"We are still in the fort, living in the rebel huts. I am getting very
tired of our inactive life of the past week, and the worst of it is
I'm afraid we will be left here for some time to come, as we see no
evidence of preparing for our advance. We would like very much to be
sent forward. I suppose you have no special desire to have me get into
another fight soon, but from present appearances there is not much
probability of more fighting in Tennessee.
"This is a very poor country around the fort, and had already been
eaten out by the rebel troops before ours came. There is nothing in the
eating line we can buy for our mess, and we have had poorer fare here
than at any time since we have been in the service. I begin to feel
like I could relish a good dinner at home!"
The following, dated March 1, is a reference to the visit to the fort
of my wife and father already noticed:--
"Only day before yesterday my dear wife and darling babe were with
me here. I need not tell you how pleasant was your visit to me, made
doubly so under the circumstances here, and then that I missed you so
sadly after you were gone. But we cannot have pleasures _unalloyed_. I
was glad you made the trip, aside from the pleasure of seeing you, as
the excursion was a pleasant change for you and Alice.
"I wonder if you will remember to-morrow that it is my birthday,
twenty-six years old. Quite an old man!"