"We left Jefferson City Monday morning and came up to Lamine River,
fifty miles, where we joined the Eighth and Twenty-fourth Indiana,
and Colonel Veatch took command. Tuesday morning we heard there were
seven thousand rebels near here [Georgetown]. The colonels of the
other regiments wanted Veatch to stay at Lamine, but Colonel Morgan
and I urged him on, knowing that we were equal to two to one, or
even three, on the prairie with our long-range guns. It was greatly
through our urging that Colonel Veatch decided to go forward. We were
anxious to have a pure _Hoosier_ fight with the rebels, and were glad
of the prospect. We left at 3 P.M., all of us expecting to meet seven
thousand at night or in the morning. It was a race, we supposed, for
the possession of Georgetown, and by ten o'clock at night we passed
over the seventeen miles with our whole force, and entered the town
peaceably, without disturbing a citizen from sleep, and slept in the
court-house yard. It was our first march on foot and a hard one, but
we made it finely. The last two miles were very trying on the men. The
only way we kept them up was by riding down the lines and telling the
men it was only over the hill to the enemy, and we would have them
certain. But no enemy was near, none nearer than Lexington. I don't
know how I will feel on the battlefield, but as yet I have no fear of
going into a fight.
"We are at last settled after hard marching, rainy weather, and various
hardships. I have been in the saddle nearly all the time for four days.
Yesterday I stationed the picket guards, and it took about forty miles'
riding, but I am standing it well. It is just what I need. I enjoy it
finely, eat largely, and have no dyspepsia [a trouble at home].
"Near to our camp is a neat little cottage all furnished with
everything, nice beds, furniture and carpets, dining-room and kitchen
furniture complete. It is the house of a young lawyer, who was married
this spring, was a secessionist, was taken prisoner, took the oath of
loyalty, violated it, and is now in the rebel army, and subject to be
shot if he is ever caught. His wife has fled to her father's. Colonel
Veatch has established his brigade headquarters in his house, and we
are living in style. I am writing at his desk, using his paper."