|
Tullahoma, Tenn
Nov. 6th 1864
My Dear
Daughter,
I have received your letter of the 25th and your mothers of
the 28th ult. I am very much pleased to see how you are
improving in both writing and composition, and also in
spelling. You make but very few mistakes in spelling. I will
mention one which I have noticed two or three times--that is
in spelling the word us. You spell it ous which is wrong. I
tell you this that you watch your spelling and try hard to
make no mistakes--I am pleased to hear that you are reading
history but your reading will do you no good unless you
remember it. A good memory can only be acquired by
cultivation. When you have read a page, stop and turn your
face from the book or shut your eyes and try to tell
yourself what you read on that page and if you cannot
remember, read it over and over till you can recollect and
tell all about it. And you ought to talk about what you read
to your mother, your brothers, and your associates. In this
way you will improve your memory and your reflective
faculties. I want you to write to me what you think of the
persons you read of. The mail has just come in and brought
me another letter from your Ma, of the 1st inst. and also a
letter from Robt. Dwiggins. I will answer his letter
tomorrow. Tell your Ma her advice is very good. I want no
more partners in any business while I am away from them.
Cole and Tatman have treated me very badly and injured me
very much and I expect Dwiggins will have much trouble to
get Tatman to settle. I would like very much to come home
and be with my Dear family, but I do not know when I can get
to come. There is a great deal of want and desolation in
this county made by the war. There are a great many women
and children whose husbands and fathers have either been
killed, run out of the country, or dragged off in the rebel
army. There is hardly a day that I am not applied to by some
poor creatures for something to live on. I have had my post
Commander to send teams out in the country and collect
provisions of rich rebels to feed these poor beings and to
collect a tax off business men in town for their relief. I
also send a great many North on the Railroad. A poor worman
come to me today whose husband had been run off by the
rebels a year ago and has got to Illinois. She was left here
with eight children. The youngest a babe, and has been
struggling along trying to get feed and cloath them until
she got down to starvation, and managed to come 40 miles to
this place today. I gave her transportation on the Rail Road
and by Steam boat to her husband in Illinois and gave her
some money to get provisions, etc. The poor thing burst into
tears when I handed her the transportation papers and money
and could only say God bless you. You ought to feel very
thankful you are not in a country desolated by war and
misery, and that you have good clothing, plenty of food and
a comfortable home and peace. Be a good girl and tell Val,
Walter and Brucy to be good boys. Be obedient children to
your Ma and your teacher and don't quarrel or talk ugly to
each other. Write to me often and tell Val, Walter and Brucy
all to write to me. It is raining very hard tonight. My
health is very good.
Your affectionate father
R. H. Milroy
Tullahoma, Tenn
Nov 15th 1864
My Dear Mary,
I believe I answered your last letter of the 1st inst. last
night and recd Ella and Vals letters of the 8th inst. with
both of which I was well pleased. Val says he was to start
to school the next day. I am glad to hear this. Tell him he
must learn to write well this Winter so that he can write me
a good long letter like Ella. Tell Ella that I am much
pleased and interested with her account of the early history
of France which she has been reading. Tell her that I wrote
her a letter some ten days ago which I thought I had sent at
once, but unfortunately it got under some papers on my table
and I did not discover it for more than a week afterwards. I
hope she will have got it before this reaches you.--Tell
her, I desire her, without looking at the book, to give me
in her own language, from memory, the substance of what she
read. More particularly her opinion of the persons she reads
about in history--such as the kings, queens, noblemen
Generals, priests, etc. and tell her by no means never to
follow your ugly habit of writing with a pencil. She will
never be a good writer while she lives if she don't use a
pen. Old feable persons whose hands are rendered unsteady by
age may be excused for writing with a pencil but persons
whose eyes are good and hands steady, should always use a
pen and ink when they can be had. It is only when persons
are too old or too young to write with a pen that they may
be excused for writing with a pencil. But I will excuse you
my dear for writing to me with a pencil--I suppose you find
it easier because you are used to it or because you have bad
pens but write as you please. I am always glad to receive
any kind of a letter from you. Tell Walter and Brucy that
they must try and write to me like Val. Walter is such
mechanicle genius that he would soon be able to beat Val if
he would try. There is nothing strange or new in my command.
The term of service of a Ky Artillery Company serving here,
expired some weeks ago, and they went home a few days ago.
This evening the 13th N.Y. Artillery reported here to me for
duty. It is an old Artillery Co. that served under me
through Popes Campaign in Va. and was with me in many
battles including that of Bull Run, and left me at
Washington City in the Fall of 1862 when I was ordered back
to W. Va and I have never seen them since. They have been
through in all kinds of fighting under Sherman and only
about 90 of them are left. They are delighted to see and be
with me again. The gurillas are very numerous about and I
keep my Tenn and Ind. Cav. constantly on the move after them
and they kill on an average about one every day. I have
ordered them to bring in no prisoners but the fools send in
a few every week and it bothers me to dispose of them.
Deserters are coming in occasionally. A Reb Captain came in
this evening and gave himself up. He says he got tired and
being convinced they were wrong and could not succeed and he
concluded to quit. Hood and Beauregard are the worst fooled
and beat Generals since the war commenced. They undertook to
flank Sherman and come back in his rear and got driven off
from the R.R. all along till they got to the Tennessee River
and flanked down and got driven off from the river till they
got down to Florence and there was nobody opposed there
because our Generals all desired them to come across. They
laid a good pontoon bridge there and half the army crossed
and fortified strongly but they were afraid to leave the
River for fear of being cut off, and they are afraid of some
trick as Sherman is not pursuing them. Sure enough when
Sherman found that the Rebs had flanked back far enough, he
sent back three Corps to enable Thomas to watch them and he
with the greater part of his forces went back to Atlanta
tearing up his own R.R. and Telegraph from Dalton 100 miles
he destroyed Atlanta and Rome and is now tearing up Georgia
without any enemy to molest him and will take all the cities
of Georgia and turn up on the Atlantic coast at Savannah and
Charlestown in ten days while Hood and Co. are back here 500
miles flanking him out. Poor devils! They are most
completely fooled.
Midnight--Good by--love to the children.--Your R. H.
Milroy
Tullahoma, Tenn
Nov 17th 1864
My Dear Mary,
Enclost I send you a few pictures to fill out your
collection. Maj. Gen Rousseau is my immediate comg. officer.
Col Krzyanowski Comds one of my Brigades and is stationed at
Stephenson, Ala. He is a noble Pole and a most splendid
officer. I served with him under Sigel in Va. I think a
great deal of him. He ought to be a Maj. Genl. Brig Genl.
Thomas is Adjt Genl. of the U.S. Brig Gen Miller you will
remember is the Col. who Comd the new Regt recruiting at
Laporte when I was recruiting the 9th there. He now comds
the Post of Nashville. He had one eye shot out. Butterfield
is a West Point Maj Genl. and has written some Military
books and is a very good officer. Maj. McBride was one of my
Vol. Lts and is now at Memphis in a Colored Artillery Regt.
He sent me his picture--I was up at Nashville last week and
Vanstaverin gave me a dozen of my photographs. I send you
three. I like his photographs better than any I have yet
got. I wrote you a few days ago fully and have no further
news. I believe I informed you that Cravens had got a 20 day
leave of absence on the 5th inst to go home and vote and see
his little wife. He will be back in a few days. Porter
Dunlap has been checking for the comissary at this Post for
sometime. Yesterday his brother George Dunlap arrived here
from home where he had been on a furlough. His Regt. the
87th Ind (Hammonds Regt) has got through with Gen Sherman
and of course George cannot now get to it so I detailed him
on duty here as one of the post orderlies till he can get to
his Regt. Both of the boys are well. Tell his father as he
will want to hear from them. We are having much rainy
weather here but no cold yet. Love to the children.
Your
R. H. Milroy
Tullahoma, Tenn
Nov 27th 1864
My Dear Mary,
Yours of the 16th Inst is recd. Enclosing copy of an
agreement between McCoy and Thompson and yourself--I think
the agreement is alright. You can let them hold the note and
mortgage for the protection of our home lot as long as there
is danger, and when that is passed you can have there entire
satisfaction of the mortgage and give up the notes.I am glad
to hear that Mrs. Northern is well. I think she is foolish
for waiting on the Govt to do anything about her claim for
the loss of negroes and property in Va. I feel pretty sure
she will never get a cent. I think you are right about
defering the purchase of carriage horses till spring. The
care of them through the Winter would be very troublesome to
you and the Children besides the Expense--and I would not
take Mr. Gwinus horse for the reason that they are not
matches. You say that one of them is bay and the other is
Gray. When you purchase carriage horses, buy to get matches
in color, sizes, etc as near as possible. You had best speak
to some good firend who is a good judge of horses, to look
out for a couple good quiet matched horses by spring.
Charley Watson, Harvey Bruce or perhaps the McCoys and
Thompsons might look around and bargain for them. I do not
care anything about selling my office lot or either half of
it with the buildings if I remain in Rensselaer. But if any
person will pay $500.00 cash down for the two
buildings--sell it or if any person will pay $275.00 for
either half of the lot with one of the houses--sell it.
Enclosed I send a letter to Robt. Dwiggins. I recd a letter
from him last night in which he informs me that he has never
yet recd. a letter from me. I have written him twice very
fully and from his not receiving either of them my
suspicions are still more confirmed that Tatman, who often
helps open the mail, and knows my handwriting gets the
letters I send to Dwiggins and perhaps some that I have
written to you. I therefore Enclose Dwiggins letter to you
that it may not be stolen as the others have been. The mail
has just arrived and brought your letter of the 22nd inst. I
am more and more surprised at the vilany of Tatman. I am
sure he had me charged with the sinking fund loan which he
said he had paid off with interest and if I am not mistaken
he also claimed that he had paid off by loan from the
College Fund or at least that he had payed the interest. As
the matter now stands, I don't think I will try to redeem
that 160 acres which was mortgaged for my loan from the
College, though the land is worth at least $1000 as it is
fine Qr of prairie land in a good settlement. See if
Thompson or Dwiggins can sell it for $200.00 or $300.00
subject to the college Fund mortgage. If it cannot be sold I
will let it go as I cannot spare the money to pay off the
mortgage and interest, as I have too many other debts to
pay. I will have to pay my two lawyers at Washington $100 a
piece out of my next payment in order to keep them quiet. I
have got several duns from them recently. I think I will
some day try to obtain Some Satisfaction for these fees out
of Old Hallecks hide some way. Nov 28th I had to quit
writing last night and have not had much time to write today
on account of a report that Forrests forces were approaching
this R.R. My forces at Shelbyville 18 miles from here were
attacked last night and some videtts captured. They were
again attacked this morning and the enemy repuked. I have
heard of the Rebs several places near my R.R. but as yet the
track and telegraph are uninterrupted and I think I can keep
them so. It is rumored that Hood is pressing North rapidly
toward Ky. on a line about 30 miles West of Nashville. The
poor devil has been so miserably fooled by Sherman that he
is going to try to do something desperate and is rushing on
to his certain destruction. He will probably try to get into
Ky. The Chief of my Union Bushwhackers got badly wounded a
few days ago--My love to the children. Tell them to study
hard and learn fast and all to write to me.
Your own R.H. Milroy
Tullahoma, Tenn
Oct 30th 1864
My Dear Mary,
Enclosed with this you will find $350.00 of my pay for this
month. I write this letter to send up to Nashville in the
morning with one of my Aid-de-Camp, who goes up to draw pay
for several of us, and is to enclose this with the money by
express to you--you may make such use of it as you think
best, but I feel sure you will make good use of it. The best
use to be made of it is to pay off my debts, which I know is
your view of the matter. Is my debt to the College fund and
to the Sinking fund both paid? One of these debts was paid
over a year ago I believe, and I think the other is still
unpaid. Cicero knows how it is and which was paid if you
don't, but I would not ask him anything about it. Get Mr.
Thompson to ascertain which is unpaid and pay off what is
remaining. I recd by last nights mail your letter which I
was very glad to get. Tell Val to try again. This is a
pretty sloggen--Tell him and Walter to write it me once
every week and tell Ella that I will scold her if she does
not write more often. My health is excellent. My troops here
and all along the line are building winter quarters. Two of
my Cav. Companies had a considerable skirmish with gurilles
about 12 miles from here this morning and at first got
repuked but finally drove them. I have sent out all my Cav.
to exterminate or drive them out of the country. Tell Val I
will get these ponies for the buggy next spring. I am very
sorry that Dwiggins did not get that large letter of the
24th I sent him. It contained important papers that he ought
to have in settling up that Tatman has so long neglected.
They were papers from N.Y. firms that I cannot replace. I
have a strong suspicion that Tatman got that letter. Tell
Dwiggins to take the office books, etc. and go ahead with my
business and write to me. My Aid has determined to go up on
the train this evening and is waiting for this letter so I
must close--My love to the children and write.
