had every thing in the army that we have at home it would not be soldering. No man has any business in the army if he cant sleep on a fence rail all night, and live on hard tack and water.

 

Wednesday Aug 24. 1864

Last night our Division was ordered to march. we started on a double quick and traveled ten miles in two hours and twenty five minutes, and are now at Reams Station on the Wheldon R. Road. The road is destroyed for fifteen miles. the rails are broke and bent in the shape of a letter S and the cuts are filled up with trees, ground and brush. it is a pretty sight to see the fires along the road at night. Last night the Cavalry had a fight here and drove the Rebs back, and this morning buryed ninety one of them. Our Calvary had guns that shoot sixteene times, and the Rebs I expect thought we had a large force of Infantry in the woods shooting at them. We intend to destroy the road so that it cant be worked for a long time. The rails are all hollow on this road. I dont trust it right here something seemes to tell me that every thing is not right here. We have only two Divisions of our Corps and one of Cavalry and a few Batterys of Artillery here. We are now encamped in a very large coarn field and orchard. We were not here one hour before coarn, apples, peaches and every thing else was gone

 

Thursday Aug 25. 1864.

To day is a day of sorrow among the men of the seccond Corps. Our long standing bost that we never lost a piece of Artillery since Hancock has command of the Corps is at an end. To day the Rebles charged nine different times at Reams Station, and were drove back every time but on the ninth charge, when two Regiments of the first Div/ broke which caused a disturbance along our whole line. the men all thought that a retreat was ordered, and that caused an excitement among the men. The Rebles after shooting all the horses captured fourteen pieces of Artillery. as soone as our men saw it they made a charge and recaptured some of the pieces, and pulled them out by hand. how many pieces I cannot tell, but not all. the Rebles were too many for us. they had three Divisions of Infantry,  two of Cavalry, and a large number of pieces of Artillery. one of there Div is a great deal larger than ours. Some of the prisoners captured said that we killed and wounded at least one third of their men, and I think that we did for they fought like devils, and when they charged, it was five and six deep. we poured grape and canister among them at short range as fast as the guns could be loaded. the ground was covered with the Reble dead in piles. I saw Hancock in the thickest of the fight. This evening about the time the fight was over, two Brigades of the Ninth Corps came here to reinforce us, but they were ordered right back. they were too late. if they had reached us three hours sooner we would of drove the Rebs and saved a large number of men. We would of done it at any rate if it had not of beene for the two New York Regiments mentioned. Our loss is mostly in Prisoners. Our Regiment lost about twenty. Our Major was wounded slightly. the Preachers horse was killed, and some of our men were takin prisoners. Cap^t Jenkins has command of the Regiment now. The third Brigade of our Division lost a large number of men. I hate to heere the Rebles cheere when they make a charge. they put me in mind of small school children about the time school is let out. We lost nine pieces of artillery instead of fourteen, twelve in all, but three were recaptured./

 

We recaptured most all of the works that the rebs had captured from us, but we all knew that they were receiving reinforcements every hour, and knew that we would be all captured if we would stay till morning. I cant see how we did escape, our supplys were cut off at one time. We had a narrow road to travel to get out of the scrape. The sixth Corps were in the same fix, before they went North, at the same place, and they are twice as strong as the seccond Corps.

 

Friday Aug. 25. 1864.

Last night we retreated back to Petersburg, and what is left of us are encamped on a Plank Road in the Sun. We all have the sadisfaction of knowing that if we did skedadle from Reams Station, we accomplished all that that was intended, only we lost more men than we expected. Our Regiment now musters seventy four men fit for duty, with the new and those coming from the Hospital. Our company has twenty three men at this time. It is a hard blow to Gen. Hancock and the seccond Corps. The men are all down in the mouth this morning and Hancock looks troubled, but the men have not lost confidence in Hancock. I cant see where the Rebles get all the men we may go, and do as we please, we always find as many Rebles in our front as we have, and as a general thing they number more than we. Yesterday I had just left the front with the mail and was not two hundred yards in the rear when the ball opened. You can bet that I dident go back to the front again. in fact I did not know where to go, more balls and shells fell ahead of me than behind. do as I pleased I could not get out of the road of them. if I would go behind one tree, a ball or shell/ would go through the one next to me. The leader of one of the New York bands was shot through the heart not five yards from the tree I was behind. I couldent of kept from laughing at some of the men dodging and trying to get out of the road of the balls &c if one would of hit me the next moment. One you would see a rolling down hill, his knapsack and things flying in every direction, another would tumble over a brush pile or stump, and some would be looking back and run as fast as they could. they were generly brought to a halt by running against a tree. many were hurt in that way. I was about as bad as the rest. I done my best to get out of danger. I was too far in the rear at the time the fight commenced. there is more danger a short distance in the rear than in the front. the rebs shoot too high.

 

We are now encamped at a nice place if it would be in the shade and Musquitos were not quiet so plenty. they are as big as Elephants. With all the hardships and danger a soldier has a good deal of fun in the Army. he may be tired and sore on a march and ready to fall down from fatique you will still find him cracking his jokes and making fun on the road. as soone as the advance line meets the enemy every thing will be quiet along the line, every man tightens his belt and opens his catrige box, and with fixed bayonet advances with a quicker step. the forget all about being tired and weary.

 

Sat. Aug^t 27.1864.

Last night we had a few good showers, but this time without getting wet. we had our shelter tents pitched. This is a great country to live in. it may be that hot in the day that one can hardly stand it, and if you lay down at night on a Gum Blanket in the morning you will find it wet from the dew through an through. To day I had the pleasure of shaking hands with Dr Forney, David Spenkle and his two sons. They are doing a good business and are all well. The Eleventh Pennsylvania Cavalry are laying not far from us, and expect to go and see them in a day or so. W^m Croll and a few others belong to it that I am acquainted with. They were in the engagement at Reams Station.

