LONDON, KY., Feb. 8, '62
MESSRS ESTILL.--Please grant me a small space in the colums of your paper by which we can inform our friends in Holmes county how the soldier boys
are prospering away down here among the mountains, rocks and rebels. I suppose you have all heard of our march from Lexington to Somerset, so I will give you a brief account of our march from there. On Thursday the 30th ult., we were ordered to practice building breastworks, and before we were done the orders came to prepare to march the next morning by 6 o'clock. The next morning by daylight breakfast was over, and everything ready for a march. To save the soldiers from marching through the mud the regiment took across, while the teams were sent round by Somerset, with the expectation of meeting that evening in time to pitch our tents and get our supper before night. We reached the place, dark came, but no wagons. As we started with but one day's rations few of the boys had any provisions. Our tents were in the wagons, and our location being on the side of a steep hill our camp afforded no shelter, not even a friendly tree to protect us from the torrents of rain which poured down during the entire night. We therefore had to provide for ourselves. Some went to the woods, some to houses, some to stables, and others remained in the open field and took it as come. The next day we marched about a mile, and the teams came up late in the evening, and it was not long til we had some mush for our supper. We had mush for breakfast, and for a change we took cold mush for dinner. We marched ten miles to Rockcastle river which we had to cross by ferry. The artillery being in front we couldn't cross until they were over. We were detained over night; part got across the next day, and then the river became so high we cold not ferry it; and some of us were on each side. The next day we all got over, and marched two miles and encamped, at which place three wagon loads of provisions, sent from London, met us, which was a cause for rejoicing, as we had been with little to eat for several days. That night we prepared provisions to march the next day. The next day we marched eleven miles, but our wagons did not get up until 10 o'clock at night. The following day the Regiment reached London; but owing to the heavy roads and our mules having but little feed the teams did not arrive until the next morning, which compelled us to sleep without tents. There is but little sickness in our Regiment. The boys of our company, and also those of Capt. Taneyhill's, are well. Near our camp are breastworks made by Union troops to defend themselves against Gen. Zollicoffer, who was then at Cumberland Gap. Sixteen miles from here is the Wildcat battle ground, where Zollicoffer was defeated. Next Monday we start for Cumberland Gap, and from there we go to Knoxville, Tenn. We expect a big fight, either at Cumberland Gap or Knoxville. The boys all seem anxious to it. They declare they won't go home until they each kill a rebel. I have given you a brief history our our journey so far, and when we get to our journey's end you may hear from me again. Respectfully Yours,
N. A. YOUNG.
