In lieu of an abstract, here is a brief excerpt of the content:

Thomas Christie to James Christie1 camp minnesota, at shiloh church, 3 miles s. w. of pittsburg landing, tennessee, saturday, mch.22.1862. Well, here we are, in camp at last! You should have seen how glad both men and horses were to get o¤ that old steamer! Some of the horses could scarcely use their legs at first. The landing is on the west bank of the river, 9 miles above Savannah, and not far from the Mississippi line. This is a very small place, made up of two or three log houses. A fight took place there a few weeks ago; and we saw the bodies of some of the men killed. They had been very hastily buried in a shallow grave, and the heavy rains had washed away the earth from above them. Poor fellows! It was a grewsome sight, and made a man stop and think. I don’t wonder the rebels tried to defend the landing; for the bank is higher than any where else: it is a good place for a battery. We reached the Landing on Tuesday the 18th, but did not get ashore till the next day. We had to cut a road for our guns up the steep blu¤; and then cut down bushes and small trees on the top to make a place for the battery and the baggage etc. A big fleet of steamers lined the bank for a mile or so. We moved out here day before yesterday: have been setting up tents, policing camp, and getting settled, ever since. We are close to the little log church, just this side and to the right of it as you come out from the river on the Corinth road. There are woods all around, with an occasional clearing. 39 2 “The Bullets Came like Hail” March 22–August 15, 1862 1. Transcribed in Thomas Christie reminiscence. We belong to Sherman’s Division, Buckland’s Brigade.2 Right in front of the Battery are the tents of three infantry regiments, Ohio men. A part of the Fifth Ohio Cavalry also belongs to the Brigade. Ours is the most advanced brigade in Tennessee. Our cavalry went out today foraging, and brought in thirty bales of cotton, three prisoners, and a quantity of grain. I wrote you at Savannah, but carried the letter for some days in my pocket before there was a chance to post it. Have patience with us if your mail from here comes somewhat irregularly for a time. Nothing has come to us, either, since we left the Arsenal. Our oªcers tell us we leave this camp soon for a forward movement. They have standing orders to keep us ready to start at an hour’s notice. There is much bowel trouble among the men, owing to the bad water and bad food. Hard tack and raw salt pork have been our diet now for two weeks. Don’t you envy the boys who wear the eagled button? Today, a party of us armed with revolvers went out into the woods and brought in six fine specimens of the Southern pig. These run perfectly wild, and are scarcely seen by their owners till the day when these latter go out, gun in hand, to provide meat for their families. The animals are nearly all of such leanness that a knot must be tied in their tails to keep them from going through a fence; but their meat is simply delicious; it tastes like game—which indeed it is. The boys had quite a feast when we came in. We are having pretty cool weather for this latitude; but the grass is green, and the woods are full of your Northern songsters resting here on their way toward you. I wish I could send a message by one of them! A slower mail goes out tomorrow or the next day . . .  Thomas Christie to James Christie apr. 10th. 1862 field of battle, pittsburg. Dear Father, Knowing how anxious you will be to hear from us, I take the first chance I have had, to write. Well, in the first place (to your mind) Wm. and I are both well although both of us were hit. He by a ball glancing o¤ a limb was 40 brother of mine 2. This assignment was temporary: on March 26 the battery was assigned to the Second Brigade of the new Sixth Division under General Benjamin M. Prentiss. Welcher, Union Army, II:231. [18...

Share