Your R. H. Milroy
P.S. I am sorry to hear of Conwells long illness. Give him
my regards and help him all you can.
Fortress Rosecrans
Murfreesboro, Tenn
Dec 18th 1864
My Dear Mary,
It is now about a month since I have heard from Home, being
out of from all communication with the World by the
destruction of Railroads and Telegraph lines both North and
South. I have no doubt but that you have been very uneasy
about me as you will have heard of the great battles fought
here and about Nashville since the 1st inst. We send through
a Waggon train tomorrow to Nashville for provisions and
other supplies. The train starts at 6 A.M. and I have not
time to give you a detailed account of the different battles
I have been through but will do so fully as soon as I have
time. I was ordered by Gen Thomas to leave Tullahoma with my
Comd on the 30th ult. and come to this place. I shipped my
artillery, and all heavy ordinance, quartermaster and
commissary Stores by R.R. and marched my Comd. through land
with my waggon train, and troops. I arrived here on the 2nd
inst. without any fighting except a little skirmishing with
bushwackers--of whom we killed and captured a number. On the
afternoon of the 4th Inst. the Rebs attacked a Block-house 4
1/2 miles North of this place. I was sent out with 3 Regts
of Inf and one Regt of Cav. and two pieces of artillery to
drive them off. It was nearly dark when I got to Overalls
Creek where the Rebs were commanding our Block house which
guarded the R.R. bridge across that Creek. I threw out my
skirmishers and opened on them with my artillery. At dark I
crossed the Creek with two of my Regts and attacked the Rebs
furiously, not knowing their strength. I found them hard to
drive but finally drove them capturing 20 prisoners from
whom I learned that I was fighting a whole Reb division
under Gen Bates about 3000 strong. I had about 900 men in
action and thought it best to stop the pursuit and fall back
which I did in safety with the loss of 6 killed and 62
wounded. We left the field strewed with killed and wounded
Rebs. The next day Bates was reinforced by two Brigades of
Infantry and by Gen Forrest with 3000 Cavalry, and come
around this Fortress and the town on all sides. We have near
70 pieces of artillery in the Fortress and we opened on them
with our heavy sige guns and soon made them get out of
reach, but they could be seen around in sight constantly
till the 7th when Gen Rousseau who outranks me and is here
in command ordered me out with 7 Regts and a Battery of six
guns to drive them off. I skirmished around within two or
three miles of the Fortress for several hours, when I struck
their main force under the Comd of Gens. Forrest and Bates.
Forrest being the senior officer had the Comd. They opened
on me with a full battery at short range. My battery replied
nearly an hour when my artillery was exhausted. Finding that
the enemy were strongly posted and fortified and near double
my strength I concluded to shift my position around and got
between them and the Fort. I did this and attacked them with
great rapidity and the fighting for near an hour was most
terrific, but I rolled them on and drove them in confusion
capturing 220 prisoners including 2 majors and 28 other
Comd. officers, killing a large number among whom were two
Cols. and taking 2 pieces of artillery. I drove them over
two miles and returned to the Fortress after dark, bringing
in all my killed and wounded. I only had 25 men killed and
187 wounded. The Rebs got more reinforcements and still kept
around the country mostly in sight till the 16th when they
left. I had a hard fight on the 14th when out with a forage
train. Forrest tried to capture my train, but I licked him
again--and again on the 15th. I had a pretty stiff brush
with them when out foraging. My health is excellent. I am
anxious to hear from you. My love to the children. I will
write more fully when I have time.
Your own R.H. Milroy
Murfreesboro, Tenn
Dec 26th 1864
My Dear Mary,
Yours and Ellas of the 27th ult and yours of the 16th inst.
are recd. The former was recd on the 21st inst by the first
mail that come through after the Rebs left. The latter was
recd on the 24th inst. I am much pleased with Ellas
improvement in writing and spelling and composition. If it
would not make her Ma feel bad I would say that Ella writes
fully as well as she does, and will soon be a long ways
ahead of her in this lady-like accomplishment. I wrote you
about a week ago and promised you the next time I wrote to
send you a full history of my fighting about this place, but
I had so many letters to write and so much to attend to that
I have not yet had time to write you the historical letter I
promised. I recd an order yesterday to go back to Tullahoma
with 2 Regts and a battery, but recd an order this evening
to send one of these Regts to Gen Thomas at Pulaski 60 miles
west of this place. This leaves me with but 5 infantry and
one Cav Regt. to protect this R.R. for over a 100 miles.
Nine of the best Regts (all the best) have been ordered to
Gen. Thomas who is pursuing Hood, and I am left here,
anchored with a little scattered guard to this infernal R.R.
I wish Hood had sunk it. I fear I am anchored to it for the
Ballance of the war, and the Rebs have been so miserably
used up that they will never get back here again to give me
any variety or spice to my dreary monotony. I am not
surprised at Tatmans villany, but I am surprised at his
boldness in stealing Purcupiles money and committing that
forgery on Hinkle and Halstead. His conduct shows either an
utter recklessness or a want of common sense as a moments
reflection in either case would have convinced him that his
detection in a short time would be certain in both cases. I
fear that he has with the use of my name as his partner
involved me badly. I answered Mr Thompsons letter and asked
him to help Dwiggins straighten out matters as soon as
possible and save me as far as they can from loss. I am
surprised that Dwiggins does not get any of my letters. I
have written to him four times about taking charge of my
business since I first wrote him in Sept last. I wrote him
fully about a month ago and enclosed it in a letter to you
to prevent Tatman from stealing it, as I feel sure he has
done, and I wrote him again last week for the fifth time and
Enclosed it in a letter to Cyrus Hinkle, which I hope
Dwiggins will get as I tried to disguise my hand write to
prevent Tatman from stealing it. I wrote to Thompson to let
the land mortgaged to the College fund slide and not to
redeem it and to let all the taxes in White Co. slide, as I
learn that that rascaly Tatman has let all my lands there be
sold for taxes. He told me he had paid my taxes there
promptly But as the lands there are now sold, let the
purchasers pay the taxes till they get tired. Their titles
are no account and I can brush them away whenever I please.
The R.R. is not yet repaired to Nashville I cannot get up
there to draw my pay. It would be repaired through by day
after tomorrow and the trains will be running through again
but I will not go up till after New Years and I can then
draw for 2 months, Nov. and Dec. It is rumored here that the
Pay Department have shut down upon paying all officers by
orders from Washington. If this is the case it may be some
time before I can draw any pay. But I will draw and save you
some as soon as I can. I hope you are not in want of money.
If you are, get Mr. Thompson to let you have some till I can
make a draw. I have been out and examined my battleground of
the 7th inst. and I am very much surprised at the greatness
of my victory. When the battle ended it was getting dark and
I was busy looking after my troops and gathering up the dead
and wounded and getting off the artillery that I did not
observe the formadable nature of the fortifications from
which I drove them. Forrest had 5000 Infantry 3000 Cav. and
6 pieces of artillery. I had only 3200 Infantry and nearly
all new untried troops, and no Cav. or artillery when I
attacked them in their works but with my little force I
drove them in 32 minutes from three strong lines of
breastworks made of logs built up and covered with earth.
Captured 220 prisoners and two pieces of artillery and
killed and wounded about 250. The Rebs too were all old
veterans. It is in many respects the best fight of the
war.--Tell Ella to write often. My love to the children.
Your own R.H. Milroy
Tullahoma, Tenn
Jan 1st 1865
My Dear Mary,
I promised to give you a full history of the late operations
under my command against the rebel forces in the vicinity of
Murfreesboro. I believe I have written you fully about every
battle in which I have been engaged since the beginning of
the War. I wish to continue to do so not only for your
satisfaction but that our children and descendents may have
a private history from my own pen of what events of
importance I have passed through and what services worth
remembering. I have rendered my country in Her second Birth.
I recd orders both from Gen Thomas and Rousseau on the
evening of the 29th of Nov. informing that I must go to
Murfreesboro with all my forces at this place. March through
with my wagon trains, after sending my substance stores
south by rail and my Quarter Master, ordinance and medical
stores with the sick and wounded North by rail I had here
the 177th and 178th Ohio Vo. Inf the 12th Ind Cav, a remnant
of about 120 of the 59th Ohio Vols and the 13th N.Y. Battery
composed of Germans which served under me through Popes
Campaign in Va and was under me at End Bull Run. It took me
all that night and till 12 oclock on the 30th to get the
Camp and garrison equipage shipped on board the trains and
started. It was painful to witness the terror, excitement
and anxiety among the negroes when it became known to them
that this place was about to be abandoned by our troops.
Many hundreds had congregated here mostly women and
children, who had left their rebel Masters and were living
in hundreds of little cabins built in and around the town.
The men having gone off in our army either as soldiers,
servants or teamsters. No one can describe the terror of
these poor creatures for the rebels. They packed up a
portion of their scanty clothing and bedding in half the
time it took our raw soldiers to pack up and come rushing to
the cars packing their bundles carrying their babies and
followed by their children of all sizes all carrying
something. I directed that they be allowed to get aboard
wherever they could. The long platform train upon which my
artillery was loaded was crammed full under the wheels
cannons and caisons. Every hole and cover I looked in could
see little wooly heads and the whites of the eyes of the
little darkies. The older ones being on top with their
bundles. Many not being able to get off on the R.R. went
with my waggon train with all kinds of conveyances. Many had
old poor discarded horses with packs on them surmounted by
the little darkies. Some had old carts and waggons with poor
horses, mules, and oxen as they could patch them up with all
kinds of rigging. No Comic advance pictures I ever saw give
any idea of the ludickerus appearance of these poor
creatures with their hasty got up transportation. I started
my Infantry about ten oclock and remained behind with my
staff and the fifth Tenn Cav. till one oclock to see that
the R.R. trains got everything aboard and got off safe. I
had been telegraphed by Gen Rousseau that I would probably
be attacked by the Reb Cavalry under Forrest. The road was
very bad and I only got to Wartrace (13 miles) the first
day. The next morning I was delayed till ten oclock waiting
to get the loads of heavy loaded waggons and the heavy
knapsacks of my men put aboard of R. R. Trains. Gen Stedman
came along with 14 trains and nearly 6000 troops going up to
Nashville. Started on my slow march--miserable roads rocky
and muddy. My advance guard composed of Tenn Cav, had a
slight skirmish with bushwhackers about an hour after dark
my advance which I was with struck the Shelbyville Pike
which runs from Shelbyville to Murfreesboro. This is a
splendid Pike and an immense improvement in our travelling.
I move on two miles and encamped for the night. It was 10
oclock before my weary train all got to camp. The next
morning Dec 1st a poor old negro come up to me just before I
started he had been captured the evening before with his
family--old wagon--poor yoke of oxen. He had started and his
poor team could not keep up with us and he got so far behind
the rear guard that the bushwhackers took him and drove his
team and terrified family off in the woods half a mile when
he escaped in the darkness and had been all night getting
in. I sent back some cavalry with him and they recaptured
his family and team and 6 bushwhackers. I arrived at
Murfreesboro on the 2nd of Dec at 2 P.M. without any attack
by the enemy. I found Gen Rousseau in Comd and he with Gen
Van Cleve quartered in the Fortress which is called Fortress
Rosecrans and is the largest and strongest Fort in the South
West. It requires at least 20,000 men to man it properly and
we had not more that 8000 all told. The Fortress is half a
mile from the city of Murfreesboro, but our line of pickets
included both the town and Fortress. I quartered my command
in a comfortable place outside of the Fortress on the Bank
of Stone River (which runs through the Fortress) and took up
my headquarters in the Fortress. Nothing occured worth
noting on the 3rd, Heavy fatigue parties were detailed from
all the Regts present to work on the fortifications and put
them in the best possible conditions for defence. About noon
on the 4th rapid artillery firing was heard at the block
house 4 1/2 mile north on the R.R. at the crossing of
Overalls Creek. Distant heavy artillery firing had been
heard almost constantly in the direction of Nashville for
several days, but the firing at the Block house at Overalls
Creek was so near that we saw smoke rolling up. Col Johnson
of the 13th Ind Cav (Who got through with about 300 men from
Nashville a few days previous) had been started up the
Nashville Pike (Which was nearly parrellel with the R.R.)
about 12 oclock M. and sent back a dispatch that the enemy
were too strong for him to drive. Upon my requesting it Gen
Rousseau permitted me to go up with three Regts and a
section of artillery (2 guns) to the relief of the Block
house which the Rebs were cannonading. I took the 174th
Ohio, a new fall Regt the 8th Minnesota a full vetern Regt.
that had but a few weeks returned from the far West where
they have been fighting Indians for three years and the 61st
Illinois, a vetern Regt. of only 200 men and a section of
Capt. Bundays N.Y. (13th) battery. I moved out on the
turnpike at about 3 P.M. and upon arriving near Overalls
Creek I found the 13th Ind Cav with a company dismounted and
skirmishing with the Rebs across the Creek and upon riding
forward with Col Johnson the officers of my staff and
several other officers to observe the situation of the enemy
and particularly their Battery, the Rebs sharp-shooters
opened on us a perfect shower of bullets. They rattled among
the limbs of the apple trees of the orchard, in the edge of
which we were, like hail. We took a hasty glance and fell
back double quick out of range. Several horses of the party
were wounded but none of the officers were hit. I at once
ordered forward a section of artillery, planting it in front
of a large fine house on the bluff of the Creek, and a rapid
artillery duel ensued between my guns and those of the Rebs.
