June 1, 1862
And cloudy & sultry warm. Now 2 oclock and still in Camp. No cars been up today, they finished taking about one half of the division last night. The last train left about dark. Today I don’t feel verry well, a slight headache with some fever and I bought a box of Ayers pills so I have taken a dose of them. The Provost Guard took quite a number of boys out of this Regt to our Colonel for playing poker (a game of cards) and he had each one tell him how much he had both won & lost & he counted it up and made them divide so that evry man would get what he lost. He reprimanded them for breaking the law & praised them for telling the truth. For he said each man and his opponont told the story so near alike. There was 15 or 20 of them in the scrape. There was several playing poker in our Co. They jumped mighty quick, I tell you, when they heard of it. Oh, it is surprising. There is lots of boys wouldnt have their folks and sweethearts know for all they have earned in their service. Oh, it is shocking to see how wreckless the boys do get. I never had any idea of how wreckless the boys do get and even brutal in some cases. I don’t wonder at the Commanders having so much guarding.
Well, no cars yet, there must have been something up.
June 2, 1862
And a warm morning. Looks some like rain. Got orders to march which we did about 10 AM for a place by the name of Haymarket, distant 13 miles from Catlets. Well, we traveled on resting evry little while. Continued warm & sultry till noon when we had showers and continued cloudy & sprinkling a little once & awhile which made it good traveling. I had to fall out in the forenoon but caught up and kept up in the afternoon. There was a great many out. Towards night & one of Gibbens [Brigade Commander John Gibbon] aides ordered the rear guard to fix bayonet and make the boys come in but no sooner had the guard fixed bayonet, then there [was] a shout went up from the Stragglers to fix bayonet and evry man done so. The Lieut or aid rode off in a hurry, perfectly dumbfounded at the boys acting so. I suppose he thought he could drive the poor tired out fellows but he had to leave there without saying any more. Those stragglers were over a hundred in number & from all Regts & Co in the Brigade. And some of the stoutest men amongst them that was outdone by the heat which was intolerable between showers.
I gave 25 cents to a man to carry my blanket. That lightened my knappsack so I kept up but it was hard work then. And now Cap Finnecums [Mark Finnicum of Company H] is under arrest for disobeying orders by giving the stragglers too much lenity, his Co being on rear guard and he couldnt be cruel to the boys. Now Gen Gibbens has arrested him for not obeying orders. But evry man from the Colonel down in the Regt will stick to him and help him out of it. The Col thinks a great deal of Finnecum and will see that he has his rights. Gen Gibbens has made his brags it is said, that he would bring down the boys to the verry letter but I guess he has or will find out mistaken.
Well we reached here at dark, camped within ½ mile of the town, made fire, got supper, went to bed. I commenced coughing then vomiting, kept on so steady till about midnight when I got easy & slept till morning. This has been another hard day for me but as soon as I get hearty I can stand it. I taking physic and traveling hard, it made it work pretty hard on me. Reported as soon as we got our tents pitched that we had to go back to Fredricsburg in the morning. This made the boys down hearted for we were in hopes that we should get out to help Banks catch Jackson. I kind thought it was so for the officers said so.
June 3, 1862
And Cloudy, warm & Sultry, no air stirring and we are still in camp. It is now three oclock. The railroad cars is running pretty brisk this place. Haymarket [Virginia] is a station. There being probably 20 houses & no more. There is one store, the only public house in the place. This Road is the Manassas Gap RRoad. This is the third RRoad we have been on and never got a ride since we come to Washington.
June 4, 1862
Lazed in camp all day (Oh pshaw a pencil is a bad thing to write with). Rained hard last night and run into our tent and did so with most of the boys. We were not wet much for I had taken the precaution to dig a small ditch around the tent but which proved insufficient for the heavy shower but luckily nothing but one end of one blanket got wet a little. Well, it continued to rain all day which made it awful bad for us. Well night came at last, had rollcall, went to bed. Today there was a great many boys went to houses to stay but they were brought in by the patrol guard towards night of which Gen Gibbens ordered out a verry large one. But they didnt catch any of Co F. boys although there was some out & several until after dark.
