blair4

In Cumberland Mountain Tenn

Aug 31st 1863

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We were ordered back to the regt from the battery and started on the 2nd for Mt. Vernon from Somersett but when we got there the regt had gone about 4 hours. There was 21 of us and there we stayed parlying about which way to go some were for staying there others for going back to Camp Nelson but most for following the column but finally we all started in this direction but in small squads as each one finally concluded to go on his own hook there was seven in the squad I was in. Some of us gathered up some old U.S. horses and made bark and rope bridals and made sadles of our blankets.

I generally make it a point to look out for number one when there is any accomodations like that to get and I got a prety good horse which I have yet and found the tree of a U.S. saddle and bits in a smoke house which I took possession of. I finished my bridle with 2 pieces of rope one for a head stall the other a rain I took my knapsack straps for a girth and made rope stirrups of a piece of coffee sack I put my blanket under the saddle and carried a footmans blanket to get it to ride on.

Most of us had horses but I had the best one and the best rig so they called me sargent Burnside because I wear my whiskers like that general some of the boys only had coffee sack rope for bridle they tied one end round the horses nose and held the other to guide by We had many a hearty laugh over our burlesque. Thus we traveled over the cumberland mountains and river and overtook the regt just this side the mountains but some of us out traveled the rest and some have not come up yet.

We had some picket firing with the rebs last night about 9 oclock as were traveling but we did not wish a general fight at night so we lay down and slept till morning and then found that they had left us they are still retreating before us but no doubt they will show us fight at that railroad that connects their eastern and western departments, but I guess we will clean them out of the state of Tenn and get that railroad. The country here is getting somewhat level but we have seen some large parts of the earth in piles. I think a mountain would be a nice interesting ornament to take up north and keep in a door yard

We came to big creek gap but it was blockaded by the rebs so our brigade came on west and came round this way we crossed the Cumberland river at Williams burgh and came through Montgomery Emery and are near Kingston and neared clinch river I could write considerable news but the rebs might get it and I dont wish to favour them that much

I don't expect to get to send this home soon perhaps not untill we get communication with Nashville perhaps never

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	In Cumberland Mountain Tenn Aug 31st 1863 ------------------------------------------------------------------------ We were ordered back to the regt from the battery and started on the 2nd for Mt. Vernon from Somersett but when we got there the regt had gone about 4 hours. There was 21 of us and there we stayed parlying about which way to go some were for staying there others for going back to Camp Nelson but most for following the column but finally we all started in this direction but in small squads as each one finally concluded to go on his own hook there was seven in the squad I was in. Some of us gathered up some old U.S. horses and made bark and rope bridals and made sadles of our blankets. I generally make it a point to look out for number one when there is any accomodations like that to get and I got a prety good horse which I have yet and found the tree of a U.S. saddle and bits in a smoke house which I took possession of. I finished my bridle with 2 pieces of rope one for a head stall the other a rain I took my knapsack straps for a girth and made rope stirrups of a piece of coffee sack I put my blanket under the saddle and carried a footmans blanket to get it to ride on. Most of us had horses but I had the best one and the best rig so they called me sargent Burnside because I wear my whiskers like that general some of the boys only had coffee sack rope for bridle they tied one end round the horses nose and held the other to guide by We had many a hearty laugh over our burlesque. Thus we traveled over the cumberland mountains and river and overtook the regt just this side the mountains but some of us out traveled the rest and some have not come up yet. We had some picket firing with the rebs last night about 9 oclock as were traveling but we did not wish a general fight at night so we lay down and slept till morning and then found that they had left us they are still retreating before us but no doubt they will show us fight at that railroad that connects their eastern and western departments, but I guess we will clean them out of the state of Tenn and get that railroad. The country here is getting somewhat level but we have seen some large parts of the earth in piles. I think a mountain would be a nice interesting ornament to take up north and keep in a door yard We came to big creek gap but it was blockaded by the rebs so our brigade came on west and came round this way we crossed the Cumberland river at Williams burgh and came through Montgomery Emery and are near Kingston and neared clinch river I could write considerable news but the rebs might get it and I dont wish to favour them that much I don't expect to get to send this home soon perhaps not untill we get communication with Nashville perhaps never ------------------------------------------------------------------------