Flat Top Mountain, May 23, 1862. Friday. – Warm and dry; getting dusty!! Mr. French lies here wounded – his thigh bone shattered by a ball that passed clear through his leg. Dr. McCurdy thinks he will not survive more than three or four weeks. . . . Our regiment elected him chaplain a week [...]
Camp Flat Top Mountain, May 22, 1862. Dearest : – I have written you one or two letters which I suspect fell into the hands of the enemy, but ere this, I do not doubt, you have received dispatches and word by Thomas which relieves you of all trouble on my account. We have had [...]
Camp Flat Top, May 22, 1862. Thursday. – Today Colonel Scammon with a small escort went over to Packs Ferry to look after affairs with Major Comly and his boat-builders. A Captain Jenkins, of Kentucky, came from General Williams to negotiate as to exchange of prisoners. General Cox detailed Lieutenant-Colonel Hines and myself to meet [...]
Camp Flat Top, May 21, 1862. Wednesday.–A warm, windy, threatening day. Drilled the regiment this morning; marched to the summit of Flat Top, thence along the summit to the Raleigh Road, and so back to camp. Men looked well. Companies A, E, and K, under Major Comly, with a howitzer, marched to Packs Ferry to [...]
Camp On Flat Top Mountain, May 20, (Tuesday), 1862. Dearest : – Here we are “back again” – fifty or sixty miles in rear of the advanced position we had taken. The short of it is, since the Rebel disasters in eastern Virginia they have thrown by the railroad a heavy force into this region, [...]
Camp On Flat Top Mountain On Line Between Mercer And Raleigh Counties, May 20, 1862. Dear Uncle: – The last three weeks has been a period of great activity with us – severe marching, sharp fighting, and all sorts of strategy and manoeuvring. I had command of the advance southward and marched to within ten [...]
Camp on Flat Top Mountain, May 20, 1862. – Monday, 19th, marched from camp on Bluestone River to this point (yesterday) – a hot dry march – with knapsacks. I supposed we were to go only five miles; was disappointed to find we were retreating so far as this point. Being out of humor with [...]
Sunday!! Came again unawares upon me at Princeton. At 1 or 2 A. M. aroused to prepare to move. Moved off quietly; got off, again unmolested, to this point, viz., Bluestone River, Mercer County, Virginia. I hope this is the last of the retreat. We have [the] Thirty-fourth, Twenty-eight, Twelfth, Twenty-third, Thirtieth, Thirty-seventh O. V. [...]
Saturday, May 17. – A very hard day, – muddy, wet, and sultry. Ordered at 3 A. M. to abandon camp and hasten with whole force to General Cox at Princeton. He has had a fight with a greatly superior force under General Marshall. We lost tents, – we slit and tore them, – mess [...]
Camp, Mouth Of East River, Giles County, Virginia, May 15, 1862. Dear Mother: – We have marched a great many miles through this mountain region since I last wrote you. We have had some fighting, some excitement, and a great deal to do. We are now in a strong position. General Cox commands the army, [...]
Same Camp, Thursday, May 15, 1862. – Cloudy and threatening rain. Several warm showers during the day. Firing between pickets constantly going on two or three miles down the river. We send out two or three companies and a howitzer or six-pounder to bang away, wasting ammunition. If the enemy is enterprising he will capture [...]
Camp near Mouth East River, Giles County, May 14, 1862. Wednesday. – Rained violently last night; not a bad morning, however. Rumors of defeat of General Milroy up northeast by Stonewall Jackson. Don’t believe it. If true, it is not very important, if the taking of Norfolk holds out. We ought to catch the whole [...]
October 31. Tompkins Farm. – Smoky, foggy, and Indian-summery in the morning; clear, warm, and beautiful in the afternoon. I rode up to the regiment at Camp Ewing, gave some directions as to making out the new muster-rolls. Saw several of the officers sick with the camp fever. Poor “Bony” Seaman, it is said, will [...]
October 30. Tompkins Farm.– [I] walked with Captain Gaines two and one-half or three miles down to Gauley Bridge. Called on Major William H. Johnston and Swan, paymaster and clerk for our regiment [for] Cracraft, quartermaster sergeant, who wanted Dr. McCurdy’s pay. To get it, drew my own and sent him two hundred and sixty [...]
Camp Tompkins, Tuesday morning, October 29, 1861.—A bright, cold October morning, before breakfast. This month has been upon the whole a month of fine weather. The awful storm on Mount Sewell, and a mitigated repetition of it at Camp Lookout ten days afterward, October 7, are the only storms worth noting. The first was unprecedented [...]
Camp Tompkins, Virginia, October 29, 1861. Tuesday morning after breakfast. My Dear Boy : If I am not interrupted I mean to write you a long birthday letter. You will be eight years old on the 4th of November – next Monday, and perhaps this letter will get to Cincinnati in time for your [...]
Sunday morning before breakfast, Tompkins’ Farm, Three Miles from Gauley Bridge, October 27, 1861. Dear Uncle: – It is a bright October morning. Ever since the great storms a month ago, we have had weather almost exactly such as we have at the same season in Ohio – occasional rainy days, but much very fine [...]
Camp Tompkins, October 27, 1861. Dearest : – I have had a week’s work trying twenty cases before a court-martial held in one of the fine parlors of Colonel Tompkins’ country-seat. I have profaned the sacred mansion, and I trust that soon it will be converted into a hospital for our sick. My pertinacity has [...]
Camp Tompkins, October 21, 1861. Monday morning before breakfast. Dearest : – Dr. Clendenin goes home this morning and I got up early to let you know how much I love you. Isn’t this a proof of affection? I dreamed about you last night so pleasantly. The doctor will give you the news. I see [...]
Camp Tompkins, October 19, 1861. Dearest: – I got your letter of last Sunday yesterday. You can’t be happier in reading my letters than I am m reading yours. Very glad our little Ruddy is no worse. Don’t worry about suffering soldiers, and don’t be too ready to give up President Lincoln. More men are [...]
Camp Tompkins, Near Gauley Bridge, October 19, 1861. Dear Uncle: – It is late Saturday night. I am away from my regiment at General Rosecrans’ headquarters and feel lonesome. The weather is warm, threatening rain. We are waiting events, not yet knowing whether we are to stay here or go to some other quarters for [...]
Camp Tompkins, October 18, 1861. Dearest : – Soon after I had sent off my letter yesterday, Mr. Schooley stopped with your bundle and letter. All most acceptable, gloves, etc., particularly. I get all your letters. . . . Don’t worry about the country. Things are slowly working around. For a first campaign by a [...]
Camp Tompkins, Near Gauley Bridge, October 17, 1861. Dearest: – I am practicing law again. My office is pleasantly located in a romantic valley on the premises of Colonel Tompkins of the Rebel army. His mansion is an elegant modern house, and by some strange good luck it has been occupied by his family and [...]
October 17, 1861. Camp Tompkins, near New River, two and one-half miles above Gauley Bridge, at General Rosecrans’ Headquarters. – A threatening morning, a steady rain, fall fashion, in the afternoon. Received a letter by Mr. Schooley, dated 9th, from Lucy. Ruddy had been sick with a chill and Lucy not so well. Dear wife! [...]
Near Gauley Bridge, October 15, 1861. Dear Uncle: – I am practicing law on the circuit, going from camp to camp. Great fun I find it. I am now in General Rosecrans’ headquarters, eight miles from my regiment. This is the spot for grand mountain scenery. New River and Gauley unite here to form the [...]