I displayed the greater part of the 61st Ill as skirmishers
to relieve the Cav. The R.R. and Turnpike bridges were about
a half a mile apart on the Creek, and after I had carefully
observed the situation of the enemy, it being near night, I
determined to do something soon before it was too dark. The
Rebs were laying down and I was unable to determine anything
about their strength or whether they had an infantry force
or not. I thought it probably that their small arm firing
come from dismounted Cavalry and that very likely they had
only cavalry there. I determined to see what they had, so I
ordered the 8th Minn and part of the 61st Ill down to the
block house to try to cross the R.R. bridge and get around
to the right of the Reb battery and take it while I with the
174th and the ballance of the 61st Ill crossed the turnpike
bridge to flank the battery on the left. The Reb Battery was
about 500 yards from the Creek and between the Pike and R.R.
and their line lay across the Pike between it and the R.R. I
threw forward the 61st (or rather that portion of it with
me) across the bridge and deployed it as skirmishers on the
other side and followed them closely with the 174th we
crossed the bridge under heavy fire of both artillery and
small arms. It being a new Regt. and under fire for the
first time I felt some doubt about being able to form them
in line of battle after crossing the bridge but with the
assistance of their excellent field officers, Col Jones, Lt
Col Sterling and Maj. Reed (who was killed three days
afterwards) and My staff I succeeded in forming them in
excellent order and my skirmishers being advanced opened a
rapid fire on the Rebs. After advancing my line a short
distance I directed the 13th Indiana Cav. which was in the
rear and had not yet crossed the bridge, to cross the bridge
and pass through an opening in my line and charge the enemy
and if possible take their battery. Col Johnson dashed
across the bridge and through my line at the head of his
Regt in the most gallant manner and dashed on the enemy but
found them too strong for him and fell back to the right. I
then moved forward the 174th Being a new large Regt it
looked like a small brigade in line of battle and advanced
in splended order for the new Regt. and opened terrific fire
on the Rebs who were rolled back rapidly before the fire of
the 174th--A number of prisoners were picked up by the 174th
as they advanced laying flat on the ground who stated that
the sheet of lead above them was so terrific that they dare
not get up to run away. Learning from these prisoners that
they belonged to Bates Division of Infantry which was all in
front of me and it being now so dark that we could only see
where the enemy were by the flashes of their guns, and their
fire having nearly ceased, I began to fear that they had
fallen back to second line where they might use up my little
force if I continued to advance in the darkness. I concluded
to halt my raging Ohio boys for fear they might spoil a good
thing. I accordingly give three cheers for victory which
they did with a will that fairly shook the ground. We moved
back leisurely and in good order bringing off all our dead,
wounded and prisoners, recrossed the bridge and formed in
line of battle to see if the Rebs would come back and
attacked us. I found I had 7 killed and 62 wounded and had
20 prisoners. The night being very cold I had our men to
make up large fires the whole length of the line, and after
warming themselves and waiting three hours and hearing
nothing of the Rebs. I recd an order from Gen Rousseau to
move back to the fortifications which I did.I afterwards
learned that the Rebs retreated five miles without stopping
and that the next day Gen Bates was reinforced by Gen
Forrest with two more brigades of Infantry and 2500 Cavalry.
On the following days the 5th and 6th of Dec The Rebs were
around us on every side and we had almost constant artillery
and picket firing. They did not pretend to attack the
Fortress but skirmished with our pickets constantly. I asked
permission of Gen Rousseau several times to go out and try
their strength but he refused. We shelled them from our
heavy long range parrott guns from the fortress. A brigade
of their cavalry drove in our pickets on the opposite side
of town from the fortress on the 6th and got into the edge
of the town. I ran out with two sections of artillery and
two Regts. and drove them off. On the 7th their waggon
trains and forces were observed passing west of the Fortress
apparently in a southern direction and we come to the
conclusion that they were retreating from Nashville where we
had heard them fighting for several days. Our pickets in
that direction reported that they had heard constant
chopping for several days and night previous as if they were
building brestworks but we could hardly believe that they
were fortifying, but afterwards found that it was true and
that they were fortifying extensively on and near the
Williamson Pike which ran in a North West direction from the
fortress. I obtained permission on the 7th to go out and try
the Rebs. Not knowing with certainty any thing of these
fortifications I at once started out on the Wilkinson Pike,
but about the time I started Gen Rousseau and Van Cleve come
to the conclusion that if I would go out on the Salem Pike
which runs directly West from Murfreesboro that I would be
more likely to strike the Rebs. in flank and get at their
waggon trains, so upon receiving this word from Rousseau I
turned back and went south of the town and then turned West
on the Salem Pike. I encountered Reb Cav Videtts before I
got out of sight of our own pickets I threw forward
skirmishes and drove them before me. At my request Gen
Rousseau permitted me to take with me seven Regts of Inf.
and a battery of 6 guns. I had no cavalry except my
orderlies and a small body guard. My Regts consisted of the
174th, 177th, 178th and 181st Ohio Vols, the 8th Minn Vols.
61st Ill Vols and 12th Ind Cav. who had never been mounted
and are armed as Infantry. I divided my force into two
Brigades. The 1st commanded by Col Thomas of the 8th Minn
and consisted of the 8th Minn, 174th and 181st O. V. I. and
the 67th Ill. The 2nd Bgd consisted of the 177th and 178th
O.V.I. and the 12th Ind Cav. under the comd of Col Anderson
of the 12th Ind. I moved in driving the Reb Cav before me to
Stone River two Miles from town. We observed on the other
side of the river a body near a thousand Cav. I brought
forward a section of Artillery and opened on them and they
went off rapidly and I threw my skirmishers across the
bridge and followed on with the ballance of my forces and
moved on skirmishing till I arrived at the house of a Mr
Spence, a most excellent Union Man who is very wealthy and
has a princely mansion and out buildings. He had escaped
into town some days before but his wife a very sensible and
accomplished woman and her children and servants were at
home. She told me that a number of the chief surgeons of the
Reb Army had come there a few hours before and had taken her
house for a general hospital telling her that their forces
had come to take Murfreesboro and the fortifications and
were going to have a great battle, and they must have her
house for a general hospital, but the valient doctors
hastily fled on the approach of my force with the passing of
Reb Cav. She also learned from them that there were two
brigades of Reb Cav. escaped at Salem two miles further on
West under Brig Genls Armstrong and Buford and that Genls
Forrest and Bates with their main force of Infantry,
Cavalry, and artillery were encamped three miles North of
the Wilkinson Pike and had their headquarters at General
Smiths 2 1/2 miles from our Fort. She also told me that she
had 60 fine fat hogs that the Rebs were looking at and told
her they were going to take them, as our forces were getting
short of provisions I detailed a company to take these hogs
back to Murfreesboro and deliver them to the Commissary. I
then turned my Column North in the direction of Forrest and
Bates. After moving in this direction about two miles and a
half my skirmishers in advance commenced firing scattering
shots which became more frequent and rapid as we advanced.
Upon passing through a forrest to the edge of a large field
about half a mile wide The head of my column was suddenly
opened on by a Reb battery in the edge of the woods on the
side of the field. I at once ordered forward my battery in
reply to them and we had a magnificent artillery duel for
about an hour, large limbs and whole tree tops were cut off
and come crashing down amid the bursting of reb shells and
the thunder of our own cannon, but strange to say, but one
of our own men were killed. a few more were wounded by the
fragments of shells and one man had his arm broken by a
falling tree top and a few horses were killed. I was in
hopes that the Rebs would come across the field and attack
me, and I threw my two brigades into two lines of battle
about a hundred yards apart with skirmishes advanced some
distance among the corn in the field in my front and awaited
their attack. After about an hour the Capt of my Battery
reported he was running short of ammunition. I directed him
to slacken his fire. I then threw forward a company of
skirmishers in a neck of woods that ran partly across the
field on my left to try and pick off the Reb artillery men
and draw out their Infantry, but in this I was disappointed.
I hesitated some time about moving across the field and
attacking the Rebs. in their chosen position on the other
side. But finally come to the conclusion that it would be
too hazardous as they would have a raking fire into my whole
front while crossing the field and I might find them
strongly fortified when I got across to the wood in which
they were laying, and they were laying nearly parallel with
the Pike which run directly back to the fort, and their left
was as near the fort as my right. I concluded that if they
overpowered me they might cut me off from the fort. So I
determined to change my position so as to fight them with my
rear to the fort. I accordingly moved my lines back into the
woods a few hundred yards till out of sight of the enemy and
then moved by my right flank in the direction of the fort
for near a mile and then turned to the left and moved on
till my lines partly crossed the Wilkinson Pike. I then
faced my lines to the front (left) in two lines of battle.
Threw out the 61st Ills skirmishers and commenced my advance
on the left flank of the Rebs, but being in full view of and
a little over a mile from our fort (Which was now directly
in my rear) I sent back all my artillery to the fort for
ammunition. I then moved forward as rapidly as the nature of
the ground would permit (for about a half a mile the ground
was very difficult to get over) on each side of the Pike,
being covered with Cedar Brush logs and rocks, and from the
time we started we were under a heavy artillery fire and I
had no artillery to reply to them. One shell from the Rebs
killed three of the 8th Minnesota and one exploded near me
and a piece of it knocked a leg off of my orderlies
horse--But I kept my two lines of battle, proceeded by the
skirmishers, moving steadily forward, the skirmishers
keeping up a constant rattling fire as we advanced with the
Reb. skirmishers or pickets as we drove them back we come to
open ground in about a half a mile and to a large cotton
field on the left of the Pike and adjoining it. Beyond this
field in a thick wood the Rebs were posted in force and as
we crossed that cotton field the fire grew hotter every
moment. My lines wavered and I feared they would not be able
to get to the woods, but as I cheered them on and they
poured in a constant sheet of fire and advanced into the
woods--when we got into the edge of the woods the fire of
the Rebs was so furious that my front line waved as if on
the verge of a volcano, and the loud sharp thundering
crackle of the muskets firing was perfectly deafening. I
never saw men stand up more gallantly in my life than did
those men of my first line (1st Brigade) but fearing that
they would be overpowered I ordered forward the 2 line (2nd
Brigade) on the double quick--My 2nd Brigade as I started
consisted of the 177th and 178th Ohio and the 12th Ind. The
latter was in the center. The 177th on the right and the
178th on the left. I directed the 177th to wheel out and go
forward into line on the right of the 1st Brigade and press
forward. The 12th Ind to press forward to support the line
in front, and as the 178th were very green--had never been
under fire and were not very well disciplined I undertook to
take them in on the left of the 1st Brigade which was
composed of the gallant 174th Ohio and part of the 61st
Ills. which though keeping up a tremendous fire was wavering
like a sheet in the wind. I went forward with the 178th on
the double quick and tried to throw them around the left
flank of the 1st Brigade through a corn field on the enemy
in front, but the cowardly rascals would fall flat as toads
every minute to avoid the bullets there were whistling over
us. I soon became terribly out of patience and galloped over
and through among them, thundering out anything but
compliments to their bravery. Strafford their Col. instead
of dashing about and encouraging his men was off his horse
jerking along behind his green terrified men. I would get
them on their feet and into something like a line, when some
cowardly fellow would imagine he saw rebels in front of him
and fire, then the whole Regt. would bang away like thunder
without orders and fairly mow the corn stalks in front of
them. With the utmost difficulty I would stop their firing
and try to turn them into the woods on their right front
where the real battle was raging. I got them started in that
direction but all at once they swayed to the left and off
the whole Regt went on the double quick across the corn
field to the woods on their left, and I was wholly unable to
check them till they got to the woods some 300--400 yards
off. I could hardly resist cutting them down with my sword.
