Four Years With the Iron Brigade

by Lance Herdegen

  When we got our tent up we were not sorry that it blew over for those that held and proped theirs up got torn and whiped to pieces a great deal worse. But oh, how the boys did laugh at us when ours fell. But I soon seen we had the better of and some at least what I called the wise ones even took their tents down and thereby saved them from many a hard strain. Oh, but great was the destruction in the sixth Regt. For three fourths of theirs were blown down and a great many were torn all to pieces. And there was some trees in their camp and at the beginning of the blast some half a dozen fell right amongst the tents making great destruction. But I believe there was nobody hurt. I suppose the reason is that they were out looking at their tents going before the merciless blast. I think some of them must have suffered with the cold for the wind kept blowing and it frooze pretty hard that night and they couldnt raise theirs. The reason of their tents being torn so much is this, that they were not extra good when new and they had been in service two months longer than ours, thereby got more rotten. We had no roll call that night and I went to bed about eight oclock and the wind was still blowing and I went to sleep and didnt know how long it blew. But when I awoke in the morning it was a perfect calm.

  Well through all the trubles, all was in good spirits and many were the cheers that went up from the soldiers and many were the hearty laughs. And many were the jokes that were cracked that day and a great many since. Well it will be a day long to be remembered amongst the soldiers and probably will be recorded on the pages of history for all time to come and I think I shall never forget it as long as I live. I think it is indelible on my mind but not on account of suffering or loss. Oh yes, I did loose one old sock in the affair. Oh, I tell you, this is a good old state away down in Virginia. Oh, sacred place. Oh, you have been the cause of me loosing my old sock. Oh well, it is no use of crying for spilt as the milk maid said when the pail of milk fell off her head.

  It is raining yet and raining hard too. I often think of the guards that have to stand on their lonely beat through the storm. But we have built a new guard house and it is as comfortable in it as in our tents. When off the tour the guard can have a good fire and shelter. I answered the letter yesterday that I received from Caroline & Henry on Saturday last.

  There has some important things transpired today. This afternoon we went down on brigade drill. When we got to or near Arlington House, Colonel halted us and the following orders were read as well as I could hear. That this Brigade should get ready and hold itself in readiness to march at a minutes warning and that the soldiers equipments should be reduced to the lowest extremity possible so as not to be loaded to heavy for we were to have small light tents and would have to carry them as no teams should accompany us but those to carry our provisions. This is as near it as I could hear it. But the sum and substance is we are going to start on a Campaign to someplace, we don’t know where.

  When the Adjutant finished reading the order, says the Colonel, now boys, cant you give three cheers. And I tell you, if we didnt make the woods ring, it was all right. Then we marched around in front of the Arlington house. Then we doubled column at half distance, one battalion after the other. Then we marched in review by the Verandah, went down the hill, taking a circle, come back to the same place. Then deployed columns, we being on the front and the second Indiana Regt on the Right flank and the sixth on the left Flank which made a hollow square in the rear of us. Then each battalion fired by battalions sixth first & then us then the second. Then the Indiana Regt. We fired three times around so, the sixth doing the best. Then we fired by file and I tell you we made some racket then for every man fires at will. And it is wonderful how often a man can load and fire in a minute but it is becoming second nature to us. We fired six or eight rounds and the drum sounded which put a stop to our boyish play. And so it ended and we marched home. And all are or I am glad that we are going to march verry soon. And I guess all the boys are. Well it is said that four goes togather as tentmates through the Campaign. Well it is after taps and I must quit writing and have the light extinguished.

  February 28, 1862

  And verry windy. I have just ate dinner which consisted only of bread & coffee. But we excuse the cooks this time for it is mustering day and we have been down to the Arlington house and were inspected and the roll called, each Co coming home as they were done. And our Co being the second we didnt have to stay long.

  Well the capture of Nashville has been confirmed. The talk is that the rebels have made an attack on Harpers Ferry and thereabouts. And that there were a great many soldiers being moved there from about Washington. The Railroad was employed exclusively in working for Uncle Sam on yesterday and that the transportation of newspapers had been prohibited from coming into Washington. And I think it is so for I havent seen or heard a newsboy today. Evrything goes to show that there is or soon will be an important move made by the army of the Potomac.

  We have or this Regt have got the new tents. They are said to weigh only seaven pounds and are so constructed as to be formed into a knappsack in which we are to put our overcoat, our oilcloth and one blanket. And the rest of our things are to be packed in our knappsacks and left in our tents so as to be ready to load into wagons and brought to us if we should not return. But this is only hearsay. But I hope that it will prove true and before many days pass and nobody is allowed to have a pass to go anyplace but must stay near Camp.

  Well I got a Grant Co Herald last night and find some verry interesting news for it brings the news from home in a manner. I had ought to have them evry week for mother signed and paid for it and paid the postage for it to come to me. But I do not get more than two a month instead of four for they are a weekly paper. And they are one dollar and a half a year. And it costs at the rate of fifty cents a year for postage to this place which makes two dollars a year. And I think I ought to get them all.

