| From the Savannah Morning News |
| |
| June 2, 1863 |
| |
| Letter from Mississippi -- News from the
47th Georgia |
| Camp, 5 Miles from Jackson, Miss. |
| May 26, 1863 |
| |
| Dear Father, |
| I promised when I left home to
give you an account of our trip to Mississippi, *****. |
| On our departure from
Savannah, you will remember that there was a large crowd at the
{Central (of Georgia) RR} depot, among whom
were many ladies of our city, notwithstanding it was a very warm and
sultry day. To most of these ladies the regiment feels itself under many
obligations for their kindness in bringing and issuing with their own
fair hands a bountiful lunch. To them we wish to return our warmest
thanks. |
| From the time our train left
the depot at Savannah until night sat in, the ladies along the road,
young and old, showered flowers and farewell billet doux
{Fr.: sweet letters} upon us, and many a
one shed tears as they bade a hurried farewell, perhaps for the last
time, to brothers, fathers and sons. Some had to stand by the road side
and see their loved ones pass by, without having even time to bid them
good bye. There were many sad hearts on the Central Railroad between
Savannah and No. 6, that afternoon; but, although their hearts were sad,
their lips gave words of cheer to the poor soldier, urging him in the
coming combat to remember them and their native State, to strike a blow
for the sunny South, and never disgrace the name of Georgia. |
| After night closed upon us, we
were most of us soon asleep, accommodating ourselves to the car floor
and benches as best as we could. I slept very well until about daylight,
but my bed was not one that any one could have envied -- it was a plank
about six inches wide. |
| We arrived at Macon on the
morning of the 20th, about seven o'clock. We remained there only a few
minutes. After sending a few sick to the hospital, we continued on our
journey. |
| On the road from Macon to
Columbus {South Western RR} we were met at
every depot by the young and fair, who threw us flowers and notes of
encouragement. |
| In passing some of the
plantations we could see in the distance the people waving their
handkerchiefs and Confederate flags, and at some plantations little
negroes, perched upon the fences, waived their Confederate flags at us. |
| We arrived in Columbus, Ga.,
about 5 o'clock that afternoon. Here we were met by a crowd of citizens,
mostly young ladies, who gave us a cordial welcome. We remained in
Columbus that night, and took the train the next day, (20th) at about
one o'clock. The people of Columbus treated us very kindly. The ladies
sent us down a lunch, and expressed their regret that they did not know
we were coming, so that they could have given us a dinner or
refreshments of some kind. Columbus is a beautiful place, and the people
are generous and hospitable. |
| On the
{Montgomery & West Point RR} road from Columbus to Montgomery,
Alabama, we enjoyed ourselves as well as we could expect. We were met on
this road also by crowds of ladies, who gave us flowers and notes. The
road runs through a beautiful romantic country -- high hills, deep cuts,
meandering streams, beautiful valleys, &c. In fact, if we had been in
passenger boxes, with some kind of accommodation, it would have been a
pleasure trip; as it was, we enjoyed it. |
| Arriving at Montgomery,
Alabama, at about eight o'clock at night, we did not have a chance to
see the city, a they marched us down to the boat as soon as we could get
the baggage off the train. We hurried things aboard the boat and left
for Selma as soon as possible. Aboard the boat we fared very badly. We
were very much crowded, and to say the least of the officers of the
boat, (the Taney), they were a very disobliging and
unaccommodating set. They had upwards of twenty or thirty bunks vacant,
and would not allow any of our officers to occupy them unless they paid
them the full fare of the boat, from Montgomery to Selma, four dollars,
for which they gave us what they called a berth, the dirtiest place I
was ever in -- but one spread on the bed, no sheet, a pillow without a
case, and it so dirty that I could not lay my head on it. In the morning
they gave us breakfast, which I would have relished very well, if I had
known that it was clean, but from what I had seen of the sleeping
arrangements, I did not feel much like taking the cooking on trust. I
warn our people when they travel over this route and by that boat, if
they intend to take a berth, to bring their own bed clothes. |
| We arrived at Selma the next
morning about nine o'clock. It is a very pretty little place from what I
could see of it and I think the people are very clever. We remained
there until about three o'clock, when we took the
{Alabama & Mississippi Rivers RR} train for Demopolis, where we
arrived about one o'clock that night. There are very few houses in the
town, which is situated on a very high hill, on the banks of the "Big
Tomby," and is quite a romantic looking place. As soon as the boat was
loaded, we started for McDowell's Landing, where we arrived early next
morning. The scenery on the Big Tomby, as they call it here, is very
beautiful. The river runs through a very mountainous country, and in its
windings through the hills and valleys, presents some of the most lovely
landscapes I have ever seen. |
| McDowell's Landing is on a
very high bluff, which rises nearly perpendicularly from the river. We
remained at McDowell one day and night awaiting transportation, and then
had to goby squads, the last of us leaving there day before yesterday.
When we got to McDowell, we found out, much to our discomfort, that we
would not be allowed to carry any baggage for the companies or officers
-- only what they could carry on their backs. Most of the companies only
have two or three frying pans to the whole company, and the officers
have only what they can carry on their backs. We arrived at Meridian on
the night of the 24th, where we remained until yesterday morning. As
soon as we arrived we heard that General Lee had Arlington Heights, and
that General Johnston was in the rear of the enemy near Vicksburg, which
news put our regiment in high glee. |
| We arrived here yesterday
evening {having used the Southern (of Mississippi)
RR}, and reported at Jackson, but for some reason we were ordered
to remain where we are for a day or two, as it is impossible for us to
join our brigade. General W. H. T. Walker has been promoted to Major
General, and Col. C. C. Wilson is in command of his brigade. We will be
attached to General Loring's brigade, which is about thirty miles from
here. |
| ***** |
| Excuse this, as I write in
haste, and seated on the ground. |
| J. |
|