I got them into line when the Col. insisted that they were
flanked by a heavy body of Rebs on their left who were (he
said) behind a fence and had fired on him. I told him
sternly that he was totally mistaken and not to be fighting
his men with such yarns. I ordered him to detach a company
from his left--deploy them as skirmishers and send them off
to the left doublequick and convince himself that there was
no rebels there. I galloped along after these skirmishers
and hurried them up. After going a few hundred yards I saw a
large body of Reb Cavalry some distance off in the woods
running rapidly in a Westerly direction. Evidently trying to
get away as fast as their horses would carry them. I
directed the skirmishers to give them a few shots to
accelerate their speed which had the desired effect. It was
astonishing to see how rapidly and splendedly the chivalry
charged away from us. It took much less time for the
forgoing matters to take place than it has taken for me to
give this statement of them on paper. Although I did not
succeed as I intended, yet when my gallant Regts. in their
first line while struggling in the firey crisis of the
battle, saw the second line coming up rapidly to their
support--The 177th wheeling around to their right--the 12th
pressing up to their rear and the 178th doublequicking
forward by their left--they raised the yell--dashed forward
and pitched in like tigers and rushed over the Reb works so
rapidly that 220 of the Reb soldiers and officers had not
time to get up and run away and were captured laying behind
their own works together with our battle flag. My men swept
over their works like a storm--they tried hard to get away
with their artillery, but they stopped with one section to
try to check my men with grape and canister but most of the
horses and artillery men were shot and the ballance ran
away. Enclosed I send you a rough sketch of the battle
ground and route of marching and maneuvering by which you
can have some idea of my movements. You can see by this
sketch that when I went North from Spences on the route "F"
to "G" I was directly in front of the heavy Reb works L M
and N and if I had charged across the field in my front
(which I was tempted to do) my force would have been cut to
pieces. I knew nothing with certainty about these works at
that time. My good genius prevented me from charging those
works in front and led me to fall back and pass around to
take them in flank by the routes "I" which was the most
fortunate movement I ever made in my life. The officers and
men could not understand what I was about and supposed I was
coming back to the fort, till I faced them to the left
towards the enemy after partly crossing the Wilkinson Pike
and commenced moving towards the enemy. This flank movement
and its splended results sealed my reputation among the
officers and soldiers I then commanded. They all swear I am
the best General living, but to return to the battle--where
I left the 178th O.V.I. I moved them up Westerly past G (see
sketch) and found Col Jones the brave Col of the 174th O.
who had charged across after the rebs, after routing them
from K to L. I ordered him to take charge of the 178th with
his own men and part of the 61st Ills. and move them north
by the farm house (near H) to get with the other Regts who
had got some scattered in the pursuit. I galloped over to
"O" where the two Reb guns were standing that had been
captured I here received a message from Gen Rousseau
directing me to return to the fort as soon as I could do so
with safety as he had information that a large body of Reb
Infantry were approaching from the direction of Nashville
and might cut me off from the fort. I did not believe or
fear this but as it was nearly dark, I concluded that it
would be best to stop the pursuit and to return. So I
directed that the two captured guns and caissons to be
rigged up and taken in and that all the wounded both Union
and Reb together with our dead be gathered up and taken in.
About this time my battery that I had sent back to the fort
for ammunition as stated, returned with a full supply--A
large body of Reb Cav were hovering in sight about half a
mile West, evidently protecting the rear of their retreating
infantry and artillery. I ordered my artillery into position
and opened on the Forrest Chivalry with a shower of shells
and they gave us an astonishing exhibition of tall
skedaddling. It was dark when we finished collecting all our
wounded and dead. I observed among the Reb dead Lt Colonels
and a Maj. One of the Lt Cols had a diary in his pocket
which was handed to me. It was very interesting and showed
him to be a man of education and refinement. He was Lt Col
of the 29th Georgia Vol Inf. and he gave me an account of
the part he took in all the fighting before Atlanta and of
Hoods progress and fighting in Tennessee and of Gov Bates
Division (to which he belonged) being sent to take
Murfreesboro, of my meeting and whipping him at Overalls
Creek and his retreating of Bates being reinforced by
Forrest with his two brigades of Inf. and 2500 Cav. and of
their advance in sight of Murfreesboro and skirmishing with
our pickets etc. His last entry was dated on the 7th Dec the
day he was killed. Gen Rousseau (very meanly I think) asked
me for this diary and kept it. I wanted to keep it and send
it to you. I have learned since that battle that the Reb
loss was over 200 in killed and wounded--we did not Count
the Reb dead in the field but they were much more numerous
than mine. I left all the dead where they fell to be buried
by their friends who returned to the battle ground next day.
I enclose you copies of my official reports to Rousseau of
the two battles of the 4th and 7th of Dec. I had but one
field officer killed. Maj B.C.G. Reed of the 174th Ohio who
was shot through the brain while charging over the Rebel
brestworks. He was so near to the reb soldier who shot him
that his face blackened by the powder. He was a most Gallant
officer. He had been a prisoner for 15 months and was most
barbarously and brutally treated by them. He escaped from
them five times and was each time recaptured. On the 6th
time he succeeded in getting away. He escaped from
Charleston S.C. in a boat and got to our vessels. He fought
for vengeance. The history of his daring adventures is more
strange than fiction. This was the proudest victory of my
life. Forrest had 5000 Infantry and 2500 Cav. 7500 in all. I
had but 3200 in all and yet in about 30 minutes from the
time the heavy fighting began I whipped them
completely--drove them from all their brestworks and run
them like a herd of firghtened buffaloes--It was 8 oclock at
night when I got back into the Fortress. I was sore tired
and Jasper was more so, as I had ridden him without a bit to
eat, since morning. I have ridden no other horse since I
come to Tennessee and he is very strong and fat and playfull
as a colt. But his wound at Cross Keys has made him a great
coward and he annoys me very much by getting excited and
jamping about when the artillery is firing and shells
bursting near him. He did not mind such things before he was
wounded. After their defeat on the 7th the Reb Infantry left
the vicinity of Murfreesboro but a large Cav force (reb) was
hovering around constantly picketing all the roads till the
17th. I understand that they were watching us both for the
purpose of keeping us from attacking Hood in the rear or of
reinforcing Thomas for the purpose of keeping us in till
Hood could get away from Nashville and come down and take
us. The weather turned very cold on the 9th of Dec. It
rained, snowed, sleeted till on the 10th when the whole
country was a glare of ice and on account of unefficiency or
mismanagement in the commissary department our stock of
provisions were found to be running short and as we were cut
off from Nashville and could get no supplies and there was
no knowing how long we would be blockedaded by the Rebs an
order was issued putting the whole command upon half
rations, and cutting off the issue of all supplies to Gov.
Employees and refugees--There were thousands of poor negroes
and their families who had been living and working on the
R.R. cutting wood--taking care of horses--cattle etc and
there were about 2000 refugees--mostly white men who had run
away from the Reb conscription in the surrounding counties.
All these were deprived of the means of substance. Several
hundred of these refugees had come in on good horses for
which they would obtain no feed. I got Rousseau to issue an
order authorizing my Qr. Master to purchase all these horses
for Cavalry and artillery horses that were fit, which helped
them along very much. But the Poor Darkies suffered very
much for both fire wood and food. The Rebs were so near our
own pickets that it was unsafe to go out for wood and all
the stumps, logs, fences, and shade trees inside the pickets
were mostly used up--and everything in the way of provisions
became very scarce and could hardly be had for any price. I
frequently seen the poor darkies greedily grabbing the
entrails of hogs and beef cattle that our butchers had
killed for food--There is a fine steam mill in the town that
kept us from starving. We sent out our forage trains to the
country for corn. All our cavalry with a brigade of Inf and
a section of Artillery accompanied each train and though
they had skirmishing with the Reb Cav they always succeeded
in bringing in a train loaded with corn. Part of this corn
was taken to the Mill, shelled and ground, and the meal
issued to all of us for bread, which was all the kind we had
for ten days. There were plenty of provisions at Stephenson,
Bridgeport and Chattenooga and as the Rebs had not injured
the R.R. South of us very much, we concluded to run a R.R.
train down and bring up a train load of provisions--So on
the 13th a train was got ready and (very foolishly I
thought) the little 61st alone sent along to guard it
instead of a full Regt. This train was started in the
morning and in the afternoon of the 13th another R.R. train
was sent out 5 miles for a load of wood guarded by the 29th
Mich and while loading was attacked by a large Reb Cav force
with artillery. As soon as we heard the firing I was started
on the double quick with Infantry, Artillery and cavalry to
relieve the train. But when I got three miles out I met the
train coming, but without steam. The Rebs had put a cannon
ball through the water tank of the engine and let out the
water--but the gallant Mch boys drove off the Rebs and were
pushing the train by hand. The next day (Dec 14th / 64) It
was thought best to send out a forage train under strong
guard to go 6 or 8 miles on the Shelbyville Pike (which runs
south nearly parallel with the R.R. for about ten miles) in
order to make a diversion in favor of our R.R. train of
provisions which we were expecting up, and as the Rebs were
known to be out on the Shelbyville Pike in large force, I
was permitted to go out in command of the forage train. I
took with me the 12th Ind Cav (dismounted) 177th and 178th
Ohio Inf, 5th Tenn Cav, 13th Ind Cav and a section of
artillery. When I got to the vicinity of Storm River where
it crosses the Pike about four miles out I observed a
considerable body of Reb Cav drawn up on the other side. I
moved on and directed the 5th Tenn and 13th Ind Cav to dash
across and charge the Reb Cav but when the Reb saw them
coming they left, and moved on ahead of us skirmishing. Upon
passing through a woods and coming to a large space of old
Farms half a mile further, a Reb battery opened on us from a
high rocky ridge called "Rocky faced Ridge" half a mile
ahead of us. I brought forward my section of artillery and a
rapid artillery duel took place. While this was going on I
threw forward my two Ohio Regt. They moved across the plain
in line of battle directly towards the Reb batter. They had
three men knocked down by shell before getting across but
before they got to the Ridge the Reb battery retreated, but
left a heavy body of dismounted skirmishers behind who were
hard to drive from among the rocks and over the ridge, but I
deployed the most of the Ohio boys as skirmishers and they
advanced and put the Rebs over with a yell. While this was
going on my Cav Regts were having a heavy skirmish on the
right half a mile from the road I felt certain that as I
passed on the Rebs would come in my rear and try to cut me
off from getting back. So I sent back a dispatch to Gen
Rousseau to send out two more Regts to help clear the road
as I was coming back. I then moved my train over the Ridge
and directed my Cav. to follow along in the rear to keep off
the Rebs. I drove a Reb Cav Bgd. under Gen Rossor (?) ahead
of me keeping up a constant skirmishing and shelling as I
advanced for two miles after crossing the ridge. It being
now late in the afternoon, I directed my waggon train to
load up from the corn fields near the pike while we kept the
Reb Cav at bay. I had sent two Cav. Cos up along the R.R.
(which was near a mile off) to watch for our R.R. train and
see how the track was and while loading they reported to me
that they found the track pretty badly torn up and could
hear nothing of our R.R. train. It was also reported that
the Reb Cav Brigade was in my rear and had mostly dismounted
and taken possession of "Rocky Face Ridge". I finished
loading about sunset and directed the two Regts and the 12th
Ind to move on back ahead of the train and drive the Rebs
off "Rocky Face Ridge." I soon heard a rapid firing back of
the Ridge of both small arms and two small mountain
howitzers of the 5th Tenn which was barking furiously after
getting the train loaded and turned back. The two Ohio Regts
being now the rear holding the Rebs in check there, I
galloped on ahead of the train to the Ridge where I found
the two Cav Regts and the 12th Ind badly stalled. The Rebs
were laying in the woods and among the Rocks on both sides
of the Pike and were holding their position very stubbornly
and keeping up a galling fire. I galloped up to the top of
the Ridge when the bullets were whizzing like bees. I found
the 12th Ind and most of my Cav dismounted and firing from
behind rocks and trees. I yelled at them to charge the d -
d--traitors and they did go in most gallantly with a yell
that made the Rebs get back some distance. The evening was
so foggy and smoky that we could not see more than 20 yards.
The boys had been firing so much that all were complaining
that their ammunition was getting scarce. I sent back to the
rear for one of the Ohio Regts. to come to the front and
help clear away the Rebs as the prospect of doing so began
to look a little blue. About this time I heard a rapid
firing nearly a half a mile ahead of us and I knew that the
two Regts I had sent for were coming to our help and were
attacking the Rebs in the rear and in a short time they
cleared away from my front and I moved on with my train and
soon met the 181st Ohio and 140th Ind. I was right glad to
see them and there was some big cheering done when they seen
me. They had had considerable skirmishing with the Rebs in
which they killed a Reb Maj. who was laying beside the road.
