June 12. — We (the staff) started at 5.15, having had our tents pitched and baggage all packed beforehand. We went at a gallop through woods and stubble down to Stoneman’s Station, where we struck off for Berea Church. Just before reaching the church an orderly rode up with my commission, and a note from Colonel Locke inclosing $8, which was my share of Norton’s mess-bill, which he has since paid. We found General Meade’s headquarters near Berea Church, and here we had a lunch. The troops halted here, and just before starting, a deserter was shot in accordance with the sentence of a court-martial. He belonged to General Wadsworth’s division, and I carried the order to the general to have the affair hurried up.[1] At 12.30 we started for Deep Run, where the troops arrived at 5 P.M., having made a march of 22 miles. The day was warm and the roads extremely dusty. Spent the night near Deep Run, in almost precisely the same spot where I was with General Porter last August.
[1] It seemed rather hard to march a man all the morning and then shoot him at noon, but this was one of the hardships of war. Although I have seen lots of men killed, I could not wait to see this affair come off, — it was too sickening.
