1862. A half-mile beyond the picket line was a large white house surrounded with out-buildings of a similar color, giving notice that the owner was a prosperous person. "Who can cloy the hungry edge of appetite by bare imagination of a feast?" A half-starved soldier couldn't gaze on such a scene without longing to investigate the possibilities of a breakfast. To go out beyond the picket line was a dangerous experiment in those parts, but quite a number' of the boys set aside apprehensions of danger. One of the party was made spokesman to negotiate for a breakfast at a price not exceeding twenty-five cents each. There was much surprise evinced at our appearance, and some hesitation about gratifying our wishes, by the lady of the house. It was evident our presence was not wanted, but we put on our best manners, assuring her we had no intention of disturbing her peace except so far as putting some one to the trouble of preparing a breakfast. After some further hesitation she consented, and very soon the boys had the pleasure of eating a breakfast of fried ham, boiled potatoes, good bread and butter and coffee. As they raised the coffee to their lips their hostess expressed There was some a wish that it might poison every one of them. hesitation about drinking it, but as the boys looked at her and saw a faint smile on her face, they concluded she was not of the poisoning She refused their offered recomtype, and so took their chances. pense, like the true Southerner she was, and so they distributed the money among the servants, and marched back to camp with renewed strength. Rations getting short. The whole corps was suffering for want of food, which was being delayed because of the inefficiency of the railroads and the bad condition of the highways. The condition of affairs is so well depicted in the following communication of General Shields of this date to the Secretary of War that we are tempted to make a liberal extract from it: Jackson passed through Strasburg Saturday and Sunday. been heard from yet. Fremont has not There was firing at Strasburg yesterday-supposed to be My poor command were without provisions twenty-four hours. We would have occupied Strasburg, but dare not interfere with what was Banks in the rear. 1862. designed for Fremont. His failure has saved Jackson. I will force my way down to Stannardsville to cut him off, but the railroad is miserable, and miserably managed. Cars are running off the track and coming in collision. I never saw anything like the want of efficiency and skill in organization. Our telegraph line ought to be in operation, but it has no working party. I let them have my pioneers, whom I need now. General McDowell has done everything to mend matters, but not much can be done with such means. We have too many men here, and no supplies. How I will get along I do not know, but I will trust to luck-seize cattle, live on beef- to catch Jackson. I could stampede them to Richmond had I even supplies of hard bread and a little forage. I have no fears of their numbers, which have been ridiculously exaggerated by fear. Tuesday, June 3. Early in the forenoon we advanced across the north fork of the Shenandoah River, about two miles, where we halted, drew fresh beef and flour, after which we moved into a piece of woods near by and bivouacked for the night. It began to rain hard in the night and before morning the camp was inundated with water, and a sorry mess we were in as the water poured around us. The only thing we could do was to grab our things and run for the railroad track, which afforded us a temporary resting-place from the water. As soon as possible we were formed in line and Wednesday, marched rapidly back across the river. We had a narJune 4. row escape from being left on an island formed by this freshet, which would have cut us off completely from the rest of the corps, without food, or the hope of getting food until the waters subsided, as we had barely crossed the river when the bridge was carried away, leaving a dozen of the Thirteenth on the other side. We marched back toward Front Royal and bivouacked in a piece of woods on a hill, a mile back and overlooking the town. Our knapsacks, which we left at Piedmont, on the Thursday, 31st of May, reached us to-day, soaked with rain and June 5. mud. We were glad to get our "shelters" again. After our experience of the last five days we no longer despised them. The boys were getting ragged and seedy from overwork and exposure. We had reached that period of our service when pork was eaten raw with pleasure. This was quite an advance in our education as soldiers. Slowly we were being hammered into 1862. veterans. This was the kind of service that prepared us for the campaigns of 1863-4. It told on the men pretty severely, as our number was now reduced from 1,038 to 600 men for duty, and 94 men in the hospital. Friday, June 6. A beautiful day. So disciplined had we become by marching, bad weather and fasting, that we were happy if it didn't rain, but when the sun appeared, our feelings became ecstatic. The sutler arrived with stores, and no longer we hankered for the "flesh pots of Egypt." The country was full of guerillas, making outpost duty dangerous and undesirable. The escape of Jackson was a topic of conversation and, as usual, we wrongly credited McDowell with the responsibility. Many of the women in the town increased their incomes by the sale of pies to the soldiers. They could not endure the sight of a Yankee except when he was buying some of their badly-cooked food. Some of the young women who had nothing to sell were very "sassy," and turned up