We come on back without further molestation. Early the next
morning our pickets south of town reported that they heard a
rapid musketry firing for some hours before day down the
R.R. South some five or six miles. The moment it was
reported to Gen Rousseau and myself we knew that our R.R.
train was coming up and being attacked by the Rebs, and that
they were fighting. Instant orders were issued for five
Regts to get ready and go to the relief of our provision
train on the double-quick. Our hungry soldiers and all felt
deep interest in saving the train both on account of our
fellow soldiers aboard it and the provisions. I was ordered
to take command of Corpse and to go with the utmost speed to
our beleagued train. The troops were rolled out of the fort
and through the town and on out the Shelbyville Pike as fast
as their legs would carry them and a heavy forage train of
waggons was sent on after us that we might kill two birds
with one stone go to the relief of our R.R. train and from
the fort we heard a rapid artillery firing and knew that the
Rebs had opened on our devoted R.R. train with a battery. I
went ahead with the artillery and cavalry at a gallop,
leaving the Infantry far behind. By the time I got to Stone
River on the Shelbyville Pike the artillery firing ceased
and we soon after saw a column of smoke ascending from the
other side of Rocky Face Ridge (the R.R. passed through the
East end of this Ridge) and we knew our dear train was gone
up. I felt deeply vexed and very wrathly at the Rebs and
determined to try to save what I could of the train and
punish the Rebs too, so I directed my Cav to deploy and move
partly up the Pike and partly towards the smoke to the left
and left orders for the Infantry as soon as they come up to
pack the waggon train leave 200 men to guard it, send two
Regts after me and the ballance to push up on the Pike as
rapidly as possible and try to cut the Rebs off as I knew
that after leaving the R.R. they would go West across the
Pike. I then moved up the South side of Stone River with the
artillery and one Cav Co. as a guard for it half a mile to
the Block house that guarded the R.R. bridge across Stone
River. When I got there I found about 110 of the 61st Ill
that had escaped from the Rebs. They told me that their Lt
Col Bass (who commanded the Regt) was captured with all the
ballance of their Regt. I ordered them to fall in as a guard
to the artillery sent the Cav forward and moved on as fast
as I could toward the burning train now about two miles off.
When I got up near Rocky Face Ridge seeing I could not cross
it with my artillery any place except on the Pike a mile to
the right of the R.R. and desiring to draw the attention of
the Rebs and got them to turn their attention to me while my
infantry on the Pike would be able to get far enough south
to head them off. I opened a rapid cannonading--throwing
shells over the ridge towards the burning train. After
throwing about a dozen shells and hearing them explode about
the burning train which was hid from our view by the Ridge,
I sent the artillery with its guard of cavalry along the
foot of the Ridge West to the Pike to go with the Infantry,
I had ordered up the Pike. The two Infantry Regts that I had
ordered to follow me having come up at this time I moved on
with them across Rocky Face Ridge. We found it very
difficult crossing the steep rocky bushy ridge. I moved over
nearly a half a mile from the R.R. in order to come in the
rear of the Rebs if they were still in the vicinity of the
train. Not seeing any Rebs when I got to the crest of the
Ridge in the valley beyond, I halted the 174th O.V. there to
watch while I ran down to the burning train, with the 3rd
Mch. Inf. We found some 20 cars in flames--about half of
them had been loaded with Pork in barrels and it was flaming
and frying amid the grease streaming out at a great rate.
They had attempted to fire the engine and tender but there
being but little combustible material about them they were
but little injured. The cars next to them being filled with
pork were flaming 20 feet high. I ordered the key bolt that
nailed them to the train to be knocked out, which was done,
though a difficult job on account of the heat--The Col of
the 3rd Mch being an engineer jumped on the train
engine--turned on the steam, and the engine-tender and their
platform cars ahead of them were run away from the burning
train. Several of our dead and wounded boys of the 61st were
laying around. We learned from the wounded and from some
darkies who were hid about that our shells had fell over and
around the burning train about the time the rebs were
getting ready to leave it and sent them off on the double
quick driving our prisoners with them. Crackers and
provisions of every kind were scattered around the train.
The R.R. track was badly torn up for some distance ahead of
the train. I ordered the Cols of the 3rd Mch with his Regt
to go to work and save all they could and repair the track
and take the train on all they could get of it to town with
the wounded and they did get to work with a will and got the
train (all that was not destroyed) in before night. I did
not remain at the burning train but a few minutes--went back
to the 174th and pushed on with them after the Rebs whom I
learned were two Brigades and Forrest was with them in
person. After pushing on south between the R.R. and Pike
about a mile I heard a rapid artillery duel over on the Pike
between my forces there and the Rebs. I pushed on to try to
get behind the Rebs and get them between me and my force
moving South on the Pike. But after going ahead about two
miles further and turning in towards the Pike my advance
encountered a squad of Reb Cav and commenced skirmishing. I
pushed rapidly for the Pike but the Rebs had got by a few
hundred yards before I struck the Pike and opened on me with
their artillery as soon as the head of my column struck the
Pike. Their balls and shells thundered around us and knocked
the fence rails about and throwed the dirt over some of us.
I doublequicked my men across the Pike. The Rebs thought we
were running away and yelled and cheered tremendously but I
turned my column to the left after crossing the Pike and
went rapidly up along the Flank of the Rebs and opened on
them and then everything "let out" and put space between
them and my Buckeye Boys was astonishing. There were fine
farms with fine buildings all along the Pike in the
neighborhood when I struck it. I struck and crossed the Pike
at a large farm house with numerous out buildings, belonging
to a rich Reb who had gone south and the farm had been
rented out by the Gov to a N.Y. man who had raised a fine
crop of cotton on it. He was at Nashville himself, but his
wife and sister with a large number of hired negroes were on
the place, and were perfectly delighted to see us. The wife
come running out to the front to tell me that the Rebs had
left five of our wounded men there that they could not take
any further on account of the men being unable to walk they
were all desperately wounded and the brutes had driven them
five miles and only dropped them when they could force them
no further. One of the wounded men was an astonishing
instance of how hard it is to kill a man some times. The
Minnie ball had entered his head above and a little forward
on the left ear and come out under the right eye and yet it
did not kill him and he had walked five miles rapidly. When
I talked to him he did not seem to mind it much and told me
all about the fight and how the rebs had acted and treated
him as if nothing had happened while I was talking to the
woman, sitting on Jasper, and some of my orderlies and staff
officers near me and the woman standing on a large old
fashioned platform that run out from the porch in front of
her house, the Rebs were in plain view down the Pike (this
was when I first rode up). I was suspicious that the rebs
would try to give me a shell and kept my eye on them while
making inquiries of the lady. All at once I saw two sudden
puffs of smoke. The big puff of smoke occassioned by the
firing of a cannon can always be seen some seconds before
the report or the whizzing of the ball or shell can be
heard.) I shouted to the boys to look out. One ball struck
in the ground behind a heavy log stable a few rods back and
the other whizzed down the Pike close by us. The lady sprung
and darted in the house as if the ball was after her. I
directed the boys to scatter so as not to give the Rebs a
group to shoot at. But my Ohio boys as I before remarked
soon spoiled their fun and sent them off in disgust. My
troops that were coming down the Pike after the Rebs were
more than half a mile back from where struck the Pike. After
the Rebs had disappeared I sent up the Pike an order for
them to hurry down with the waggon train that I might load
it and return.--and also our armed balance train to take the
wounded. I sent out my cavalry (the 5th Tenn and 13th Ind)
to deploy and watch the Rebs. who had moved off West the
Pike. Sent part of my Infantry to help load the waggons in
cornfields east of the Pike and deployed part of them as
skirmishers and pickets and kept the ballance in reserve. I
had eaten nothing during the day except a cracker or two
that I had picked up that the Rebs had scattered around the
burning R.R. train and felt hungry. The ladies got me some
excellent coffee, pies, cakes, preserves and other good
things that they had hid away so well that the Rebs had not
found them while rummaging their house. Myself and staff
officers enjoyed this supper exquisitely while the darky
women in the kitchen just spread themselves cooking for the
boys. While this was going on the scattering skirmish firing
of my cavalry off West nearly half a mile (which had been
going all the time) increased to a rapid rattling fire and
my cavalry were gradually pressed back toward the Pike some
distance, and it was reported to me that the Rebs appeared
to be largely reinforced and were coming to attack us. I
disposed of my artillery and a portion of my Infantry to be
ready for them and sent word to the Cav if they could not
keep the rebs back to let them come. I had sent back one
Infantry Regt to hold Rocky Face Ridge and felt perfectly
safe against any attack that the Reb Cav could make on me.
But the Rebs after they had driven my Cav back a short
distance through a thin strip of woods did not come any
further, but kept up a lively skirmish with my Cavalry in
which several of my boys were wounded and one poor fellow
killed of the 5th Tenn. The corn to load my train having
been gathered in the fields, it required between two or
three hours to load. I moved my train as soon as loaded on
the pike back towards Murfreesboro, having a strong rear
guard and an Infantry and Cavalry force on my left flank to
keep off the Rebs but they did not follow us but a short
distance and appeared to be willing to let us go and get
clear of us on the best terms they could. Before leaving the
house I told the lady of the house to tell the Reb Gen
Rosser, who had been there a few minutes before I come and
who I knew would be back soon after I left that if they
would send back the prisoners they had captured of us, we
would exchange with them man for man. The Rebs had sent a
force around to occupy Rocky Face Ridge but finding My Mch
boys there they left after exchanging a few shots with them
and got back to Murfreesboro with my train about an hour
after dark without further molesting. The word I left for
Gen Rosser for the exchange of prisoners had the desired
effect as a flag of truce from Forrest come to our pickets
the next day at Murfreesboro offering to exchange for all we
had. The proposition was accepted and they agreed to bring
in the prisoners the next day the 17th but having been
whipped badly at Nashville on the 16th they run away with
all the prisoners and did not stop to make the exchange with
us as they had agreed. So ended the seige of Murfreesboro. I
was restrained and not permitted to go out by Gen Rousseau
to fight the Rebs except the times I have mentioned. Had he
permitted me I would gladly have went out every day and
fought them while they were about Murfreesboro--The troops
at Murfreesboro had the utmost confidence in me and with any
portion of them I could have whipped two or three times
their number of Rebs and as I had been most unjustly
excluded for eighteen months by the petty selfish jealousy
of the West Point aristocracy, from all honorable and active
field service and as I felt that the war was drawing to a
close and that that was probably the last opportunity I
would have of meeting the enemy and of whipping out a
portion of the foul stigma of my arrest by the infamous
scoundrel Halleck, I was most anxious to improve the
opportunity to the utmost and I feel sure that had I not
been denied and restrained by the extreme prudence of Gen
Rousseau no rebel force would have showed themselves with
impunity within five miles of Murfreesboro. It is
unnecessary for me to relate the incidents of my military
history from the date the enemy left the vicinity of
Murfreesboro (Dec 17/64) to the present date (Jan 15/65) as
they are unattended with any incidents worthy of note or
recollection save those that are painful and mortifying to
me. Soon after the defeat of Hood (who through blundering
and want of energy was permitted to escape with his army
across the Tennessee River) all the troops on this line of
R.R. were taken away except seven small Regts scattered
along this line R.R. a hundred and twenty five miles and I
was ordered back to this secluded and cheerless place and
pinned down with no hope of getting away while the war lasts
unless I resign which I feel reluctant to do so as I entered
the war with the determination of seeing it through before
quitting if I lived.--May I believe I have never confessed
to you or any one else that I was ambitious but the truth is
I have from the earliest boyhood been ambitious and
intensely desirous of military fame and renown as a general
and had I lived in a country or an age that would have
afforded me opportunity my ambition would have been as
insatiable as that of Alexander or Napoleon. I importuned my
father for years, before I was too old to procure me a
position as a Cadet at West Point as I observed that that
was the only avenue to honorable position in our army. But
he blindly, flatly refused. I determined not to be
disappointed in the highest wish of my life, a Military
Education, so as soon as I was old enough and could procure
the means (which was not till I was in my 24th year) I went
to the Norwich Military University in Vermont without
consultation or the knowledge of any of my friends or
relatives till after I got there. After I graduated there I
tried to get a commission in the regular army, but failed
because I had not passed through the royal door of West
Point. I then discovered that army favors and honors were
considered the exclusive right of West Pointers, which
discovery made in the enemy of that Institution, as I have
always believed that in a Republican Govt. like ours all
officers especially Military should be open to the
competition of the best talent, let it be educated or come
from where it might. Being disappointed in getting into the
army, I turned my attention to the law. But Mary, you know I
did not succeed in that profession because my heart was not
in it. I felt an irresistable desire for war and I felt sure
that if ever opportunity offered I would excel in the
profession of arms--you know how I jumped into the Mexican
War. But I unfortunately got into a Regiment (the 1st Ind)
that was cursed by an incompetent Colonel, and this with a
few troops called for the shortness of the war prevented me
from acquiring any reputation. I saw the present war was
approaching I watched it coming eagerly, I saw that my
country could only get rid of the awful curse of slavery by
a terrible bloody struggle. That our cup of iniquity was
full and that Gods Justice could slumber no longer. You know
that I made a call for a company for the war over two months
before the war commenced. I went into the war with the
determination to convince the Government that I was worthy
of the highest Military trust. I felt that I possessed the
ability and energy both physical and mental to do this, if
not thwarted by intreague or injustice. You know how
intensely I devoted myself to the service. For twenty-seven
months I did not sleep away from my command a single night,
and in that time I come up from the rank of Captain to that
of Maj Genl. but my rapid promotion together with my
popularity with the troops attracted the attention of the
West Point aristocracy who looked upon me as a tresspasser
upon their special rights and the baleful eyes of the
infamous Halleck were fixed on me. Failing in his efforts to
prevent my promotion, he determined to ruin me, and through
the imbacility of Lincoln he has been allowed to carry out
and gratify his malicious villany. First placed me in arrest
like a felon without even the pretense of any cause. Then
kept on the shelf a year, and then given an obscure inactive
Comd. Thus the dream of my life has been wrecked and
destroyed by the grossest, most cruel, brutal injustice for
over two years my prospects were brilliant. I felt that I
was living to some purpose that I was doing glorious service
for my country and the cause of human freedom and free
Government on Earth. That I was making a name that would be
a proud heritage for my children and a pride to my posterity
and one that would live in history. In short that the
brightest dreams of my youth were to be realized. But Oh!
how excruciating, how bitter the disappointment. My
brightest hopes and most cherished dreamed are destroyed.