Got a paper today. [Union General George] McClellan had a fight within 5 miles of Richmond, drove the enemy back with great loss on both sides, they disputing evry foot of ground with their greatest efforts.57 Well, I feel some better this evening. R Pierce [Richmond Pierce] is sick in his tent. I let him have some pills to take which helped him some he thought. Cap [Callis] went up to see him. Cap acts more manly that he used to. I think he has reformed a great deal for he attends to his buisness better than he used to. So I think, I cannot judge for others.
June 5, 1862
And cloudy with a little sunshine, sprinkles verry little once & awhile. We dried our blankets which were damp, cleaned our guns. That is all we have done today.
Oh, I forgot to tell you that this Brigade had to build a raft to get provisions across on, the creek being swollen by the rains to a river and the depot was on the other side. So this was the plan they had to adopt to get rations of which was scarce among the boys for the last week, our main and nearly all we had to eat was crackers & coffee. Well we had three small pieces of beef in the time about as much beef in the week as I have eat in one day at home. And today we had a mess of beans which I relished verry much as I am getting hearty again but still have bad cold and pain in my breast.
June 6, 1862
Got orders to march at 7 oclock this morning which we did and come back about 1 mile to the Warrenton Turnpike and started to Warrenton, a distance of 12 miles it is said from Haymarket. We reached the town a little after 4 oclock by the large clock on the Courthouse which we heard strike 4 when we were a mile of town. We camped right at the edge of town on a pretty little ridge, a verry pretty camp ground. As soon as the boys were dismissed from the ranks, great numbers started for town which caused a verry heavy guard to be called for around Camp which was six men from a Co. This took me on guard and we let no one in or out. So they caught some that were out. And when they got one, they put him on guard and relieved somebody of the Co. they belonged [to] and there were several relieved so.
Well the Country we came through today was unlike any we have traveled over before. Today it was hilly with small streams in the hollows & good springs coming out of the hillsides. Altogather the country shows we are getting nearer the mountains and the Country is verry pretty. We found considerable cattle in pastures today along the road. This would be a great Dairy country but it lacks the enterprising men. Evrything looks old and dull. What looks so pretty is the Country as it naturally lays with its groves. And as for the town, I have not been in it but from what I can see, I judge it is a pretty place. There is a great many shade trees in it. The old clock was great company through the night when on guard, striking the hour through the night and telling what time to go on and come of guard. I believe it could be heard strike 4 miles tonight so still & pretty was the night.
June 7, 1862
Got orders to march to a better Campground. Got packed up but the Colonel had been over while we were packing up to see the ground and it being worse than the one we were on he said we might pitch tents again and we would stay at the old camp. Well we must have a pass to go to town now or we are liable to be picked up by the patrol which is sneaking around all the time.
Well we had a hard shower just at night which flooded some of the tents driving the boys out. But I had ditched mine and kept it dry. Now as R. Pierce is sick I and Wm Smith is tenting togather. I am afraid that Dick will never get well so as to join the Regt again. I hated to see him leave us and go to the hospita
l which he done when we left Haymarket. Heavy guard today around camp. The Negros bring in cakes, pies, milk &c for sale but in small quantities. I got a pass, went into the town. It don’t look verry well with its muddy streets and poor sidewalks. Only one street of any note. Town contains probably 400 inhabitants in time of peace but not near so many now & mostly women. This is a hot secession hole. There is 3 or 4 little shops but sold out most evrything they had.
