CHAPTER VII.

Suffering of army at Young's Point.-Arrival at Cairo.-Guerrillas and steamboat passengers.-A collection.-The mother of Joseph.Mothers and wives en route for Memphis.-Hospitals at Memphis. -Soldier's death at Adams Block Hospital.-Visiting the paitents. -Mr. Reynolds in hospital.-Cheers for the Sanitary Commission.— Wisconsin Battery-boy.-Mrs. B.'s attention to a wounded soldier.— Gen. John Logan.-Gen. McPherson.-Gen. Webster.

THE winter of 1862 and 1863 was a period of general discouragement throughout the country. The state of the roads in the south-west absolutely precluded the movement of the army. The rainy season had been unprecedented in extent and duration. The Mississippi had overflowed its banks, till hundreds of miles of farms on either side had been submerged. As an inevitable result, the low ground on which our army was encamped at Young's Point had become a mud-lake. The Yazoo Pass, in the immediate neighborhood, afforded such clear water for the troops, that they were tempted to prefer it to the turbid water of the Mississippi, although its baleful effects had stamped its name as "The deadly Yazoo." At the encampments, which were at too great a distance to procure water from the river, in the impassable state of the roads, without great labor, barrels were sunk, which were speedily filled with clear surface-water, that carried death in its combinations.

It was exceedingly difficult for the Government to pro

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cure sufficient transportation for men, rations, ammunition, animals, and forage, consequently, there was great lack of vegetables and fresh meat, which are indispensable to the health of troops in a protracted campaign. Fresh meat was furnished to the army by contract. The long distance between it and its base of supplies, the crowded and filthy state of the cars and transports on which the animals were brought, half starved and famished for water, produced such an unhealthy condition, that many of the regiments refused their rations of fresh meat, and preferred the sound salt rations of the army. The tents were worn and battered by long use, frequent changes, and continual rain, and afforded very insufficient protection to the men. I was frequently informed, and heard no opposing statement, that there was but one regiment at Young's Point where the soldiers had more than one blanket, which must be used for a covering, leaving no protection from the spongy soil on which they lay, except as they gathered branches or built "shebangs." The Board of Trade of the city of Chicago had furnished the regiments and batteries raised under their care with rubber blankets, consequently, I found the 113th Illinois Regiment, 3d Board of Trade, well protected from the damp earth.

From a review of these various unfavorable circumstances, it will not be considered surprising, that appeals were made from the army to the commission, for assistance. The President and Board of the North-Western Commission not only felt that increased and immediate relief should be afforded, but also decided, that some representatives from their own organization and neighborhood, should visit the army, and be able on their return to tell those who supplied its treasury

and furnished its packages, what the soldiers needed, what they suffered, and how they were supplied, from actual observation. Mrs. Livermore or myself, were again selected for the work.

The Board of Trade, with its uniform liberality and consideration for its regiments, appointed Ira Y. Munn, its former President, and Mr. Willard, an esteemed member of its body, to visit them, carrying a fine supply of comforts and delicacies to the men, and report on their necessities and condition, on their return. These gentlemen and Mr. W. Reynolds, of Peoria, President of the Peoria Branch of the U. S. Christian Commission, accompanied me. Mr. Reynolds took with him a large amount of books, newspapers, etc., furnished at his own expense. I took twelve hundred packages of choice sanitary stores, from the North-West Branch of the U. S. Sanitary Commission; Mr. R. relieving me of all responsibility of their transportation, which was a matter of much labor and perplexity.

At Cairo, we found dismal weather and foreboding hearts; and the gloom thickened as we proceeded. Guerillas, even between Cairo and Memphis, were daring, crafty and successful. Boats had been captured and burned, passengers robbed and turned adrift in the swamps, only too happy to escape with their lives. One boat, at a wood-landing between Cairo and Memphis, had been entered by guerillas disguised as civilians, who had taken possession of her and her stores, threatening the employees into compliance, and obliging them to carry these marauders, as they directed them. An immense government steamer, filled with amunition, had barely escaped capture or explosion from rebel balls, a few miles

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below Cairo, the day previous to our arrival there. Forrest and Chalmers were roaming at large with their reckless daredevils, called Confederate soldiers, whose movements were swift and appalling, baffling all calculation, and eluding marvellously all plans for their seizure. Forrest had not yet attained Fort Pillow notoriety, but was educating, himself and his men rapidly, for that demoniac tragedy. No military skill or courage could cope with this barbarous mode of warfare. All who travelled on the Mississippi at that time, must decide to run these risks. I could conceive of no motive sufficient for such a journey, but love or patriotism. To my amazement, I found the greed of gold, and hope of fortunate cotton peculations, or speculations, carrying many on this hazardous trip.

A steamboat, at all times, is a study for Lavater, or a harvest for the wit and pathos of Dickens or Thackeray, from which to fill volumes of life-pictures. These fruitful fields were intensified in value during the war, just in proportion to the accelerated interest of military affairs. Cotton speculators furnished a large and curious class of passengers. They' were totally oblivious to all interests, save the price of cotton, and the chances for procuring it. Their patriotism and their politics were graduated by the opportunities that military or governmental action afforded them for gain.

I remember, on my return from the White River expedidition, when travelling from Memphis to Cairo in January, I found on the boiler-deck, almost a hundred discharged soldiers from hospitals, exposed to a drifting snow-storm, that swept mercilessly through this exposed part of the vessel. Farther investigation showed, that through the incompetency

and furnished its packages, what the soldiers needed, what they suffered, and how they were supplied, from actual observation. Mrs. Livermore or myself, were again selected for the work.

The Board of Trade, with its uniform liberality and consideration for its regiments, appointed Ira Y. Munn, its former President, and Mr. Willard, an esteemed member of its body, to visit them, carrying a fine supply of comforts and delicacies to the men, and report on their necessities and condition, on their return. These gentlemen and Mr. W. Reynolds, of Peoria, President of the Peoria Branch of the U. S. Christian Commission, accompanied me. Mr. Reynolds took with him a large amount of books, newspapers, etc., furnished at his own expense. I took twelve hundred packages of choice sanitary stores, from the North-West Branch of the U.S. Sanitary Commission; Mr. R. relieving me of all responsibility of their transportation, which was a matter of much labor and perplexity.

At Cairo, we found dismal weather and foreboding hearts; and the gloom thickened as we proceeded. Guerillas, even between Cairo and Memphis, were daring, crafty and successful. Boats had been captured and burned, passengers robbed and turned adrift in the swamps, only too happy to escape with their lives. One boat, at a wood-landing between Cairo and Memphis, had been entered by guerillas disguised as civilians, who had taken possession of her and her stores, threatening the employees into compliance, and obliging them to carry these marauders, as they directed them. An immense government steamer, filled with amunition, had barely escaped capture or explosion from rebel balls, a few miles.