For eighteen months my disappointment (except when asleep)
has caused me constant anguish. But I am trying hard to
throw it off. I have experienced most vividly the truth of
Solomons writing, that all is vanity and vexation of Spirit
and have realized with certainty that the things of this
life are inconstant, uncertain and unsatisfying. This gross
injustice I have suffered is sufficient, were I without
conscience and principle, to make me an Arnold. What little
reputation I have acquired, so is so small, so
insignificant, in comparison to what it would have been, had
I been fairly dealt by and justly treated, that I regard it
as nothing--almost with contempt. I feel entirely hopeless
of any redress of my wrongs. I am under the heel of West
Pointers despotism and must remain there while in the
army--for the reason that the army is in the hands and
wholly under the control of West Pointers, who are as
selfish, as clanish, as jealous of their cast as are the
Brahrmins of India and equally as intolerent towards any
officer, not a West Pointer, who presumes to intrude among
the Stars which they regard as a military sacrilige. I am
approaching the meridian of life. The summer for glory and
the harvest with me are about ended and gone. The bright
dream of boyhood years and of manhood prime has ended in
bitter disappointment, and I have had a painful proof of the
injustice and selfishness of man. But I have some
consolation in looking back over the past. I have always
tried conscienciously to discharge my duty. I have never
knowingly wronged any human being. I have never taken a
bribe or obtained money or property wrongfully. I have
always been a friend to the poor--the down trodden and the
oppressed. No person, however poor or mean, black or white,
ever come to me with a just complaint that I have not heard
or remedied so far as in my power.--I have righted the
wrongs--gladdened the hearts and earned the prayerful
gratitude of thousands of the poor, down trodden black race,
and if the prayers of such will avail anything for my
salvation I have hundreds of times been assured that I have
them. You know Mary that I am pecuniarily poor.--I have
never worshipped at the shrine of Mammon or made the
attainment of wealth the object of life. Perhaps in this I
have erred, as respectability and the ability to do good in
this life seem to be inseparable from wealth. Henceforth I
am going to try to smother and drown out the fires of
worldly ambition and endeavor, honorably to obtain wealth,
that we may educate and give our children in their start in
life, that were denied to us. I have extended this letter to
a much greater length than I intended. I have written
snatches amid the press of official business mostly after
night. It will afford you reading matter for some hours and
will perhaps be read by our children with some interest
after we have left Earth.
Your Husband Truly,
R.H. Milroy
Tullahoma, Tenn
Jan 16th 1865
My Dear Mary,
I have read your big letter of the 2nd Inst. and Ellas of
the 28th ult. I have also received some other letters from
Robt Dwiggins which I will answer. I am pained that you are
having so much trouble with that villain Tatman and am
surprised that Ezra Wright upholds him. I felt sure that
Tatman would take advantage of the settlement he fixed up
and which I thought lessly acknowledged that acknowledgement
was only intended to apply to money that he had paid out for
me and of partnership fees, and does not apply to any notes,
judgements, accounts, etc. which he may have collected for
other people and applied to his own use and for which I may
be responsible as partner. His infamous rascally treatment
of me, vexes me so much that I don’t want to think
about it. I will write to Dwiggins about matters but if he
don’t hear from me before you get this, tell him that
all tax titles, certificates, etc. in my name belong to A.H.
Bowen and that Tatman has no right or authority to take tax
deeds in my name. If any were taken at all they should have
taken to A.H. Bowen. Tell Robert to write to Bowen how the
matters stand and ask instructions from him as to what he
wants about these matters. I have finished my historical
letter to you but it is so voluminous with copies of reports
accompanying it that I will have to send it by express. I
very much fear that you will be in want of money. I have not
been able to draw any money yet as all payments to officers
have been suspended since before the Hood raid. I have not
been able to get up to Nashville yet but will do so some day
this week, and think I may be able to coax a months pay of
them. I have been borrowing for my own expenses for a month.
I have been very busy looking after gurillas and
bushwhackers since my return here--they are very numerous
and troublesome and keep my little force all the time on the
jump. My men are daily shooting them and burning houses and
thinning them out and they are beginning to send in
propositions to me begging for quarters--but I think all
such animals belong to the Devil and the sooner he has them
the better. I wish you would come down and pay me a visit
this winter. Let me know what you think of it. I ommitted in
my historical letter to state that the ground on which I
gave Forrest such a thrashing on the 7th of Dec was the
ground on which McCooks Corps was so badly used up and
thrown back during the battle of Stone River and come very
near being the destruction of Rosecrans whole army. The
graves of our slaughtered fellow soldiers were around in
hundreds and the battle slivered trees--torn and scarred by
artillery and small arms on the 31st of Dec. 1862, were
again splintered by the cannon balls and shells and received
the bullets of the contending hosts on the 7th of Dec 1864.
My health and that of Jasper is excellent. George and Porter
Dunlap have been with my command for near two months. George
left yesterday to go to his Regt. at Savannah by the way of
N.Y. in Company with Capt Sam Moore and Sergt Darrah of
Newton Co. Porter has been writing for my commissary and has
gone up to Nashville with George. I don’t know whether
he will come back or not. Mail Time. Love to the children.
In haste.
Your R. H. Milroy
Maj Genl.
Nashville, Tenn
Jan 21st 1865
My Dear Mary,
Enclosed I send New Years Gifts to you and each of the
children. Yours is the case of cisors and I have marked each
of the children’s Gifts. I hope you will be pleased
with your Gifts. It is my greatest pleasure to give pleasure
to my dear wife and children. I took much pains in selecting
the Gifts and paid $24.00 for the lot. I subscribed some
time ago for a pictorial to be sent you for the children
which I hope you are receiving. I send also by express to
you $500.00 out of two months pay that I have drawn. I have
got to send $200.00 to my lawyers at Washington to keep them
quiet. They have been duping me very sharply of late. This
will make $500.00 a piece that I have paid them---$1000.00
in all and I will not pay any more as long as I can help it.
I got here night before last and will go back on Monday
next. That is day after tomorrow. Capt R. B. James C.S. is
stationed here at present--his son Horace is with him. The
Capt says he is getting along splendidly and is the happiest
man I have met. I also send my historical letter with copies
of two reports that I have made to Rousseau--- I have no
news to write at present. I devoutly hope you will get well
and keep well. If you think a trip down here will help you,
be sure to come. My love to the children and respects to the
neighbors.
Your Husband truly,R. H. Milroy
P.S. George Dunlap did not get off as he expected to
Savannah and will probably not go for some time. He returned
to Tullahoma before I left there and is one of my orderlies.
I am going to get Capt James to take Porter Dunlap as one of
his clerks. Tell their father. R.H.M. P.S. I also send you a
photograph group taken on Look Out Mountain last summer when
I was there. It was taken on Point Lookout 2200 feet above
the Chattenooga Valley and from where the Rebs shelled the
town of Chattenooga before the battle of Mission Ridge
Hooker passed around the basin of the West Rock or precipice
on the group is standing. I also send some photographs for
your Album. R.H.M.
Your R. H. Milroy
Maj Genl.
Tullahoma, Tenn
Feb 12th 1865
My Dear Mary,
I have received yours of Jan 20th and yours, Ellas and Vals
(Big letter) of the 1st inst. and by last night’s mail
recd yours of the 4th inst. I am pleased with Ellas and Vals
letters. Ella writes very well and Val has made a very good
beginning, tell him to keep on and he will soon be able to
write better. I have no news to write of any interest to
write about except brutal Murders by bushwhackers which is
an almost daily occurrance in some direction around us, but
the history of these atrocities would be too long and would
shock you. But I have fell on a plan to stir up the people
against these monsters and to pitch in and help us clean the
country out. Blood and fire is the medicine I use. I shoot
the men who are friendly with and harbour the bushwhackers
and burn their houses. By spreading death and fire in a
neighborhood where the bushwhackers have friend, the
survivors come rushing in demanding in terror "What shall we
do to be saved?" I tell them to organize companies--get
guns--horse clubs or anything else and rush out after the
bushwhackers--kill or capture them and bring them in and we
will be their friends and protect them--and they are doing
it splendidly--They know where the hiding places and paths
of the bushwhackers are and I have got up a war of
extermination between the people and the bushwhackers or am
fast getting it up. The people have heretofore been neutral
and the bushwhackers could go where they pleased among them.
But this state of affairs is fast changing. I was about to
hang two notorious Bushwhackers on last Friday by a public
execution. They had been captured by some new green
Wisconsin troops and brought in alive. They had recently
brutally murdered two negroes after whipping them nearly to
death mostly because they had been working for the Yankees.
I had the gallows erected near town, had them taken out and
up on the scaffold a 1000 soldiers and people around to see
them hung, and they were making speeches and bidding good-by
when a dispatch arrived from Gen Rousseau to try them by
military commission first before hanging them. This was a
great dissapointment, especially to my Missouri troops, who
are the greatest enemies to bushwhackers I have ever met. I
can easily prove the villains guilty and will have the
pleasure of hanging them yet. As to your coming down here,
you had best wait till the weather settles in the spring.
Your health is not good and the weather is very changeable
and muddy and you had best wait till about the middle of
March. Mrs. Cravens is anxious to come with you--so Cravens
says--and she will arrange to come with you.--I get frequent
letters from Dwiggins about Tatman’s villainy and
answer him and don’t like to talk about the villain.
Dwiggins is anxious for me to come home a short time to try
to fix up matters and get Ezra Wright to secure me as much
as he can. He says Wright holds all of Tatman’s
property or has mortgages on it and is willing to secure me
as far as he can. I hope he will. If he does not, I will
not. I will be completely broke up by being liable as
Tatman’s partner for money that he has stolen. It will
be difficult for me to get a leave of absence. Especially
till after the Election of the 22nd inst. in this state
which will be a very important matter for the people of this
state. I will try to get a leave of absence the 1st of March
and if I succeed I will come home on a 20 day but it very
uncertain about my getting it. I am doing good work in
helping reorganize the state and am a great favorite with
the true loyal people of the state. Parson Brownlow and
Andrew Johnson are the best friends I have. The people of
Bedford Co. (which is the most Loyal Co in Middle Tenn) are
going to present me sword on the 22nd inst. Do as you think
best about that Hanover scholarship, if you have the money
to spare. Health good--glad to hear the children were so
well pleased with their presents. Give them my
love--Respects to Neighbors.
Your Husband Truly
R.H. Milroy
Tullahoma, Tenn
March 1st 1865
My Dear Mary,
I have recd Val’s big letter of the 17th with your
endorsement on it and also Ella’s letter of the same
date. Also yours of the 13th. I am much pleased to see how
Val is improving. Tell him to keep on trying. He will be a
fine writer some day. Ella is beginning to write a very good
letter. She is improving fast. I cannot recollect anything
about that remittance to you on March 1863 but I have no
doubt from what you say that Tatman stole most of it. If you
will look over my diary for 1863, you will find something in
it in the month of Jan or Feb. I generally mentioned the
payments I recd and the remittance I made to you. I have no
doubt but that he has been stealing from me since he first
went into my office and there is no knowing how much I have
lost and will lose by him. I got a very friendly letter from
Ezra Wright some days ago in answer to one I wrote him. He
says he never had anything hurt him so much in his life as
Tatman’s conduct. He says he will do all he can to save
me from loss by Tatman. I recd a very fine sword presented
by the Citizens of Shelbyville and Bedford County on the
22nd. The loyal men of the surrounding counties almost
worship me. I have shown them so much favor and have been so
hard on those hated Secesh that they look on me as the best
General that has been in Tenn. Most of the loyal men of
Bedford Co. were refugees at Murfreesboro during the Hood
raid and saw me lock Forrest and Bates and it gave them a
very high opinion of my generalship and bravery. I had a
very pleasant time at Shelbyville among the hospital loyal
people of that place. You will see the presentation speech
and my reply to it in the papers probably. The presentation
was made by Judge Wiseman who will be one of the U.S.
