tured, and candidates for some southern prison hell Friday, 11th.-This morning the regiment leaves Pulaski with three days' rations; Lieutenant Roberts and squad are ordered to remain in camp. Oh! how lonely here since the regiment has been out on the war line making inroads in West Tennessee and North Alabama. Wednesday, 16th.—A cold north wind is blowing all day. This evening the regiment comes in from its expedition-cold and hungry, but we see success beaming from every face, and soon we are told that the regiment met and routed the famous guerrilla Moorland and his band. Killed ten and left them on the field, wounded about thirty, and captured forty prisoners, and strange to say without the loss of a man from the regiment. This can be accounted for from the fact of the superiority of our guns over those of the guerrillas at a long range. The boys are all in a glee over their scout, relating many incidents worthy of record. But we will only record one. Close by where our regiment encountered Moorland, two rebels entered a house to obtain their dinners, and in this house dwelt a young lady whose love for the old Union no one ever questioned. Though against her will, their dinners were prepared, and while eating, the young lady walks to the door and down the road she beholds the old Union's flag come flying. She immediately turns, seizes both guns and with one kills one of the rebels and with the other gun takes the other rebel prisoner, turning him over to our men when they advanced. Tell me not that woman is not performing her part in this war. Reader, will you believe me when I tell you that the world in all its knightly history, never produced brighter examples of heroism than have been produced in this southland during these years of terrible strife. The daughters of the south who love the bonny stars and stripes, deal with weapons of death; stemming war's wild current, braving what men have ever dared to brave, lending a helping hand to those who would perpetuate this union and save liberty from its final grave. We see her walking the battle field at the midnight hour where the messengers from the cannon's mouth have done their fearful work; we see her at the hospital where the angel of death lingers at the threshold waiting for life's brittle thread to break, when it could upon its wings bear the hero-spirits home to an approving God. We see her at the warrior's tomb, see her tears sparkle and her flowers fall on their silent mission of love and peace. Flowers of many hues from many hands, and tears from many heart fountains may fall there, but no brighter treasure, no holier tribute will ever be offered, than noble woman has already offered on the fallen soldier's hallowed tomb. Sunday, December, 20th.-To-day we receive the government's veteran propositions, which are now . being discussed by the Seventh; whether the boys will catch the fever, remains to be seen. Monday, 21st.-To-day a meeting of the regiment is called for the purpose of feeling its pulse, and it is found to beat to the veteran time. The ball is now rolling, old soldiers who have stood unblanched on many a battle field, seeing that war's storm king is still moving with fearful power, that the flag is still assailed and their second term of enlistment is drawing towards its end, are now re-enlisting and contracting for a third term of service. Tuesday, 22d.-To-day the veteran spirit rages high. The chill winter winds are now blowing. We move through the Seventh's camp. There they stand shivering around the camp fires with no tents and scarcely any covering to shelter them from the winter frosts. Can it be possible that the men will contract to prolong this life of privations and arduous duties. But it is nevertheless a fact, the regiment is going almost to a man, showing to the world examples that should move the mighty north as it has never before been moved, move it in such a way, that the southern army that to-day claims to be legion would be crushed into atoms. Wednesday, 23d.-This morning Captain Ahern with two men from each company leave for Illinois to recruit for the regiment. The entire regiment is now making preparations to go home on furlough, which is one of the conditions in the veteran contract. All are now busy preparing for muster, making out rolls, filling up enlistment papers, &c. Thursday, 31st.-The last week of 1863, the Seventh will never forget in mid-winter-standing in the rain, snow and storm anxiously waiting for the finishing of the rolls. This evening they are done; the is now for the mustering officers; all are anxious to start northward. cry January 1st, 1864.-Sixty-four is ushered in bleak and rough. The year has died, but its blood-wrought history will live co-equal with time. The war clouds have hung long over a stricken people bringing sadness and tears to many a hearthstone; but the voice of the boys in blue now rolling from the tented field is positive. Shivering around the camp fires they say we will give the lie to modern democracy; we will show them that we are not tired of this “abolition war," that we will not leave the field while one hostile foe assails the flag. "The mustering officer!”—“The mustering officer!" is now the universal cry. Colonel, can you not toll him out here? some one asks; "you know, Colonel, that he always goes where they have the best and the most for the 'neck"" utters one. But we will be compelled to wait his pleasure, for the colonel, as it happens, don't work with men in that style. January 7th.-The weather still the same-cold and windy. The camp of the Seventh is indeed a place of suffering, but men of steel stand here, and despite the warring elements they manage to keep cheerful. Another long week of anxious waiting for the mustering officers has passed away. At last he comes. How welcome is his presence. This evening though they have long been veterans in practice, the Seventh is denominated by name the Seventh Illiinois Veteran Volunteer Infantry. Thus ends our second enlistment, and commences our veteran organization. |