 

Sunday Aug. 28. 1864

This morning I Received a letter from Kate post marked Altona. she exects to be home in a few weeks. I expected a few from Hanover before this. Every thing is quiet here this morning. The first Division of our corps are supporting the fifth Corps on the Weldon R. Road. they still hold the road on the right. Yesterday I was over at the fifth Corps and counted no less than fifteen Suttler on a piece of land not a half a mile square. they are as plenty as fleas on a dog or Greybacks on a soldier. Knives and Forks that we sold at seventy five cents to a dollar a set they charge one dollar for a Knife and fork, spoones that sold at twenty five cents per set, sell here for twenty five cents a piece, and every thing in proportion. Barlow Pocket Knives fifty cents a piece. Every one of them do a good business and sell all they can get. If they dont make money it is not because they dont know what to charge. Apples that a hog would look twice at before he would eat it five for twenty five cents, and if a little rotten six. Boots that sold at Hanover for four or five dollars a pair sell for eighteen dollars here.

 

Yesterday I was appointed Ordnance clerk for the Regiment by Capt Jenkins. If I keep on I will soone hold all the clerks hats in the Regiment. Postmaster. Bugler. clerk for two Companys and now Ordnance clerk. To be a good Ordnance clerk is a nice thing and very troubesome. every thing must be correct or it will not/ stand inspection. It must pass through a good many hands before it is approved. In the first place it must go to Brigade Head Quarters, then Division, and from there to Corps, and finally it must be approved by the Chief Commander of the ordnance department. If rejected by him it will cause a good dea of trouble and must all be done over. The first report and requisition that I made out bothered me a good deal. I had a small Dictionary and first found out how to spell the names of the different articles wanted so that I would not make any mistakes. To day they were inspected and passed through the mill all right.

 

Monday Aug^t 29. 1864

This morning our Brigade are out on fatigue duty building bridges. Yesterday evening a Brigade of Cavalry encamped on our left. Our Cavalry still hold Reams Station. The Rebles lost four to our one at that place, so the cavalry troops tell us, and I expect it is correct.

 

Tuesday Aug^t 30^th 1864

To day our Brigade are at work on a fort a mile and a half from here. We have a very good view of the City of Petersburg here and it reminds me of the view we have of Hanover from the woods above the plumb creek out Frederick street, only we are not so far from the City as that is from Hanover. Our pickets and the Reble pickets are not fifty yards apart, but do not shoot at each other. The Artillery are playing ball all the time. they would like to drive us from our work. We have lots of fun here, it puts one in mind of a man out hunting with a setter dog. We have lookouts stationed. as soone as they see the flash of the Reble artillery, they yelp as loud as they can “Down.” No sooner said than down it is, in Bomb proof underground houses, like Prarie dogs. We dont lack/ company in the houses in the shape of Greybacks. A person will soone get poore in the Army scratching. Greybacks in the day time and Musquitos at night keeps one busy at work all the time.

                        This afternone we left our camp here and are now encamped in a large fort, two miles North of our old camp and not far from the spot most of our Regiment were captured on the 22^nd of June. If we stay here any time we will all be on the sick list from the smell of dead horses &c. Oure men that were out working to day were trading with the same Rebs that gave us fire at Reams Station last week. they say that we killed and wounded five of their men for every one of ours, only they captured more prisoners than we did. Some of our men were playing cards with them, and perhaps tomorrow the same men will be fighting against each other. If any of you at home would be here you would think that a big battle was going on by the roar of Artillery. they are at work all the time. I wish it was a month or two later so that the Flys, Musquitos and the hot season was over, but I expect I will then wish the cold season was over.

 

Every two months we are mustered and tomorrow will be the day. I expect to be kept at work night and day for a week or two on the muster rools. That is exactly what I like. the days and weeks pass around quick if one is kept busy.

 

Wednesday Aug^t 31. 1864

This morning I Recd a letter from Mary and one from George. I have not seene Simon Diller and may not see him in three years. He will not be in our Corps. David Sprenkle expects to go home in a week or two. If you send my thing send by him. he is in our Division and if you send anything send my two Raizors and shaving brush and send a saddlers sewing awl and handle, send a/ straight awl if you send any. Dont let Mr Sprenkle know that you send any raizor or he will think that I might as well buy one of him. Perhaps he cant take anything with him. dont send the strop. Write to me if you send anything by him and I will hunt him up. He made a present of a Watermellon to Capt Jenkins and I. It made me as sick as a dog. I cant bear the smell of Onions at this time. I blame them for giving me the Ganders.

Yesterday as we were moving here I saw a woman belonging to one of the fifth Corps Hospitals riding between two officers. she was dressed well but was very dusty. the army is no place for a lady. To day we were mustered.

 

Thursday Sept 1^st 1864

                        Last night and all day to day I was at work on the muster rolls. To day we recd two new men for our Regt. they are one year men. Our Regt and two others of our Brigade are in the front at work on a fort. We get the Richmond papers every day. our men trade with the men for them. they are printed on a half sheet of paper.

 

If Gen. M^cClellan is nominated for President he will get a very large vote in the army. the majority I am afraid. but it would not do to let the Copperheads know it at home. All soldiers that are and soone will be mustered out of service will vote for Lincoln. The men all think that by the election of Mac the will be soone over. The rebles are a good deal troubled about the coming election. they think if Lincoln is elected the war will go on, but dont know how they can stand this war any longer. they say they are all played out. They say, that is the privates, that they don’t care how this war is ended. Last night twenty nine men deserted and came over/

SOURCES