ne that although
roughened by usage and inured to hardship, and mayhap contracted that
which is not befitting, yet their hearts are filled with the love of
home and friends. I was jubilant over the receipt of three letters, one
from my ever faithful correspondent John, the other from my sister Ellen
and the rest from an old schoolmate.

Bridgeport, Monday, Nov. 16. A beautiful sunny morning. Did not get up
till broad daylight, which was a strange thing. The first thing attended
to, now that we were in hopes of a few days' rest, was changing and
washing. I changed throughout, and Evie and myself passed to the creek
with ax, fire buckets, etc. My washing consisted of a pair pants, shirt,
two pairs of socks and towels. Quite a washer-woman. After dinner Cousin
Griffith, E. W. E. and myself took a ride down town. I mounted Rodney
and off we went. We failed to find a building but found Bridgeport,
which is certainly a city of tents. All of it is in tents. Sutler's
stores and bakeries are plenty, but so crowded by the soldiers that it
was impossible to get a hearing anywhere. I tried hard to get a pie, but
there were hundreds pressing in for the same, and I gave it up as a bad
job. Bought a blank book and started back to a large tent upon a hill
with the sign "Army Hotel" which furnished meals for 75 cents.

[Illustration: A Group of Comrades in 6th Wisconsin Battery]

The Charleston and Memphis Road crosses the river here, but the bridge
was destroyed by General Mitchel a year ago, and not yet completed. A
day force is at work on it and teams are hauling timber in all
directions. It is a patent truss-bridge like those across the Wisconsin,
the R. R. on top and wagon road below it. A pontoon bridge is stretched
across below it until the bridge is finished. The cars go no further
than here, which is the nearest point to Chattanooga, twenty-eight miles
by R. R. and forty by land. All supplies are hauled to camp, long way
yet, by mule teams and two small steamboats. A large number of artillery
horses have been sent back to be fed. Horses and mules look much worse
than ours after the march. The 11th and 12th Army Corps under General
Hooker are across the river from here, which makes a total of three
corps within supporting distance of Chattanooga. Heavy artillery firing
could be heard this morning from that vicinity. Stevenson nine miles
west of here.

[Sidenote: 1863 Boys From Home]

Bridgeport, Tuesday, Nov. 17. In cam