[from the diary of Ephraim A. Wood, of Co. C., 13th Massachusetts]

     Sunday  Aug 31st/62

     Early this morning we
started for Centreville.  It rained
hard.  The remains of our Regt
haulted near Centreville.  We soon
learned that another Squad
of the Regt were the other side
of Centreville.  We went to them
and soon after another guard
under a Lieut came up.
A number of the wounded of our
Company were there and the Capt
saw them safely aboard of hacks
that came from Washington.
We marched about two miles
from Centrevill and Camped or
rather Bivouaked in amongst
some stumps of trees, formerly a forest.
A great many of the straglers came
up to day.  Our loss is very
heavy.  Our Company had
Sixteen wounded that we are
sure of, three killed and
there is eight I think missing.
We do not know whether they are
killed wounded or taken prisoners.
The other Companies have lost in
like proportion.  Among the killed
and wounded in this Company is
Cop Blanchard killed, Private Dickinson
killed Hastings Bennett of Brighton
who attended Mr Allens School the same
time Sophia and I did, killed.
John Arnott wounded , J Halstrick,
John Keith, Henry Loard, Frank Mann,
Chas. Page, Henry Richards, John
Richardson, George Sawyer. All wounded.
Other that I forget the names of a
number of recruits wounded and missing
Joe Keeting was wounded.  John
Mitchell is missing and I have
heard since that he was wounded
and in Washington but cannot tell
for certain.  Among the missing are
Walter Colender  Private Palfrey  David
Walke  Albert Lescolm and some
of the Recruits.  There is very few but
what can show some mark
of a bullett about their clothing
A great many had holes shot
through their canteens.  The Regt
threw off their Knapsacks before
going into Battle and the Rebel
have got them.

[transcript by Mary Roy Dawson Edwards]

MSS 12021

[from the diary of Samuel Johnson, 1st Massachusetts Independent Light Battery]

              Upton’s Farm, Fairfax Co., Va., Aug. 31, 1862.
     All day yesterday a cannonading was
kept up in the direction of Manassas, and
in the afternoon it sounded terrible in the
extreme.  Hard fighting took place, but
who got the better of it, is not yet known.
The report was circulated today that
Stonewall Jackson with 18,000 of his
men was captured, but the story sounds
too incredible.  Jackson is too wary a fox
to allow himself to be bagged so early.
The report was, that our forces were in
his front, and rear, and that he was
thus ‘hemmed in,’ but this sounds so little
like Jackson’s policy, that we await a
confirmation of these reports before believing _
     The campaign in Eastern Virginia has,
thus far, been far from encouraging, and
what little we have gained, has been
mostly abandoned or retaken.  Washington
must have been menaced, and our army reduced
to straits, when we were obliged to abandon the Peninsular.
What avails those noble lives sacrificed in battle or by
disease on the Peninsular, and who is to blame for gross mismanagement?

[transcript by Mary Roy Dawson Edwards]

MSS 13925

[from the diary of James Dinsmore Templeton, musician and private in the 23rd Ohio]

Sunday, Aug. 31, 1862

Rained most of the
day  lay about doing
little if nothing were
mustered as regtl
band were also
placed upon company
rolls
All sorts of rumors
in camp in regard to
the [late?] battle nothing
reliable [received?]
Jo wrote  [6 letters?] to Washing
to day.  Large back
mail came in to day rec’d
letters from Father, Hanna
John Olin & Caldwell Esq
have written to Hanna
and am writeing to
John Olin
Gloomy & wet

MSS 10317 

[from the diary of Anne Madison Willis Ambler]

Sunday, September 31, 1862

Spent the morning trying to read &
nurse but talked more than
was profitable on the Sabbath.
Patty read us a sermon in
the evening

[as transcribed in 1972 by her granddaughter Anne Madison Wright Baylor]

MSS 15406

[from the diary of Eliza Oswald Hill, refugee from Wilmington, N.C.

