[from the diary of Lt. John Tyler of Letcher’s Artillery]

 (Sept 14th)
Sunday.  The family all at home today as they only
have service in their little church twice a month.
Wrote a letter to Jennie this morning & one to Pa
in afternoon.  Had an interesting chat this
evening with Miss Lizzie, about my home & hers.
Report about Harpers Ferry confirmed.  My head
has been aching quite badly this evening, [one letter lined through] took
quite a long nap this evening, while Miss Lizzie
(bless her heart) prevented the flies from disturb-
-ing me by fanning me.

[transcript by Mary Roy Dawson Edwards]

MSS 6150

[from the diary of Wesley Hammond of the 42nd Virginia, Co. E,  “Dixie Greys”]

Sunday 14. –  Go to hear preaching at Post
by Rev. J. W. Wolf. – Dine again at Mr  Mass

[transcript by Mary Roy Dawson Edwards]

MSS 8493

[The stationery is headed with an illustration of Liberty holding a shield with stars and stripes.

              Sept the 14th 186[?]
              Gennes [?] town  Dc
              Dear friend brother
              Now i take you
              my pen in hand
              to let you know
              that i am well
              and hope that
you are the same   I don’t
know as I have any news
to write you more than
you know now   But you
asked me in the letter
that I got last
night how what kind
of a living we have
here   if you beleive to
all that you hear
you will have enough
to do now i tell you
our rations is good
enough and plenty two

[page 2]
     We have hard bread
and soft bread   coffee
and tea with shugger
in it and some times
rice and beans and
a plenty of beef.  [word lined out]
all the time there
is a battle some
where   to day for
I can hear the guns
plain as day  Half
of my money will
come home to you
and it will come
to the town trasure
and you can get
it from there.  I got
five letters last night
and ambrose got
eight and we had
a happy time [-]
 [word lined out] there news.

[page 3]
in our regt yestrerday
that had a ribble
ball put put through
him   it struck him
in the arm  broke
the 2 halves and came
out the under his
sholder blade   he was
a drummer boy us
it was an axident
a some one discharged
there peice not noing
he was there   i saw
him last night just
after it was dar
an he was out on
the pardde [parade]  ground
with it just as if
nothing was the matter
I have written so
much that I cant
hardley hold my [word lined out] pen

[page 4]
[two letters lined out] in my hand   Where
I was to work yesterday
the grapes was so
that when I went
on under the vines that
I could not see up
through them and
they was so ripe and
nice that you would
liked them I know
that you would  there
was one man died here
yesterday with the fevver
his name was Gitchal
I never was any more
healthy in my life
than I am now.
I must leave you
now so good by
from your
        Brother
James Mc Glosthes [?]

[transcript by Mary Roy Dawson Edwards]

MSS 828

                     Camp Cadwallader
                            Sept. 14th/62
Dearest Birdie:
                    Day after day passes
away & no letter.  I have written
faithfully to you, but suppose
you had neither letter stamps
nor money to get them. Mr.
Garrison came up yesterday & said
you were all quite well, which
relieved me from fears about Lillie
      We have at last got our bounty
of $50.00
       Yesterday Regt No. 1 N.J.
undrafted Militia were mustered
in . Our Co. will be mustered
in to Regt. No 2 tomorrow. It will be Regt.

[page 2]
No. 2.   Our Co. will be Co. B.  It will
occupy the left flank of the
Regt. in battle, will be used a
good deal as Skirmishers & will
use rifles insted[sic] muskets.
   Tuesday we  hope to receive our
uniform.
    If I can get a furlough for
more than 2 or 3 days I may
come home Wednesday, but I
cannot tell when I can come,
how long I can stay, or really
whether I can come at all or not.
I belong to Uncl Saml & this
country it affairs are now in a
very uncertain & critical condition
& every soldier is liable to be called
into active service any day. I am
getting along very well in learning
military tactics.  Better in fact, than
I expected.
    Yesterday our Co. took its first
lesson in Battalion drill.
  [page 3]
There were two Regts. out near each
other & made quite a show.  There
are about 2500 soldiers here now.
Regt. after Regt. pass here every
day in the cars.  The R.R. track
passes within less than a rod of
the camp ground, & the shouts &
huzzas as they pass make the welkin
ring.
    If I ascertain that I come
home Wednesday I will not send
any money in this letter, for it
would only reach you Tuesday if
it were mailed to day.
   I will now give you the mortify-
ing & painful intelligence that
Mr. Buskirk’s father came & took
him away, & this afternoon one
of the Liets is commissioned to
detail as many soldiers as he
thinks necessary to go in pursuit
of him as a deserter, & bring his
body if he can be found.

