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Andrew F. Davis papers, January-October 1863

02_1863-09-03-Page 02

obliquely to the right with lookout mountain rearing its head some 1000 feet high appearantly over the town. After crossing the the river then there appears to be another valley about the same width as the one on this side. Then comes rang after range of mountains six in number each one getting higher like steps of a stairs until in the blue mist of distance the top of the last one looms up and at first sight appears only a cloud on the horizon. This last range is 65 miles from here and immediately in front of us lies the State of Georgia and on the left the State of North Carolina and on the right is Alabama. Therefore I can go ten steps from where I now set and be in one state and see into three others. So if I have not been [far?] down in Dixie I can see there. The next day after we arrived here Col. Wilders [illegible] Brigade appeared in the valley below us, they haveing come by the way of [illegible] and struck the valley some miles further up and then come down. On the 21st & 22nd Wilder advanced his artilley to the bluff on this side of the river and commenced to shell the town and fortifications which took them (the Rebs) completely by surprise as they did not know that our forces ware near them. They (the Rebs) first replyed with some of their 6 & 10 pounders but could not reach Wilders position with them. And then they placed a 32 pounder in position and at the 1st fire they off off a leg for one of Wilders men and killed 4 of his horses. So he thought they had got his range pretty accurate so he concluded to let them alone. On the 25. Wagner took two [illegible] of Coxs Battery and sent some 30 or 40 shots into their works. When they again brought their old 32 to bear on him and by sending a few shells which burst too close for comfort he pulled up and come away. And so the matter has stood ever since. Our pickets extend to the river bank on this side and the Rebs to the bank on the other and the two parties often converse across the stream. We have been on half rations of Uncle Sams Grub ever since we left [Sequatchee?] Valley but we done well enough for the first 4 or 5 days while the potatoes lasted in the neighborhood, but they did not last long as the country is poor and thinly settled on the mountain, and Wilders men soon stripped the valley, so that we ware quite short. On the morning of the 31st come my turn to go on picket and I was stationed on the river bank nearly opposite the lower end of an island, on which there was some two or three good farms, but it was supposed to be occupied by the Rebs. My men thought that there might be something good to eat over there as they could hear the roosters crowing and other indications of something good. We had several canoes to guard where we ware stationed and I though I would risk sending a scouting party on a voyage of discovery. So on the morning of the 1st inst I sent Charley Burgess and six men over at daylight in two canoes and in about two hours they returned with five bushels of potatoes six good hams and 5 large sides of bacon loaded in the

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obliquely to the right with lookout mountain rearing its head some 1000 feet high appearantly over the town. After crossing the the river then there appears to be another valley about the same width as the one on this side. Then comes rang after range of mountains six in number each one getting higher like steps of a stairs until in the blue mist of distance the top of the last one looms up and at first sight appears only a cloud on the horizon. This last range is 65 miles from here and immediately in front of us lies the State of Georgia and on the left the State of North Carolina and on the right is Alabama. Therefore I can go ten steps from where I now set and be in one state and see into three others. So if I have not been [far?] down in Dixie I can see there. The next day after we arrived here Col. Wilders [illegible] Brigade appeared in the valley below us, they haveing come by the way of [illegible] and struck the valley some miles further up and then come down. On the 21st & 22nd Wilder advanced his artilley to the bluff on this side of the river and commenced to shell the town and fortifications which took them (the Rebs) completely by surprise as they did not know that our forces ware near them. They (the Rebs) first replyed with some of their 6 & 10 pounders but could not reach Wilders position with them. And then they placed a 32 pounder in position and at the 1st fire they off off a leg for one of Wilders men and killed 4 of his horses. So he thought they had got his range pretty accurate so he concluded to let them alone. On the 25. Wagner took two [illegible] of Coxs Battery and sent some 30 or 40 shots into their works. When they again brought their old 32 to bear on him and by sending a few shells which burst too close for comfort he pulled up and come away. And so the matter has stood ever since. Our pickets extend to the river bank on this side and the Rebs to the bank on the other and the two parties often converse across the stream. We have been on half rations of Uncle Sams Grub ever since we left [Sequatchee?] Valley but we done well enough for the first 4 or 5 days while the potatoes lasted in the neighborhood, but they did not last long as the country is poor and thinly settled on the mountain, and Wilders men soon stripped the valley, so that we ware quite short. On the morning of the 31st come my turn to go on picket and I was stationed on the river bank nearly opposite the lower end of an island, on which there was some two or three good farms, but it was supposed to be occupied by the Rebs. My men thought that there might be something good to eat over there as they could hear the roosters crowing and other indications of something good. We had several canoes to guard where we ware stationed and I though I would risk sending a scouting party on a voyage of discovery. So on the morning of the 1st inst I sent Charley Burgess and six men over at daylight in two canoes and in about two hours they returned with five bushels of potatoes six good hams and 5 large sides of bacon loaded in the