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

Post image for “Desolation reigns equal to the Sodom and Gomorrah country.”–Army Life of an Illinois Soldier, Charles Wright Wills.

“Desolation reigns equal to the Sodom and Gomorrah country.”–Army Life of an Illinois Soldier, Charles Wright Wills.

May 17, 2015

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

Aquia Creek, Va., May 17, 1865.

We passed over the whole line of Burnside’s battle ground this morning. (It was no fight, only a Yankee slaughter.) Through Fredericksburg, the most shelled town I ever saw; crossed the Rappahannock on a miserable shaky pontoon, and have been traveling ever since in the camps of the Potomac Army. Desolation reigns equal to the Sodom and Gomorrah country.

Country much more broken than I supposed; very hot part of the day. One man of the 48th Illinois fell dead while marching, and eight or ten in our regiment badly affected by heat.

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