June 8, 1862
And fine morning. Sunday and the boys that want to go are going to church at 11 A.M. & when they had been there a while they were ordered to their regts to get ready to march immediately. A commissioned officer had to go with each Co boys that went. About 20 of our boys went. When the citizens found the soldiers coming in they all left but three of them and the preacher. And we got ready and marched taking the road for Catlets [Catlett’s] which is said to be 10 miles by railroad and 12 by the wagon road. We come on the latter, it being noon when we started. We came right through the main street of the town. The different bands of the Regt playing national tunes, the Inhabitants gazing on with wonder, some laughing, some crying, others cursing & frowning. The colored people seemed well pleased and a great many of the fair sex smiled on us espicially the young girls. Well, we came on & on resting evry three or four miles, the day being cool and the roads good. The officers calculated we came 11 miles when we camped on an old camp ground on Cedar Run. This, I think, was formerly a secesh camp. Well we were still 2 miles from Catlets. We reached this place and got camped & supper by dark. And after rollcall as I was just going to bed, the commisary come around wanting men to go with them to draw rations and I and 4 others went and with waiting and doing the buisness it took us till eleven oclock and having to get up at 4 in the morning it was tuff I thought. And the rumor is that we have to go to Fredricsburg tomorrow which will be about a thirty mile march but I guess we will not go that far.
June 9, 1862
Fine morning. Marched to where we camped on the 30 of last month as we went out to Catlets but didnt go around by Catlets as I stated yesterday but come across the Country. We layed in camp until 6 PM when we went on dress parade. Had a string of orders a yard long read to us. 3 men fainted away in the time. 2 of those were in our Co and at roll call Cap told us that revilee would be at four in the morning and we would have to start half past 5 oclock. Went to bed, had a good nights rest.
June 10, 1862
And started at half past 5 oclock and the instant we began our march it began to rain and continued a steady but slow rain till two oclock when we had reached the distance of 16 miles it was thought. We turned into the woods & camped and just as we got our tents pitched, it stoped raining and I washed my feet and pants, washed my shoes out and Bill made coffee and we ate dinner for we didnt stop for dinner today, only stoped some two or three times in all the march. I never stood a march better. There was not a man fell behind today from our Co. I would rather march in the rain than in the dust & hot weather.
June 11, 1862
And a fine morning and started at half past 5 oclock. They [say] it is eight miles to Falmouth. Well we marched on & on, resting as usual (except yesterday). We reached Falmouth about ten oclock, marched through & down the bottom about 1 mile, which brought us to opposite Fredricsburg and we camped on good ground but a limited supply of water.
Falmouth is a verry buisness place now. A great deal of buisness done there which [is] quite different to what we found it before. There being nothing to by [buy] then & now the streets is lined with shops of all kinds of shops. Plenty of apples for sale but pretty dear, only 5 cts a piece. The boys of the town met us half mile out with things [to] sell & followed us and in two hours time after we stoped we could buy anything we wanted. And the boys pitched in pretty steep for we have not had a chance to by anything to eat since we left here before.
Hello, there is a Fredricsburg papers for sale. I must go and buy one. Well, been & bought one for 5 cents. The Christian banner58 is the name of it. It is printed on brown paper, looks verry odd. Well I have spent about $1.50 cts since we came yesterday. I bought a lb of fresh pork for which I paid 15 cents, had it for breakfast. Oh, it tasted nice.
Well we heard today that there was one Brigade left of at Warrenton, one left at Catlets so that left us alone and that Gen Gibbens had been appointed Military Govenor over Fredricsburg. And it appears so from what I can judge from the movements and I hope it is so for I am tired of running around all over the country and for nothing to as far as I can see. Oh, it is a miserable life the way we have lived for two weeks. We would of thought nothing of it if we had been after [Confederate General Thomas J. “Stonewall”] Jackson or any portion of the rebel army but so it is and we will have to put up with it.
Well the rumor that Mcdowel was arrested has proved false. But as far as my judgement goes I think he had ought to have been arrested. But he may be a true patriot for all his enemy’s sayings and doings. Well up to late last night there was no other Brigade came in so I guess that Gibbens has been appointed Military Govenor of Fredricsburg and vicinity.
