Thomas Wright's Diary

March / April 1863

27, March 1863

Lane sakes! I am excited! I can run, truly run ifin I had ta charge bayonet fixed, why I could do it!
Told the Doc I was ready ta go back ta the front.
He say he thought I was ready ta be released.
Don't know what the Army a do yet.

Not sure what ta tell Betsy an Ma. Best wait till I know, what they be doin. This handin out supplies is gettin old, tell ya real old. Not used ta standin around most the day. It got warm nough, some fellas played some Base Ball taday. I didn't, watched some is all. Kinda reminded me a home. Think watchin that game, well made me feel even better.

1, April 1863

Wednesday, still no word on what they gonna do. I just want ta leave Dennison. Get back ta my friends, we needs each other. Ifin I am goin ta be stuck here. Might as well go on home, take care the farm an of course Betsy an Ma.

Late afternoon, well more like evenin got my orders. I am ta report ta Company K 59th Ohio. Goin back ta Theo, maybe he can get me back ta the Pioneers. Least I am out of Dennison. Leave in the mornin. My, spirits are a might better. Least I ain't sittin waitin lan sakes. I know what I am doin.

10, April 1863

Made it, Fort is movin along good. On my way ta report in, got in lates last night. Off ta find Theo an the 59th. Feels good ta be back ta my fellow, fightin brothers. Found the 59th Theo was, might happy ta see me. Told me ta stay put, handed my orders ta CQ (Charge of Quarters) Theo say muster him in, then special Duty Pioneers. Theo smiled a touch, come on Thomas seems they want me also.

Found Leonard an Pete, they picked up a new messmate. Name a George. Nice fella, least ways he seems ta be. Theo took over the Company. Stopped by the Sutlers, got me some pickled eggs an sardines, some kinda beef in a can, hard candy. Pete found some flour and corn flour, few eggs. Leonard why could not believe it, he found well requisitioned a blame chicken! Where those eggs an chicken come from, I ain't askin nor is George. Not ate this well, those ladies at Dennison fed us good that one day.

Pete fried that chicken dipped in that flour, Leonard made cornbread cakes. Had four tatters from our rations we shared. George shared some contraband whisky, I put in some candy.
Might fine meal, fer the Army. About supper time, the Camp has the best smell, all that cookin goin on. Men more cheerful day is done. We savored that candy, had coffee then that whisky.

21, April 1863

Busy few days, been on the railroad work crew. Not over hard work. Make sure the track is in good shape, check the spikes replace or drive thum back in. Need this ta keep movin troops an supplies. Checkin bridges an such, make repairs if needed. Not a bad job rotate from work ta picket duty. About two days south of Murfreesboro. My it is Late, have picket duty tomorrow.
Betsy an Ma are good. Least they letters say they good.

Joe sent one, also say he been over ta the old place. Advised thum not not plant, this season. Just let the land rest, do a garden ta have food. He did few repairs around the place. Told me they doin fine, not ta worry. Reason he told thum not ta plant. That fool Bowman wanted half ta get the crops in an harvested. Ifin I have ta desert ta fix this! I will! Kill him fer takin my land, ifin he tries.

28, April 1863

We worked our way back ta main camp. Out of camp ya can forage eat decent. Well close ta it, ate some rabbit an squirrel while we was out. Now back ta salt pork, beef basic rations. Unlessin Leonard or Pete find decent eats. Ate my sardines along with fried tatters. That was my supper, ate alone this evenin. Just wanted ta be alone, don't know why. Night now, looked up nope stars still aren't like they used ta be. So filled with amazin light and wonder as what they are. Just points of light far away is all.

Pete an George showed up with Leonard, had coffee an whisky.
Tattoo just played as, we took that drink a whisky. They stayed a spell, then headed off ta sleep. Leonard say, think we gettin more rail duty goin north. I think that be a good thing. Away from this here Fort. To blame many people, like Camp Dennison. Late best get some sleep.

Fort Rosecrans

This Fort was the largest inland fort of it's time. Built as a supply and rear defence position. It stayed open through the war. Acting as a Hospital supply depot. It's location near the Stones River and Nashville Chattanooga Railroad, the intersection Wilkinson Pike and Old Nashville Pike. The fort covered an area of approximately 225 acres consisted of 8 lunettes, 4 redoubts linked by a series of curtain walls and abatis. (Lunettes a fortification with two faces, forming a projecting angel and two flanks. Redoubt a supplementary fortification typically a square without flanking defenses. Curtain walls, a fortified wall typically one linking towers together.)

Top Picture Lunette, center picture Redoubt
Bottom Fort Rosecrans red line is the existing
Part of the fort.

Fort Rosecrans, had numerous buildings, saw mills, quartermaster depots, warehouses, magazines and quarters. The fort was never successfully assaulted by Confederate forces, it provided logistical support for the Union advance on Chattanooga Tennessee, Atlanta Georgia, Sherman's march to the sea.

After the war, the site reverted back to agriculture, the west wall of the fortress and one redoubt still remains. This portion of the fort was Transferred to the National Park Service, becoming part of the Stones River National Battlefield.

I wanted to separate the fort drawing from the other two pictures,
Watt Pad would delete the picture. Even saving it before adding another picture. Sometimes I get more than one picture. I got tired of fighting with it. So I combined them.

Thanks for your support, thinking on adding a chapter on weapons. Think this will help seeing exactly what these men used
to fight, how they loaded. The few advancements made during the war, on weapons. Again thank you for reading vote comment please.