22 



& had some considerable skirmishing at Elk River, where 

 the rebels burned the RR bridge. We have the cars run- 

 ning now to Elk River & the bridge will be completed by 

 Sunday & the cars come to here. We bivouaced on night 

 of 2ond at Elk River Dis 10 miles next morning we march- 

 ed in here and have been here ever since. Dis 4 miles. 

 During all this time we have had rain ever day. On ac- 

 count of rain our trains did not do as expected & we were 

 very short of rations & have not got any too plenty yet. 

 At Tullahoma we captured all the rebels tents 4 siege 

 guns & some corn meal & what else I am not able to say. 

 On account Bad weather we run over & burned rails so 

 much that we destroyed all the crops & stole all chickens 

 & robbed all smoke houses & I suppose the citizens now 

 are nearly starving. We are now situated in a valley in 

 sight of Cumberland Mts in a nice little village of 3000 

 inhabitants before the war now about 1000. I hope this 

 letter will meet with better success than my last I wrote. 

 So for the present I will close give my love to all the 

 family yours respectfully J Roe Stookey 



XI. 



Dear Brother & Family Headquarters 59th Ills Vols 



Camp Blue Springs Tenn 

 April 20th 1864 



It is just one month ago to day since I received notifica- 

 tion that the Regt would be at St. Louis and that I left 

 on morning train for St Louis without even haveing time 

 to bid any of my Friends "Good Bye" except our own 

 Family that was at home. T\Tien I arrived atESt. Louis 

 I found tha Regt had got there that night about midnight 

 and were all waiting then to get aboard the steamer 

 Jennie Deans that was going to take us to Nashville I 

 Avent aboardfound the Officers all that were not on duty 

 enjoying the comforts of a huge hot stove in the cabin. 

 I gave all a hearty shake of the hand introduced them to 

 Jack, and we soon enlarged the circle by two. Col Post 

 soon came up to me and introduced me to his Sister Miss 

 Bunce & Miss Disbrow ladies he had with him taking as 

 far as he could comfortably. I had several gay times with 



