--A letter from a young officer at
Bowling Green,
Ky., addressed to his sister in New Orleans, under date of the 20th December, gives us some idea of camp life and the spirits of the soldiery at the outposts of the Southern Confederacy.
It was written with pencil, with a rest on a board across the knee, in the intervals of a
night watch:
‘
To say I am busy is hardly enough, I am kept at work on the fortifications night and day. We are nearly ready on this hill (
College Hill) for any advance the Lincolnites may make.
We are busy mounting our heavy guns, and when they are mounted we will give the enemy a hot reception as we have always done, and whip them well.
We are on the eve of a great battle here.
It must come in a few days, more or less, and perhaps by the time you receive this you may hear of one of the bloodiest battles being fought that has yet occurred.
The enemy are certainly crossing
Green river in large force.
We have a good force and will give them battle.
My regiment has orders to be ready to move at a moment's warning.
Our men are all eager for the fight, and will go into it with the determination to conquer or die. You may look out for good reports from the
Tennessee boys when they get a chance to fight.
’
Speaking of the encounter in which
Col. Terry was killed, he writes:
‘
We lost the gallant
Col. Terry and three of his men, but we killed a hundred of the enemy and took a good many prisoners.
The enemy fought well, but ours cleaned them out, as they will always do. The Rangers have raised the black flag, and woe be to those who come into conflict with them.--They have sworn vengeance, and they will have it.
’
