August 19, 1864
And stormy mid morning but fine in latter part of day. Rained considerable last night. We lay in the works till daylight when we, our Brigade, moved off to the right about 1 mile & formed line of Battle in thick woods. Considerable skirmishing in our front. We get breakfast & about 9 A.M. we march of to the right again & begin to establish Picket line & keep at it till the whole Brigade is on. But we missed our way a little & had to swing around till we joined on the left of the 2nd Corps Pickets, they being on the left of the old line of works, our Regt joining them. This line run mostly through thick woods & being some 2 ½ miles long I think. We build fires & get dinner & all is fine till about 3 P.M. when the Rebs come in on the line about the 19th Ind. & 24th Mich. Break through & capture a lot of them & our Regt fell back into a good position ready to receive them if they come but they didnt come. They soon met with some troops that stopped them & sent them back in a hurry capturing a good many & recapturing many of our men.193
We soon reestablished our line, but could find no body to connect with on the left of us. Our Lieut Col & Major & some of the Boys went out & by night captured 23 men & three officers. & night coming on & we our Regt alone, twas thought best to fall back to the 2nd corps Pickets which we did & got inside the line. We bivouac for the night having to furnish some Pickets. We get supper through the rain & go to bed, making the best of things as we can. Get no tidings from the Brigade or the rest of the Corps. This has been a hard old day for us. Forming a new picket line is hard buisness & then having it broke &c. I don’t wish to see many such I tell you. I believe our Regt didnt loose a man.
August 20, 1864
And we are awoke early & get breakfast. Examine our guns to be sure of them going. We march out & form Picket line again & after considerable truble get our left to join with some of the 9th Corps which came in here last night. Our Regt is half mile farther ahead now than it was yesterday. We having to do so, so as to join on the left. We stay here till about noon when a regt from the 9th Corps relieves us & we have to report to corps headquarters. We marched off rather pleased to get out of this unwelcome place. We come back along the line & quite surprised were we to find lots of troops & Brestworks where the day before there was nothing. We now see too that there has been much more of a fight than we thought for and they drove our fellows too. But they didnt hold the ground long. For our Boys soon sent them back howling. As we passed over the ground could see dead Rebs & guns &c. Such things on all Battlefields.
We reach corps Headquarters & are sent to the Brigade which we found about half mile from here across the R.R. & glad were we to see each other. Each one thought the other was captured. But when we come to get togather we find that only about 150 of the Brigade has been captured. We took our place on the left of the Brigade which soon moved up into the works they were building. We occupy a part of them which we have to [get] finished & did finish & then went to work, get supper & camp in rear of the works. One third of the Co. having to be up all night. I was detailed to go after rations & we had to go about 2 miles to the rear. We started about 5 oclock & didnt get back till 9 oclock, there having been so much rain & travel on the roads that twas almost impossible to get along. We had a hard time of it. I was detailed to stay up with the first relief. But Corp Alexander kindly volunteered to take my place considering I had been out after rations and had such a hard time of it.
I am completely disgusted with the way things is going this evening. The Boys could or did buy whiskey & many of them got drunk & 3 or 4 of the Boys that went with me for rations got drunk & didnt get in till long after I did. I hope there will not much of it get into the ranks for if we have to fight tomorrow we want all sober &c.