Senators from this State. My brother Jim come out here about
ten days ago to get a cotton farm. There is a large amount
of Cole Oil region in Tennessee and I put Jim, after getting
all he could lease. He has already in company with a few
others leased a large amount of valuable lands which will be
immensely valuable some day and he is going ahead and will
probably have the most valuable oil possessions in the U.S.
I am a secret partner with him but keep this a secret as it
is not allowed of army officers. There is some danger of a
great raid through Tennessee by Lee’s army if he
escapes from Richmond and a number of new Regts have been
ordered to my command and are joining me at different points
in my Comd. For these reasons I cannot come home and think
you had best not come South till Lee is disposed of which
will be within the next 20 days. I don’t wish to have
you and the children down here till it is perfectly safe. I
will let you know when to come. Mrs. Cravens will come with
you. I am fixing to go down to Fayetteville the County Seat
of Lincoln Co (28 miles) to make a speech. It was the most
rabid Reb Co in the state and I have got up a tremendous
union revival there and will soon have it one of the most
loyal counties in the state. Love to the children.
In Haste
Your R.H. Milroy
Tullahoma, Tenn
Mch 19th 1865
My Dear Mary,
I recd yours and Ellas of the 6th & 7th insts. I was
pained to learn of your continued ill health and of Littly
Brucy’s getting his collar bone broken. You will have
to be very careful in keeping it braced up while knitting or
he will be deformed by that shoulder being lower than the
other. The boys should not be allowed to go on top of the
shed or house. I never allowed them to do so while I was at
home without watching them and helping them down. I hope
this will be a lesson to them that they will profit by. I
feel concerned and uneasy about your continued ill health. I
think a journey down here and a stay of a month or so in
this healthy region might help you and probably restore your
health fully. Six new fully Regts have recently joined me at
this place and several others have been scattered along the
line so that it is now pretty safe. I think Lee is now
effectively cut off from getting to this state if he should
escape from Richmond which is doubtful. We have now a large
force at Knoxville to meet Lee or any other Reb force that
may attempt to come into Tenn. from Va. There is more danger
on the R.R. between Louisville and Nashville in Ky. from
Gurrillas than on the R.R. from Nashville to this place. I
have the gurrillas about cleaned out of the country along
near this road and there has not been a train fired into or
interfered with on this line since the Hood raid. But there
has been several trains captured on the Louisville and
Nashville R.R. within the last two months. But I learn that
Gen Palmer who commands along that line to put heavy guards
on each train so as to make them safe. I sent up to
Nashville several days ago for a pass for you and the
children from Louisville to this place, but it has not come
yet. I have delayed writing to you for several days
expecting to be able to send it to you. I will send up again
tomorrow, and will send it to you as soon as I get it. So if
you conclude to come you can commence getting ready. You had
best get Conwell to take our garden on the shares this
season to attend to it and keep it in order, or any one else
you think best. Perhaps you can get Mrs. Conwell or Mrs.
Thompson to take charge of your house keys to air and look
after the things indoors and out--see to your cow, chickens
etc. If you would like to stop at Indianapolis a few days
you had best have Dr. Nefsinger or Old Jimmy Blake meet you
at the Depot by writing or telegraphing them. I will try to
meet you at Nashville but will write you more particularly
when I send the pass. Cravens has sent for his wife. She is
in Illinois will come by steamboat to Nashville on account
of her ill health. He got her a pass and sent it some days
ago--some blunder has been made about not sending yours. The
Ind Regt that come here lately, was made up in our 9th
Congressional District. There are a number of men and
officers of my old 9th Ind Regt in it and a number of boys
from Jasper Co. Mrs. Crockett’s son Tom among others.
It is the 151st Regt. There is a Co from Logansport in it
and one from Carroll Co. They are all delighted to get in my
Comd. By brother Jim is still about in this country
gathering up oil leases, and is laying the foundation of a
splendid fortune. I have not got any pay for about two
months, I have sent up to Nashville twice for it but both
times found no money there. Let me know as soon as you get
this whether you will need money before you start down here.
If you do I will try to raise you some and send you. There
is now nearly three months pay due me from the U.S. Ella
says you got a letter from Mrs. Northern who talks of coming
out to see you. If you come down here you had best write to
her that you may be gone one or two months and for her not
to come till you return and let her know that you have got
back. This town is not so large as Rensselaer and you will
be crowded for room while here, but you can get along in the
warm weather. The weather is warm and pleasant here now. The
grass is up and the leaves are coming out. Farmers are
plowing for corn, oats has been mostly sewed. Dwiggins wrote
me to know whether I wished to see a 40 acre lot of land,
giving numbers of it, but I have forgotten which or where it
is and he did not say. Tell him that if it is the 40 near
the end of the Warner Bridge I will sell it for $20.00 per
acre--I will sell any other 40 (that is the scattered 40)
for $150---
Give my love to the children and Respects to the
Neighbors. Write soon.
Your R.H. Milroy
Office of Milroy, Waters and Co.
Dealers in
Oil and Mineral Lands, Stocks Etc
Nashville, Tenn Aug 31st 1865
My Dear Mary,
I arrived here safe on yesterday morning at 6 A.M. I got to
Indianapolis at 5 A.M. the next morning after leaving you
and found that James had not got my telegram and had come
on. I found him, Bennet and Capt Mohler here. I find that we
are going to have much difficulty in getting things started
in our own Co, as the members do not take hold as they
should and wait for Jim and myself to do everything, and we
are much cramped for want of capital. But we will get under
headway some way before long. Judge Swiggert, Capt Carson
Mohler and Worthington are all the members besides Jim and
myself that will do anything.--The 47th Wis and 148th
Ill--Two of my Tullahoma Regts are here to be mustered out.
The 151st Ind is still here and will probably remain for
some time. There has been no rain in Tenn for two months and
it is very hot and dry. Be very careful of the health of our
children and yourself during Sept. for that is always the
most sickly Month of the year. Don’t forget those
Bitters. It is very healthy here yet. I forgot Capt Powells
carbine and my overcoat and will have to get them the first
time I come home. Love to all.
Love to all.
Your R.H. Milroy
Nashville, Tenn
Sept 29th 1865
My Dear Mary,
I have received yours of the 12th and 25th inst. the latter
enclosing several others. I am very sorry to hear of yours
and the childrens sickness, but from the great amt of ague
that I heard of all of the state of Indiana I looked for you
and the children to have a turn. I feel that I ought to be
at home to assist in nursing the children and you through
the sickly season, but I cannot do so without letting things
stop here in our oil business just at its most important
crisis where we are commencing to boar. After much labor and
wear of patience we got our engine and set of tools rigged
out, and started about 40 miles from here in Wilson County,
and I have strong hopes that we will have oil in a month. We
have sent another engine to McMinnville and will have a set
of boaring machinery rigged out for it in about ten days. We
have another engine in Georgia and are trying to get a set
of tools and boaring machinery for it. Judge Swiggert and
myself will go to Atlanta on Monday next and I will not be
back here before the 10th or 11th of next month. We have a
meeting of all our company here on the 12th of next month to
remodel the whole concern. We have a lot of dead heads in
the Co. that are no use and will do nothing and are a dead
drag to us. A few of us have to run the whole thing, and yet
all must share profits equally. So we are going to fix it so
we can turn out the useless members and make all do their
part. Capt Carson left here for his home yesterday evening.
He has withdrawn from our company. He got in debt to the Co.
and some of its members about $1000 and is involved in debt
at home. He drinks too much whiskey and spends money
foolishly and recklessly and was a very unprofitable and
expensive member. I wish you would have Thompson or Dwiggins
to get some good careful men to take both Jasper and the bay
horse and keep them till next spring for their work. They
are splendid horses and a team and would be worth more that
way than keeping and I think it will be easy to get them
kept on these terms. If you cannot get them kept for their
work, you may let the Bay be sold for $150.00. He is fully
worth that price. I refused $150.00 for him at Louisville
when I was going home. I think you had best get that kitchen
built. I don’t see how you will get along without it
when Mrs. Northern comes, but do as you think best, but
don’t cramp yourself and live uncomfortable for my only
desire and ambition now is the comfort and happiness of my
family and I will get means enough for that purpose. So I my
Dear little wife do not sacrifice your comfort too much to
economy on my account. I’ll get along someway. You may
sell that safe for $100.00 if you cannot get anymore but
sell it for the most you can get over $100.00 If you can
spare the $600 you got for my office lot you may send it to
me by express about the 6th of Oct. as to be here when I
return as I can make good use of it. But if you cannot spare
the $600. I can get along with $500.00. The musketers are
very annoying here. They are around me in such swarms that I
can hardly write. I will feel very uneasy about you and the
children till I hear from you again and I cannot hear till I
get back. My dear wife take good care of yourself--I fear
you will wear yourself out with the sick children. I have
answered M.L. Spitlers letter. My love to our children and
friends.
Your R.H. Milroy
Nashville, Tenn
Oct 15th 1865
My Dear Mary,
I arrived back here on the evening of the 19th from Atlanta
and other places South. I have recd yours of the 9th inst
enclosing draft on McCoy and Thompson for $550.00 which I
got cashed at the 1st National Bank here without discount
which is better than I had a right to expect. But it is a
favor extended to me on account of our doing all our
business at that Bank. I will make this amt do me till we
strike oil. We have got our steam engine and machinery to
boaring finely where the prospect is good. We have other
steam engine at McMinnville and will have the tools and
machinery to commence boaring there in a few days. Some two
or three Companies have commenced boring there already and
there is much excitement there about oil, and there are a
number of other machines at other places boring. There will
probably be a 100 wells bored and boring in the state by
spring. We will have two more engines and boaring machines
at work by the end of the month which will be four in all--A
success with any one of them will furnish us plenty of
Capitol to pay all our expense and enable us to continue our
developments. We have also commenced operations to develop
one of our Silver mines which appears to be very rich. So I
have strong hopes of escaping from the misery of poverty and
enjoying some little peace on Earth and of doing and being
able to do as I desire and of educating our children as I
would like. We have had two days meeting of our Company from
Thursday morning till Friday night last. It was a very
important meeting which I had called for the purpose of
remodelling our constitution and by-laws so as to enable us
to throw out dead heads--A new Constitution or articles of
partnership which I had drawn up, was adopted unanimously
and an additional assessment of $500.00 levied So we will
now go ahead smoothly and without further trouble. Jim is
Presdt. of the Company and I am Presdt of the Business
Directory, which has everything to attend to. Three have
already been thrown out or rather two were expelled and Capt
Carson had acted so badly by using up a considerable amt of
money that was in his hands, that belonged the Co. and he
seen that he would be expelled and withdrew. I was greatly
surprised at him acting as badly as he did. He got to
drinking too much. As much as I had heard of the burning of
Atlanta Marietta and all the Country South of Dalton, I was
not prepared to see such utter desolation and ruin, Standing
Chimneys everywhere Marks the sight of former houses in the
country and in Marietta and Atlanta squares and Miles of
crumbling brick walls and ruins are seen. I considered this
a most infamous cowardly--narrow minded brutal barbarians.
The innocent are made to suffer equally with the guilty.
Revenge the wrath of the Govt. is taken on property instead
of upon the guilty leaders of the rebellion, and millions of
valuable property is destroyed which should have been saved,
confisgated and sold to pay the war debt. But in Atlanta and
in Marietta the people are working vigorously to rebuild
their burned dwellings and business houses. It will require
many years to do it. Bro Jim, Judge Swiggert and myself have
with a few gentlemen of Atlanta and vicinity organized a
Company for the purpose of buying and selling real estate
and other purposes and to do a large business by getting
German Emmigrant Companies to buy our lands which can be had
for a trifle and are the finest grape lands in the world. I
am determined to make money and a place for my family in
easy circumstances. I do not now remember the cost of my law
books and have no desire to piddle them off by a book or two
at a time. If I can sell them off by whole sale I will do
so--I will not have them culled over and the refuse left on
my hands. I think it profitable that I will come home while
the last of this month. I will then either box them up and
store them away (my law library) for one of our boys or
dispose of them by wholesale. I hope Val was not seriously
hurt by his fall from the bay horse. Such falls will do him
good and are necessary to train him to caution and
experience. I am pleased to hear how bravely you are getting
our children over the sickly season. You are a Jewel of a
woman, wife and Mother and my Greatest desire is to be able
to make the latter half or remaining portion of your life on
Earth as smooth, full and pleasant as your past life has
been rugged, cramped and Joyless. It pains me deeply that I
am unable and must for some time to come, remain unable to
rescue you from life of toil and drudgery. I am compelled to
let you drag along but I hope some sunshine is ahead for us.
Cravens, Mohler and Worthington were here at our meeting.
Cravens, Worthington and Bro Jim started for home on Friday
night last. Jim will be back in a few days. Mohler has gone
to McMinnville to continue courting Mollie Armstrong with
whom he is desperately in love and wants to marry. Love to
Children
Your R.H. Milroy
Nashville, Tenn
Nov 19 1865
My Dear Mary,
I recd your note enclosing letters etc. I arrived here the
2nd morning after leaving home in good health and still
remain so--I find things going as well as I could expect.
