Belding banner. (Belding, Mich.) 1889-1918, 1916-05-31
Interesting Accounts Taken From
Diary of the Late 6. VI. Slayton

From the diary of the late Chester
M. Slayton, which he wrote on the
camp grounds in the Civil war fifty
two years ago this week, we clip the
following. 1t was after they left
Camp Nelson, Kentuck, and were
moving toward the battle front.
Thursday, May 26
We were awakened this morning
from sound sleep at 2:30 o'clock
with the order to pack up immediate
ly, which we did reluctantly, packing
up our wet tents and were soon under
way. We marched until sunrise,
then forming in line in the wet brush,
stopped an hour for breakfast, then
falling in line and marching around
some. Our division was formed on
hillside in column of divisions (reg-
mental divisions), and when all were
formed we were marched to the front
up the hill and through the woods,
for sometime, until about eleven
o'clock, when we were halted and a
section of a battery brought up which
shelled the woods all around for two
hours, but not awaking any response
we formed in line again and tried a
new place with the same result. At
$3.50 o'clock, the 25th of May, we were
formed on the left flank, reaching the
rear, to prevent flank movement by
the enemy, and our company and Co.
A were sent out as pickets, where we
deployed on a ridge and kept watch
until six o'clock without seeing any
thing but few sheep and hogs. We
were then called in and our brigade
formed in line, our regiment being in
the second line, and were sent out to
find the enemy, which the skirmishers
did, with a very brisk fire. We kept
on until we reached the edge of the
timber, then lying down, we let the
skirmishers do most of the firing,
while the balls whistled too freely for
safety over our lines. We lay here
until dusk, then drew off, going into
camp after dark. | heard that our
brigade had six killed and quite
number wounded.
We have stirred up the nest and /
dread the morrow. / hope the artil-
lery can be brought to play on them,
but it is very broken country and it
is hard to get good positions for the
batteries. / think we have marched
ten miles today.
Friday, May 81.
We were awakened this morning at
four o'clock; got up and ate what lit
tie breakfast we had left. Last night
was the time for US to draw rations,
but none have come yet. Firing
commenced soon after sunrise-brisk
and heavy. We lay around, awaiting
orders and expecting to draw rations
and not daring to go farther than the
spring where we got water. At 1920
o'clock very brisk firing was heard in
our front and it seemed to approach
us, and soon the balls began to whistle
over our heads, and the pickets came
in sight. We were Immediately form
ed in line and two or three regiments
of our brigade were sent out, ours
being left behind. The battery was
taken further to the rear and took
position on a ridge. The baggage
wagons and pack mules were started
back and all seemed to be in confu-
sion, and the outlook was very dubi-
Gus, but in few moments the firing
ceased, the rebels were driven back
and we sat down to cool off and rest
in the hot sun. At IL noon the whole
brigade was formed in line and
marched off to the left flank toward
where we had been yesterday, and up
on arrival we were formed into two
lines, the 18th being in the rear one.
We then marched by the right flank
along the line to our left through the
thick brush and over the hill and down
a valley for three or four miles, when