August 21, 1864
And fine day till towards night when we had thunder showers. We had a fight today. The Rebs charged in front of our Brigade. But they didnt get verry near for our murderous fire just mowed them down and there being a ditch in front of us about from 2 to 300 yards, they got into what was not wounded or killed & they commenced to come in & we ceased firing & a lot of the Boys rallied out & took the rest prisinors. Our Regt got about 100 of them and a number of officers , a lieut, Col & Major with them. And as soon as this was over another Brigade charged on the 2nd Brigade & they met with the same fate or worse for they captured a flag and more prisinors than we. & in a few minutes another Brigade charged rather on the left of the 2nd Brigade & around the flank which they partially succeeding in getting around when they met a hot fire from another line in this front that they were not expecting. & a couple of Regts of 2nd Brigade doublequicked to the left & come partially in the rear of the Rebs. When they threw down their arms & Capt Daily [Dennis B. Dailey] of Gen Cutlers [Lysander Cutler] Staff went up to the rebel General [Johnson] Hagood & demanded him to surrender. Hagood turned & shot Daily giving him a mortal wound it is thought. Our Boys shot Hagood & the Rebs picked him up & they were shot down. & another set done so & met with the same fate & so to the fourth set of men when they go off the field with him. & after the Rebs threw down their arms, lots of them took to the woods & got away. But many of them bit the dust before they got out of reach. So we captured about half this Brigade & this ended the fight.194
We, our division, smashed up the Rebel division pretty well. We have half of them inside our lines & they attacked us away to the right but got repulsed. So we gain all around today. They evidently don’t like for us to hold this road. Some say they don’t care much about it. But I think they wouldn’t fight so hard for it if they didnt care much about it. I guess most of the Army is here for I saw one division of the 2nd corps & the 9th corps is here and they say they are all in position. Looks like work. Any hour may bring on a Big Battle. Evrything seems to be in good order and all quiet except some skirmishing. There is a good many complaining kind a sick & with the Diaherea &c. In the fight, our Regt just had one man wounded. And his time was out to within 7 or 8 days. He is rather unlucky. But not so much so as if killed.
August 22, 1864
Fine morning after a big rain last night. At sunrise we were called under arms. To be ready for what might come as they were going to advance our skirmish line. But the skirmishers met with no resistance. So after they had gone as far as they wanted we were dismissed & got breakfast. We lay in the works all day with nothing unusual transpiring. They warn us to take good care of our rations for we may not get them so regular & just at the right time, for the roads are bad & likely for no better. & the Rebs might truble us some & the rumors are so numerous that it is not worth while to give any of them. We got mail today. I got one from Flora Sander. Brings news of all being in usual health. I also got 2 papers from Mother
August 23, 1864
And fine day after a hard rain last night. We move back a few rods this morning so as to get a better position for the left of our Brigade & get a place to build a Fort. After moving there was a detail made to dig down the old works & make the fort which we worked at till about night. Then our Regt was dismissed so as to go on Picket or a heavy detail from it rather, I with 6 privates from our Co, this taking about all there was left in camp for there has been a lot of men at work building abbatise [abatis] in front of the works. Most evry body seems to be at work strengthening the works. This looks like staying here. We will soon have them as strong as those in front of Petersburg. Well we go on Picket. Our Regt picketing for the Brigade. I with 3 privates on a Post & we have to keep awake all night which is pretty hard duty & one man on Post.
August 24, 1864
And fine warm day after a pretty fair night, but did make out to rain a little though. There was quite a little fight away down on the left some 2 miles or more about 10 oclock of last night which served to keep us awake pretty well. Today passed off with nothing unusual but eating roast corn which we get outside the Picket line. The day wore away till at last sundown came & with it the Relief which we were pleased to see. In due course of time, we relieved & got together & come to camp. But when we got back
to where we started from the evening before, the Boys were not there. The Brigade had moved out & camped in rear of the 2nd Brigade, other troops taking their place. But we soon found the camp and bivoucked which I was in need of. The Boys have been working most all the time since we left. They were out chopping down timber last night. Some of them were out near us & the sound of their axes & their merry laugh done much to drive of the dreadfull monotony. The thick woods & the fear of the enemy coming in & the darkness with a sprinkling of rain made picketing anything but agreeable.
August 25, 1864 [Battle of Reams Station]
And fine day after the usual nightly rain. Till we were awoke at 3 A.M. to get ready to move camp & join the 3rd Division which we are attached to now. Our Division is broken up. The 2nd Brigade is in the 2nd Division. Our Division has always been small & now that Gen [Lysander] Cutler is wounded is a good time to break up the Division. Gen Cutler was wounded on the 21 st by a piece of shell on the upper lip slightly, so I don’t [know what] Brigade we will be now. [Samuel W.] Crawford commands the Division. The old Pennsylvania Reserves & Buctails [Bucktails] are in it. They are good troops. I feel somewhat gratified to know that we are with them.
