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33
Camden, AR
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I could see no change of consequence in anything, after a two years absence, except the shade trees in the yard had grown wonderfully. That night, I was taken very sick, again had fears of taking the smallpox, as I had been exposed during my imprisonment. Sent for Dr. Felder next morning, (Aug. 2, 1864) (my first meeting with him). It all proved, however, to be a cold I had contracted while on the boat.
The thoughts of returning, however, soon began to sour the sweets of
home. The time rolled away fast, and when my forty-two days had gone,
I still was unable to return, and Dr. Felder gave me a certificate of
disability for thirty more days -- together I had seventy-two days,
which of ten, it took to come and return. The time soon rolled away,
and Sept. 26th I again bid farewell to relatives and friends, and was
off to the war again. I employed Abe Gilliland to go with me to
Marshall, and bring my horse back home. We arrived there at 12:00
o'clock, the second day. I dismounted in town, and turned my horse
over to my friend. I felt sad and lonely indeed. I got directions to
the powder mill, as I had acquaintances there, and I could not get a
train till morning, and believe I stayed until the second morning,
when I bid my friends, Sam Cope and James Robertson goodbye, and went
to the depot, where I found that I would have to walk two miles
farther, on account of a trestle being broken down. I arrived in plenty
of time, and was soon in Greenwood, La. There I took the stage for
Shreveport. I had quite a pleasant time, there were two ladies, Hun
Williams, (the dancing master and fiddler) another gentleman, a little
boy and myself, inside. The ladies were returning from a visit to
Jefferson. They had a basket of nice eatables, and gave a general
invitation. I was glad I had been home, and had had enough to eat.
Had I been as hungry as we sometimes were, I fear I would have made
myself ridiculous. Hun Williams entertained us with his fine music
on the violin. We arrived in Shreveport about 3:00 o'clock -- the other
passengers stopped at the hotel. I inquired for Col. Shiver's office.
On arriving there, he called for my furlough, which I produced
together with the certificate. He remarked that it was all right, and
ordered his clerk to give me a pass to the transient camp. He told me
he was stopping all, until he got together a number, then he would
furnish us transportation. Arriving at said camp, in the suburbs, I
found two of my Company. We remained here about two weeks, when we
were ordered to march -- two wagons carrying our baggage. We were
divided into three squads (200 in all perhaps) each under command of
a Serg't., all under command of a Maj. Shaver. He tried to march us
in military order, he in front in a carriage, but failed entirely.
He finally quit trying, and we scattered in all directions. We found
the Command a few miles beyond Camden, Ark. I do not now remember
the date of our arrival, however, it was sometime in Nov. 1864. The
weather was quite cool. We had not before been with the command since
Jan. We had been the garrison at the fort, in prison, and at home on
furlough, which kept us away nearly a year; during which time, there
had occurred the Mansfield, Pleasant Hill and Jenkin's Ferry battles,
in which many of the old Reg't, had fallen. For weeks after my arrival,
I would think, and inquire of this, that and the other one, the answer
would be "He was killed in one of those battles".
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EARLY DAYS OF PITTSBURG, TEXAS 1859-1874 Life of John C. Porter and Sketch of His Experiences in the Civil War John C. Porter 1874 |