March 17, 1865
And fine day. We have drill in forenoon. I drill the squad without arms & there was battallion Drill in afternoon. But as the last recruits drew their guns, I had to give them a lesson in the Manuel of arms. We expect to march evry day but we still occupy our shanties.
March 18, 1865
And fine day. I am on guard today. Have the regular guard mount done up in style & I had 2 corpls to help me & we had to run the guard according to Regulations & as I had a copy of them, I let the Corpls read them & instructed them all accordingly. & I had occasion to near the Col once in posting a guard & he took me to task & began to question me about the duties as mine & the Sentinels also & I answered all but one. He, I guess, soon satisfied himself for he didnt ask many for I happen to know. I answered Lus letter, also Cornelias. I felt quite sick tonight. The guard having to lay out there all night, which is a new feature in affairs. This being the first time & it goes tough to the Boys. I and the officer of the guard is the only ones that ever had such things to do. All the others are recruits.
March 20, 1865
And fine day. I am on fatigue or rather Police. The men that came off guard yesterday morning have to sweep the camp & carry off the dirt and Police the camp generally.
I got a letter from Mother today which I answered & sent her $5.00 more. I also got a letter from the Hon. Senator Young. He being an old acquaintance of mine & I am please to hear from him. He is well & in the Senate chamber helping to make laws to Govern us.
March 21, 1865
And fine day. Have Co drill both afternoon & forenoon & they were poor ones. The Sergt don’t seem to have verry good command or he don’t exercise his authority as he should.
There is great peace rumors going today & tis said on good authority that Old Jeff & Lee wants to meet Lincoln & Grant at City Point & that Grant sent for Lincoln immediately & they was to be there last night.
March 22, 1865
And fine day. We have Co drill in forenoon & Battallion drill in afternoon. News is good from Sherman & Sheridan, the latter having reached Whitehouse Landing on York River & will rest his command for a time till U.S. Grant finds him something else to do. Which I think will not be long. From appearances, I think we will not move verry soon for our Sutler has come back as also some others.
March 23, 1865
And fine day but verry windy. The hardest wind I seen in the last year. Tore the tents of a number of cabins but mine stood the storm well. The dust was awfull, almost putting the eyes out if one steped out. Taking it altogather, twas a verry stormy day.
The 2nd Corps was reviewed today & tis said Lincoln was there. If so, he may have come down to confer with Jeff & Lee. When he gets a good ready, there is great talk of peace by evrybody & I hope it will come. The Rebels are coming in as usual. There has 3 come in to our Brigade today, two brought their horses & the other had to leave his to keep from being captured by the chasers that were trying to catch them.
We had Inspection as usual this morning & Co. drill right after but no drill in afternoon. Twas too windy. I wrote a letter to Lu today & one to Hon. M. K. Young in answer to his verry kind & encouraging letter. I am happy to know I still have a friend in him. He used to befriend me when I was a mere Boy & evinces a readiness to still do so. He said if I had applied to him for the favor 3 week since, I could have got a commission.
March 25, 1865
And fine day. We got orders & did march at about 7 A.M. We had to go without breakfast. We went out to Army Headquarters, about 6 miles, for the Rebs broke through our lines at daylight & got nearly to the R.R. They took 2 of our forts & the works between & was just playing hob & our fellows come in their rear & gobbled up a lot of them. Some say 4,800 & we marched around on to a plain nearby & formed for review, was reviewed by President Lincoln & Gen’s Grant & son & Mead & Warren &c and all the big ones. & after that we marched up to the right & towards Army Headquarters again & got some coffee & then they began to fight away to the left about 3 miles from here & we fell in & marched down to support them. When we got there & stacked arms, the order came for us to go to camp & twas just dark & we took a straight road for it which we reach about 9 P.M. all tired out. Just as we started back, some 200 Reb Prisnors came by & now evrything seem to have settled down to the usual quiet.242
March 26, 1865
And we had orders at 5 A.M. to get up & be ready to march at a moments notice which we done. & soon after daylight we formed on the Parade ground & stacked arms & come to our quarters & keep in readiness to march at the tap of the Drum. We lay so all day & at night ordered to make ourselves comfortable & to go to bed which we done. There has not been much firing today but tis rumored that the Rebs massed in front of the 2nd Corps today & consequently stoped our fellows from charging as was intended today.
March 28, 1865
And fine day. Have inspection by the Brigade Commander. Just at night we have orders to be ready to march at 4 in the morning. So we drew rations & went to bed.
March 29, 1865
And fine day. Was awoke at 4 A.M. & got ready to march at 5 ½ oclock & we did start going towards the left, marching on pretty brisk. Had the order of march read to us while resting at time. Marched on till near night when the head of the column run against the Rebs & brought us to a halt but the 1 st Div soon cleaned them out. & we went out to the Boydton Plank Road & our Regt was sent out to help the 147th N.Y. guard the road. But were relieved after building work & getting supper went back a ways & camp for the night, it being 11 P.M. & raining some.243
March 30, 1865
And rain all day & just at night our Regt sent out on picket. Still raining, evry ravine is flooded. Get picket line formed dark comes. Hear fighting away off to the left, our cavelry, I guess.