[page 4]
& if his father say one contrary
word he will be arrested too.  the
Brig Genl (Robeson) & our Co. officers
all think he is more to blame
than Clarence. The law requires
a written consent only from only
when the boy is under 18.
  Neither Buskirk or his father
were aware of that & supposed
a writ of Habeus Corpus could
be sworn out, but it will not
avail.  Neither the civil or militia
law will recognize him as any
thing but a deserter.  His prop-
erty will be confiscated, & he, if
not shot; be forever prohibited
from being a bonafide citizen
of the U.S.  If Lieut. Smith
finds him he will try & reason
the case with him, & if he comes
back willingly & manifests a
disposition to right, his punish-
ment will undoubtedly be modified.

[page 5]
But if he resists, or is stubborn,
it will go pretty hard with him
for he is considered too intelligent
to be excusable.
   I had no chance to see him
after I understood the law, or I
should have done all in my
power to persuade  him to remain.
   If he could only know & come
back of his own accord it would
yet be well with him.
    If he had stayed & remained
& done as well as he knew how
to do he would certainly have
been promoted the first opportunity.
    It makes me very sad, & de-
stroys all the satisfaction I other-
wise might have, I can’t keep
it out of my mind.
   Calvin is well & doing well. He
is on guard duty to day.
   I was at church this forenoon,
& this afternoon there will be

[page 6]
preaching at 4 1/2 on the camp
ground.  Several Cos form a
hollow square & sit down on the
ground.  Some of the soldiers
like it, & others swear all the
time they say.
   I think probably I will
go to Phila. in the morning, &
on the afternoon train to Vineland
when I do come.
   I sent you $3.00  the other day
in a letter which I suppose you
have received.
   You need not have any fear
about my deserting.  I am n
the service of my country, & I
will quit honorably or die in
its service.
    I hope you pray often &
with faith for me.  I am ever
deeply sensible of my great need
of the prayers of my christian friends.
   Kiss my Darlings.  Love to all
                        Henry

Herny S. Spaulding, 38th New Jersey Volunteers

MSS 38-156

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

Sunday, Sept. 14, 1862

This morning were
up before daylight
left our knapsacks &
instruments – marched
out to the mountain west
went up by a by road throu
gh the woods.  Met the enemy
The fighting was terrible
the rebels fighting with
terrible resolution
was in the terrible storm
some in care of the wounded
Carried them back. helped the
Col Hayes a little
Had a hard time carrying
them back.
Many of them are around
us now dying & groaning
Smith [Lent?] wounded also
Hood & Skiles
Hear terrible fighting S West
Have taken Mark Slonakers
effects he is about to die
Cloudy & Clear Cool

in back of diary Templeton has written:
Recd of Mark Slonaker
this night Sept 14th / 62
in view of his approach-
ing death from a wound
Recd this day in the
early part of the
engagement
1 open faced watch
1 memoranda
1 pencil case
Tell my Father & Mother
that I died hopeing to
meet them in a world
to come that the [?] [?]
Tell my dear mother I
died with his name
on my lips

the following lines in smeared pencil are almost illegible

We [?]
tell my mother not to grieve
Pocket gook con $6.75
Died at 9 PM
Paid One dollar for box
to bury him in

Took from the
Body of Wm Creps
1 pocket-Book with
$2.17 inclosed  he yet
live Sept 15th / 62
His grave is
[diagram gives location of Creps’ grave]

Mark Sloneckers is
buried in Abraham
Shiltneys field to the
right of Dan [Reeder?]
house going toward Blue Ridge
his body is in a
box on the East side
of the grave he was
buried by George Snerr
near [?]   May-
riland

MSS 10317

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

             
      Sept 14th  

This week we have been constantly on the
jump  at 8 A. M of the 8th we again took up
our line of march.  passed through Rockville,
and at seven P. M took a position, and
encamped for the night.  Did not move
until ten A M the next day/.  at two P. M
after a short march the div halted and
encamped in line of battle.  The 32nd N. Y.
and a section of our battery were sent
out on piquet.  On the 10th were up and
off very early.  at seven P. M. after a long
and very fatiguing march, we halted and
encamped for the night at the foot of the
Sugar Loaf Mts. .  We are close on to the rebs,
and will doubtless have a battle in a few
days.  Next day we lay still for a rest.  On
the 12th were up and off very early, and after
a long and very severe march we went into
position, and encamped for the night.  On
the 13th after a very short march we halted
just outside  Buckeystown, and encamped for
the night.  The rebs occupied this ground this
morning and tried hard to hold it, but
were driven from it by our advance.  To
day were up and off as early as usual,
at noon we halted just out side the
town of Jefferson.  At two P. M. we again

