amount of labor each week on these works and those who will not take

the oath are kept there constantly.

It has rained for two days.  This afternnon in the rain we found a good

Union woman to make up our flour into biscuits for us.  She made about

half a bushel of little ones and refused to take any as part pay, but she

said she would take coffee wholesale at Springfield. I do not doubt of that

woman's loyalty. May Heaven bless her.

News is circulating that we leave tomorrow for the battle front.  Take good

care of yourself for me.

Love,

John

Two days out of Sprinfield the 20th Wisconsin and some Iowa soldiers were fired upon by a small

group of Confederates.  The Confederate party was on a high cliff overlooking the James River. 

A young Iowa soldier fell beside John as a result of a rifle bullet hitting his left leg but leaving only

a flesh wound.  John pulled the soldier to his feet and placed the man's right arm around his

shoulder.  John placed a long stick in the man's left hand and helped him into camp.

For the remaining days of October this Union Army wandered in the high peaked hills of Missouri

like the children of Israel in the wilderness.  They made camp near Cassville and then on Crane

Creek.  They marched in circles until December 3, 1862. Orders were received at mid morning to

be ready for a march at noon.  No further instruction was given.  The soldiers ate a hasty dinner

and with knapsacks strapped to their backs started a forced march into Arkansas.  The regiments

moved 47 miles in two days.  John suffered with severely blistered feet.  They were sore and stiff

from the march.  Camp was made three miles from Pea Ridge Battleground the night of

December 5th.

On the seventh of December, John's Wiscon boys left camp at daylight and had proceeded some

five miles when they heard the booming of cannons in the distance.  A few miled farther the

Arkansas 1st Calvary came rushing past at top speed on their horses, some without hats or coats. 

In fact, they were panic stricken and rushed in pell mell haste past the on-moving soldiers.

Night draped a dark curtain over the battlefield.  The booming of the cannons and the noise of