March 31, 1865
And still raining. About 9 A.M. we are drawn in & join the Brigade as they come along going towards the left. After going a mile or so we stop & rest. About hour, skirmishing begins in our front & our Regt is ordered out double quick & advance. We come on to the enemy and fighting begins & great confusion too. The Recruits are wild with a few exceptions. Soon all are running & the reb hurling in the lead & we retreat across the creek in great confusion, some going the way we came & others wading & swimming. But I watched & found a shallow place, got over with wading.244
[Ed. Note: Unfortunately, Ray’s entries for April are missing because he was acting as an orderly and with the army on the move, he had little or no time to write. See Appendix B, which contains Colonel Kellogg’s official report of the activities of the brigade during this period, as well as Colonel Tarbell’s report for the actions of the 91st New York Infantry, which was brigaded with the Seventh Wisconsin. Its experiences were very similar to those of the Seventh.
After the sharp fight at the White Oak Road, Ray’s brigade participated in the action at Five Forks, which broke through the far right anchoring position of Lee’s lines. That event triggered the Confederate retreat from Petersburg and Richmond, ending the long and bloody siege. The Army of the Potomac followed Lee west and trapped his men at Appomattox Court House, where Lee surrendered the Army of Northern Virginia on April 9, 1865. President Lincoln was assassinated three days later on April 12, 1865 in Washington, D.C., while watching a play at Ford’s Theater.]
May 1, 1865
And fine day. & we were awoke early to get up & get Breakfast & be ready to March at 1 A.M. And at that hour the rest of the Brigade came up the road & we fell in & marched about 2 miles & stoped about 3 hours & got coffee. When we started again & marched about 6 miles to Wilson Station & camped, the sun about an hour high.
Well I have lost one month. I have been unable to keep the book posted up as I have been acting orderly since the first of April. The Sergt (Reamer) [Raemer] was killed on the 31st of March, that was acting orderly. But there is several of the Boys that have kept their Dairy up & I shall have to get them to copy it for me.
May 2, 1865
And up early & fi
ne day. We march at 6 A.M. & marched pretty fast. Rested about evry hour for about 10 to 15 minutes & we stoped and got coffee abut noon & marched till sundown & camped within 6 miles of Petersburg for the night. Today we marched parellel with the RR.
May 3, 1865
And fine day. And we marched at 7 A.M. to within 1 mile of the city where we rested a while. Started again marching by company in line & so we marched through Petersburg along the principle streets & marched to within 6 miles of Richmond. We have had good roads all the time. But the Pike between these two cities is splendid. We camped for the night.
May 4, 1865
And fine day. Up and march at ½ after 6 A.M. & march to the city of Manchester right opposite Richmond & camped & draw rations. They say we stay till tomorrow.
May 5, 1865
And fine day & we got ready to march & some started. But the order was countermanded & we went into camp & stayed all day & some few got passes to go to Richmond. They were all officers. Shermans Army is coming up this way to Washington & we are bound for the same place & I guess will be mustered out.245
May 6, 1865
And fine day. We march at 8 A.M. after drawing clothing. We marched through Richmond the same way as Petersburg. Went by Libby Prison & Castle Thunder & many places of note.246
May 8, 1865
And fine day & the same as yesterday. Today we reach Bowling Green, a small town on the Railroad. We are now within 20 miles of Fredericksburg. I got a pass today & fell out, not being able to keep up, but came up in the evening.
May 9, 1865
And fine day & marched at usual hour. I got a pass today & took my time. I got my knapsack hauled in the ambulance but couldnt get a ride myself for they were so full. We reach Rappahannock River just below Fredericsburg & cross it & the ambulances go into park just at dark near the river. I was not able to go up to the Regt tonight so remained with the Ambulances & slept under one. We made a long march today & done it well. But it wore me out as I am sickly now. Cant eat much & feel weak. The nurses came around about 9 P.M. with tea & farina which I relished highly.
May 10, 1865
And fine day. & march as usual. But I couldnt get a new pass today as I was not up to the Doctors at the Regt & I couldnt ride today. But still get my things hauled. I feel some better today. We make a good march today & the ambulances park near the Regt tonight & I get to the Regt to stay all night.
May 11, 1865
And fine day. & march as usual. I get a pass today & get my things carried again. But have to march. We get along fine today till about 5 P.M. when we have the hardest thundershower I ever saw. The lightening struck a man & 3 horses not far from me & killed the man & one horse & hurt the others verry bad. The rain continued & the trains was delayed crossing the Ocauocon [Occoquan] Creek & I got so far ahead & got dark & I lost the road as I thought & the teams getting stuck all along & the ambulances don’t come up & I am wet through to the skin. All my things being in the ambulance, in this condition I make for a fire & when I get there, find a house near & get Permission from the man to go in. Found the house pretty full but found room & got to the stove & got some coffee from a stranger. Made a cup of coffee & set by the stove all night. We are now about 6 miles from Fairfax courthouse. 22 miles from Alexandria.