started on, and at three P. M arrived at Burketts-
-ville, immediatly in rear of which we found the
rebs posted in force on both sides of the
road with Artillery:  their position was very
strong.  The 1st  Div was formed on the right of
the road.  the 2nd on the left.  a line composed
of Bartletts, and Talbott’s Brigade supported
by Newton’s advanced steadily on a charge.
The rebs were driven from their position at
the base of the Mt. and forced back to their
artillery.  Here they attempted another stand,
but the impetuosity of our troops again routed
them from their position, and they retired
fireing their pieces by echelon:  after an action
of two hours, the crest was gained, and
the rebs fled hastily down the other side of
the Mts.  On the left of the road.  Brook’s
and Irwin’s brigades of the 2nd div. formed to
protect our flanks, and charged up the
Mts. in the same steady manner, driving all
before them, and carried the crest on the left.
Four hundred prisoners, seven hundred stands
of arms, and one piece of Artillery were captu-
-red, also three colors.  Our loss was 115. killed
16 wounded, and several missing,  the rebs lost
beside their prisoners three hundred killed
at Browns Pass on these same Mts:  Gen’s
Burnside, Sumner and Hooker’s corps, and
Sykes div. had a very severe and obstinate

[Johnson breaks here and continues on the 17th]

[transcript by Mary Roy Dawson Edwards]

MSS 8493

[from the diary of William M. Blackford, bank officer and former diplomat with five sons in the Confederate Army]

Sunday 14th.   Here is a hiatus [?]
A fortnight of great interest–marked
by momentous events, and great per
=sonal anxiety, and yet not an entry
to record the passing news or impres
sion.  I was too busy in fact to
record what was going on.

The success of our arms on the 28.29
&30-last month in the vicinity of
Manassas was most glorious and de
cisive.  The enemy were outgener
aled  and whipped in a [?]?]
ley inferior numbers — and with a
disparity of loss most wonderful
The demoralization of their army
was very great. Their loss in killed
wounded prisoners & missing is not
below 35,000–their dead five times
at least as many as ours–I was
kept in great suspense as to the
fate of William & Launcelot until
Friday 5 when a telegram from
D. O.P. Fairfax  [?] of Richd.
informed me they were both un
hurt as late as Sunday Aug 31st ha
ving passed safely through the great
trois jours.  His son Randolph
a messmate of Lanty had written
to him & requested him to inform me
Saturday 6 having been assured
that Eugene would be able to leave
Monday 8 I went to Richd via Char
lottesville, where I saw for a few min-
-utes Dr. Davis.  Found Eugene looking
pretty well but unable to stand alone

Next day heard certain news of the
advance of Lee into Maryland with
60 or 70,000 men.  It was quite electr=
=fying –I cannot [?] from myself
the hazard of the enterprize and
yet it was the only alternative
Heard Mr. Peterkin preach Sunday &
partook in his church of the Holy Com
munion—Monday at 5 pm left Rich
-mond in the packet boat with
a great many passengers. Eugene had
assigned to him the servants room
where he was made quite comfor
-table.  Mary Gwatkins & her child ac
companied us.  We had at least 70
to sleep in the cabin the first night
On the whole the voyage was not
unpleasant.  We arrived yesterday
morng at qr past 6 and found Mr
Dean in watching for us, with an
ambulance–but Dr. Green had sent
his carriage.  Found all well at
home & learned in Richd that Wil
-liam had a horse killed under him
on the Monday after the great battle
at the skirmish at Germantown
noting of any marked interest since
my return–Eugene improving on the
whole, but his leg has swollen again.

Last night Mr. Wyndham Robertson
came in, just from home.  Mary &
children all well–He is on his road
to take his seat in the Legislature
Bishop Elliott spent Thursday Evg
with us.  He was called here by a te-
legram from his son who was wounded
slightly at Manassas
   An excellent and appropriate
sermon from Mr. Kinckle–prepara
tory to the Thanksgiving on Thursday
large congregation–Cha Garlick
& Jane returned from church and
dined with us–they go to morrow
to Richd to [?] We shall miss
them exceedingly–Jane is one of
the best of women.  There will re
main in family which will stand
in the same relation to us — Charles
Sue & Anna Colston came over in
the eveng. The two former both very
[?] of [?] Sue had one
of her dangerous attacks while
on a visit to Briery Knowe . Wrote
to Launcelot & William and gave
the letters to Rev. M. Thomas, who
is going to Fredrick city and may
have an oppty of sending the letters

though I feel that they are bread
cast upon the waters.  It is very
[tantalizing?] and trying to the patience
the little news we have from the
army–service tonight

MSS 4763

[from the diary of Anne Madison Willis Ambler]

Sunday, September 14, 1862

Fannie rode to town with you to
attend church–heard a sermon
from bro. C[harles] & dined at Mr Keyeses

Spent a pleasant day, enjoyed reading
& nursing more than usual–.

