Belding banner. (Belding, Mich.) 1889-1918, 1916-07-05
Interesting Accounts Taken From
Diary of the Late 6. NJ SLayton
Saturday, June %, 1864.

saturday, June 20, 1904.
Got up at three o'clock and stood
guard until daylight, then ate break
fast. Finished writing home; then
read most all day. Another hot day.
At noon the captain came around and
told us to pack our traps and get be-
hind our breastworks for they were
going to advance the skirmish line
and the rebels might not like it and
raise fuss about it. The firing was
pretty brisk for little while but soon
died away. Two of the 9th Tennessee
were wounded severely. At half past
three, the firing commenced again
and some of our pickets came in say
ing that the 'rebs" were advancing,
probably to recover their lost ground.
The firing lasted for some time but
our men resolutely held their ground,
so we got a sight of the enemy but
their bullets whistled over pretty
freely, but done our company no dam
age. At shutdown four of each com
pany were sent forward TO throw up
breastworks, while the rest of US lay
down and were soon chained in quiet
slumbers, forgetting the tolls of the
past and the dangers of the future
We had but got sound asleep, when
and 90 forward TO dig breastworks.
1t was very dark but in an hour or so
we found the place and went TO work,
being very careful not to make much
noise.
Sunday, June 26, 1864.
Morning found US still at work and
and our breastworks were in good
condition affording US fair shelter.
| read and drew beef in the forenoon,
and at one o'clock, just as had got it
about two-thirds cooked, the order
came to fall in. We couldn't help
marching so we started and marched
about eighty rods and went to SHOW
cling again. There was no stopping
now, so near were we to the enemies
lines without cover. We worked bus
lily and by shutdown had made us
good breastwork of dirt. There was
a little diminishing today.
Monday, June 81, 1864.
AS it is the beginning of the week
we must do good days work, so
we were awakened from sound sleep
at 6:15 by the roar of our artillery,
little to our left. OF course we were
soon up and ready for anything. Ate
a hasty breakfast and in an hour we
fell in. Somewhat to our relief we
were taken to the rear, forming the
third line at the foot of ridge, in the
rear of our line of breastworks. Here
we were again without shelter, so it
was not as much a relief as we sup
posed 1T was going to be- The artil-
lery were still doing their best, and
just as we had got in. our new posi-
ton, the skirmish line advanced, caus-
,,,ex fro Of q u OF IN
opened, and our skirmishers receiv-
ing orders to load and fire as fast as
possible. The noise was almost deaf
ening, while the bullets flew over our
heads like a shower of hailstones. We
were ordered to lay down, which we
did, not fearing the dirt at all. Here
we lay all day, the bullets cutting off
the leaves like a shower of green
snow. Many wounded and dead were
carried by us to the rear. In the af-
ternoon we got so familiar to the
sound of the whistling missiles that
we got up and went around quite un-
concerned. Drew two days rations.
Five or six of our company were hit
by spent balls, but not hard enough
to draw blood, excepting on one man,
#. Dumon. Towards night the boys
threw up some breastworks to sleep
behind and towards night the firing
died away. This afternoon heavy fir
ing was heard to our left and Hooker
is reported to have had some hard
fighting. driving the rebels some dis
lance and sustaining heavy losses to
their ranks. Our firing was to draw
the enemy's attention, making it SAT-
err for Hooker to move. II
Tuesday, June 28, 1864.
We had a very quiet night after
such a noisy day, but this morning
there is some firing on the skirmish
line, while the artillery occasionally
retorts with louder note, just for
the sake Of keeping the rebels from
sleeping. Nothing important going
on, so we lay behind our works, read
ing, writing and listening to the
whistling Of the rebel bullets as they
passed over. At seven p. m, we
moved forward to the front line re-
lieving the troops there, and in the
course of two hours we came to the
position and lay down to rest. We
could plainly hear a rebel preacher
tonight as he was discoursing to his
flock; and, also, the commands of the
officers behind their lines. Not much
fighting today.
Wednesday, June %, 1864.
We had a good nights rest with
the exception Of being on guard an
hour. Got up and ate our breakfast,
then read and wrote, but had to keep
low so as to avoid the rebel bullets.
Cook beef. A considerable skirmish-