Delaware State journal and statesman. [volume] (Wilmington, Del.) 1855-1870, 1863-06-26
Letter from the First Delaware
LETTER No. IL.
GAIstsyiLLE, VA. |
June %, 1853. /


June %, 1883.
FRIEND EcKEL:
We give you few notes de
scrptive of our march to this place.
Sunday night, June l4,-Left our old
Camp near Falmouth at nine o'clock, and
marched all night, save an hour in which we
slept by the road side. II was not DIS
agreeable march, only one stream was
forded The moon did not shine, but there
were myriads Of fire flies some of which
were so luminous and large that we at once
imagined that they 'looked like rockets,
again like signals, and then like the flash
of artillery. TraveIsing the Stafford forests
through the hours of the night, we rested
for short time on the following morning
near Stafford Court House the Jail had
been fred and was still burning.
Monday, June l5.-Marched until two
o'clock, halting occasionally; the heat was
intense, and the dust sitting a few men in
one Of the Divisions died from sun stroke
the clouds of dust which arose from the
passing of the artillery, infantry, cavalry
and the ambulance train, were binding to
add to the heat, the woods along which we
We're marching, had been fired and were
putting out IN fierce blasts the hottest kind
Of volumes. The sulierings OF all were not
slight. In the timber there was no breeze,
aud on the roads the sun scorehed the sol
der, until he painted as for breath his. face
was read, the perspratiOn running down,
and he was craving water constantly
Bivouacking in the evening near small
stream, nearly every one INDUCED in n bath
and forgot about the discomforts of the
march.
Tuesday, June lG.-Arose at three
o'clock and started passed through DUN
fries; enjoyed two or three refreshing
glImpses of the Potomac through sthe day
rested at night on the banks of the Deco
quan, into which the soldiers soon plunged
10 wash of the dust which had been accu-
initiating through the day, and which wa!
worse than on the day before As we start
. ed in the morning without our breakfast W,
we're duly grateful for our rations ut night
= especially since we had travelled over near
% ly twenty miles through the day.
a Wednesday, June l7.-Quite Ions
u march the heat still intense very it'll
n water in the neighborhood. Passed Fair
10 fax Station and halted in pine wood
" Thursday, June ls.-Still at halt ha
= fine rain in the evening all feel rerreshe,
Friday, June l9.-Reached Oentrevlle
marched portion of the time in the rail
and slept on the ground without any TEN
Mt nights, whilst the rain was falling.
Saturday, June 20.-Passed over bot
Bull Run battle fields, after crossing I'll
run-a stream, which, without its histor
nm associations would be scarcely worthy
ny notice, except that it wet the feet of tho'
who wa1ed through its muddy waters u
I'll the fields, there were many evidences of Il
of conflicts; the trees wero scared with graz
rs and cannstor; there were rude mounds
ar dirt from which were showing grim skull
and bones of various kinds hands with Il
ne integuments almost entire were reaehn
u from the loose dirt, which did not suffice
cover the victims of those fights. The hi
. side abounded in hillocks under which we
resting those who had died in the uniort
ty nate conflicts that had made that ground
ls' memorable. Even in the woods throne
N, which we passed, there we're slight elevi
gu tions with CHASTITY remains disclosed, to te
~, sO us that men were lying just where they fe
wv without any head-board to designate ther
n, The rebel dead were buried more CAREFUL
#. The dirt had been merely heaped over Il
de bodies of many of our men the consequent
he was many had become uncovered Il
stencil is horrid, and there is an odor Of d
ria cayed animal matter even in the water
ed the wells.
cir Reached gainesville in the evening Y,
Ter terday heard firing all day supposed it
he be in the neighborhood of Thoroughfa
20 Gap. Some Of our cavalry pickets driv
~ in yesterday anticipated cavalry raid Il
O. night, and made preparations accordingly
ne But we cannot longer indulge in the ma
III ration, even though we are seated on {
sa' grass under the shade of a locust tree, wi
,ss, the wind rustling the sheets oil the pap,
90 We are here but temporarily and must
r. prepared for the order to march at any m
eh ment, or to get in readiness for, m ore e
The citing scenes.
ed Yours, Billy.