surrender of Vicksburg. Would to God that we could accomplish another
this spring. Willingly would I face the hardships, exposures and dangers
to accomplish it. But I try to school myself to patience. I know that
the same hero is now at the helm, and we are waiting with breathless
suspense to hear his movements, and in conjunction with it we are also
under marching orders. All the preliminaries are issued, baggage to be
cut down to two teams, everything to be in light trim for the field. Any
moment we may pack up, preparatory to which we spent most of the
forenoon in harnessing the teams and putting things together, etc. All
is new and mixed up.

Friend E. W. E. up from the Tennessee River after rations. Obtained
permission of Lieutenant Clark to return with him in the morning and
relieve D. Hayes. M. Hungerford takes my team. Heavy details of infantry
are continually kept at work at the fortification of Huntsville. It will
soon be that it can be held by a few men.

Fort Hall, Whitesburg, Ala., Tuesday, April 26. Busied myself this
morning to prepare, and after breakfast we started on horseback. The day
was delightful, and our road lay through one of the most enchanting
valleys I ever travelled through, skirted on each side by a low ridge of
the Cumberland Mountains which, dressed in the richest verdure of
spring, with the evergreens here and there raising their dark heads
among the new green leaves in beautiful contrast. The valley was about
five miles wide, all of which had been under long cultivation. Stumps
all out, large fields were plowed in the rude Southern style, and large
droves of negroes and mules at work planting cotton, a pleasing insight
to the domestic life of the South; but the driver's lash and hound were
not there. The same large landed estates were apparent here as
elsewhere, houses infrequent. I could but picture in my mind's eye the
industrious farmer of the North in his neat white house and 160 acres of
land scattered over it with school-houses on every corner. Liberal
institutions and improved cultivation would make this an earthly
paradise.

Reached Whitesburg by 12 M. after one of the pleasantest rides I ever
enjoyed. Found the boys all well and in good spirits, very neatly
quartered in Fort Hall with one company of infantry with them.

After supper Evie and I went fishing in Tennessee River, dropped our
lines and watched the rebels on the opposite side of the river on
picket. Breastwork