July 1, Wednesday. We have reports that the Rebels have fallen back from York, and I shall not be surprised if they escape capture, or even a second fight, though we have rumors of hard fighting to-day.
Monday, July 1, 2013
July 1.—Great excitement in town. News has come that the enemy is across the river, and intends shelling the place. We are having hospital flags put up, but I do not see that they will do any good, as it is said the enemy pay no respect to them. We are packing up in a hurry to move. Our hospital being near the river, we will be honored by the first shot. The house we are now in is marked by last year’s shelling. I believe the delay of the cars the other evening was owing to moving the wounded, as our army is hastily retreating.
July 1 —We left camp at 6 A.M., passed through Heidelsburg and Middleton. At the latter place we heard firing in the direction of Gettysburg. We were pushed forward after letting the wagon trains get in our rear. We got to Gettysburg at 1 P.M., 15 miles. We were drawn up in line of battle about one mile south of town, and a little to the left of the Lutheran Seminary. We then advanced to the enemy’s line of battle in double quick time. We had not gotten more than 50 paces when Norman of our company fell dead by my side. Katz was going to pick him up. I stopped him, as it is strictly forbidden for anyone to help take the dead or wounded off the field except the ambulance corps. We then crossed over a rail fence, where our Lieutenant McMatthews and Lieutenant Alexander were both wounded. That left us with a captain and one lieutenant. After this we got into battle in earnest, and lost in our company very heavily, both killed and wounded. This fight lasted four hours and a half, when at last we drove them clear out of town, and took at least 3,000 prisoners. They also lost very heavily in killed and wounded, which all fell into our hands. After the fight our company was ordered to pick up all straggling Yankees in town, and bring them together to be brought to the rear as prisoners. One fellow I took up could not speak one word of English, and the first thing he asked me in German was “Will I get my pay in prison?” After we had them all put up in a pen we went to our regiment and rested. Major Iredell, of our regiment, came to me and shook my hand, and also complimented me for action in the fight. At dusk I was about going to hunt up my brother Morris, when he came to me. Thank God, we are both safe as yet. We laid all night among the dead Yankees, but they did not disturb our peaceful slumbers.
July, Wednesday 1.—Yanks have worked up with their outpost ditches, until they are within forty to one hundred yards almost all around our lines. Tried to blow some of our works, but did not pay them for their trouble. Water getting very low.
Wednesday, July 1st—Army in full retreat. Came on to Alisony bout 11 o’clock. While on the move from that point my mare fell and broke her left foreleg just below the knee. John Henry was left with me. We came on short distance and went to sleep. I left my mare where the accident happened.
July 1 — William Bowles of Co. P. died last night about 10 o’clock. Things are moving along here about as usual today. W.R.C.
July 1st. The enemy are heading for Gettysburg, their cavalry scouting through Chambersburg and to the very outskirts of Harrisburg, where everything is said to be in great disorder. We fell in at daylight, took breakfast, and immediately marched, expecting to meet the enemy towards evening. Passed through Taneytown, and during the afternoon heard heavy artillery firing ahead of us. The cavalry under Pleasanton and the First corps under General Reynolds are in front and reported to be heavily engaged, and so we accelerated our steps and made every effort to reach the battlefield before night, but the distance was too great. General Hancock, however, went ahead to assume command (Reynolds having been reported killed), directing us to follow as rapidly as possible. With few halts for rest to the music of the distant guns, we hurried over the dusty roads, and at 10 P. M. reached the slope of a rocky hill, about a mile and a half in rear of the battlefield. The moment the column halted the men dropped down on the road and most of them fell asleep immediately, exhausted by the march of thirty miles on a July day over roads knee deep in dust.
We were ordered to establish a guard, and together with the officer ordered to command it, I endeavored to wake the men up to fill the detail, but found it impossible to do so and had to give it up. They were too utterly exhausted. Zook sent me to report the fact to General Caldwell, who suggested that the troops be allowed to remain in the road for the night, which was obviously the only thing to be done.
On arrival we learned that a very severe action had been fought, lasting from daylight till dark by Pleasanton and Reynolds against the bulk of Lee’s army. They had stubbornly contested the fighting, desiring to preserve Gettysburg until the rest of the army came up, but had been overpowered and driven through the town with great loss, holding on, however, to Cemetery Ridge, a commanding position, where our line of battle is now established. General Reynolds was killed, gallantly fighting, and both cavalry and infantry did well. Hancock, with the assistance of General Warren of Meade’s staff selected the lines now established, where the fate of the Union of these United States must be decided before to-morrow night. What a momentous epoch in our history! With this thought uppermost, we dismounted, wrapped ourselves in our blankets, and by the side of a large friendly boulder, surrounded by thousands of sleeping forms, great numbers of whom were sleeping their last earthly sleep, we lay down and were instantly asleep, the general and I lying close together to keep warm.
