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https://micivilwar.com/authors/burns-robert/
Regiment: 4th Michigan Calvary
Battles Mentioned: Perryville, Kentucky
Historical Figures: Braxton Bragg, Don C. Buell, John H. Morgan
Camp in Lincoln County
5 miles from Stanford Ky
Oct 17, 1862
My dear Mother
Hearing that the teams
are to return to Louisville to-morrow
I must seize the only means of carry-
ing a letter & send this. In the
first place I have swelt gunpowder
and heard the singing of the shells.
Our first introduction was on Tuesday
the 14
th I wrote Davidson
a detailed account of our march
from Louisville to Danville and asked
him to write you as I did not know
I should have another opportunity
soon. We left Louisville a week ago
to-day without tents or any sort of bag-
ge, since which time I have slept on the
ground with no sort of covering on roof.
Two nights it has rained which were dis-
agreeable pills for raw recruits to
swallow. We have had a forced march
and are completely tired out. Last
Tuesday morning having arrived the eve-
ning before at Dansville we were waked
at 1 o’clock and ordered to march. About
1500 cavalry as we supposed constituted
the whole of the force. At 6 o’clock
in the morning we came upon a cav-
alry force of the enemy part of the rear
guard of Bragg’s army. Skirmishing im-
mediately commenced. Our company was
not engaged but we were near enough
to see the sport. We drew up in line of
battle at the side of the road. Soon
the infantry and artillery came pouring over
the road as if rising our of the earth. They
(the former) swept along in long lines cool
as possible. The artillery soon opened
on both sides and fired a few rounds
Our shell hunt some distance over
our head and one
explod plunged
into a
[ ? ] about 200 feet from
us. The enemy about 11 o’clock ceased
firing and retreated. It appears that
we were the extreme advance of a great
part of Buell’s army. Skirmishing has
been going on every day between the pickets
On Wednesday we were ordered back
to Dansville. We must have passed
twenty miles of soldiers. From 1 o’clock
Tuesday till 11 Wednesday they were
pouring by. I never before had an idea
what a large army was. It was a won-
derful sight. Last night we returned to
Stanford, two companies. I was just spread-
ing my india – rubber blanket on the ground
for a sleep when we were told that our
supply train about 4 miles back was in
danger from a staggling party of about 600
of Morgan’s querillas, and were ordered back
to defend it. Off we started and I was
detailed with two men to go in advance of
our party three quarters of a miles so we
started off alone with pistol in hand
and terribly frightened two or three inoffensive
travelers whom we met and challenged. We
arrived at our train and found all safe.
I
was We went to bed
and having posted a
a guard I was sleeping very comfortably
having confiscated some hay when Major
Gray awoke me and told me to advance a
mile on the road with four men and
watch to challenge all comes and to fire if
there was any danger. Out we went and
remained there till morning almost frozen
to death. We could build no fire nor speak
above a whisper. The inhabitants along the road
were much frightened having heard that the
terrible Morgan was coming. The majority
of the people in this section are Unionists.
Last Sunday the 12
th we passed over the
the battle field of Perryville which took place
the preceding Wednesday. Several hundred
dead Secessionists were piled up
in in the
fields unburied. We met a great many
wounded. There is a rumor to-day that
there has been fighting in front & 22000 rebels
taken. I have been perfectly well
[ ? ]
[ ? ] If my health continues I shall be con-
tent. I have not had my boots off but
once since a week ago and my trow-
sers not yet. I have read of sleeping
with spurs on but we do it here lit-
erally. I do not know where we are going
but we will probably be kept busy. A letter di-
rected to me “Co C”, 4
th Michigan Cavalry
in the field Louisville Ky. would probably
reach me. I have not heard a word from
friends since I left Detroit. Yours affecly R. B.