Well we lay around till noon & didnt march. But soon the order come and we went to the rear about 1 ¼ [miles] & camped in a nice wood near a creek. Nice place. I went to work & fixed some & then concluded to wait till near night when it gets cool. But Behold, about 4 P.M. ordered to pack up which we did & marched out to the work someways to the left of where we lay before, but near the Railroad. Here we stoped a while. Pretty soon we hear skirmishing away down to the left. Soon big guns crack & firing more rapid. We ordered up & march off to the left. The firing increasing till now it has assumed the shape of hard battle.195
We march on directly towards it for 1 ½ miles when we halt & a Battery goes by. We expect some thing to do soon. We lay waiting & can hear the Battle raging furiously. Both Artillery & Musketry. But it begins to cease. Now begins again. They say & I should think the Rebs charging on our men. Pretty soon a General comes back and shortly we are ordered to go back, that all is right. We have drove the rebs off but they seem to be fighting yet. But it stopped ere we got to camp. We come back to the same place & camped & verry tired was we too. We found our tentpoles allright &c. The Rebs are getting in a bad fix I think. For they never would charge on our works so before. Things must be getting desperate with them. Tis said they made 3 separate determined charges on our Boys works.
I got a letter from Lu this evening & a good one too was it. I was much delighted. I read & reread it. Seem so good to hear from & sympathizing heart once & a while.
August 26, 1864
And fine warm day after the usual nights rain. We packed up & marched all this morning, knew not where we were going. But supposed not. We marched out on the field near corps Headquarters & fussed around a while, forming line here & there. The whole division got here after a little & General [Gouverneur K.] Warren come out & I soon seen we were to be put in position which we soon were & details made to for picks & spades to build works. They are facing to the rear exactly. To what we had the day of the fight. There is a large field here of about 4 miles circumference & the road running through the center & we have it fortified nearly all around now. Our division doing the last. Well we worked hard all day & have now some of the best Brestworks we ever had. Those in front of Petersburg are poor by the side of them. The rumor today is that the 2nd Corps got whipped yesterday evening after we started back to camp.196
[Ed. Note: The following entries were written on several sheets designated as pages 9-14, and inserted at the end of this volume. Discovering where they fit into Ray’s narrative was a mini-mystery. As it turned out, Ray completed these entries on August 28, 1864, expanding on his experiences of the earlier fighting of August 18-21. One of the clues was provided by Ray’s mention of being lost in the woods, and eventually reaching the brigade, “much to their surprise.” A member of the Sixth Wisconsin wrote about the same experience, describing how the Seventh Wisconsin was “gobbled” up by the Rebels, but that “the 7th regiment got back, having given the Johnnies the slip and taken some prisoners. “Another clue is Ray’s reference in Volume 13 for August 28: “well, 1 have caught up with my diary. I was once a week behind . . . .”]
. . . have orders to put out Videttes Posts and make ourselves as comfortable as we can. Now away off to our left the rebs are charging, an awful deadly fire & a terriffic yell & all is still for 2 minutes or so & then two or three pieces of artillerry belch as the death and destruction & slight skirmish fire. We think the enemy have been repulsed. We are in a verry bad position now to for both our flanks are exposed to attack & we have the enemy in front & not an officer knows anything about the position & are without orders. We are in a critical position & we all know it but we do the best we can. It has rained most of the afternoon & we are wet to the skin & now it rains a torrent. List, there the enemy charges again in the same place. Away I should think ¾ of a mile to our left. Heavy firing for 2 or 3 minutes & all is hushed except the yelling of the fiends & the same thing appears to have been enacted as the first charge but the artillery seems to be firing this way.
