LETTERS OF NANCY HUNT
1862-1865
We are once more within the Federal lines. Gen. Crook's headquarters are at Meadow Bluff and Gen. Averill in Lewisburg. I suppose you have seen an account of the raid at Dublin depot. It was very successful. Edwin, Henry and Alonzo were there. They did not get hurt. Edw was in the fight at Wythville, Alonzo guarded prisoners. They are both in the Second Va. Cavalry. Henry is now division train master. His business is to fit out all the trains for the division. He has been home twice since the raid but the other boys have not been home yet. They had a hard time of it. They took rations for 12 days but it was 16 before they got their supplies. Henry said Alonzo told him he did not have a bite to eat for 2 days and many had none for 4 days. Their supplies passed here.
It seems very much like when Gen. Rosecrans was up on Sewell. Saturday week the longest train of wagons passed here that I ever saw. A regiment was along guarding 262 prisoners and 450 contraband and a long train of ambulances containing the wounded. Trains and soldiers are passing daily, 25 prisoners, some of them bushwhackers passed today. Some 8 or 10 of them have been shot. A paper is pinned to them with inscription, "This is the fate of all bushwhackers". Much bushwhacking has been going on on Sewell Mountain. A soldier and his wife took supper here a few nights ago, who were fired on from the brush this side of Frank Tyrees and he was wounded in the leg.
I suppose the forces at Meadow Bluff and Lewisburg will start on another raid tomorrow toward Richmond as the trains passing here are hurrying by. I have been busy waiting on soldiers with nobody to help me. I am now keeping my own house. Sidney is staying at the store and teaching school. I am alone most of the time. Soldiers behave very well generally and pay well though some of them will steal. One stole a large silver spoon from me yesterday. Mr Dwight gave it me. I followed the soldiers down to Piggott's place where they were camped but did not get my spoon. The officers said they would watch and try and get it for me. There is a telegraph wire stretched before my door which looks a little like civilization. I received a letter in March from Mrs. Hillard living in Mich, 30 miles from Munson. She wrote that Scott (former leader of Mt. Cove spiritualist colony) was living about 10 miles from them with a presbyterian Clergyman. He was frequently at the depot where Mr. Hillard works and said the people where he lived thought he was a little God. But he left a few months ago owing the clergyman $1000 and his board. That's one of hls old tricks. I heard the other day through a Col. Paxton, of Malden, that some Marietta Ohio families were coming here to live and among names mentioned was that of Harris (partner of Scott in Mt Cove spiritualist venture of previous years)