Wednesday, 28.–A long march over a bad path–thirty miles–to French Creek, or Scotchtown. Boarded with Mrs. Farrell. A fine Union settlement. Forty years ago a Massachusetts colony came here, and their thrift, morality, and patriotism are the salt of this region. Slept in tent of Culbertson and Lieutenant–of Captain Remley’s Fifth Regiment. Noble and generous [...]
Tuesday, [August] 27.–Ordered to make a forced march, without tents, knapsacks, or cooking utensils, to French Creek by a mountain path scarcely practicable for horsemen. At about 3 P. M. set out. I led the column afoot, Captain Sperry on Webby. Reached a river over the mountain after dark; kindled fires and slept on ground. [...]
Monday evening, August 26.– Marched today up the beautiful valley, “Tygart’s Valley” I believe, to this pretty camp in the hills, eighteen miles. Saw our general. About forty-five, a middle-sized, good-looking man, educated at West Point. An army man, good sense, good talker–General Reynolds. Oh, what a lovely spot! _______ August 26, 1861. DEAR UNCLE:–We [...]
Beverly, August 25. Sunday.–A cold night. Clear but foggy this A. M. No orders to march yet. Good! Provisions and provender, i. e. rations and forage, scarce and poor. Captain Clark, a spirited German (Prussian) officer of the “Greys,” dined us yesterday at Widow What’s-her-name’s hotel, Got letters here from Lute, Uncle, and Mother, with [...]
Saturday 24.–Doctor and I laughed at a soldier who said it was Saturday. We thought it was Thursday. The finest day’s march yet. Streams, mountain views, and invigorating air! Reached Buckhannon [Beverly] at 2 P. M.; greeted by friends in the Guthries warmly–Captain Erwin, Captain Bense, Captains Tinker, Clark. Saw Tatem, sick, Charles Richards, Tom [...]
Friday 23.–Clear, bright day; mud and water in the road but a bracing air and blue sky overhead. Men marched with spirit. Lovely mountain views and clear mountain streams always in sight. Camped on the mountainside in the road; no tents pitched. Colonel and Dr. Joe slept in ambulance. I fixed up our cots under [...]
[August] 22. Thursday.–At our nice camp. P. M. rained and blew violently. In the midst of it we got orders from General Rosecrans to prepare to march to Beverly. “Early” in the morning would do. Slept in my wet boots. Wrote home and to mother and Uncle. _______ BUCKHANNON, August 22, 1861. DEAR JIM:–I have [...]
August 21.–Changed camping place at Buckhannon to a fine spot one and one-half miles on road to Cheat Mountain. Got settled with McMullen’s Battery just as rain set in at night. Had letters from Jim and Will Scott and Uncle George. _______ BUCKHANNON, VIRGINIA, August 21, 1861. DEAR MOTHER:–You may send this letter, showing my [...]
August 20. Tuesday.–After marching three miles we stopped for water and to let the teams come up. One man reclining was accidentally shot by another hitting his foot against the hammer of a musket. Poor Carr received the ball in the heel of his shoe; it passed up his leg, grazing it merely, grazed his [...]
August 19. Monday.–No more rumors. A tolerably pretty day. At 12 M. [midnight] got orders to quietly strike tents and with three days’ rations and the minimum amount of baggage move to Buckhannon. Two companies, Captain Drake’s and Captain Zimmerman’s, had just returned from a scouting expedition to Walkersville, etc. No rest yet. After a [...]
August 18. Sunday.–Last night, about ten or eleven, five companies of Colonel Moor’s (Second German Regiment) Twenty-eighth Regiment arrived from Clarksburg under Lieutenant-Colonel Becker. My partner, L. Markbreit, is sergeant-major. This morning, raining hard. Exciting rumors and news. A Tennessee regiment and force coming through the mountains east of Sutton–a battery of four guns, one [...]
August 17. Saturday.–Dispatches came last [night] from Colonel Matthews. He can’t return as ordered for fear of losing his command between Summersville and Sutton; rumors of Wise, etc., etc. Colonels Tyler and Smith go with him nine miles back towards Gauley Bridge to fortify. The colonel thinks this is a mistake of judgment and is [...]
August 16. Friday.–A morning of small excitements. A wagon train stopped on its way towards Sutton to search for arms or ammunition concealed in boxes of provisions. . . . Drake, Captain, and Woodward search train in vain for contraband.
August 15. Thursday.–A bright, lovely day and the prettiest evening of the month. The bright moonlight exhibits the landscape enough to show its loveliness and the lights and shadows. The hills and woods are very picturesque. It makes me long for wife and boys and friends behind. How Lute would enjoy roaming with me through [...]
August 14. Wednesday.–The weather has changed to cool, and although the sky is still clouded I hope this long rain is now over. Our prisoners turn out to be Hezekiah and Granville Bennett, cousins of the notorious James and William Bennett, aged forty-nine and twenty-two, father and son, and Moss and George W. Brothers, aged [...]
August 13.–Still rain. My horse hitched to a tree on the brow of a hill very near my tent broke loose during the night, and, it is said, rolled down the steep hill and swam the river. This morning he was seen trotting about in high feather on the opposite side of the river. He [...]
August 12. Monday.–Showery all day. Sent to Clarksburg H. T. Martin. He will probably be sent to Columbus for safe keeping. I gave him a letter to my brother-in-law to insure him attention there in case he should need. It is impossible to avoid mistakes in these cases. Union men may make charges merely to [...]
August 11. Sunday.–Raining this morning, very warm. Arrested, on complaint of a Union man, H. T. Martin, a secession editor, who is charged with holding communication with James and William Bennett, leaders of a guerrilla party. He was formerly from Ohio. Is a Southern state’s-right Democrat in talk, and makes a merit of holding secession [...]
August 10. Saturday.–Rained a good part of the night. We learned that while the right wing of our regiment occupied the court-house at Sutton, many records, etc., etc., were torn up. It is said the old clerk cried when he saw what had been done. Disgraceful! What a stigma on our regiment if true! We [...]
August 9, Friday.–The colonel is out of humor with Lieutenant Rice for letting men on guard go to their tents to sleep and scolds him severely in the presence of his men. A little less grumbling and more instruction would improve the regiment faster. The men are disconcerted whenever the colonel approaches; they expect to [...]
August 8. Thursday.–Rumors of the approach of a great army under Lee from eastern Virginia are still rife. The enemy is said to be near Monterey, the other side of the Alleghanies and aiming to come in this direction to reoccupy western Virginia, capture our stores, and to dash the war if possible into Ohio. [...]
August 7, Wednesday.–Another bright, warm day. With Adjutant Fisher pistol shooting this A. M. Tolerably good firing. Last night a picket shot through the hand; said he fired twice at his assailant; doubted. Supposed to be an accidental wounding. Letters from Ohio.
August 6.–Warm, beautiful weather. A busy day, settling disputes between citizens and their quarrels. I held a sort of police court. Dr. Joe also decided cases. The parties under arrest, we hear their stories and discharge or put on bread and water as the case seems to require. All local tribunals suppressed or discontinued. We [...]
August 5.–Cloudy and showery and sunny at intervals this Monday morning. Went out shooting pistol with Adjutant C. W. Fisher. No good shooting by either. I did the worst, pistol dirty –cleaned it.–More couriers, more rumors of Wise down towards Greenbrier County.
August 4. Sunday.–Visited the hospital. It is airy and comfortable–the court-house of the county, a large good building. The judge’s bench was full of invalids, convalescent, busily writing letters to friends at home. Within the bar and on the benches provided for the public were laid straw bedticks in some confusion, but comfortable. A side [...]