Year: 1863




rain would have been considered decided ad-
vantage. AS it was, marching of dark night
through woods, in snake like path where small
stumps ntrude everywhere and deep ruts are
found on every hand, sprinkling of dust, Think
would have been preferable to this slippery mud.
However, we made the best of it we could, and
when some unlucky fellow fell headlong into the
mud, gun, knapsack and all, we considered it a
rich joke and, immensely aggravating as it might
be to the victim, it was lively sport for the rest
Quite number threw down their aims tha
night though not so much for lack of patriotism
as for lack of cohesion under their feet. Before
morning we reached the railroad near Brooks
Station, where We remained till Sunday night.
Troops, baggage wagons, ambuances and artillery
were constantly passing all day. Near by the
corps hospital was cleared out and much of the
stuff burnt. 1t was the same notwithstanding
sight that we have seen so often before. Must it
always be SOP AT q commissary establishment
the boys got quantity Of potatoes, Indian meal
sugar dried apple and other stuff out of which
we had good supper, and what we preferred to
take along with US, instead of hard tack and
pork. The commissary sergeant said he had a
number of good overcoats that were to be left
which he said we were welcome to appropriate if
we wished. They were behind certain tent !;
but saw nothing there but pile of coffins so l
concluded the sergeant must be only Joking.


1t was after dark before we started on our
march again. The boys were not at all affected
by the peril the situation was apparently in
They got up spirited battle on their own hook,
Just as the heat of day was passing off, throwing
socks, with the toes filled with dirt, for the shells
and one needed the agility of cat to keep clear
of the fast flying missiles Advantages were rap.
! idly gained and lost on either side. Charges were
boldly made and boldly repulsed Victory alter
mated from side to side, but capricously refused
to crown either. Men were literally knocked
down, but with a cheer they jumped to their feet
again and pitched into the melee with more en-
thusiasm than before. 1t was exciting sport. The
General and his officers enjoyed it immensely. A
spectator from distance, hearing the cheering
and seeing the dust we kicked up,-for the show
er hardly reached to here,-might have thought
a battle wss actually in progress.


We we're on the road all that night, but we
made but little progress. Teams or troops con
tinually clogged the way, occasioning the mos
vexatious delays. don't know as | could ex
plain it, but it is fact, nevertheless that it tires
| soldier more to have to stand still half of tht
time than it does to march straight along withou
! interruption. had rather march fifteen miles il
reasonable time, than spend the same time il
marching five, unless we can sit down and rest
Morning came, but with it no rest. We halted
few minutes, just long enough for good many tc
get soundly to sleep,-snd it did not take long t.
do that for we had lost two nights rest but their
sleep was very brief. The unfeeling order wa
passed down the lines, and every sleeper had
to take up his bed and walk" Those who hat
preferred sleep to breakfast lost the latter for
very pitiful allowance of the former. All day
long We tugged our weary knapsacks in the broil
ing sun, and mary fell out to fall in no more. |
was very hot and very dusty. The dry dir
seemed to be particularly adapted to draw th
rays of the sun, and the blistering heat that th
road reflected, seemed like the breath from
furnace, seven times heated. The road was net
with straggers, and many fell dead in their tracks
Our corps alone lost forty-six men from. sun
stroke. Some say that other corps lost upwards
of hundred each. i I.hsve no means of knowing
how many died from the, etfec. of heat and ex,