July 1st, 1863.—Some months ago, thinking it might be useful, I obtained from the consul of my birthplace, by sending to another town, a passport for foreign parts. H. said if we went out to the lines we might be permitted to get through on that. So we packed the trunk, got a carriage, and on the 30th drove out there. General V. offered us seats in his tent. The rifle-bullets were whizzing so zip, zip from the sharp-shooters on the Federal lines that involuntarily I moved on my chair. He said, “Don’t be alarmed; you are out of range. They are firing at our mules yonder.” His horse, tied by the tent door, was quivering all over, the most intense exhibition of fear I’d ever seen in an animal. General V. sent out a flag of truce to the Federal headquarters, and while we waited wrote on a piece of silk paper a few words. Then he said, “My wife is in Tennessee. If you get through the lines, give her this. They will search you, so I will put it in this toothpick.” He crammed the silk paper into a quill toothpick, and handed it to H. It was completely concealed. The flag-of-truce officer came back flushed and angry. “General Grant says that no human being shall pass out of Vicksburg; but the lady may feel sure danger will soon be over. Vicksburg will surrender on the 4th.”
“Is that so, general?” inquired H. “Are arrangements for surrender made?”
“We know nothing of the kind. Vicksburg will not surrender.”
“Those were General Grant’s exact words, sir,” said the flag-officer. “Of course it is nothing but their brag.”
We went back sadly enough, but to-day H. says he will cross the river to General Porter’s lines and try there; I shall not be disappointed.
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Note: To protect Mrs. Miller’s job as a teacher in New Orleans, the diary was published anonymously, edited by G. W. Cable, names were changed and initials were often used instead of full names — and even the initials differed from the real person’s initials.
by John Beauchamp Jones
JULY 1ST.—The intelligence of the capture of Harrisburg and York, Pa., is so far confirmed as to be admitted by the officers of the Federal flag of truce boat that came up to City Point yesterday.
Of the movements of Hooker’s army, we have the following information :
“HEADQUARTERS, CAVALRY DIVISION,
“June 27th, 1863.
“GENERAL :—I took possession of Fairfax C. H. this morning at nine o’clock, together with a large quantity of stores. The main body of Hooker’s army has gone toward Leesburg, except the garrison of Alexandria and Washington, which has retreated within the fortifications.
“Very respectfully,
“Your obedient servant,
“J. E. B. STUART, Major-General.”
The Northern papers say that our cruiser Tacony, taken from them, has destroyed twenty-two of their vessels since the 12th inst.; but that our men burnt her at last. Her crew then entered Portland, Maine, and cut out the steam cutter Caleb Cushing, which they subsequently blew up, and then were themselves taken prisoner.
The President has decided that the obstructions below the city shall not be opened for the steam iron-clad Richmond to go out, until another iron-clad be in readiness to accompany her.
Capt. Maury, at Mobile, writes that the two iron-clads, Trent and Nashville, now ready for sea, might take New Orleans and keep it. The President directs the Secretary of War to consult the Secretary of the Navy, and if they agreed, the attempt should be made without loss of time. So, probably, we shall have news from that quarter soon.
The militia and Department Guard (soon to be called the National Guard, probably) were notified to-day to be in readiness at a minute’s warning. It is said positively that Dix is advancing toward the city. Well, let him come.
Wednesday.—Many exciting rumours to-day about the Yankees being at Hanover Court-House, within a few miles of us. They can be traced everywhere by the devastation which marks their track. There are also rumours that our army is in Pennsylvania. So may it be! We are harassed to death with their ruinous raids, and why should not the North feel it in its homes? Nothing but their personal suffering will shorten the war. I don’t want their women and children to suffer; nor that our men should follow their example, and break through and steal. I want our warfare carried on in a more honourable way; but I do want our men and horses to be fed on the good things of Pennsylvania; I want the fine dairies, pantries, granaries, meadows, and orchards belonging to the rich farmers of Pennsylvania, to be laid open to our army; and I want it all paid for with our Confederate money, which will be good at some future day. I want their horses taken for our cavalry and wagons, in return for the hundreds of thousands that they have taken from us; and I want their fat cattle driven into Virginia to feed our army. It amuses me to think how the Dutch farmers’ wives will be concealing the golden products of their dairies, to say nothing of their apple-butter, peachbutter, and their wealth of apple-pies.