And we begin to be more anxious, would to heaven that some orders, so we will know our fate. But no, nothing but anxious suspense. & we here in the dense forests & evrything wet & to make it doubly dismal, we cannot see our hand before us. We cant find each other only by calling or whistling & in walking about fetch up against this bunch of briars or that prickly pear & perhaps a big tree, face scratched, hands scratched & clothes torn. All this time the skirmishing goes on both away to our right & left & all still in our front. There, List, there another charge. I think tis our men this time. There! Tis the same thing over again only the noise seems to get farther away & now all is hushed. They have fired their last fire and have met, or one side or the other has given. We listen, our hearts throb. There! Tis over, they have began skirmishing again & we are pretty certain our boys have drove them this time. It is now near 10 oclock P.M. & all appears to be settled except the skirmishing, which of course will continue night.
Well, I take of my knapsack after finding a big leaning tree & take off my oilcloth & put around my shoulders & seat myself on knapsack. Now conclude I will have some sugar & hardtack & some water that I had carried in my canteen all day. I ate with a good appetite as I had not had anything since leaving camp except nibbling on a cracker once & all the boys were in same fix. As you will perceive, I have made no mention of such a thing being allowed but we cant complain for we know that it has not been advisable to do so & now we dare not build a fire.
Well, after eating I lay down on the leaves, sticks &c and put my oilcloth over me & try to catch a little sleep. But to no use. The rain pours down. I feel the water soaking through my clothes from underneath but to tired to move. Well, time wears on & midnight nears. I have a watch but cant see the hands. All the good it does me is that I can lay & hear it tick, tick, & keep me company. List, what is that. I hear footsteps. Somebody says to somebody on the next Post to the right of us that we are ordered to get out of this, that the enemy is in our rear. So some start off for themselves but I knew that wouldnt do so I called out for us all to get togather & then we could resist the better the enemy. & desired company F to find the first sergt, he was in command of the Co. & let him take care of us. He was not far off & most of the Co. got togather and many others besides. None knew where to find their company so they fell in. & the sergt said for us to stay there till he went down to the left aways & see the Major. He was commanding the Regt.
So the sergt soon returned & with orders for us to stay till the left wing come to us which wasnt long. & by this time pretty [near] all the Regt had got togather & we found out from some of the Boys that had just captured some Rebs that they were stragglers in the woods only so we breathed easier. & now arose a controversy about which the camp was, but twas soon settled by some one taking the lead & we wandered &
wandered & still wandered & found no Brigade. So we concluded to Bivouck till morning, which we done after putting out a strong guard & putting a guard over some prisnors we had taken just before stopping. We were all lost so I with 2 others spread our bed & crawled in. It now must be 2 A.M.
5 A.M. [August 18, 1864]. And we are awoke by the officers to get up and get ready to march. Which we done quickly feeling much refreshed. It is just light now & I take out my watch to wind it up and it is stoped at about 5.1 wind it up & set it by guess. We form in marching order. Putting the Prisnors behind the Regt with a strong guard & the Major made us a little speech saying that we were to fight and not be taken Prisnor but if we must surrender we would all go togather & this was just my sentiments & also most of the boys. We wandered around for some time and most evry rod we would capture one or more Rebels. At last we run on to a squad of about 50. They threw up their hands imploring, saying don’t shoot, we surrender & we took them in. A number of them was wounded , some on horses with legs broken. We put them under guard & wandered on & came upon some of our men that had Rebel prisnors & then on Rebels that had some of our men Prisnor & so on till we had as many rebs as what we numbered ourselves. & now we are getting so many we can hardly guard them. Fortunately they are verry docile for they are lost & we disarm them as soon as captured. They don’t seem to care about anything but something to eat. We divide with them. They eat hard tack with avidity. We come across a lot of our Soldiers that have a few rebs & they turn them in to us & some of them fall in with us & some start of for themselves in which they are verry foolish for in union there is strength. At last Major & 2 or 3 start out to find some sign of troops& soon met with 2 officers that had been sent out to look for us & past them there came some cavelry charging through the woods. But they proved to be ours that were in search of such as were lost for the army was falling back. We were piloted straight to the brigade which had fell back ¼ mile & fortified. We found them, much to their surprise. They thought Rebs had us. We got breakfast & then the brigade fell back with the army & we came back to our old camp. Reached it at 5 P.M. evening of 28th.
Four Years With the Iron Brigade Page 43