their pretty noses. The older ones, being in the commercial line, and married, had more sense, bent on "making hay while the sun shines." One of the boys who was left on the opposite side of the river when the regiment crossed on the 4th inst., was drowned to-day while attempting to cross in a skiff in company with a rebel. When about midway of the stream the boat capsized and both men were dumped into the angry flood. The current was so strong that our man, who was probably unable to swim, was carried out of sight in no time. He was a man over six feet in height, well-proportioned, and an excellent soldier. He was born in Maine, but had come to Boston, where he was employed when the war broke out. He was the man whose letters from home had written across the entire top of the envelope in a bold, round hand, "WITH GOD'S BLESSING." It was the custom of the chaplain, who acted as postmaster during his stay with the regiment, to stand on a box, or stool, in front of his tent, and call off the names on the letters. Whenever he came across one directed to our friend he would hold it up above his head, and in a 1862. voice of deep feeling, would say, "WITH GOD'S BLESSING !" and the owner would at once step up and take it, so that very soon he became known in the regiment as "God's blessing." Order received to march to Warrenton. Saturday, In an order sent to General Shields, General McDowell complains of the size of wagon trains, directing, that nothing be taken in them but ammunition, subsistence, forage and cooking utensils, and states that "Jackson marches thirty miles a day, and that we can never catch an enemy with a train filled with trumpery." Sunday, June 8. The order which we received yesterday to march on Warrenton was to-day countermanded, and we were thus prevented from breaking the Sabbath. General Ord was relieved, and the division placed under the command of General Ricketts. An order from the adjutant-general was received by General McDowell to-day, from which the following is an extract: The Secretary of War directs, that having first provided adequately for the defence of Washington and for holding the position at Fredericksburg, you operate with the residue of your force, as speedily as possible, in the direction of Richmond, to coöperate with Major-General McClellan, in accordance with the instructions heretofore given you. The following communication to General McClellan was sent by General McDowell on this date, and has a peculiar interest to us : For the third time I am ordered to join you, and this time I hope to get through. In view of the remarks made with reference to my leaving you and my not joining you before, by your friends, and of something I have heard as coming from you on that subject, I wish to say that I go with the greatest satisfaction, and hope to arrive with my main body in time to be of service. Monday, June 9. Tuesday, An order was received delaying our movement from Front Royal, which in no way displeased us. Paid off. Though it rained hard all day and the camp was very muddy, the world seemed bright and pleasant to us, as it apparently did to the thrifty wives of Front Royal, who, regardless of the rain, brought their pies to camp to exchange for the filthy lucre of the "miserable Yankees." 1862. Thursday, Company I was yesterday sent to town as provost guard. The following letter was sent to-day by General McClellan to the Secretary of War: In your telegrams respecting reënforcements you inform me that General McDowell, with the residue of his command, will proceed overland to join me before Richmond. I beg leave to suggest that the destruction of the railroad bridges by flood and fire cannot probably be remedied under four weeks; that an attempt to employ wagon transportation must involve great delay, and may be found very difficult of accomplishment. An extension of my right wing to meet him may involve serious hazard to my flank and my line of communications, and may not suffice to rescue from any peril in which a strong movement of the enemy may involve him. I would advise that his forces be sent by water. Even a portion thus sent would, by reason of greater expedition and security and less complications of my movements, probably be more serviceable in the operations before Richmond. The roads throughout the region between the Rappahannock and the James cannot be relied upon and may become execrable even should they be in their best condition. The junction of his force with the extension of my right flank cannot be made without derangement of my plans, and if my recent experience in moving troops be indicative of the difficulties incident to McDowell's march, the exigencies of my present position will not admit of the delay. Friday, Saturday, Six hundred men on duty. Forced marches, exposure, short rations, and malaria were the influences that reduced our number. Thermometer 95°. We were told by the colonel to-day that our transfer to General Banks' corps would soon take place. This information had a very pleasing effect on the boys. We were also told that Maj.-Gen. Ord, commander of our division, was to be transferred to Corinth, Miss. We had become very fond of General Ord, and were sorry he was to leave us. During the early part of our service, quite a number of the boys carried a volume of "Hardie's Tactics," which they studied in spare hours. There was no subject so thoroughly discussed as our evolutions at drill. This was, in a great measure, due to the colonel, who new movement; hence a volume of daily surprised us by some the Tactics was indispensable in settling disputes. Another book. |
