. They were encampsd on the out
skirts of the city in beautiful grove
where we spent some two or three
weeks after my arrival. The regiment
was paid off at that place and the
boys had a good time as they could
get anything they wanted in the way
of eatables and drinkables. We started
from the city of Louisville on Sunday.
the 18th of April, for Lexington, KY.
The scenery of the country through
which we passed was beautiful, with
the exception of a few miles in the
vicinity of Frankfort.
We arrived at Lexington about four
10 clock in the afternoon and took NJ
our quarters in the depot for the night.
After the boys got somewhat quieted
down, / got Captain Gardner to pas
me through the guard and 1 went NJ
town to the Broadway hotel where
found Lieut. Hutchins. who invited
me to share mis- bed with him through
the night / readily consented to d.
SO as thought that a soft bed woult
suit me better than the hard boards ol
the floor of the depot. The next morn
ling we marched out to the fair ground
D a beautiful spot, where we pitched on
tents Here we spent two or thre
days pleasantly, after which we too
up our march for Cumberland Gap.
We had a good stone pike for som
twenty-five or thirty miles after W
left the city Of Lexington and as beau
ltiful q country as 1 ever saw. But
alas, the beautiful sights suddenl
faded away. After crossing the Ker
tucky river. the country grew rOug
and mountainous ana the most mise
'S able roads have ever travelled. Fac
company was compelled to march da
after day along with their wagons an
wade through the mud to bold the
70 and keep them from turning over al
: to shove them up the mountsins- ThI
- I've pIodded on our way along to tn
r point.
,n We had expected to occupy Cumbe
o9 land Gap before this time. but tn
far have been foiled in our intentio
= and the rebels have been heavily I
.. enforced, 80 / do not know whether
:. mot we will be able to taKe it with o
=, present force. We had plan of q
tack matured and nearly all of {
-. division was on the move to execu
NO it last Thursday. but we were diss
re pointed, the enemy having found c
our intentions before we could cal
our plans into action.
all The rebels occupied the gap in
ur- mountain known as Big Creek Gi
ard some fifteen or twenty miles southw
on of Cumberland Gap. with force
Nv, some 2000 men. Our plan was to mi
en- a feint attack on Cumberland Gap
Ter, front with Brig. Gen Carriers brig
ony while Gen. Spears brigade sttac
Ter the forces at Big Creek Gap, the OF
lose two brigades to march between
ion Creek Gap and Cumberland Gap
SER cut the rebel forces at Big Greek
re- to pieces and compel surrender. 7
iood come down on Cumberland Gap v
car these three brigades from the Of
and side, when Gen. Carter would pitcl
lice. in earnest from this side and thus,