One thing I have been lazy about, is
sleeping late in the morning ever since
you came home-…

  We heard cannon all day–I suppose it
must have been at the Ferry, & was
astonished when Fanny came to
hear they had not heard a sound of it
in Town.

[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 14th  Mr. Wingfield gave us a very good sermon
this morning–& will have the Church opened on Sabbath at
5 O Clock in the afternoon instead of 8 at night–The negroes
go in to Sunday school at 4 OClock & let out at 5–I have
just written Eliza a long letter–& enclosed it with 3 from
Mr. Mason–also sent her $5 more she wrote for & 3 news
papers to read–by Judge Osborne–who leaves here for
Pittsboro court in the morning–

MSS 6960

                                   1862
        Alexandria Sept 16th
            Dear Phebe
                        We find our
selves again back to the old
place having been ordered
here in hot haste last night
the rebels in the city taking
advantage of our absence to
make a demonstration in favor
of Jeff Davis.  When we marched
from here we left the 68th ill
inois and they were pretty roughly
handled.  the rebels are enjoyed at
their successes and
believing that Jackson was
to triumph throwed of[f] the
mask which so illy covered
the reason which was in therm
grew insolent and insulting.
Our sudden appearance in full
force supprised the scoundrels
who supposed we were far
away towards Mannassas

[page 2]
Our instructions were brief
“Put all into the slave pens
who have not got a pass was
the order”  Do not parley with
them put the bayonet to them
if they refuse to obey: Only one
ventured on the dangerous
ground.  He refused to go
into the slave pen when
ordered to do so, and he paid
the penalty on the spot a
bullet through his head
tells the whole story: and showed
the rest beyond a doubt
how they were to be served
we had no further trouble
and last night was as
quiet as usual.  We shall
probably stay here a few
weeks; although we cannot
tell certainly.  You can
send the box directed as
before the shirt I refered

[page 3]
was my other under shirt
you may send it if you are
a mind to I do not care
much about it; and while
I think of it I wish you
would write whether you
ever received my clothes and
boots & which I sent
home.  I have got my shirts
they are just what I wanted
I wish you would send
me a hundred postage stamps
we cannot get them here
and if my patent leather boots
have reached you you may
send them to me if I can
not carry them I can
sell them.  Please send
the cheese.  I have written
to Sanford; and enclosed
a note to you I wrote
to him that the fight
could not be long

[page 4]
delayed it has proved as
predicted, before this you
will read the accounts of
the battles for the last 48
hours we have been listening
to the distant roar of cannon
as it comes reverberating from
the hights of hagerstown, all
day yesterday it raged at eve
there was a lull: We did not
know the result, and waited
patiently.  We were patrolling
the citty of alexandria in stern
silence, about 2.o clock this
morning the stillness was broken
the untied noise of perhaps
75 heavy cannon borke[sic]
out from across the Potomac
and these with the signal light
the blowing of the steam
whistles of the transports
and the rush of couriers told
the story: Victory Victory–
the wore was caught and
amid shouts and yells
we came back to our tents
this morning at 9 o clock
The rebels are still to day

[page 5]
and as they set in their
homes to day and think
of their fathers brothers
sons who joined Jackson
and whose bodies thousands
on thousands now strew
the ground for miles
their reflections must be
indeed be bitter: Ladies
to: Mothers, Wives & sisters
are included in this com
pany and to day they walk
the streets in silence with
pale & anxious faces: and
it is the hardest of all our
duties to drive them from
the street but it has to be
done, such are the are the[sic]
orders: strange indeed that
they should be so blinded
to their own interest, but
crushing defeat will cure

[page 6]
them of the delusion under
which they labor.  God
only knows the end, but
it seems to me that we
are approaching the end
of this rebelion. They cannot
stand the overwheming [sic] now
being rolled upon them
and it seems to me that
they must give it up: time
will tell however–Then let
us most patiently firmly
relying on god believing
in faith that all will
be for the best Give
my love to all the folks
yours ev  Josiah

PS I have Just got
Harriets letter much
obliged JWP

Josiah W. Perry,  Co. K, 33rd Massachusetts

MSS 2215