June 12, 1862
And fine day & quite warm. We have a brigade review today at 11 A.M. so we had fix up in good style and did better than ever we did yet on a review. It is a pretty sight with evrything shining. A multitude of pedlars and a great many of them have been taken up before the General for some cause, I don’t know how or what. But I see they have all left dress parade at 6 P.M. All looks well. They come down stricter than ever. An order was read holding the Orderly sargeants of Co responsible for the cleanliness of men brought on guard by them. And the Col has now under arrest the Orderly of one Co for bringing unclean men on guard. And day after tomorrow there is to be a close inspection and any man found unclean, his Co shall be cut of from having any passes until they can come out clean. Now this is wrong to have the whole Co condemned on account of one man being dirty and it is not right to expect us to do as regulars when we are on the field and been marching and lying about in the mud like so many boys. Well we cannot better ourselves now. But it is hard when a man volunteers to do a thing to have the officers come down on them and have them arrested for any little thing. It was not so when King was our Brigadier General. But since Gibbons is over us, we find it different. Oh, damn this way putting regular officers over volunteers. It don’t suit me at all.
Yesterday I got a letter from Henry and one from Newton. Our Regt has not had their mail for two weeks but now we shall get it oftener I hope.
June 13, 1862
And a fine day till 2 P.M. when it rained for about hour. And just as it begun to rain we got orders to get ready to march to the north & near Falmouth. Which we did & camped in a verry pretty grove of large timber and just rolling enough to drain which made it a beautiful Camp. It being dark by the time we got our tents pitched. In the morning about 3 oclock the order come to get ready to march in light marching order. The long roll was beat in the 6th and 2nd Regts. Then the news come that the rebels had driven our pickets in to the city and those two Regts went after and none of the others Regts went. And that was all we heard about it. I guess it was a false alarm. Those two Regts come back before night and seen nothing of any rebels.
June 14, 1862
And a fine morning and the inspection come of at 9 A.M. We were inspected verry close and they said we were in excellent order. And I know we did clean evrything the best it could be. The Regt officers inspected us. And the Col said last night he wouldnt have a guard around camp for he had confidence enough in us. And he would trust us to do our duty without being guarded as we had been when in the Brigade. For there he couldnt help having a guard if the Gen called for it so there is only a small commisary guard. After inspection we cleaned up the streets, each Co doing their own. And just as we got this done, the rumor comes that we move tomorrow as Gen Patrick [Union General Marsena Patrick] was coming to this place and as he camped there before, he was entitled now. Had 2 hours drill and dress parade. The Col issued an or
der that we were hereafter to drill one hour evry day, that hour being from half past five till half past six P.M., then dress parade. The ajjutant read a note from Gen Gibbons in which the Gen gave us (our Regt) great praise for their soldierly bearing and good actions and appearance and placed great confidence in us. But he disliked verry much the way the Indiania Regt acted by throwing away their clothing &c while on the march.
June 15, 1862
And fine day. Orders come immediately after revilee to get ready to go back to the Brigade at 8 oclock and camp on the same ground. This we done today. I had to go on guard as it is my turn but they didnt mount guard until after we moved which was about 10 oclock. It was commisary guard and 1 post in daytime, 2 at night. And there was thirteen of us so some of us come on only once & I was one of them. And I come off at midnight and come to my tent and slept till rollcall in the morning. When I went back today we had a mess of beans which was a rarity and we relished them well. I have ate 25 cts worth of oranges today, 8 in number. They are verry nice fruit.
Well they have called for guard from this regt & my tentmates had to go. They go in the Brigade guard. Oh, but the boys hated to leave that good camp.
June 17, 1862
Fine day, done the same as yesterday except that we had skirmish drill instead of Co drill as day before.
Four Years With the Iron Brigade Page 15