[from the diary of Wesley Hammond, Co. E., 42nd Virginia “Dixie Greys”]
Monday – 13th Day rainy and bad. Rather
cool. Spent the day [-] much in reading
and writing – feel rather badly and [-]
Tuesday 14th . Write to Miss A_____ . do some
writing for others. several of our boys [-]
to 6 am. from Staunton, been very
busy all day reading and writing.
[transcript by Mary Roy Dawson Edwards]
MSS 5526
[from the diary of Captain William F. Hunter of Co., B., 97th Ohio]
Oct. 13th, ’62.
Feel very little bet-
ter to-day, still have
to go. Marched early
over the same ground
we passed yesterday,
struck the pike at
about the same place,
turned to the left, &
have moved along
the pike, rapidly, to
within 2 miles of Dan-
ville. Here we have
halted & stacked arms,
resting in place. Rep-
orted that we are
[34]
going to shell the town!!
Still cold & chilly; rain-
ing occasionally.
“Something in the wind”,
& I do n’t know what; the
ambulances are all
hurry ing along the pike,
some parts of our train
going on, some parts
stopped. Mounted
orderlies fly ing a-
round & all confusion &
bustle. The cavalry,
which so boldly dash-
ed up to our camp
on the morning
of the 10th inst., was
Gen’l. John Morgan’s.
Went into camp; were
aroused at 12 o’clock,
& ordered to fall in as
quickly & quietly as pos-
sible; did so; march-
ed to Danville, – after
passing through part
of the town we turned
squarely to the left
(West). Moved on rap- [From “Moved on rapidly” to “and formed”,
idly about 8 or 9 miles the date Oct. 14th, ’62 is written perpendicularly
when we came up beside the entry.]
to the rear of the reb-
el army. We then left
the road, (leading to
Stanford,) & formed
in line of battle a-
cross the fields &
woods; advanced
in that manner
about a mile, when
a battery, in front
& to the left of us,
opened upon us.
They threw four shells –
none taking effect –
when our battery came up & quickly
silenced the offen-
sive intruder.
There were, as I
have since ascer-
tained, about 3000
cavalry & 2 brass pieces
of artillery. Reported
that we dismounted
one piece.
Took one Major &
should have taken
the whole force.
Passed through Stran-
ford[sic], & encamped for
the night about ½
mile from town.
A very fair little
village; quite a num-
ber of churches.
Clear & warm.
[transcribed by Mary Roy Dawson Edwards]
MSS 10547-bm
[from the diary of the Rev. Francis Butler, chaplain of the 25th New Jersey]
Mon 13. Very busy with many things – mail – sick – & no Surgeon
Col D. is appointed to Command of 2d. Brigade – Caseys Div
Marsh Adj’s Genl – Slept in camp – no floor to tent.
called on Provost Marshall Dorter old classmate
[transcript by Mary Roy Dawson Edwards]
MSS 12935
[from the diary of James Dinsmore Templeton, musician and private in the 23rd Ohio]
Monday, Oct. 13, 1862
Left the [?] this
morning made
some coffee in the
House made some
for a boy of Pryors Md
Cavalry found that the
brigade would go back
started off in advance
came to the Stone bridge
there took along the river
then across the country
went from there alone
arrived at Hancock
about 1 oclock
Crossed the river got
my dinner went onto
the same car that we
occupied before
Have been out Little
cover with South mts on
the east & the [?]
on the west Cloudy & damp
MSS 10317
[from the diary of William M. Blackford, bank officer and former diplomat with five sons in the Confederate Army]
Wednesday 13 News through Yankee chan-
-nels of a battle in Kentucky–they claim
no victory–admit the loss of four
generals killed and as gold now
in N Y. to 1.2.6. & exchanges ?/40
we may reasonably infer Victory
marched on our standards
No news from any other quarter
There seems no doubt that Lincoln
-dom is in a state of great commo-
tion; and excitement in consequence
of the Proclamation–General McClellan
has issued a mild General Order
cautioning the troops against poli-
tical discussion. It is a very signi
ficant production and goes to corrobo-
rate the report that great strife
trouble expected in camp on account
of the war being turned into an
abolition war.–I do not think
six months can elapse without
a violent subversion of the Yankee
Government.- – Rain – Rain
MSS 4763
Monday, October 13, 1862
Awakened as usual, with the best determination
but was kept in bed by Margaret being late
about makeing the fire. (I would have gotten up
but it was too cold for Jacque.) Margaret seems
to be very much troubled about makeing my fire–After
she was told to do it, ask if Charity could not–said
she couldn’t get up time enough, never had gotten
up before six o clock=injured her eyes to make
fires &c. I talked to her about her duty–but she
evidently is determined not to be made a servant
out of: But she made the fire this morning & I
hope it will be the last I will hear on the
subject–I have a horror of white servants if
we have got to be explaining their places to
them all the time. I cant bear to
be exacting, but surely it must be right
not to give up to them about such things.
-What will we do when they are all white-
I should prefer even Nancy & her [?]
to such an event=
Read an hour, dined & nursed
as usual=wrote a long letter to
you. So am tired & sleepy–Good
night, love, good night.
[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.]
Monday 13th Very rainy & unpleasant–We all kept within doors &
at night while some knit others played whist–Being Monday
no letters or papers arrived so we had nothing to read–Mrs Phillips
came for Liz to spend the day–But the weather was too bad to venture out.
MSS 6960
[from the diary of Joseph Addison Waddell, civilian employee of the Quartermaster Dept.]
[transcript by the Valley of the Shadow project]
MSS 38-258
[from the diary of Jesse Calvin Spaulding, Co. F., 25th Massachusetts]
Sunday
Oct 12
Did not rest very well last night but my
appetite is much better than it has been. O how
I miss the Sabbath institutions. dick Collins came
in here and he and Pollard went to playing cards
but I spoke to them and Graham stopped them
and we had quite a talk on such matters.
Pollard I am sorry to see shows more malice every
day, and may God be with him and lead his heart
aright. I have been taking physic all day but to no
purpose as it has no effect. Laid on my bunk most
all day it being a rainy day.
MSS 11293
