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Regiment: 4th Michigan Calvary
Battles Mentioned:
Historical Figures: Gordon Granger, John H. Morgan, Robert H. Minty
No 4
In Camp about 6 miles
SE of Nashville Tenn
Nov 23, 1862
My dear Brother
Yours No 3 dated the 11th inst I
received Thursday last. Since I wrote you last
you see I have made a forward moves. I have not
yet recovered from my diarrhea, and do not know
when I shall. It seems to have settled on our ar-
my like a curse and cannot be eradicated. Out
of the 750 men we now muster as fit for duty, over
400 of them are suffering with it. I do not suppose
we have more than 350 perfectly well men. You
I suppose have received my No 3 dated the 7
th I
have been looking for an answer to it for several
days. I may be unreasonable in expecting you to
write so often, but you do not know what a
treasure letters are to us. Whenever the mail
arrives you should see the anxious faces gathered
around the letter distributors. They brighten
when their names are called, look on expectantly
until all are dealt out, and some with a muttered
curse
and others with a tear grumble or sigh
“Nothing for me.” You say you will send me papers
do so. I will receive them regularly here. I should
like you to send me an occasional Detroit weekly and
N.Y. Tribune. I received a long and very kind
letter from Cousin Eliza a few days ago, also one
from Mother. I wrote the former on the 11
th.
My journey here was not very dangerous nor exciting.
I left Mr. Sterritt’s where I was when I wrote you last
on the morning of the 12
th quite recovered. Two of us
(Harrison one of our men who had stayed with me and
myself) started on horseback. I had not ridden more
than two hours when my old complaint came on and I
was very sick all day. I several times thought of giving
it up and stopping at some house. I was in rebel
territory however, it was said Morgan was around,
and for the safety of my own head, and to prevent my
horse from being stolen we rode on. We stopped at
night, having ridden 33 miles, 6 miles North of Bowl-
ing Green, at a farmer’s. He was a good Union man
and treated us kindly even if he did charge abomin-
able prices for his accommodations. The next morn-
ing we rode into Bowling Green, and were going on
when we found it necessary to get a pass from Gen.
Granger to get out of the village. The road between
Bowling Green and Nashville was represented to be full
of guerillas and no one was allowed to go on it with-
out the necessary pass. Many men were captured every
day, and were coming into B. G. as paroled prisoners. A
stop was to be put to that and no
one party could go out un-
less in sufficient force to defend themselves. That day
I met two men of our Company (one of them a son
of E Lanphear of Lawrence) who had been taken prison-
ers by Morgan’s men and paroled. I went to Gen. Gran-
ger’s office and obtained a pass (which you will find en-
closed) He would give it to me however only on condi-
tion that I should gather together a force of fifteen
men and take with me.
Camp Rosecrans 1 ½ miles S
of Nashville Dec 3, 1862
I have just received both of yours Nos 4
& 5. I found them on my (the Adjutant’s) desk on
our return from a race through Nashville after
some rumored rebels. While at dinner to-day guerillas
were said to be attacking a forage train about 6 miles
off and our regiment was ordered out. We saddled
in hot haste and started off at a gallop. When
we reached where the rebels had been “
[ ? ]
inventi” and we returned to camp non the worse
for our race tho’ I can’t say as much for
our horses. I had written
as far as the above on the 23d ult. when I re-
ceived notice that I was Lieutenant of the Guard
for the day and I had to drop pen and done
belt and sabre. I was busy all day and night and
since then I have not had time to write more than
a line. Muster rolls &c must be made out and I
must do it. On your Thanksgiving day I was ap-
pointed by Col Minty Acting Adjutant of the Regiment
which I find much pleasanter than being a company
Lieutenant. I shall probably not return to Company “C”
any more. Will soon I think be Adjutant or Captain
though I know of nothing certain. I am now
perfectly well again and have been for about a week. As you
may know health makes a decided difference in one’s spirits.
I feel much better in every way than I did ten days ago. Now
I get my meals regularly and have them tolerably cooked. I mess with
the Col and the field officers and of course we have many little
things that the men do not. That, you know, helps digestion. On
the 28
th we moved our regiment to this camp and the
next day were ordered out on a three days scout of 30 miles to Lebanon,
On Saturday we started and camped about 10 miles from Lebanon.
Sunday morning off again and as we approached the village were
informed that the rebels were there. Col Minty rode ahead and
I with him (as my place is on his left) We could see about 30
in the street 3/4
th of a mile ahead. Col said “Come Burns
Let us give them a chase.” Off we started pistols out ahead of every
body. The rebels scattered like chaff into by-streets. We chased three
of them about 4 miles but it was no go. Their horses were too
good. Co’s C and F followed as closely and there was a good
deal of fun in it. The
next day same day on our return we came very
near, by a mistake, having a skirmish with the 10
th Michigan
Regiment. As it was it was a lucky escape. Guns were
aimed, were about to be fired when the regiments recognized
each other. That night we had a little hush with rebel
cavalry. They soon skedaddled with nobody hurt on either
side. On Monday the 3d Ohio with us chased and fired
into about 30 rebels. I saw De. Sharling of the 10
th Mich (You
may have met him in Jot’s office in Detroit) run down and take
prisoner a rebel artillery officer. We returned to Camp
here Monday night with a few prisoners.
I cannot now give you a detailed statement of my journey to
Nashville as I started to the other day. I arrived there safely the
15
th Nov. Let me congratulate you on entering
the firm of Miller & Burns. I am heartily rejoiced at it. May
you always be as fortunate. Thank you for the capsicum &
stamps. I will write Willy through you in a few days. Write
me all about yourself, Detroit, Kal’zoo & Paw Paw news. We are
now brigaded. 1
st Brigade, 1
st Cavalry Division Army of the Cumber-
land. Direct to me Acting Adjt 4
th Mich Cavy in the field
Nashville Tenn. Good night, my dear Brother
Your R. B.
