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Regiment: 4th Michigan Calvary
Battles Mentioned: Chickamauga, Georgia
Historical Figures: Alexander M. McCook, David S. Stanley, George Crook, George Stoneman, George Thomas, Giles A. Smith, Gordon Granger, John A. Logan, John E. Smith, John M. Palmer, Kenner Garrard, Morgan L. Smith, Robert H. Minty, Thomas L. Crittenden, Ulysses S. Grant, William S. Rosecrans, William T. Sherman
Head-Quarters 1st Brig., 2d Cavalry Division,
Huntsville Ala
March 8 1864
My dear Davidson
I have to-day sent to
Mrs Iswon a dragt on you for $115 10/x
which please pay, and enter on the credit
side of your ledger. It is the balance
of A’s money which I held in my
hands.
Since writing the above the mail
has come in, and brought yours of 25
th
ult. From it I learn that you are spend-
ing this day in Lansing, and are probably
now fixing the time when you are to be
entirely blest. What cartler in the air you
are building. I hope every one of them may
have a firm foundation, and last you for
the remainder of your life. I shall do
what I can to get to Michigan to be pre-
sent upon
the occasion, but I have not
the slightest idea I shall succeed. It will
be almost an impossibility to obtain a leave of ab-
sence after the campaign opens. When that
will be, I cannot say. Our cavalry here can do
nothing yet, it being scattered broadcast
through the Land of Dixie. Only one of our
regiments, the 4
th Regulars, went upon the Sher-
man expedition, and I see that they have been
badly whipped and driven back to Memphis.
When we left here last Dec and went as far
as Pulaski, we had then started upon the
expedition, but for some cause known to
Genl Smith, Grant’s Chief of Cavalry, the 4
th
W.S. were the only ones taken, I see that
Genl S. is now in Nashville, and we think
he is there to give the whys and wherefores
for his not joining Sherman as ordered. He
may have presumed a little too much upon his
rank. and standing with Genl G. The Cavalry
of the Army of the Cumberland are terribly down on
him for the manner he has been ordering them
about, and it is whispered that Genl Thomas
has taken the matter in hand and is to look
into the business. Genl S. is supposed to have
very much exceeded his powers when he intr-
fered with the “Cumberland” cavalry, without
consulting with Genl Thomas. If he has
been degeated and driven back “off
goes his
head, So much for
s-m-i-t-h”
Col Minty has probably been honerable acquit
ted though the
sentence finding has not yet been pub-
lished. No one, but the court knows what it is,
until printed. I had a letter from the Col a
day or two ago, and he knew nothing about it.
The publication in the Michigan paper was
premature, or was founded upon a supposition.
He will probably come here and command this
Brigade again in a short time. I look for him
every day. Our regiment is full again; and
the Col writes has 20 more men than the
law allows. They will soon fall off however
I am to be made Captain of Co F. Having
Lawton in command of Co. C. He has become
responsible for all the Co C property, and
has asked me to allow him to remain with
the Co. It is a great accommodation to him
and will probably make no difference to me as
I shall, I think, remain here. It is proposed
to make me Provost Marshal on Genl Garrard’s
staff. but I do not want to go until I see Col
Minty. A new A.A.G. has been assigned to this
Division, and there is no vacancy, except the
one I am filling. You know I am only “acting” If
Col Minty strongly objects to the new man Genl
Ganard will try and get line showed off somewhere
else. If it cannot be done otherwise I think
I shall go with Genl G. He is a very plea-
sant man and now commands the 2d Cav-
alry Division. You are aware that Genl
Crook was some time ago ordered to Western
Virginia. It is thought that the Cavalry
of the Cumberland will soon be re-organized
and Genl Stanley placed again in command.
I hope it may be so. It has amounted to
nothing since he left us. After the battle
of Chickamauga he was assigned to a Division
of the 4
th Army Corps under Genl Granger.