Sunday 31th[sic]  We all went to Church this morning–Quite a
full congregation–The Sermon was not interesting being on
infant baptism–Church again to night at half past 7
but as it has commenced raining but few will attend–It
has turned very warm to day–

MSS 6960

[from the diary of Jesse Calvin Spaulding, Co. F, 25th Massachusetts]

Saturday
Aug 30
On guard to day.  Had good officers
right through and had a good
time.  Finished “Edna or an antique Tale”
got a good long letter and a picture of
Gibbs & Whitney in it day before yesterday
Answered it yesterday

MSS 11293

                       
[This letter is written on stationery with the “Battle at Williamsburgh”
illustrated.]
                             Aug 30  1862
Fort Massachusetts  Washington D C
Dear Friend Olive
I though I would write
a few lines to let you
know how we are doing
out here in the south
we are all wel and harty
as can bee

they have ben fighting
at bul run 3 days or more
and our folks have whiped
them at every point of
attact.   bully for that.

[page 2]
we could hear them as plain
as day every gun they fired
and our boys was in a
great way to get there
I tel you
they come here last night
and got our baggage train
to get the kiled [?] women
and children at the bath
I have just heard that
jacson is taken with 8000
of his men prisoners
but I do not know how it is
yet
they are fireing a salute
over to the fort now for
something I don’t know what
it is if it is not for that
we are about 10 miles from
the fight at the time
and it  makes me wish I was there
we lay on our arm
the night we got hire [here]

[page 3]
and we was expecting al[l] night
a cal to go a double quick
to Chain bridge   that would
have been nice.
when we were coming out
here the car I was in run
of [f] the track, and went about
1 mile right on one edge
of the car and we had to
hang on for [word lined out]
dear life
it broke clear from the car
[-] was in or it would
have done a great deal of
damage
we had just pased over a
bridge about 50 feet high
when it com of[f] the track
it jolted us good
we have no new news to tel
at all  to write for it is
quite stil out here

[page 4]
only the secesh people
make glas pies and sel them
to the boys
but they have got
used to them so that
they know just how to
eat them
I must close now
for I have got to go
and sign another pay
role so they ran
give my love to al the
folks and tel them to
write soon
good bye friend Olive
from
         A   A   Huntley

Ambrose A. Huntley,  1st Maine Heavy Artillery

[transcript by Mary Roy Dawson Edwards]

MSS 828

  [from the diary of Wesley Hammond of Co. E 42nd Virginia (Dixie Greys)]

 Saturday 30 –  Fighting very hard at
the Junction.  Little or no difficult nearer
from there.

[transcribed by Mary Roy Dawson Edwards]

MSS 5526

[from the diary of Lt. John Tyler of Letcher’s Artillery as recorded somewhat after the date]
  
(Aug. 30th) Skirmishing commenced
very early this morning along the whole
line.  Our Brigade was in position on
the left & near the R. R. cut.  T’was evident
ere long that the enemy were trying to turn
our left & Genl. Thomas sent me to look

out and report to Genl. Hill.  After find-
-ing out what the enemy were up to & their
position I went to Genl. Hill & told him,
he then sent me to show Genl Gregg a
good position on our left which I
did, and at my suggestion a battery
was planted, which in a very few minutes
after had a chance of rendering us some val-
-uable assistance, for where I had
supposed they would, the enemy made
an attack but this battery opening on
them put them to flight at once, and
at several times during the day this
battery proved its valuable position.
The fight commenced in good earnest
on our right at 2 ½ o’c & in an hour the
whole line was engaged, at 4 o’c we
made a grand charge, in which we com-
-pletely routed the enemy taking a
quantity of artillery, small arms, & pris-
-oners, and following the flying enemy

for 3 miles, when night prevented
farther pursuit.  Slept for an hour
or two on battlefield that night &
out in a hard rain.  After such un-
-usual fatigues I could not wonder
at feeling rather unwell.

[transcript by Mary Roy Dawson Edwards]

MSS 6150