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

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“We passed the place where McClellan’s famous seven days’ fight commenced. The whole country is waste.”–Army Life of an Illinois Soldier, Charles Wright Wills.

May 14, 2015

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

Near Hanover, C. H., Va., May 14, 1865.

Only made nine miles to-day on account of the Pamunky river here being bad. We camp to-night in the Hanover “slashes,” one mile east of the birthplace of Henry Clay, and about two miles from the residence of Patrick Henry. The court house is where the latter delivered his famous speech against the clergy. Henry’s house is built of brick, imported, and was built in 1776. We passed the place where McClellan’s famous seven days’ fight commenced. The whole country is waste. I hear a country legend here that Clay was the illegitimate son of Patrick Henry. The court house was built in 1735

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