Experience of a Confederate Chaplain—Rev. A. D. Betts, 30th N. C. Regiment
    

1863. Thank God! (January)

Cut wood two or three days. Hard work.        Rev. J. W. Jenkins arrives on Saturday, Jan. 3. I attend Masonic meeting.

Jan. 4—Hear Bro. Jenkins preach in morning. Spend afternoon reading my Greek Testament.

Jan. 5—Get ready to start to Virginia. At eleven at night I leave, the moon shining bright, but my spirits being sad. Luter takes me to Durham.

Jan. 6—Reach Raleigh and draw pay for November and December, 1862. Night at Bain’s Hotel.

Jan. 7—Leave Raleigh at day. Meet Rev. M. J. Hunt and Dr. Smith on train. Meet Dr. J. S. Robinson on his way to Virginia. Miss train at Petersburg. Spend night with my cousin, Grey Utley, of Chapel Hill, at his boarding house.

Jan. 8—Reach Richmond and find Lieuts. Carr and Swain sick there.

Jan. 9—Snow on ground. Capt. Collins and I go on to Guinea Station, and thence to our regiment. Meet Rev. F. M. Kennedy, of the South Carolina Conference, on his way to report for duty as Chaplain for 28th North Carolina Regiment, now in General Lee’s army.

Sun. Jan. 11—Preach twice. Damp, cold weather. Sleeping on ground gives me bad cold.

Jan. 16—J. B. Williams, of Co. “C,” dies at 6 a. m., suddenly. Bury him at 6 p. m. Turns very cold. Slept in a dark barn last night. Where tonight? In a wagon.

Sun. 18—Preach in cold wind.

Jan. 19—Go to Richmond. Too late for express. I mail official papers to Raleigh for Capt. Collins.

Jan. 20—Busy all day. Buy some things for Regiment. Visit Congress. Write to wife.

Jan. 21—Visit Richard Lloyd. Rain. Fall on box and bruise right thigh. Fire at night. Fall in street and bruise left knee badly.

Jan. 22—Ship sundry boxes to Regiment. Quite lame from yesterday’s falls.

Jan. 23—Leave early for Guinea. Reach camp late. Mud! Mud!

Jan. 24, 1862—Met Rev. J. W. Ward, Missionary Baptist, 3rd Va. Infantry; Rev. W. E. Walters, Jenkins S. C. Brigade.

Sunday Jan. 25.—Hear Bro. Barkley of Nash county, N. C., preach to my regiment in a. m., Bro. Power in p. m., and at wagon yard at night.

Jan. 26—Ride to Division Surgeon for W. H. Westcott of Smithville. That must have been the last I saw of that noble boy. He was dying of chronic diarrhoea. He got as far as Wilmington, where he died Feb. 28, 1864. His good father and mother were my friends. Glad I put up my tent on 26, for it snows all day on 28.

Jan. 29—Men very cheerful, though the snow is nearly knee deep.

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