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

Post image for “They found an ice house and to-night we have ice water.”–Army Life of an Illinois Soldier, Charles Wright Wills.

“They found an ice house and to-night we have ice water.”–Army Life of an Illinois Soldier, Charles Wright Wills.

April 13, 2015

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

Four miles from Raleigh, April 13, 1865, 4 p.m.

The fourth anniversary of the fall of Fort Sumter. How are you, chivalry? Made a nice little march of 16 miles and could go on to town as well as not before dark if it was necessary. Our left wing occupied Raleigh this morning with Kilpatrick and the 14th A. C. No fighting worth mentioning. We crossed the Neuse six miles from Raleigh on the paper mill bridge. This is the prettiest campaign we ever made. No night marching, 60 miles in four days, and just what rations we started with from Goldsboro in haversacks. Beautiful country to-day, high and rolling. The bummers found whisky to-day and I saw a number dead drunk by the roadside. They found an ice house and to-night we have ice water. Picked up a number of Rebel deserters to-day. The woods are full of them.

Previous post:

Next post: