Feb. 14th’’63.
Early this morning
the sun shone out bright-
ly, but before long it
was obscured by clouds, –
shortly after noon
it commenced rain-
ing & has rained all
afternoon & continues
unabated, (9 P.M.)
Although to-day is
St. Valentine’s day, I
have rec’d “niver a
letter.”
Feel quite well to-day.
[23]
Feb. 15th,’63.
The rain fell in torrents
all night, but ceased
at day break.
It is cloudy & cool.
Walked over to Camp to-
day, & remained a short
time; rode back on our
kind Chaplain’s horse.
Not so well to-day as
yesterday.
Seven months in the
service to-day.
Feb. 16th,’63.
Railroad communication
between Murfreesboro &
Nashville ^ ‘was completed’ on last Thurs-
day, (that by telegraph be-
ing previously perfected.)
Suffering to-day with
weakness & pain in my
back; symptoms of
[24]
Rheumatism in my legs
& arms.
Cold & cloudy in the
morning; commenced
raining about 11 A.M.
& has continued all
day.
This morning Capt.
Nicholas, (Co. H.) oc-
cupies the bed in
this room, vacated
recently by Lt. Rose-
man, (Co. A.) who has
recovered, & who was
here sick on my
arrival.
I’m informed that
the reg’t. was called
into line at 4 A.M.
to-day, & remained there
until daylight, – an
attack by the forces
under John Morgan being feared.
[25]
Feb. 17th,’63.
Rained all night;
cloudy but no rain
during the day; – be-
gun raining at dark.
Our brigade is order-
ed to strike tents &
be ready to move at
7 A.M. to-morrow.
Feb. 18th,’63.
Rained all night &
still raining this morn-
ing. At about 8 A.M. the
brigade marched out to
the pike & up toward
town, – tents still stand-
ing & men detailed to
guard Co. quarters.
Passed through town,
crossed the river on
the R.R. Bridge, & were
variously employed
[26]
during the day, I’m
informed, in gather-
ing timber adrift in
the stream, repairing
the R.R. bridge, & re-
moving the pontoon
bridge into more
shallow water.
This evening they re-
turned to the old
camp to sleep in
the tents.
Rain ceased about
9 or 10 A.M. since
which time it has
been cloudy & cool, ap-
parently prepared to
renew the drenching
process on the slight-
est provocation & at
a moment’s notice.
Pain in my head less
severe to-day.
[27]
Feb. 19th,’63.
Cloudy with little
rain to-day.
Did not fall asleep
until 5 A.M. this morn-
ing.
Walked over to camp to-
day.
Feb. 20th,’63.
Quite pleasant to-day, –
sun shining.
Signing pay rolls
this evening. Over to
camp again to-day.
Feb. 21st’63.
Cloudy & cool this morn-
ing; begun raining at
11 A.M.
Reg’t. out foraging to-
day. Over to camp to-
day.
[28]
Feb. 22d, ’63.
Ceased raining at
dark & did not rain
during the night; cloudy
& cold to-day.
Today being the anni-
versary of Washington’s
birth day, a salute
of 34 guns was fired
by one battery in
each division.
Feb. 23d,’63.
Clear & quite pleas-
ant to-day.
I ate my dinner &
supper in Camp.
My back quite pain-
ful. This morn-
ing the firing of
cannon at Nash-
ville was heard in
Camp.
[29]
Feb. 24th, ’63.
Light clouds par-
tially obscure the
sun, yet it is a
beautiful morning.
Not so well to-day.
Clear in the afternoon.
Feb. 25th,’63.
Cloudy this morning;
began to rain about
noon, & has rained all
afternoon.
Our reg’t. was paid to-
day up to the 31st of
Oct. ’62. I was paid
only from the 9th of
Aug. ’62, at which
time I reported a full
Company instead of
the 15th of July, when I
was appointed; & muster-
ed in by Capt. Dodi.
[30]
Feb. 26th, ’63.
Rained all night fu-
riously; rained all day.
Sent $250.00 home by
“State Pay Agent;” Williams,
to order of Father.
Paid, to-day, to Foerster
& Bailey, Sutlers 97th
Ohio, $56.67, my ac-
count in full up to
this date.
John M. Archer died
to-day.
Feb. 27th, ’63.
Warm & clear to-day;
moved over to camp
to my tent.
Men for the “Roll of
Honor” elected to-night.
Brady & I hired “Jim” from
to-morrow, at $10 per month, –
“’alf & ‘alf.”
[31]
Feb. 28th, ’63.
Cloudy this morning.
Pay rolls to be made
out to-day; inspection
& muster for pay, also.
F March 1st, ’63.
Clear & warm.
Quite sick in the
morning.
Reg’t. gone on foraging
expedition, with three
days rations.
March 2d, ’63.
Cloudy & cool most
of the day. I walked
to town & back to-day.
Part of the reg’t.
returned to-day with
some of the wagons
loaded & sent back.
[32]
March 3d, ’63.
Cloudy & cool.
April 20th, ’63.
We were yesterday or-
dered to have three
day’s cooked rations
in haversacks, & three to
put in wagons, to be
ready to march when-
ever called upon.
Started this morn-
ing at 8 ½ O’Clock, and
marched out the Mc
Minnville pike to Crip-
ple Creek, where a bri-
gade of our army is
encamped, guarding
a very high hill, used
as a post of observation
by our signal corps, &
[33]
which gives a view of
the Country for more
than 20 ms. from Mur-
freesboro, & which can
be seen from the Court
House in that town; here
we halted & ate our din-
ners. This afternoon we
marched to a little
town, the name of which
is said to be spelled Rea-
dyville, & pronounced Res-
dyville, where another
brigade, performing like
duty with the one before
mentioned is stationed.
