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

Sunday, Oct. 12, 1862

This morning
lay about for
sometime. When
we were ordered
out Carried & put
[?] knapsacks & horns
into another–all of
the boys remained with
them but Phil Jef &
myself.  forded the
river. Marched down
the river 4 miles then
across into [Pa?]
marched in all about
15 miles Came up
a fine valley 1st
Brigade & [4?] pieces artillery
accompany us. People
very kind am now
snugly ensconced in
a bag now.  Cloudy Cool

MSS 10317

[from the diary of Captain William F. Hunter, Co. B., 97th Ohio]

     Oct. 12th, ‘62
We were roused
from our cold beds
upon the ground with
our feet to the fire,
& the starry heavens
for our only cover,
at 3 ½ o’clock A.M.
& ordered to fall
into line.
We will march at
6 o’clock this morn-
ing.
Marched 8 or 10 miles
across the fields & woods,
formed in line of

battle about 2 P.M. –
remained in line
about 2 hours, – faced
about & marched near
a mile directly back –
& encamped for the
night. We crossed
the pike to day mid-
way between Danville
& Harodsburg. Very un-
well to day; not, in fact,
able to march, but had
to walk or be left be-
hind. Rained several
times in the day & at
night. Very cold & chil-
ly & cloudy.

[transcribed by Mary Roy Dawson Edwards]

MSS 10547-bm
                   

[from the diary of the Rev. Francis Butler, chaplain of the 25th New Jersey]

Sun 12.   At g. b Took Capt Mc Kennan to Young Board
man at Hospital.  he prescribed for him – At 9 A.M.
Regt. all marched with transportation wagons to East
Capitol Hill where whole of the raw cold day was
spent in encamping – at Eveg had short religious
exercise & Col & I returned to Browns Hotel.

[transcript by Mary Roy Dawson Edwards]

MSS 12935

        Camp near Harpers Ferry Oct 12 1862
Dear Friend Binnacle
forgive my long delay In writing to you but the fact of
It I did not get yours until some after It had been sent
some 6 days however It came and I was pleased to recive
It from a hospittle (Beat) excuse the term If you please
how are you hospittle cadet does any more of the Fall river
als come to see you dont go near the woods with them It Is
dangerous they might take liberty with your person
In the mean time how Is the red legs are they still
around. well we have just Imerged from a hidous fight
and I didnt get Killed my Regt lost allmost half of Its
number among the rest our Colonel we were the first to
Occupy this place after Its Inglorious surrender but
now old Turnner[?] Is King and you need not expect
to hear of Its being given up without at least eleven rebs
being hurt the Engineers are hard at work poor fellow
building fortifications upon the various hills which
surround us talk about dead Rebells you should have
been with us on the 17th Sept Some of them asked us
to pray for them and we did In a manner they did not
like I am up to my eyes In buisiness making the pay
rolls for 4 camp camp[sic] I have recived no dough from
Same for 7 months and my purse Is dusty I must close
my best respects to all who ask for me Adieu write soon
to your old friend Geo B. Elmore 2nd Lt Co K 61st Regt engr
      Caldwells Brigade Hancocks Division

MSS 1255

 [from the dispatch book of General Alfred Peasonton]

           Hd. Qs. Cavalry Division
Mechanicstown,Oct 12 12:30 a.m.
To General R. B. Marcy-
       Chief of Staff
       Have just heard that the
rebels passed down through
a small town called Middletown
five or six miles east of this about
one hour ago on the road to
Woodsboro, so they said–
they were travelling at a
trot–& are evidently making
for the Potomac to cross–I
shall start at once for Frederick
& expect to hear further from
them at that point–They are
making for either Nolands or
Hamlings crossing at the Mouth
of the Monacacy
                           A. Pleasonton
                            Brig General
                               Comdg &c

MSS 495

[from the dispatch book of General Alfred Pleasanton]

1862 October 12  Hd.Qs. Cavalry Division
           Camp near Mouth of Monocacy
                  October 12  1.30 P.M.
To General R. B. Marcy
        Chief of Staff
                    This morning after
my dispatch of 8.30 my advance
guard met Stuarts disguised
in our uniforms & before they
were recognized a fire was opened-
& very soon after their guns
began to play upon us–
In consequence of the weakness
of the battery horses they having marched
seventy eight miles in the last
twenty-four hours–they
could not move the pieces &
I had only two pieces that
I could bring to bear on the
enemy–this continued for
upwards of an hour when
I succeeded in getting up
my six guns & soon silenced

