Were obliged to send back for
feed for our horses. More rain was falling, and the roads were getting
very heavy. About noon, the wagons arrived; but no further move was made,
and we quietly remained in camp. Heavy firing was heard nearly all day. A
general battle was reported as going on at Beech Grove, about twelve or
fourteen miles distant. General Thomas' Corps was engaged. Rumors were
rife in camp, and several prisoners were brought in. Our camp was located
at Holly Springs, about seventeen miles from Murfreesboro.

Saturday, June 27th. All hands were up at daylight, and prepared
breakfast. The weather again cloudy. Firing on our right, still heard; but
just before noon, ceased. At 12 o'clock, report came that General Thomas
had defeated the Rebels and driven them, taking a large number of
prisoners, and a lot of plunder.

At 1 o'clock, we once more got started, but the road was in a horrible
condition; and after plodding slowly along for some six miles, we turned
into a field near a creek and pitched our tents.

Sunday, June 28th. Morning cloudy. About 9 o'clock it commenced raining,
but we were soon moving. Went two miles, and then prepared to camp; but
the stumps and brush were so thick that it was some time ere we were
enabled to pitch the tents. This was one mile from Manchester, and near a
large creek, called the Barren fork of Duck river.

In the morning we were again moving, but nothing worthy of note transpired
for several days.

Saturday, July fourth, eighteen hundred and sixty-three. This is the
eighty-seventh anniversary of our National Independence, and here we are
engaged in civil war. What would our old Revolutionary heroes say, could
they but look in upon us? Ah! little did they dream when they laid down
the sword and gun, that this country would ever again have cause to
maintain her honor by sword-blade and cannon's mouth; yet, this curse has
been entailed upon us, by the vandal hand of the South. And now, to-day we
stand up in a cause just as pure and holy as that for which our fathers
fought in days gone by. We battle for our country as a whole; it _must
not_, it _can not_ be divided. Yes,

We'll battle for our own true flag,
We'll fight for every star;
In town, on plain, or beetled crag,
Our cause we'll thunder far.

But, already a light--faint though it be--breaks over our war-tossed
homes, and 'tis slowly but surely expanding. Ere another year be passed,
we hope to see its