p in three hours before. Prepared
for march and started with the sun, in advance of the artillery; passed
through Holly Springs about 11 A. M.; passed through the streets where
twenty-four hours before the last of the rebels skedaddled. Holly
Springs passed my expectations in size and beauty, being the largest
place I have seen in Secession.

We traveled on in a southward course towards Waterford. General Hamilton
and troupe passed us about 4 miles beyond Holly Springs. Two miles
farther on we heard two guns discharged and heard rumors of a battle
ahead. On the brow of a hill we were shown the grounds where the cavalry
were engaged in the morning with the Rebs' pickets, killing a Michigan
boy and three Rebs. Ascended the hill which overlooked Waterford,
consisting of a mill and a small creek, branch of Coldwater River. Here
the enemy opened fire on our troops in the morning with two pieces which
were taken. We forded the stream about 5 P. M., went into camp on the
banks, got some flour from the mills (ground by the secesh for supper),
and laid down under the gun on soil twenty-four hours ago occupied by
Rebs, seven miles south of Holly Springs.

Lumpkin's Mill, Miss., Sunday, Nov. 30. This was a dark and sultry
morning, and about 8 A. M. while sitting upon the ground, I felt the
earth shake a kind of a dull roll, which was felt by many. Firing with
siege guns was commenced at about nine o'clock and kept up briskly
through most of the day. While listening to the firing, expecting
momentarily to be called upon, the orders came to hitch up, get two
days' rations in haversacks, and ready to march in half an hour. 11 A.
M. At this time L. N. Keeler rode up for one man to go foraging.
Sergeant Hamilton detailed me. We started with two teams and three men,
Bowman, Leffart and myself. We went to the northeast one and one fourth
miles, crossed the railroad, found our corn in an old log barn. We had
to turn around before loading in order to be ready to leave in case of
necessity, as the pickets close by were expecting an attack. We loaded
our corn got three quarters of a barrel of salt from the smoke house and
returned in a hurry. Found the Battery still there, unharnessed and
cooled down. The firing gradually ceased, and by night was heard no
more. We went to bed without knowing anything of the result in the
front.

P. S. This place represented as Waterford proved to be called Lumpkin's
Mill.

Lumpkin's Mill, Monday, De