[from the diary of Daniel D. Logan, younger brother of General Thomas M. Logan, formerly a Sgt, Co. B, 1st Special Battalion (Rightor’s), now with the Hampton Legion]
Monday –June 30th 1862
The Enemy are reported in full retreat today
Jackson has crossed the Chickahominy River
& with Magruder Hill & Longstreet pressing
their center & Holmes on our right are
pushing them before us, their rear guard made
a strong stand yesterday – I spent the morning in
the office & after dinner mounted Fanny to
overtake Genl Magruder & staff, taking the Wmsbg
& Charles City road overhauled them abt dusk
near the miles Sweeney’s tavern – Insmen [?]
had a hard fight abt two miles below &
we rode over the field after the Enemy had
retired & our forces hauled up on the bloody
field for the night resting after a hard days
fight & a desperate fight – Some of the staff
& myself rode to Sweeney’s Tavern & put up our
horses & selves for the night – sleeping in a deser
-ted parlor containing only a piano & a fine
one too – The firing toward dark was terribly
loud – Our forces captured 18 pcs artillery this
[The following lines are cross-written over the above page.]
Evening spiked & left by the Enemy today – After a ride of abt 18 miles
we slept for the night right soundly –first paying off
those of the staff who were with me for this month – Our
Army & the Enemy’s rear ground are within
two miles of Each other tonight! The occasional
firing of the pickets can be distinctly heard from
our resting place – The slaughter of the Yankees
this Evening was terrible – they had a good
position for their artilery & used it with
some effect – shells were bursting all
round us –
[The Sweeney family operated a famous pottery and a small
hotel/tavern not far from the intersection of the River Road
(modern Route 5) and the Long Bridge Road. In fact, General Magruder
used one of the Sweeney boys as his guide during the operations
on July 1st. ]
[transcript by Mary Roy Dawson Edwards, commentary by Robert E. Lee Krick]
MSS 6154