Near Nashville, TN Friday, 11 March 1864 Dear Diary, Well, we're back in Tennessee again. Took a little side excursion over into Mississippi, down around Meridian. It really didn't amount to much, since we didn't run into any large Confederate units. At any rate, no sooner did we head that way, when the Reb cavalry commander, Nathan Forrest, started harassing the supply lines between us and our base here in Nashville, so back we came. Really, Forrest is more a nuisance than anything else, but while he was operating, we couldn't get supplies through on anything like a reliable basis, and there just didn't seem to be any reason for staying in Mississippi. If only we had cavalry half as good as Forrest's troopers! The big news is that Grant has been promoted to Lieutenant General, and given command over all the armies! Sherman is to remain in command here in the West, but is to cooperate with whatever Grant plans. At last, we've finally gotten serious about winning this War! I don't doubt that we'll be on the move again soon, and we are ready. Since Chattanooga, we've reinforced, resupplied, rested, and in general got ourselves ready for what we know is coming. Here in east Tennessee, Sherman has got three whole armies at his command - Thomas' Army of the Cumberland, his own Army of the Tennessee, and our Army, the Army of the Ohio under General Schofield. It's anyone's guess where were headed, but it's a dead cinch we won't be staying here much longer. I had a real interesting patrol the other day - patrolling is a way of life for us, and I know this happens all the time, especially on picket duty, but we actually ran into a patrol of Rebs, and didn't proceed to try to kill each other! There were eight of us, under SGT Lunn, with no officers around, and we stopped to take a water break at a little stream. Lo and behold, we heard a noise across the stream, and here comes a Reb patrol! We had them cold, but for some reason we didn't open up. At any rate, when they saw us, it was "Hey Billy, you'uns got anything to trade?" and "Let's take a break, whata you'all say?" Since that sounded infinitely more pleasureable than shooting and, like I said, there were no officers around, we all stacked arms and just sat around talking for nigh on to an three hours. Like I said, I know this happens all the time, but it sure seemed strange to be sitting around smoking my pipe with the enemy! We soon had a card game going, and swapped newspapers and rations. The Rebs didn't want anything to do with our hardtack, preferring their cornbread, but they sure enjoyed our coffee! Seems that coffee is real scarce down in Rebel Land, and they've been pretty much living on coffee made up of burnt toast, chickory, and the like for a long time. We traded most of our coffee for some decent tobacco, so both sides came out ahead in this little "skirmish." I really took a liking to one Reb soldier - his name's Sam Watkins, and he comes from a town not too far from here, called Columbia. Sam sure has a way with words, and told some fine yarns - says he might even try to write a book after the War. He was a college student when the War broke out, and it seems that he and I have been in all the same battles - just on the opposite side! He's one of them "Full Moon Boys" - his unit is Company H, 1st Tennessee, Kershaw's Brigade, Cleburne's Division - the same unit that gave us such a fit at Missionary Ridge! At any rate, we swapped addresses, and promised that if we survived this thing, to look each other up after the War. Sam's going home as soon as he can, he says. Seems he left his sweetheart behind, and aims to marry her just as soon as he can get a chance. I sure understand that - I left Sarah behind back in Ohio. She writes regular, but it just isn't the same. At any rate, we spent a right fine afternoon together, and made it back to our lines from our "patrol" with no one the wiser. How I wish this War would come to an end!