  Well there is a news boy crying out Philadelphia Enquirer. Our troops fly before the rebels but I don’t believe but it may be so. But probably they done it to draw the rebels on to a harbor battle. Oh, but it is windy and likely to be until sundown and probably it will quit then.

  Well we went out and drilled a little in our Co street. Lieutanant Young drills us lately and he wouldnt have done it but it was the order from the Colonel and he must do it but it was only short drill. He always favors us when he can. He is the best officer in our Co, so I think.

  Well I have read the Herald and I don’t feel much like writing for it is cold and last night it frooze up tight so we had good dry traveling this morning and it does not thaw much and will not today for it is three oclock now. Well we have a visitor from old Grant and the same town that I came from. It is Wm Mcartney, a brother to our second seargeant. He came to camp late last evening and came to our tent to see us. But it was after roll call and we had just gone to bed. There we didnt chat much. I always thought that I would like to see somebody from home but I didnt care much about when it came to it. From home I said but it is not from exactly but from the same town. And is an old acquaintance. My Mother has been acquainted with the family for twenty five years or more.

  March 1, 1862

  And it is verry windy and was all night. Last night was the coldest night we have had. It frooze the ink in the tent but not solid. Well I went on the sick list this morning. Last night my head ached and I was chilly & had some fever so I thought it would be folly to put of going to the Doctor any longer. But if I had had a box of pills, I should have cured myself for it is nothing more than a foul stomach. And now I cant get the medicine until afternoon for the Stewards and most of the men that works in the hospital are sick and unwell but I sent for a box of pills this morning and will get them tonight.

  Well I must get another book.

  Volume 4

  Camp Starveout

  March 5, 1862 to May 14, 1862

  Camp Arlington, March 5, 1862

  And I now begin the fourth book having finished the third several days since or rather filled them with the news such
as I could pick up around Camp or anyplace. When anything would occur worthy of note, I would scratch it down on my book.

  It is a fine day and has been fine weather for several days past. But I being sick I cannot be out much to enjoy it. I am better than when I last wrote but was not able to go out on picket with the Regt which went yesterday morning and will not be back until tomorrow. All of my tentmates went. Therefore I am left alone which just suits me. I can sit and write and read without molestation except a few that call in a little while to sit and chat. But I being a poor hand to talk when unwell therefore they do not stay long. I went out after some wood since dinner and met [James] Clark the teamster just as I had got my load and he said if I could wait till he went out and got his load of wood and come back he would haul it for me and I would not have to wait but a few minutes. I done so gladly and I found by the time I got a little chopped that I was pretty weak. I now have plenty of wood to do over night. I got four powders from the doctors this morning and had to take one every three hours and there is three of them gone and the other I must take at six o’clock. I have not ate as much in five days as I would in one day when well and hearty.

  There is a great deal of sickness in the regt at present. There [was] a funeral yesterday. There is two from this Co in the hospital that are verry sick and at one time were not expected to live. I got three papers from home last night and one was the Northwestern Christian Advocate. One Wisconsin Weekly State Journal and the other a Sunday School Advocate. This being sent by some of Henrys children I suppose. For I have sent some little papers and things and they send them in return for the others I suppose. I got a letter from my Nephew Isaac the night before stating that he was well and they had not been disbanded as yet as they once supposed they would be.

  Well we don’t get any news for several days concerning the war on account of the military authorities stopped it being sent on the wires except by permission of them. We expect to move every day. It may be tomorrow or next day and that is one thing I dislike a soldiers life for. For when we lay down at night we don’t know but that we will have to get up and march before morning. But so it is and it cant be no other as the saying is. Well I am getting tired of writing. I have written that over which was written with a pencil in this book it being a description of the battle of bull run &c.

  March 6, 1862

  And a verry pretty morning and thawing out verry fast what frooze last night, it being a verry cold night. Nothing of importance this morning. I feel some better and eat pretty well so I guess I shall get along without any more medicine. We expect the boys in from picket today.

  March 9, 1862

  And Sunday morning and a verry pretty weather and the mud is most or in a great degree dried up which makes everything look better. Well we have just been out on our weekly inspection and the Capt says we were in the best order that he ever seen us. When through [with] the inspection Lieut Young read a lengthy article concerning guard & picket duty as laid down in the army regulations of 1862. Then we were dismissed, the Capt warning us about keeping our things packed and fixed so as to be ready to march in the shortest notice. We shall have to leave one blanket here and packed away in some shape. I don’t know how.

  Well the boys returned from picket as usual verry tired and hungry. And nothing uncommon transpired. We got no war news of any consequence lately since the military authorities have taken the telegraph and press into their hands. That is to a certain degree in as much as the war news except things that have transpired and got old and stale.

  Well I have got well and hearty again and have been drilling for several days and I think I shall be able to carry my knappsack by the time we start on the expected Campaign. We have got our new tents and were out practicing pitching them yesterday. They are so fixed that as many as likes can pitch togather and never less than two. They button together in the middle and that is on the top where the ridge pole should or would be to any other kind of tents. But they have only two sticks for with joints. One at each end and there is a rope at each end which is staked down and stretches it tight endwise. And there is a stake at each corner. One man has to carry one end stick and three pegs, one rope and half of the cloth. The whole of it weighs about four pounds. It adds an considerable heft on our knappsacks but if I am hearty I can carry it. Well I got a letter from Newton two or three days since. He had had the rheumatism some. The folks were well with the exception of George Metcalf and he was as usual.