May 12, 1865
And fine day after the hard storm of last night. I got breakfast at the house this morning & a good one too, for which I paid fifty cents & then started. Got as far as the Barn. Found 3 or 4 of our Regt there & among them the Sergt Major. & we started, overtook the Brigade at Fairfax Station but didnt join it & kept wagging on as best we could. Got to the courthouse & there I got a can of oysters for $ 1.00. & as the Brigade was resting, we made dinner of the oysters & a good dinner, too, was it. & started on coming slowly & resting evry little while & about sundown came up with the Regt in camp near Balls Cross Road about 2 miles from Acquaduct Bridge.
We are now about 5 miles from Washington in a nice camp. I feel a great deal better today but have got something like the piles coming on me.
May 13, 1865
And fine day. We lay in camp all day & the sutler comes up. Many rumors & among them one that we are to have no review but go home as soon as we can get transportation. Plenty of pedlars, can buy most anything.
May 14, 1865
And fine day & tis Sunday & we have Preaching & we were ordered to clean up, for it was expected that the Govenor would be over to see us. Rumors again that we are to march to Baltimore & there get transportation.
May 15, 1865
And fine day. Are ordered up at 4 A.M., be ready to march at 6 A.M. But we only moved camp about ¼ of a mile & got a verry pleasant camp & tis said we are to stay here till we go home. The Govenor has not come yet. But is coming. I wrote a letter to Lu today in answer to 2 I got sometime since.
May 16, 1865
And fine day. The Govenor came today & made us a Speech. He has a fine appearance & spoke well & encouraging. Said we would be home soon he thought. But we couldnt go just yet. He didnt stay long.
May 17, 1865
And fine day & we have a close inspection. Tis monthly Inspection. We have fine time here. Nothing to do & plenty to eat & can buy most anything. But money is scarce now, verry. We thought we would move today. But I guess we will stay here now.
May 20, 1865
And Sunshine & rain today alternately. Co drill in forenoon only. I was on fatigue detail today with a squad of 20 men. In the evening, Secretary [Lucius] Fairchild called on the Col & the Regt was turned to receive him & he in turn made a little appropriate speech, though much to the point.
May 21, 1865
And fine day and Battallion drill in afternoon & I was absent from it unintentionally. I went down to the creek to wash & when I came back they were at it. We were called out in evening to fix for review. By making 5 companies out of the Regt so as to just fill the streets on the Review on day after tomorrow. But there being so many men absent that we couldnt do it. This being Sunday the Chaplain gave us a short discourse.
May 22, 1865
And a little rainy out but not much. So we were formed again this morning & fixed the Regt into 5 companies & drill Co. drill so to prepare us to march in review tomorrow & in the afternoon we drill Battallion drill preparatory for the review.
We have had no soft Bread for a day or two & the Boys are grumbling some. We have had soft Bread for a few days & so it goes hard to eat hard bread now.
Evening & we are formed again & inspected to see if we come out in good order which we did & were dismissed with orders that reville would be at 3 A.M. & we be ready to march at 4 A.M.
May 23, 1865 [Grand Review in Washington, D. C.]
Did so but didnt march till after 5 A.M. when we marched to the city by way of long Bridge up through the city. Formed ready for review, stacked arms & rested till further orders which was about 3 hours coming. & then we fell in & marched in review. We marched by the front some two miles when we came near the Acqueduct Bridge at George town. There came on to the Pontoon bridge by the flank & crossed & after crossing rested a while & then up & on. Come to camp about 3 miles from the Bridge, reached camp about 4 P.M. The streets & evry available place to see was crowded with Spectators & prominent among them was the President & cabinet & the heads of all the different departments & Bureaus & all the Foreign Ministers & Consuls &c. There were boxes fixed so as all the Officials could have seats where they could [see] all with ease.
The whole thing went off quietly & without a blunder. The Cavelry went through first, then our Corps & then the 2nd Corps & lastly the 9th Corps. The Pioneers & Pontoonices with all their kit were along & laid the Bridge early in the morning, making a complete review of all things pertaining to the Army &c. Shermans army is to go through the same Routine tomorrow, the 24th. Today was a grand affair. I wish I had time & space to comment on it.
May 24, 1865 [Grand Review of Sherman’s Army]
And fine day. At roll call the Major called us i
nto line & said the General was much pleased with the actions of this Regt yesterday & he would pass all over the Bridge to the city that wanted to go & that we were to get ready about 7 A.M. & be in good order. & we were ready at the time & went & the General with us & he took us up on to the Avenue & told us to break rank & go where we please & report at the Bridge at 6 P.M. so as we could get over before 7 P.M. I started with several of the Boys to see the Passing colums of the 15 Corps which just began to pass. But soon lost them in the densely packed crowd & didnt see but 2 or 3 of the Co. all day. After loitering around till tired & hungry, I sought an oyster saloon which I soon found on a corner. Went in & ordered a Peck of steamed oysters which were delicious. After which I took a stroll up street towards the Capital & in due time with hard labor I made my way to it. & entered the magnificent building & traveled in it for a couple of hours. & being weary besides feeling unwell, I came out & down on to the street. Got on street cars, start for Georgetown opposite the Bridge some 1 ¼ [miles] distant which cost 6 cents.
Four Years With the Iron Brigade Page 51