Weekly Gazette
Elgin, Illinois
April 30, 1862

Army Correspondence

HEADQUARTERS, 36th Reg't Ill. Vol.

CAMP HOFFMAN, Barry Co., Mo.

March 20th, 1862

Dear Friends:-

Last night this was a gay, good feeling camp. After a march of fifteen miles, over mountains and through mud, we went into camp just over the State line, in Missouri, and enjoyed a square supper. We had just gathered around a jolly camp fire, when the cry came around, "the mail has come." Every boy was on his feet, and one grand rush was made for Headquarters. It would have pleased you to have seen the good-natured pushing, crowding and joking that then took place. Almost every one go a share of the mail, and soon every one was interested in his own particular business. After the letters were all gone over and out of sight, came the exchanging of news, and inquiring after friends. Everyone in the best of humor, forgetting all the past fatigues, and willing to endure more. I believe if the friends at home but know the pleasure their letters give to those far from home and friends, they would be more particular and and prompt in their attention.

In the battle, we fought Mo., Ark, La, and Texas troops, besides three regiments of Cherokee Indians. They are all represented in our prisoners. They fought with every kind of weapon ever invented-from the Minnie Musket and Sharp's Rifle, to the poorest shot-gun, or "Old Flint-Lock." The regular Confederate (or, as the boys call them, Corn Feed) troops, were uniformed with a dirty, white, home-made, cloth sack coat, black hat and dirty shirt. But few of the State troops and uniforms. Were mostly "Copper Bottoms," a mighty rough set of men to look at, but they like to keep out of the way of the Ill. boys in a fight.

I had quite a narrow chance, but did not know it at the time. At the close of the second day, Gen. Curtis thought we would have to give in, and retreat. The enemy were on three sides of us, and we had only one road to retreat on, should we, on the morrow, be obliged to, and that road he did not know where we could strike. General Sigel thought we were not far from it, but no one knew just where it was to be found. He sent a Lieu't and twenty men from the 12th Mo., in one direction, and Gen. Osterhaus ordered me to pick twenty men and scout in another direction, and towards the enemy's camp fires. It was very dark, and for me, quite an undertaking. I went about a mile towards the enemy, as far as my orders would let me, came back half a mile, and struck off into the timber, and went about a half a mile over rocks, and through thick brush. Al quiet-no road. Came back to camp and reported to Gen. Sigel. He complimented me on my grit, talked with me about the position of the enemy, as I saw them from where I went, and while there the other party came in-they had found the road all right. Some prisoners we took the next day said that three Regiments of McCulloch's Rangers lay within sixty rods of us, just back in the thick timber, and from the position the next morning, I found I had went between two large bodies of the enemy, for a quarter of a mile, and they not ever one fourth of a mile apart. They thought me a picket of their own men, and let me alone. They all lay in silence and without a fire and had I went anywhere but where I did, I would have been gone up, sure.

YOURS, &c., W. SMITH.