November 15th. Tents were struck, wagons loaded, and the troops fell in about 9 o’clock this morning, marching in a southeasterly direction, north of the Rappahannock. Our division had the extreme right, glad to be on the march again. Only made an average march, and went into bivouac a few miles south of Warrenton Junction early in the afternoon. Very cold. The men cut down timber and made some magnificent camp fires, which kept us comfortable throughout the night.
Thursday, November 15, 2012
November 15. [Chattanooga] —Mr. Rally, husband of the lady who had charge of the kitchen, died this morning. He had been all through the Kentucky campaign, and had been a good and brave soldier. His poor wife is almost heart-broken. I tried to get her to stay with me, but as every thing here was connected with her sorrows, I could not prevail on her to remain. She had the consolation of being with him in his last moments—one that many a woman would give worlds to have.
Lost another patient—J. P. Allen of Milliards Legion, from Coosa County, Ala. He was a long and patient sufferer. His death was one of those we can think on with pleasure; it was that of a soldier of the cross. He met our great enemy with his armor on, and ready for the conflict. When I told him his moments were numbered, he said he was perfectly happy, and desired me to write to his wife, and tell her he hoped to meet her and his child in heaven. He made me a present of his Bible, which I shall treasure as long as I live.
All our men seem to die resigned; but it is difficult to judge of their frame of mind, as they are too far gone with disease when they come here to talk to them on the subject of death, which is another proof of the necessity of preparing, while in health, for that long journey from which no traveler returns. Nearly all of the men who have died here were in a dying state when brought from the camps.
Yesterday we had a visit from Dr. —— of Kentucky. He was on General Bragg’s staff through the Kentucky campaign. He and some others went to the house of an old acquaintance and asked for food for themselves and horses, but the man was so afraid of the Federal authorities that he refused to give them any thing. This gentleman’s daughters acted in defiance of all restraint, and gave them a cordial welcome, and entertained them by singing southern songs. Dr.—— blamed the people of Kentucky for the failure of the campaign, and says that General Bragg did not receive the aid he expected from them.
November 15.—A fight took place near Fayetteville, Va., between a detachment of Union troops, under the command of General Sturgis, and a large body of rebels, resulting, after about an hour’s duration, in a retreat of the rebels.—(Doc. 45.)
—An enthusiastic Union meeting was held at New-Orleans, La., at which J. A. Rozier presided, and speeches were made by Thomas J. Durant, Colonel Deming of the Seventy-Fifth N. Y. S. V., and others. After the meeting dispersed a procession was formed, and paraded through the principal streets of the city by torchlight.
—The iron-clad steamer Passaic, with Admiral Gregory, General Superintendent of iron-clads; Chief-Engineers Stimers, Lawton, and Robie, on board, made her trial-trip up the Hudson River, as far as the Palisades, where she fired several shots from her eleven-inch and fifteen-inch guns. The working of the guns, the turrets, and the sailing qualities of the vessel gave satisfaction to all on board.
—The Second army corps of the army of the Potomac, under the command of General Couch, loft Warrenton, in the advance on Fredericksburgh, Virginia.
