NOVEMBER 21, 1863
By Robert E. Denney
After a couple of days of moving troops in the mud around Chattanooga, Sherman was again on the move, crossing the Tennessee at Brown's Ferry and heading northeast for the Confederate right flank around Missionary Ridge. Sherman was to attack the north end of the ridge, Thomas the center. Hooker was to attack the Confederate left flank. There were delays, even more than usual, because of the heavy rains, and the roads were quagmires.
Perry, John G., Asst. Surg., USV, 20th Mass. Vols., near Mountain Run, Va.:
We are perfectly deluged with rain, and my tent, raised on logs, has a deep pool of water around it . . . Next Thursday will be Thanksgiving Day. How I wish our men could have something extra to eat, poor fellows! They have had potatoes only about a dozen times since last June, and are becoming badly run-down. We have received from one of our officers now at the North a quantity of raisins, flour, pickles, etc., for Thanksgiving dinner, and we also have permission to send to Washington for more supplies. We officers do not need these extras, as our pay enables us to buy pickles and such things to prevent scurvy, but the men have not the money for luxuries.
From: "Civil War Medicine: Care & Comfort of the Wounded"
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