March 2d.–Raining. No well-authenticated news; but by many it is believed Staunton is in the hands of the enemy, and Lynchburg menaced. Nevertheless, the government is sending a portion of the archives and stores to Lynchburg! The clergymen are at work begging supplies for the soldiers; and they say the holding of Richmond and the [...]
March 2nd, 1865.—This is a sad day for all of us, dear Mother feels it most of all. When she was a child she had her little pony, “Winnie Wiggin”, to ride to school, and after that she always had a horse which was all her own. Grandpa loved fine horses and mother did, too. [...]
Left Bank Lynch’s Creek, March 1, 1865. We have finally got across this deuced creek. It has delayed us fully four days, more than any three rivers did before. Our division train is yet to cross and may not get over in 24 hours. We are getting hungry for the first time, having foraged the [...]
Wednesday, 1st–March came in with an all-day drizzling rain. We remained in bivouac all day. Large foraging parties were sent out, but did not succeed in getting anything, not even enough for the teams and the men that went out. The country is very thinly settled and the people here can hardly raise enough to [...]
1st. Wednesday. By mistake up before daylight. Brigade in rear of column. Did not move out till 9 A. M. Advance captured the two bridges between Harrisburg and Staunton. Several prisoners captured. Camped six miles from Staunton. Wagons captured.
March 1st. Since the last date we have been visited by a cold rain, hard wind, hail, snow, mud. Very disagreeable weather for army life, but it must all be endured by soldiers. On picket duty. Corporal in charge of the outpost, about one half of a mile from the reserve quarters. On duty twenty-four [...]
March 1st.–Cloudy, cold, and dismal. We have no news, except from the North, whence we learn Lieut. Beall, one of our Canada raiders, has been hung; that some little cotton and turpentine were burnt at Wilmington; and that the enemy’s columns are approaching us from all directions. They say the rebellion will be crushed very [...]
March 1st, 1865.—We have a new lot of sick and wounded soldiers in this morning; two of them, wounded and sent here because they will probably never be fit for duty again, were completely worn out when they came. Father gave them a hot toddy and mother sent them some soup and such things as [...]
February 29th.1 –Trying to brave it out. They have plenty, yet let our men freeze and starve in their prisons. Would you be willing to be as wicked as they are? A thousand times, no! But we must feed our army first–if we can do so much as that. Our captives need not starve if [...]