Mill Creek General Hospital
                     Fortress Monroe  Aug 17/62
Dear Mother
                 I suppose you will be surprised
to receive a letter headed here but dont
be frightened as I am not very sick only
weak from diarrhea and every man
that could not march was sent off
as the boys are going to have some hard
marching I guess if not some fighting
as they left Harrisons Landing last
Friday with 6 days rations.  The hospital
is situated at Camp Hamilton a
good and cool place for a hospital
there is about 1200 here I arrived here
Tuesday morning and have neglected
writing before as there was a story that
we were going somewhere else but they
have got up tents now so as to accomodate
us  There is no news of importance here
everybody is wondering where McClellan
has done with his army but we probably
shall hear something from him in a few
days even the Provost Marshal here does
not know where to send the well ones that

[page 2]
are coming here every day, he sent
some to Harrisons Landing the other
day and they came back not being
able to find any regt. there But
I must close as we have got to
move into another tent Direct to
Mill Creek General Hospital Fortress
Monroe  Reg S O
            From your aff son
                 Wm Wallace

Mrs. E. Smith
Newton Lower Falls
               Mass

William Wallace Smith
Co. B,  22nd Massachusetts

MSS 15360

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

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

[This page has a printed heading which reads as follows:]
     Company C, 4th Battalion Rifles, Boston
                   HEAD- QUARTERS,
 Camp           13Tth REGIMENT
                     ALWAYS READY
           MASSACHUSETTS VOLUNTEERS     1862.

Sunday    Aug 17th 1862
Went down to Robinson
river about a half a mile distance
and had a swim.  Gen Carroll was
out near the pickets this
morning and was shot in
the Shoulder by a Rebel picket.
Towards night we struck tents
and marched back three
miles toward Culpepper, going on
the opposite side of the Mountain
to which we came.  We camped
near the foot of Cedar Mountain
and about two miles from the
Battle ground.

  [transcript by Mary Roy Dawson Edwards]

MSS 12021

[from the diary of Charles Hay of the 23rd Ohio]

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

Sunday, Aug 17, 1862
Laid in the yard
at the Tannery
felt better than usual
this morning  marched
down to the river stopped
for coffee [?] on down
to a point nearly opposite
Cannelton  marched in
all about 22 miles
arrived about 1-2 1/2 oclock
very footsore
Clear very warm

MSS 10317

[from the diary of Anne Madison Willis Ambler]

Sunday, August 17, 1862

Jacque took a long nap & I enjoyed reading
very much–Read an excellent sermon
from Laurin.

[possibly Sermons and essays by the late Rev. John M’Laurin]

Pa went to Mr Blackburns
They have heard from our side & confirmed
my belief that Jackson was victorious
–I am truly grateful, but indeed
our cause seems on the decline–I see
not how we will succeed–the North
is putting out all of her energies to
raise another large army 600,000-
how can we contend against
such a force–When we are so crippled
here for provisions.  Nothing being
cultivated, our servants, our [?]
tillers of the land all leaving us, & our
men gone to fight–what are we to live
on? –How can we hold out? are questions
I often ask myself= But if we are
right God I know will save us- & I
I[sic] think we are, but surely we have
[both?] been wicked.  Yes, we have a
wicked nation & have many sins to
answer for

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

MSS 15406

[letter of Robert, an unidentified soldier from Lynnn in Co. M., 1st Massachusetts Heavy Artillery, continues]

                                              Sun Morn Aug 17th
Good morning again dear wife,  I have had a good
night of rest and sleep, and feel in excellent health
and spirits this morning, this is indeed a beautiful
Sabbath morning, everything looks pleasant and
fair, The  bells are ringing over to Washington for
church, I should really like to go this morning
and hear a good sermon, it is a long time since
I have heard anything to my mind in the shape
of preaching   We have some news this morning.
It is the liberation of Col Corcoran.  he will
probably be in Washington this afternoon, We
shall see him, or the steamer probably go up
the river, We have a good glass, and can tell