[page 2]
their battery–They retreated
hastily & crossed the ford
three miles below with their
guns on this side & some guns
that were placed in position
for them on the other–I sent
a regiment of cavalry & some
infantry down the tow-path
to intercept the crossing, & used
every exertion to get my guns
to follow them but the horses
could not pull up the hills & I was
obliged to use men this took
time enough for the rebels to escape–
   there was no artillery at
this point & with the exception
of a few infantry companies
I had no assistance–I held
Stuart in check for two hours gut
for the reason I have assigned it
was necessary to have timely assistance
to capture his party–My men
have behaved admirably–
       Very respectfully
           A. Pleasonton
               Brig. Gen  &c

MSS 495

         Hd. Qs. Cavalry Division.
                 Oct 12  6.P.M.
        Near Mouth of Monocacy
To General R. B. Marcy
        Chief of Staff–
       General Stoneman has asked
me for some cavalry to send over
the river after the rebels–I have
told him that my artillery & cavalry
are wholly unfit for service & could
not follow the enemy until recuperated-
My whole command today
of cavalry & artillery was not more
than 800 men–My cavalry force
was two regiments- & a half-both
regiments small–of the other regiments
ordered to report to me I have not heard.
        A force of infantry & cavalry
from Poolesville arrived after the
enemy had crossed the river–
Unless otherwise ordered
I shall move back to my camp
near Sharpsburg tomorrow–
           My horses need rest
& shoeing very badly–
            It appears that
a regiment of infantry stationed
near the ford where

[page 2]
rebels crossed did not engage
or attempt to stop them from
crossing–I do not know the
name of their regiment–
             Very respectfully
              A. Pleasonton
              Maj. General
                     Comdg—

MSS 495

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

Sunday 12.  This is the anniversary of
our marriage. the 37th!  We have
lived longer together –far longer than
the usual average of marriages. I
believed I have enjoyed as much hap
piness during the many years which
have flown round since 12 Oct ’25, as
falls to the lot of most men. No one

was ever more fortunate in every respect
than I was in the match I made.
The ill health of my wife is the sole
drawback.  Pride is not the feeling
which ought to be indulged, but we
have great reason to be thankful for
the comfort we have had in our children
I think both of us strive to keep off
the induration of sensibility which
is too often the concomitant of age. I
believe we both have preserved in a
remarkable degree the  freshness of youth
ful feeling.  God grant that we
may be yet further spared to each
other and that our union may be
one of  holier  & happier as its increases
in duration.
    Large congregation considering
the gad weather–rain nearly all
day.  Walked over in the evening
to Charles–Sue unwell.

MSS 4763

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

Sunday morning 12th–a dark cloudy drizzlling morning–the
ground very damp from last nights rain–So I concluded to
remain at home & read my bible–& have done so–Mrs Walters
r& Sarah have gone–they never remain away in any kind of
weather–The latter has received letters from home to day–all
melancholy unpleasant news contained in them–First they
tell of an increase of victims to the Yellow feer- & amongst
them, Lucy Jewetts two children & two servants are down
with it.  Also Jas [or Joe?] Lippitt — all on the Sound–Then Mrs Cowan
mentions a gang of negroes haveing stolen Richd Brady’s bark
called the Hiawatha & gone of with it freighted with darkies to
the Yankees blockading fleet–& amongst them Lucy Jewett’s boy
Richds man–one of Mr Giles–One of Mr Savages & one of Mrs
Walter’s–2 other goats have attempted to reach the fleet also.
No letter yet from Fred–I hope we will hear to morrow
No paper from Wilmington to day–last accounts Wilmington
was said to be one vast Hospital–3 or 4 hundred down sick
-& from 40 to 64 new cases a day–But there were fewer deaths.
Poor Mr.James Miller he is no more–& will be greatly mis-
-sed in the Community.

MSS 6960

[from the diary of Anne Madison Willis Ambler]

Sunday, October 12, 1862

Enjoyed my Sabbath more than usual-
i e–had the pleasure of going to church
Ma said she must go & risk the
consequences so B[ertie] & I went with her. bro
C[harles] preached an excellent sermon–I
feel that it was good to be in the
house of “my God”=But fear I
did not profit by the Holy Lessons
as I should have done, my thoughts wandered
often–Mr James stopped the carriage
in the street & gave me a letter from you-
I was overjoyed=but it was only a short
letter as you said you had written a long
one just before, which, I have not, gotten
yet–Am so thankful that you are
well, & pleased with your work.
=Truly I have a great deal to be
grateful to God for-& often feel
ashamed that I so seldom
remember to praise him for all of his
goodness to me—-:
Jacque has been fretful, & has the
thrush & is teething=made me
walk up & down with him nearly
all the evening–which I was not
much inclined to do as I wanted to
read.  Had a fire in my room for
the first time–It is cold & raining.

[as transcribed by her granddaughter Anne Madison Wright Baylor]

MSS 15406