All this may be uninteresting to you. Possibly
I am talking “shop.” However you asked me in
a late letter whether we had an Army of the Cunm-
berland, and I think this a good opportunity of
telling. It is commanded by Thomas and now
consists of the 4
th Corps commanded by Gran-
ger and the 14
th by Palmer. McCook and
Crittenden’s old corps, the 20
th and 21
st were
consolidated and form the 4
th Our
little squad here are all surrounded by the 15
th
Corps under Genl Logan. We are away off to the
West of our own army, and are crowding on
to the tramping grounds of that of the Tennessee
or Sherman’s.
While writing the last sentence a
batch of Genl Orders was brought in and a-
mong them the enclosed No 36 which you
see honorably acquits Col Minty. He
will probably be here now in a day or two.
I wish you would have a copy of this order
published in the Kalamazoo paper, together
with a little sketch of the care as you
understand it. Just give him a little puff
and send me a copy of the paper. By
the way I have received several copies of the
N.Y. Times one to-day, and am obliged to
you for them. Mails come pretty reg-
ularly now as the Yankee Vandals have
repaired the rail-road and have the
cars running to this place. Who do you
think arrived here yesterday? Peter M. Dox
and spouse. I have not seen them yet.
Am going to call on them with Mr. White a
cousin of hers at whose house I am so-
journing.
I am glad you have got the “[ ? ] &c”
The author is getting out another edition which will
include the doings
of the Army up to the re-
moval of Rosecrans after the battle of Chick-
amauga. Our command is going to have fur-
ther good mention in it. What you can
see in the portrait of Col. Long that resembles
me, is more than I can imagine. You how-
ever have a knack at tracing resemblances as
I remember when I was in Kalamazoo last
spring you thought a picture of Genl Stone-
man in Harper’s Weekly might pass for mine.
I have always had the idea that I looked
like a great man, but was under the impress-
ion that the world “couldn’t see it” When
in Nashville we were called upon for our por-
traits by some long haired gentlemen of the
brush, who are about to get up illustrations
of the war and who wanted to paint two
pictures of the exploits of the 1
st Brigade
We gratified them and you will probably some
day see your brother’s image on a dash-
ing horse riding full till into the rebels
Keep a good look out for all the pan-
oramar because it may appear in shows
of that kind. I drew sketches for them of
our Shelbyville and Chickamauga fights and
have no doubt that they will fill in the
back ground with plenty of blood and thunder
Vive la Vagatelle. I enclose an
invitation to a Feb’y 22 Ball. The room was
full of officers; and seven ladies graced the
fete with their presence and I believe they
were officers wives. None of the fair cit-
oyennes would go. They are yet too secesh
for that. It is humbug to talk about the
latent Unionism in the South. I have not
seem a bit of it, except in East Tennessee, and
that among the very poorest classes of the in-
habitants there. The Capt. M. Rochester on
the card is the Mont Rochester who used
to come and visit us at College. Charly Mont-
gomery’s friend and cousin. He is A.A.Q. for
a Genl Smith here. Even in this little town
we have three Genl Smith’s. Giles, John E.
and Morgan L. I do not know
why my letters do not reach Mother. I have
written two directed to 304 Cumb St. I wrote
Addie Squires a fortnight ago. Maybe that has
gone astray too. Mother may get them as you
did yours of Nov 23d I have had one
letter from Willy since his marriage.
I did not know until you wrote me that
he was with Sherman. The news from the
expedition lately has not been very favorable.
There are rumors in the air of his being
repulsed. I hope they may be untrue. I
feel anxious about Willy. We must wish that
be may come out unharmed. I have
not been troubled with my old complaint
since last June. and am now perfectly
and permanently recovered. I never was bet-
ter but am sorry to say that I am getting
decidedly gray. I have given up in dispair the
pulling out of white hairs. They are even encroach-
ing on my beard. I begin to fear that my mat-
rimonial market is closed. Well no matter!
I can come and live with you, unless I should
settle (or get settled) down here. Love to
Madge when you write. Let me hear from you
soon again. Good night and good bye
Your affec brother
Robert
J. Davidson Burns Esq
Kalamazoo
Mich
[On Envelope:]
March 17, 1864
J. Davidson Burns Esq
Kalamazoo
Michigan
March 8.