[page 3]
the Steamer he will come up on.  As I sit
here writeing I can look up and see over to
and around Washington, up and down the
Potomac, and certainly it does not look
much like war, everything is so still and
quiet, it has the apearance of anything but
war, I sometimes wonder if there really is
a war going on in our beautiful country,
No my dear, I dont want to know if you were
to Boston to spend all of my money as you
call it, but I want to know why you didnt
buy your silk and delaine and anything
else that you wanted,  If you dont spend
what money you want to, why, I wont earn
any, I do’nt know but that I shall be tem=
pted to give in my wages to “Uncle Sam” that
would be generous would’nt it, I want you
to spend my money on yourself, Ernie & Sissy
you will much oblige and please your obt
servant  R [?] M In regard to the boy Pedrick’s
money, he sends it to his sister, and she
puts it in the bank for him, I believe his
Sister works with Eben Wardwell,

[page 4]
How do the folks get along enlisting there
in Lynn,  I hear they are getting along finely
in other places, but I dont hear much from
Lynn, I did expect to see some one from there
ere this, but have about given up the idea, I
guess Lynn patriotism is nearly “played
out” playing soldier is a very fine and pretty
thing, but when it comes to reality, why, thats
another thing, taint quite so nice, all the “gals”
can’t see us, bah! paper soldiers,  Dont you think
they are to be pitied? I do, Do you really think
F W will come to war, What will Ada say, she
will fuss some I guess.  I think there will now
be a chance for Garland, to enlist in the 14th
if he wants to, I believe that is what Capt
Chandler is at home for, I hear that about
one hundred sick and lame ones are to be
discharged soon, and if that is the case why
their places will have to be filled, 6 oclk PM
today has been quite lively Two Regmts have passed,
The Penn 128th and 122d makeing 5 regmts that
have gone by here since Friday night, each regmt had
one thousand and ten men. We have been expecting the
Mass 33d all day it has’nt passed yet.  I beleive it
is over to Washington.

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

Sunday 17  Tuesday last the vestry sent
a letter to Mr Kinckle insisting upon
his taking a vacation, which the
situation of his wife rendered necessary
-I was apprehensive a sense of duty
would bring him home last evg. but
he did not come.  A letter from him
to Mrs. Spencer says Mrs k is very
low & has but a few days–perhaps
hours–to live–went to the 4 st
Methodist Church – expecting to hear
Mr. Edwards but he was sick & his
place supplied by M. Edwards
who teaches here.  sermon too long and
too flowery–but sound in diction
-Suffering much from sore eyes–wal
ked in the evening to Sues–Returning
found Mary Robertson had arrived
She brought letter from Mary.  Eu-
gene still with fever.   Lewis had
come in threatened with an attack.
all this is very discouraging–Heard
many interesting particulars from
Mary R.  nothing can be more pleas-
ant than Wm’s present position.  In his
report of the operations of the
cavalry during the great weeks
campaign.  Stuart speaks in the
highest terms of William’s service.
Stuart & his wife & William & Mary
staid at Dr. Prices near Hanover.
C.H. near their works.  His Hd Qrs

are at the C.H.  Weather for
several days is reasonably cool.

MSS 4763

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

Sunday 17th  It is still so cool that we are glad to get out of
the air & have the doors & windows closed–I have been suf
fering with tooth ache all night–Katy brought me a letter from
Mr Jewett this morning on business–He says his infant has
at last received a name–He had it baptized Sidney Johnson
His Son Stephen is really in the army–He had walked 10 miles
to Malverh Nill to meet the Enemy-& his feet were all blis
-tered–He begs his father to come & see him, & bring him
something to eat.  Mr Jewett mentioned having a fever him
-self-& that Amoret had been sick–Our town was quite
quiet–Burnsides I see has been sent to attack Stone
Wall Jackson==& Mcclennan is reinforcing him.  Our
people are calling loudly on the next sitting of Congress to have
a new conscript law–Taking young men of 16 & men
35 to 50–I dread its being put into effect as it will take Richd who ought
not to go–But I hope the War will be over before they have to resort to
that

MSS 6960

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

Saturday
Aug 16
Went up to the surgeons.  He  gave
me a couple of pills.  Felt rather
better than yesterday but very lame

MSS 11293