Thursday, July 14. — Shelled again to-day. Troops were up all night expecting an attack, as a deserter came in and said that a great many more would come in if we would throw up rockets. We saw rockets thrown up, but whether the deserters came or not, I don’t know. Day pleasant.
Monday, July 14, 2014
Thursday, July 14th.
Ten companies of the regiment under Lieut. Col. Alcock were to-day ordered to report to General Hunt, Chief of Artillery of the Army of the Potomac, and were assigned to the Siege Train, Col. Henry S. Abbott commanding, and as soon as other infantry troops arrived to take our place on the lines, we moved to a point in the woods near the Engineers and laid out our first regular camp since we left Culpepper. This is the ninth disposition that has been made of my battalion since we left Fort Marcy, but the officers and men feel particularly elated that the regiment, or the greater part of it, has been brought together, and that at last, after losing more than half of our men, we are to be permitted to perform the duty for which we enlisted, and we wonder whether our letter to the President had anything to do with this assignment but, of course, we shall never know.
14th. Papers of the 13th. Grand panic in Baltimore and Washington.
July 14th. We have to turn out at daylight. Soon after rations, again in line and marching. We are getting very ragged. Many are barefooted. Clothes will wear out in this rough life. Pushing along. Marched over Bolivar Heights, down through Harper’s Ferry, over the Potomac River on the railroad bridge, into Maryland, taking the river road along the canal through Sandy Hook, camping near Knoxville. A mail received. Very tired tonight. It is thought we have marched about fifteen miles. Detailed for picket.
July 14 — We are still quietly camping on the Nottoway.
July 14th. Layed in this place all day. At night we moved front and went to tearing down Rebel rifle-pits. Moved back in the morning.
July 14, 1864.
Another hot day. We marched down to the river at Roswell and crossed it, and have gone into camp on the bank a mile above town.
This Roswell is a beautiful little town, such splendid trees all through it. Our cavalry four or five days ago destroyed some very large factories here. Judging from the ruins, they were more extensive than anything of the kind I ever before saw. About 1,000 women were employed in them; 700 of them were taken by our folks and sent to Marietta; I don’t know what for. Can’t hear of any enemy here.
by John Beauchamp Jones
JULY 14TH.—The drought continues here; but at some other places there has fallen heavy rain.
The excitement on the news of our successes in Maryland is intense, and a belief prevails that great results will grow out of this invasion of the country held by the enemy. Twice before but little if any benefit resulted from crossing thePotomac.
It is rumored to-day that Longstreet’s corps has marched toMaryland, and that Lee is with it.
Etowah Bridge, Thursday, July 14. All still and dull, the monotony of camp settled down upon us very soon, a few new shebangs and fixing up around quarters. No mail or news found us in this wild mountainous locality. Country people very ignorant.
Thursday, 14th—I am with a large number of sick in a ward over a vacant store building. For the last four days I have had the camp diarrhea, and have become so weak that I have to lie on my cot all the time.[1] But we have a good doctor in this ward.
[1] Mr. Downing has an entry in his diary for every day, but wrote them at a later date, after he was convalescing.—Ed.
