Bivouac near Hustonville, Kentucky
May 2nd 1863

My dear Father and Mother,

We were not mustered yesterday as I told you we expected to be but at half past one P. M., we started with our little trunks on our backs. The sun poured down on us enough to melt us but we at last reached Hustonville and camped a mile outside the town after a march of twelve miles. It was about the toughest march that I ever experienced.

The 27th Michigan was in the rear the first day but yesterday they led off and their Colonel was bound to give the rear regiments a sweater, I think, for he gave particular orders to his men not to fall out—that he would show is whether his men were able to march or not. Colonel Bowman told us at a halt that if that colonel had been in the brigade any longer than what he had, he would report him to the general. Says he, “If I could march my boys as I chose, I would go in as soon as he and have more men, and then be able to march 4 or 5 miles more. But we are in a brigade and have to start and stop with the rest. But boys, don’t be bluffed by any of these damn Michiganers.”

I was very lame and leg weary but I got my mad up and wouldn’t have fallen out if we had gone twenty miles. The 27th [Mich.], when they came in, had seven ambulances full and the men in the ranks fell down from exhaustion before they could stack arms, but the 36th [Mass.], 100th [Penn.], and 45th [Penn.] came in whistling and singing and appeared as fresh as when they started. The 27th [Mich.] boys stared at us in perfect amazement and enquired of we were not used to such marches. “Hell,” says some of us, “That’s no march at all.”

The 36th [Mass.] led off the first day and are anxious to lead off again, and if we don’t show them six footers a thing or two in the shape of hard marching, then set us down for a pack of “mudsills.” We’ll just lay those fellows by the side of roads on their backs.

I tell you, we have got a bully old Colonel. Sometimes we find fault with him, but a better one in the long run we could not find. He “blows up” an officer quicker than he would a private. If you could see him on the march in a private’s suit, an old black hat on and a revolver in each boot, you would laugh.

But I must close. I will write every day that we march if I can. We shall start at one o’clock today. The 45th [Penn.] leads. Hoping this will find you all comfortable. I remain with much love for all, — Charley

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