Belding banner. (Belding, Mich.) 1889-1918, 1917-05-23
Interesting Accounts Taken
From Diary of the Late
C.. M. Siayfon


l made up nv mind last night tina
that the pine lumber in this country
was hard stuff, or hard bedding a.
least, so was glad to get up early
The hotel was close to the dock anC
had a chance to take an early peer
at the shipping, ETC., and saw oysters
in the shell selling for seventy-fvs
cents per bushel and fish for sever
cents a pound. / got breakfast for 9
dollars. We then took our boxes II
the express Office and started them
homeward. We thought they ought
to get home anyhow as we had come
about fifty miles to send them there
However, we had free ride. We
now started out for look around the
town, which we found to be a very
thriving, clean and businesslike place
We purchased some things to take
with US to camp to sell; then went
to the depot. The train was due al
i nine o'clock, but did not show up I'M
til eleven. 1t was well loaded and
guarded, but there was a large mail
going up, so we helped put it on top
of load of boxes filled with crackers
on an open car, and climbed on and
passed off for mail clerks, thus get
ting a ride back without any trouble.
1t rained little, but not enough to
wet us very much. We arrived at
Mosley Hall at about three p. m, safe
and sound. l brought up one dozen
papers, containing news of the fall of
Richmond, which we heard of yester-
day before leaving the station, and
sold them for a dime apiece. We
got back to camp about 4:30, rather
tired, but very glad that had our
boxes off of our hands, if did have to
go fifty miles to do it. The boys are
rejoicing over the fall of Richmond
There was much enthusiasm and
cheering in camp.
Saturday, April z, 1865.
Wrote some in my diary, but as
the teams were ordered to go after
forage | went along and cut some
timber for wagon tongues and
reaches. Came back at one o'clock
and in the afternoon made a rowel
for a spur for our captain; then hew-
ed out wagon tongue. Nailed up
boxes of clothing for the quarter
master which took me until darkness
fell. This morning we thought we
were going to. stay here for some
time, as they said we must have two
more weeks forage on hand, but to-
march at six o'clock in the morning.
Prospects of rest are cut short.
Sunday, April 9, 1865. /.
We were up this morning at half
past three o'clock in order to be ready
for the march, and after getting
ready we waited two hours. At $3.50
the troops began TO. pass, the first
and second brigades of our division
were the only ones here, and we fell
in at their rear, taking the road to
Goldsboro. We marched very stead
lily, stopping for dinner and at three
o'clock we passed through Goldsboro
and went out one and a half miles
and went into camp about fourz
o'clock, having marched about fifteen
miles. They seem 10 be drawing all
the troops from this railroad and will
probably abandoned it. Goldsboro
was full OF troops, Sherman's whole
army being in it's vicinity
Monday, April 10, 1865.
There are no prospects for us NOV
ing this morning, so after eating
breakfast / went to work to finish up
a wagon tongue / had hewed out Sat
urday, but had not finished it when |
/ was called to headquarters to give |
them my company and regiment. Sus- |
pecting that they were going to re-
lieve me / quit work and went to |
packing up. About noon l receive an |
order to report to my commanding Of |
ficer without delay, for duty, being |
from my job in the quarter |
department. After getting |
and eating dinner slung on my KNAPP |
sack and went back TO Co. b again, |
after an absence Of nearly eight |
Henceforth my fortunes are |
with the Co. for five months at least. |
They had orders TO be ready 70 march |
at / 80, and were ready, but had to |
wait two or three hours before the |
road was clear so we could move out. |
Marched slowly, going towards RAJ
leigh. The country was level and In |
places swampy. We did not go into1
camp until nine o'clock, then pitched |
our dog tent; got supper, and lay I
down to sleep. However, | was called |
up to go on picket duty, which l did, |
being posted but little way from
camp.
Tuesday, May II, 1865.
Slept but little last night, but as we |
were relieved from duty at reveille1
his morning, which was at four |
o'clock, | lay down and went TO sleep, |
that / needed the rest more |
than / did my breakfast. At day
light the head Of our division COM
menced passing, but our regiment |
was left behind as rear guard, so we |
had to wait until the trains had all |
passed, nearly two hours, before the |
25th came along and we fell in. The |
road was poor, the wagons stuck, and |
we made slow progress, but about |
nine o'clock came up with the division |
which had stopped and the teams were
parked. The pontoon train, which |
was just behind us, went on ahead. |
We lay here until afternoon, wait
ing for the road to get clear (The
14th being just ahead) and be fixed;
then moved on a mile or two, then
stopped again. While lying here we
the destruction of large
house by fire, but little way off.
The owner had been in the rebel SER
vice and his house had been ordered /