  March 10, 1862

  And here I am lying in my little tent one mile west of Fairfax [Virginia]. Last night at twelve o’clock the order came for us to be ready to march at four o’clock. Well I woke up as I thought about ten o’clock and heard them calling in the old guard and putting them that were not able to march on in their stead and heard the wagons rumbling. I thought that something was up. And then I overheard them talking about marching in Co etc. Then I gets up, builds a fire and went out to see about it. And saw a light in the third tent and went there and they told me about that we must pack up what things we couldn’t take and leave them in our tents. And we must take one blanket, oilcloth, our coat and a change of clothes and as much more as we had a mind to. And then I packed my Knapsack adding my ink bottle, portfolio, testament and then Dick and I packed up our other blankets. Then the revilee was beat and we turned out 38 files [76 men], the most our Company has turned out for several weeks. Roll call over we got breakfast which consisted of cold fat pork boiled & coffee and bread. We went and got three days provision, 30 crackers being allowed and a chunk of raw ham. Then verry shortly we got in to ranks and the regt formed on the parade ground and started being a hour behind time.

  Well we got along slow until daylight then I soon seen we were the tail end of the Brigade. Well we come by Baileys cross roads and kept coming and resting every two or three miles until we got here which was about two o’clock. And we closed column by division with first division in front, stacked arms and Wm Turnby [William Turnby]43 and I pitched tents together. But to return, McDowel came with us. Also King. It is said the whole army of the Potomac has moved within three days. We being the last to move. We expected to stop short of Fairfax but when we neared the place we found out it had been taken last night from the rebels and that our forces were still in advance and a great many right in the vicinity of the place. The cavelry & Artillery of this division went on in advance of this brigade and for [all] I know of the division.

  Oh I tell you but the knapsacks pulled down heavy. And as soon as the boys got their tents pitched they sit down to rest and a great many went to sleep. And now all that can be heard is “Oh, how stiff I am” comes from all. But all is cheerful and good humor. Here comes the beef cattle of this division. They have been brought on when all is safe.

  Well we came right through the main street of Fairfax on which is situated the Courthouse which shows the horrors of war. Most of the Citizens retreated with the rebel soldiers and their houses are used for barracks for the men and sheds for horses. Well I wish the provision wagons if there is any would come up so that we could have some Coffee.

  The men of different regts keeps straggling in and by us. We are camped on the north side and near the road. Whup, the wind is raising. We are in quite a thick timber and in sight of Fairfax. Well the news comes that the rebels have evacuated Centerville and are evacuating Manassas but I shant credit the latter.

  Well I must get up and stir around to keep of stiffness.

  March 11, 1862

  And a verry fine morning and we are here this morning. 8 o’clock. This morning revilee was beat at the dawn of day. Answered to roll, got breakfast. Struck tents and packed knappsack expecting every minute to forward march. But it has not come as yet but we were called into ranks and stacked arms, unslung knapsacks and broke ranks. Then in a few minutes we were called in again and received the [order] that we were not to go far from camp for the roll would be called often through the day and no time set when it should be done. Now I think this is useless
for there is not a man I think that would desert.

  Well I feel first rate this morning. There was about twenty five or thirty contrabands come to Kings headquarters last night. A great many of the officers got a male contraband [black servant]44 to carry their things and be waiters for them thereby giving the most or all of them work. And the others were sent on back to the rear to someplace I don’t know where. And they brought the news of the rebels had left Centerville and were leaving Manassas and what they couldn’t take with them they were burning. And they say they came from the other side of the latter place but I cannot believe everything they say.

  Straggling soldiers keeps going by and all night the wagons were rattling along the roads and it is said that a great deal of artillery went by also. It is stated as a fact that our forces are in possession of Centerville. Oh but there is lots of soldiers and teams scattered all through the woods around here. The provision wagons came last night in time for our cooks to make us a cup of coffee apiece and it tasted good I tell you. I got a good nights rest after we had roll call last night.

  March 12, 1862

  And we still remain in the same place as yesterday and nothing of great consequence has transpired since I last wrote. Except that last evening the whole Brigade went out about quarter of a mile west to a field and there had a Brigade dress parade. It was a fine sight with the second [Wisconsin] Regt band playing down the front and back and after the parade was dismissed our battalion drilled a few minutes mostly doublequick whilst the other battalion went to camp. This morning Capt [Callis] gave us a good lecture or advice rather to keep in camp for yesterday every other Co in the Regt was out getting & killing ducks, geese, chickens, hogs, cattle and taking beehives. But our Co only got two sheep and there was only two or three boys in the muss so last night the colonel gave the officers a good blessing for it and our Company got the least blame and the most praise for good behavior. And he also gave the order that nobody should go out of Camp under any pretense unless there was a noncommissioned or commissioned officer with them.