Following the American Civil War Sesquicentennial with day by day writings of the time, currently 1863.

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“The whole army, mules, wagons, bummers and generals have come out new from Goldsboro.”–Army Life of an Illinois Soldier, Charles Wright Wills.

April 10, 2015

Army Life of an Illinois Soldier, Charles Wright Wills, (8th Illinois Infantry)

On picket, Raleigh road, three miles from Nahanta
Station, on Weldon and Goldsboro railroad,

April 10, 1865.

Our division moved north to-day along the Weldon railroad to Nahanta, where we crossed and took a main Raleigh road. Our 1st brigade had the advance and had light skirmishing all day. Wheeler’s cavalry is opposing us. Our regiment is on picket to-night, and the enemy shot a little at us before dark, but all is quiet just now. Passed through a very fine country to-day. It has rained all day. Some cannonading on our left. I think the whole army moved to-day. The 20th corps passed us near town this morning in exactly opposite direction to ours. The whole army, mules, wagons, bummers and generals have come out new from Goldsboro. The whole machine looks as nicely as an army can look. Our 1st brigade took a swamp crossing from the enemy to-day, that our brigade could hold against a corps. A bullet passed miserably near to me as I was arranging our picket line this evening.

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