Our well boring has been retarded some by tools getting fast
but Able is going ahead now with good prospect of success.
Bro Jim went home the day after. I got him to provide for
his family and will not be back for two weeks. Beck writes
that he and Sam will be down soon and take a share in our
Co. and so will Cornelius Conover. We are about getting a
charter for our Co. of Milroy Waters and Co. Capt Mohler was
married last Thursday to some girl in McMinnville. He has
made a gross fool of himself. He courted Molly Armstrong and
got near crazy about her--followed her like a dog day and
night and when she refused him he cried and boo-hooed like a
calf and went off and commenced courting another poor girl
the daughter of a poor widow--the girl is said to be
beautiful and accomplished and Mohler courted her almost day
and night for a week and made her Ma believe that he was
worth $100,000 when he had to borrow money to get his
license. He has not been doing a thing for the Co.--since he
went to McMinnville and I don’t know what the poor
devil will do till we strike oil. I am ashamed of the way he
has been acting, as he was on my staff. He is married now
and may come to his senses if he has any. I hope that Walt
and the rest of you will keep clear of the Ague. Tell Ella,
Val and Walter that they must all write me as soon as they
get through with their writing school to let me see how much
they have learned. It has been raining here and is very
sloppy and muddy. Mr. Bennett our machinist starts home this
evening. We have nothing for him to do for a while. Take
good care of yourselves my dear. There is much crime in this
place. There are from one to 4 murders every 24 hours. But
it will all come out right. Love to children. I forgot Capt
Powells guns after all. He was after it yesterday.
Your R.H. Milroy
Nashville, Tenn
Dec 9th 1865
My Dear Mary,
I recd some letters enclosed from you a few days ago, and on
yesterday recd Ellas pretty little letter of the 5th Inst. I
am very much pleased with her improvement in writing. Her
hand writing is really beautiful but for her own good she
must allow me to criticize a little. She does not punctuate
her writing any. She must learn to do this. And in speaking
of no ice being on the River or Mill race, she spelled the
word race "rase" . Tell her to look up in the Dictionary and
see what "rase" means. I hope Val, Walter and Brucy will
give me specimens of their writing soon. Enclosed I send you
deed I recd. yesterday from Bro Jim. It is for a piece of
land sold to Rinehart at Grimes sale that belonged to Almira
A. Grimes and Rinehart’s title will be no account till
he gets a quit claim deed from all the heirs and sign it
under my name and then have Dwiggins or Jackson to take your
acknowledgement and then send it to Samuel L. Milroy Delphi
Ind. and he will receive and send you our share of the
purchase money. You see I have acknowledged here Jim writes
me that Sam Beck and Neal Conover will come down here with
him next week to take shares in our oil Co which we now sell
at $1650.00 Dr Nofsinger was here yesterday in Co. with Mr
Stephens (formerly the Presbyterian preacher). They have
been down in North Ala. The Dr is greatly pleased with the
country down there and thinks of buying a plantation and
settling there. He went on home last night. I believe I
wrote you that we had struck oil last week at McMinnville at
70 ft. but not sufficient quantity. It increases as they go
down and they expect to get a flowing well in a 100 ft or so
more. They have had much trouble in getting tools fast at
our other well. We sent up an experienced Pa. borer last
week and Swiggert went up this week and I think they will
get along better. We are still going down with our mine and
the oar is getting richer. Health good--will come home in 3
weeks--Sorry to hear of Mrs. Ballard parting from her new
husband.
Love to the children
R.H.Milroy
Nashville, Tenn
Dec 3rd 1865
My Dear Mary,
Yours of the 28th ult with endorsures was recd yesterday. I
am pleased to hear that you are getting along so well and
retain your health. I hope Val will get clear of that head
ache and be able to attend school when not in good health
you are right in not urging him to attend school. It is very
important to keep up the equilibrium between the physical
and mental systems and to not cultivate and push forward at
the expense of the physical. I wish you would carefully
study the dispositions and mental characteristics of our
children so as to ascertain what the strongest bent or
inclination of each of them is--whether for mechanical
professional, scientific or literary pursuits. Nature, if
closely scrutinized in the youth, will always indicate the
occupation or profession that the man or woman was created
for, and that in which he or she should be certain of
success if pursued. If any other occupation of Natures
choice, life will be a failure and no success or eminence
will ever be obtained. I am sorry to hear of the disaster of
"Charley" having run away. It will injure his character and
sale $50.00 and he will hardly ever get over it so as to be
safe. I hope Ella, Val and Walter will write to me as soon
as they are through with their writing school and let me see
how they have improved. I was gone five days last week up to
Smith County to see how our oil well boring up there was
getting along. The weather was delightful and I had a very
pleasant trip in company with Mr Startsman one of our
members from Cincinnati, but we found our well up there in a
bad situation. They had got the sand pump fast when at the
depth of 50 feet, ten days before we got there and after
jerking off the handle or bail, they had been pounding it
full of rock and trying to bore it out, and had got it all
out but the bottom piece which defied all their efforts, and
they had started one man down here (50 miles) for a reamer
which was made and started up to them the day after I got
back. It would take them three or four days to ream it out.
So we will be set back near three weeks in our operations at
that well. Our mine which we are opening is a mile from that
well and was opened down 7 feet--is widening out as it gets
deeper and gets richer in metal--Mostly lead with a small
part silver. The Old miner there says the per cent of silver
will increase rapidly the deeper it goes. But I have more
faith in our oil than in our mineral prospects of wealth.
Our oil well at McMinnville is getting along splendidly Capt
Powell is supertending it and everything goes on like clock
work. He is down 75 feet and has already got oil in
considerable quantities, and feels certain that he will get
a flowing well then by the time he gets down 100 ft.
further. Lt Worthington is traveling in this State now
getting up our leases. Capt Mohler is still at McMinnville
doing nothing. I believe I told you what a fool he made of
himself. He tried to get Mollie Armstrong and almost went
crazy when she refused him and went off and married a poor
girl, the daughter of a widow there for spite. Capt Powell
wants his gun so badly, that I forgot to bring it with me--I
wish you would get Conwell to make a nice box for it and
send it to me at this place by express. I have promised
Powell to have it here soon. Have you heard from Mrs
Northern? My love to the children--Your R.H. Milroy
P.S. I forgot to tell you of a great curiosity I found or
rather that was shown me in Wilson County at Watertown where
old man Waters one of the best Union Men in Tenn resides.
Two of his sons, Major S.Waters and the Hon W. Waters are
members of our company. The Major was in the 5th Tenn Cav in
my comd over a year and the Hon W Waters is a member of the
Legislature here--Now in session. Another son of the old
mans--Capt Tom W. was on my staff as A.D.C. several months.
I had to stop there and stay all night and most of a day
with them. I had often heard of human pigmys found in Tenn.
but did not believe it. I heard that a number of these
remains had been found near Watertown and upon making
inquiry was shown a number of small bones about the size of
chicken bones but much decayed. Parts of small sculls, jaw
bones and teeth were among these bones showing plainly that
they were human bones. I then asked to see the graves or
places where these bones were obtained and was shown an old
field that had been washed away very much, uncovering tops
of several rude stone boxes or sarcophagie made by digging a
square oblong hole in the ground and laying a flat stone in
the bottom setting up their flat stones at the side ends and
laying one over the top. I measured the insides of ten of
these boxes and they measured lengthwise from 13 to 16
inches--One was two feet and all about a foot wide. There
were three other men with me. Maj Waters and brother and Mr
Startsman. We dug out the earth of several that had not been
disturbed and got a lot of other bones and some teeth. I
brought them all to a very scientific physician--the State
Librarian here and he pronounced them human bones without a
doubt and those of adult persons--several rude earthen pots
were found in each grave but broken to pieces on taking them
out. There had been two or three of these pots in a large 2
foot grave. I learned that there was another place 9 miles
off where acres of these pigmy graves have been discovered
and that near the Mouth of Stone River or the Cumberland
River some 7 miles above this place another still larger
collection of these pigmy graves has been discovered. The
stones composing all these little sarcophagii are rude their
lime stone slabs, picket up without any dressing--I think
that these things prove that a race of human pigmies has at
one time thousands of years ago existed on this continent
and is a great curiosity. The papers of this place have
noticed my discovery and you may see some mention of it.
Your R.H. Milroy
Nashville, Tenn
Mar 18, 1866
My Dear Mary,
I have recd Second Letters from you and Ella recently all
enclosing letters from others. Your last of the 14th inst
enclosing a letter from Mrs. Northern. I am pleased to hear
that you are getting better. Be careful of yourself my dear
don’t be impatient about the work. Your health is more
important to your children and me than anything else on
Earth. After the weather gets pleasant and the roads dry up
I want you to keep Jasper at home and ride out frequently in
the buggy and give more attention to your health and comfort
than you have done--I am much pleased with Ellas letter and
can see a steady improvement in her composition, spelling
and writing. Tell her she cannot write to me too often. The
cow having a calf--Good news. It was a fortunate thing that
Ella was not on the bridge when it went off. It had got to
be an old rickety thing and it is a good thing it is gone. I
hope they will put it up substantial, double track bridge in
its place. They ought to haul rock from the Old Philips
querry and build substantial stone pieces. I got a long
letter from Miss Northern a few days ago giving me a full
history of what she has been doing for the recovery of her
property in Va. I was much pleased to learn that she is
almost certain of soon recovering all her land property
there--together with the $500.00 that the Rebs robbed her
of. But don’t think she will get any pay for the
negroes she lost. She has this last claim before congress,
and has assurance of success, but I don’t believe they
will do anything for her. She certainly deserves a lot of
credit for her energy and perserverance and is succeeding
much better than I expected she would. She says she will be
through so as to come out to live with you by some time next
month. She said she spent all her money but $5, and wanted
me to send her some if I could spare it. I wrote her fully
and I am sending her $40.00. It will pinch me hard and I am
living very economical to spare this amt. but as she is
working and economizing so much for us we ought to divide
with her as long as we can. It will all come right. I cannot
attend the meeting of our emigration Co. in N.Y. on the 22nd
inst. for the reason that Judge Swiggert is away and one of
us must be here. He had traded for several oil wells at
Pithole, Pa. and it was necessary for him to go on and see
to them. He left here on the 15th and will be at the meeting
of our Co. in N.Y. on the 22nd inst. We have rented a very
comfortable office with a front and back room--up stairs at
44 1/2 Cherry Street. The 1st street from the square as you
go up towards the Capitol--We have a good bed in our back
room and sleep there. We have also changed our boarding
place from the Erwin House to the Planters Hotel--where we
get our meals for $1. per day. This Hotel is on the 2nd
street from the square towards the Capitol. We pay $500.00
per year rent for our office, but this with our present
board does not amt to near as much as our board at the Erwin
House did at $15.00 a piece per week. I think our Oil well
at McMinnville will turn out very well. They finished tubing
it on last Thursday and pumped water and mixed with a few
hours. The pump required some fixing and they intended
commencing to pump steadily on Friday morning--Since which I
have not heard from them. Powell thought it would take 2 or
3 days to pump out all of the water before we clear oil. I
will send up barrels and additional tanks this week. I wrote
to Ed Hammond to attend to that suit against me and threw it
over our term. He answered he would do it and that Ezra
Wright says he will pay it if it is continued another term.
Bully for brother Ezra I wish you would send me my trunk by
express. Put all the clothing in it that you think I need
with one or two pair of my old pants if you can fix them up.
Tack a strong card on it with direction to me 44 1/2 Cherry
Street Nashville Tenn and send the key in a letter by mail.
Give my love to the children--Tell them to be good and learn
fast.
Beck writes me that he will send you by express this week
the $60.00 for that block of lots I sold him.
Your R.H. Milroy
Nashville, Tenn
Mar 20th 1866
My Dear Mary,
Since writing my last. James has come down from McMinnville
and says all well up there has commenced pumping the best
lubricating oil. I forgot to tell you in my last to put in
all of my pilvotion books that I took home last winter
together with the works on Hugh Miller on Geology and
another work on Geology the title of which I have forgot. If
you have not started my trunk before this reaches you. If
you have started my trunk, let the books remain untill I can
come home. The mail is closing. Love to all.
Yours in haste
Your R.H. Milroy
Nashville, Tenn
Mar 20th 1866
My Dear Mary,
Since writing my last. James has come down from McMinnville
and says all well up there has commenced pumping the best
lubricating oil. I forgot to tell you in my last to put in
all of my pilvotion books that I took home last winter
together with the works on Hugh Miller on Geology and
another work on Geology the title of which I have forgot. If
you have not started my trunk before this reaches you. If
you have started my trunk, let the books remain untill I can
come home. The mail is closing. Love to all.
Yours in haste
Your R.H. Milroy
Gen R.H. Milroy
44 1/2 Cherry Nashville
44 1/2 Cherry Street.
|
