SC1896_FF1_061

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My promotion left a vacancy of Capt. in my late company,
& Sergeant. Thos. Miller was elected to fill it
over 1st Lieut. Stephens by a large majority.
Miller was a bold, energetic young man & had
opposed Stephens for the 1st Lieutenancy, when
the company was organized at Monticello
but I think he got but one vote, Stephens being
very popular at home. But they soon saw
the differences between an experienced energetic
young man in camp & an easy, good natured
one, without experience & they very [?ly]
elected Miller, who in anticipation of my
promotion, had been electioneering with the
company all the time. His office of 1st Sergeant
had placed him very prominently before them.
He made a fine officer, removed to Missouri
a few years afterwards & died there in early
life. My Regiment was composed of but
six companies, commanded by Capt Wilson (afterwards
Major) James Gholson (my brother in
law) both from Cumberland, Capt. Saml. Tate
from Pulaski, Miller of Wayne, Craig &
[blank space] of Knox. My Regt. & the 5th commanded
by Col. William Rennick of Barren, constituted
one brigade, commanded by my friend Genl.
John E King. Maj. James W. Taylor, at present
of Henry County, Tenn. was his aid. We arrived at
Genl. Harrison's head quarters, on the margin
of Lake Erie, near the mouth of Portage River
on the 11th or 12th Sept. just as they were landing
the prisoners taken on board the British fleet
on the 10th. They wre a motley set of fellows.
A large number of them were Negroes, who
had run away from their masters in the U.S.
The army encamped here, in a very unhealthy
location, several days & I was unfortunately taken
sick. The army was embarked in detachments
on board of small boats [? for port?] in
bay, where we remained a day or two, from thence
we were removed in the same way by detachments
not having boats enough to transport