DEC. 18. We arrived at the Tallahatchie Bottoms about noon. Bissell’s engineer regiment is encamped here. It has just finished the railroad bridge over the river and the cars now pass on to Oxford in advance. There was a clearing with two redoubts which we passed before entering the woody bottoms of the Tallahatchie. The teams were halted and we slung our knapsacks and carried them over the marshy bottoms. We had advanced but a short distance when the formidable earthworks which the Rebs had erected, loomed up before our eyes. When we once more struck terra firma we were halted, unslung our knaps, and when the teams came up, packed them on the wagons. I started on and entered the camp of the 12th Ind. Volunteers. Found the old members of Co. E. divided among two companies--F and I, both gotten up at Warsaw. We arrived at Abbyville in the middle of the forenoon. The country between LaGrange and Abbyville is rough and hilly. DEC. 19. Jesse Walker and I went out foraging and succeeded in capturing a shoat. The nigs were left very destitute and there will be a great deal of suffering if the government does not feed them. There is a report that Jackson, Tenn., is threatened by Bragg; that there is fighting there and our communications are cut off, at any rate troops are on the move, being taken back by rail as fast as possible. There is a great battle being fought this morning by Burnside’s men. They have already fought one whole day. Burnie has crossed the river and holds Fredericksburg. DEC. 20. The news came in this morning that Holly Springs was entered at daylight and captured. The Rebels took over two hundred thousand dollars and burned the depot with all the stores and the arsenal we had fitted up for a hospital. After dinner we were set to work building breastworks of cotton, having captured one thousand bales from the C. S. A. When we first came here the regiment was scattered along the railroad, one company in a place extending nearly to Oxford. Companies G and K were kept here, this being the headquarters of Regiment 1, Norton commanding the Post. Two companies below were sent up, and by night we had a complete breast-work of cotton bales, regular old hickory style. DEC. 21. The long roll was beaten at 3 o’clock this morning. The company was formed and we marched down to our cotton fort where we lay until daylight, when the other companies marched to their camps, and we back to ours. Last night a division of cavalry passed, going north. It was composed of the 3rd and 4th Ill., 7th Kansas and 3rd Mich. Just before night Generals Ross and McArthur came into town with their respective divisions. They are moving back for some cause. The weather is fine but the nights are very cold. It is what people call pleasant fall weather in Michigan. We have had no more snow since the flurry in September, and the weather never was more favorable for a winter campaign. The army is well clothed, having as much clothing as the soldiers wish to pack.