every button & brass brightly
polished. Col. Cross is a strict
disciplinarian & has everything in
regular army style. He is bound to be
ahead in everything. And if ever we
do go into a fight he will put us
ahead then I reckon. He believes in the
bayonet. An order has been sent here
from Gen. McClellen for every man
to be drilled in the bayonet exercise.
The battles of Mill Spring & Roanooke
Island have demonstrated that
the chivalry[sic] can’t stand cold steel.
Our regt. is drilled one hour Friday
noon with the bayonet. News
came last night of the occupa-
tion of Bowling Green Ken. by
our troops. The whole brigade
turned out and cheered & the bands
played. We could hear cheering
all thru this division & in Franklins
& Heintzelmans. We expect to hear
soon that Fort Donelson has fallen

in to our hands. As soon as
Burnside & Buel cut off the rebels
communications the rebels in Va. will
begin to feel the grip of the Anaconda.
We shall begin to press them a little
then I reckon. It makes me feel un-
easy to have such stirring work
going on in other parts of the country
& we are doing nothing here. I want to
be moving on & have a hand in whip-
ping out the cowardly rascals.
Gen. Fullerton came out here last
Monday from Washington. he is fat
& healthy . It snowed yesterday
about 3 inches. today it is quite
cool & winterish. I have sent home
for a box of eatables etc. every one
in my squad has had one sent
& I have shared with them. I don’t
want to be behind the rest. I
shall look for it by the first of next
week. I sent last Friday & it takes
4 or 5 days for a box to come out here. I hope

they will hurry it up for perhaps we
shall not remain here long.
I say perhaps because I don’t know
anything about it - but there are
any numbers of rumors afloat about
what we are going to do & where we
are going, Some of them have some
shadow of a foundation
Our Chaplain has gone home on a fur-
lough so prayer meetings are sus-
pended for the present.
My health continues excellent - I
never enjoyed so good health as since
I enlisted. It has been somewhat
sickly in my regt & quite a no. have died
one out of our Co. but the sickness is decreas-
ing. A great many have had the measles.
I think of nothing more to write now.
Please write again soon & give my respects
to all.