April 21st, ’63.
Started before sun-
rise this morning.
Passed through Wood-
bury about noon; a-
[34]
bout 3 P.M. we halted
to rest & await orders; &
having marched about
25 ms. Rested over an
hour when we started
again, turning to the left
off the pike on a dirt
road, & marching a-
bout 5 ms. we encamp-
ed for the night.
Our mounted infant- [“A strong Federal expedition patrolled from
ry, & cavalry, in advance, Murfreesboro to McMinnville, Tenn.,
entered McMinnville to- April 20-30.” Long, Civil War Day by Day.]
day, capturing over 100
of John Morgan’s men
& burned two R.R. bridges
& a cotton factory.
April 22nd, ’63.
Started early this
morning, & marched
all day through a
[35]
well wooded – for this
country, – & sparsely pop-
ulated country.
April 23d, ’63.
Started at 3 o’clock
this morning, at about
9 A.M. came upon the
pike, & started in the
direction of Liberty, which
place we reached a-
bout 2 ½ P.M. A flour-
ing mill, much used
by the rebels, was burn-
ed this afternoon. En-
camped about 1 mile
West of town.
April 24th, ’63.
Remained in Camp
[36]
to-day; about 3 P.M. our
reg’t. went on picket
two miles East of town.
April 25th, ’63.
Returned to camp a-
bout 9 A.M., when we
all started to Alex-
andria; which place,
we reached about
12 M., & encamped.
Today we destroyed
the machinery of a
flouring mill, & also,
a carding machine.
April 26th, ’63.
Remained in camp
to-day. Heard Rev.
McFarland preach
in the Campbellite
Church.
[37]
April 27th, ’63.
Up every morning since
out at 3 o’clock.
At 2 P.M. we started
back toward Liberty, &
encamped within 2 ½
miles of that place &
1 ½ miles our former
camp.
A number of refugees
are with us on their
way north. The peo-
ple all along our line
of march say they are
in a very destitute, & some
in almost a starving
condition.
A shoemaker in Al-
exandria told me, –
showing a pair of shoes,
just such as are issued
by our Government for
$1.48, – that he had
[38]
been offered $25 for
his shoes, & had re-fused it.
Most of Stokes’
cavalry was recruit-
ed in this part of
the Country.
April 28th, ’63.
Up at 3 ½ A.M.
Rained some during
the night, & very slight-
ly this morning.
[39]
[The next page is blank.]
[40] [Written upside down from previous pages.]
Rec’d. of Capt. W. F. Hunter,
Co. B, 97 Ohio, the follow-
ing orduance, Aug. 14, ’63:
52 Enfield complete –
54 sets of accouterments.
1600 r’ds. cartridges
1st Lieut J. F. Brady
Rec’d. of Capt. Wm. F. Hunter,
Co. B, 97th Ohio, the following
Camp & Garrison equipage, Aug.
14, 1863: –
9 Mess pans –
5 Camp kettles –
4 Hatchets, & H.
3 Axes – “
1 Pick – “
1 Spade – “
26 S. tents –
48 Knapsacks –
68 Haversacks –
68 Canteens –
1st Lieut J. F. Brady.
[42]
July 14th, 1863.
Bought tobacco for
the following men of
the Co. of Sut. 57th Ind.,
at 30 cts. a piece, to be
paid next pay day.
[See Xerox of this page.]
[43] This diary page is written upside down to the above pages.]
Dec. 26th, 1863.
Started to rejoin the
brigade at Blanes X
Roads, 18 ms. from
Knoxville. Got aboard
the Steam boat “Chatta-
noga”, which got under
way about 9 P.M.
Cabin (?) consists of
a light frame work
of pine, over which
is thrown some pieces
of old tent[-]. No
stove in our part
of the aforesaid Cabin!
Unpleasantly cool.
Rained all day & night.
Fare: “Hard tack & coffee”,
& “do your own Cooking”.
Dec. 27, 1863.
Sunday. Still rain-
ing. The boat goes
[44]
at the rate of –
well, I don’t know
just how much, –
but she goes, or the
trees on the bank
have all started down
the river. Rained all
day & night. The rain
comes into our “Cabin”
without being invited.
The boat had to “lay to”
for several hours
during the night owing
to the fog.
Dec. 28th, 1863.
Reached London about
8 A.M. Landed opposite
the town. The rebel
works there as seen
from this side of
the river are insig-
[45]
nificant. The bridge
here is burned.
Rain has ceased but
it is cloudy & cold.
Made a fire near the
Rail road, & trying to make
ourselves “at home” until
2 P.M. when, it is said,
the Cars will arrive.
35. Ky. encamped here.
Cars arrived about 12 M.
Started about 3 ½ P.M.
“Stauled” once on up
grade. Reached Knoxville
about 8 P.M. – 4 ½ hours
going 35 ms. A. P. M. per-
mitted us to sleep on
the floor of his room
in the Court House.
Dec. 29, 1863.
Started for Strawberry
plains on cars about 10 A.M.
[46]
& reached there about 11 ½ P.M.
Brig. G. S. S. being there for
bread, I came out with
him, arriving at Camp,
which is on the bank
of the river, 6 ms. from
the station.
So ends the Chapter.
[Transcription Notes: The rest of Capt. W. F. Hunter’s diary is used as a record book. See Xerox pages following. For explanation of transcription style, see page 47.
-Mary Roy Dawson Edwards, Transcriber
July 2008.]