September 17 — Renewed our march early this morning and moved four miles northeast of Orange Court House, where the rest of our company was camped, then we marched down the old plank road in the direction of Fredericksburg. We moved as far as Verdiersville, where General Fitzhugh Lee’s command is camped, twelve miles from Orange Court House. An old-looking hotel and one dwelling house is all there is of Verdiersville. It is located in a rather poor-looking country, on the Fredericksburg and Orange plank road.
September 2013
17th. Made arrangements to get the boys away if possible. Had boys posted all night. No demonstration to our surprise. Passed through Morristown and Whiteville and camped at Bull’s Gap or the junction on railroad. Went to a Doctor’s and purchased some bacon and sweet potatoes and tomatoes. Good many citizens out to see us. The Doctor claimed to be loyal. Gave receipt. Boys fare pretty well, Co. “C.” Many ladies along the road to see us. Morristown secesh, Newmarket loyal.
Helena, Thursday, Sept. 17. The long threatened rain storm came and it rained heavy all day. We donned our ponchos and stood and took it. Gathered in groups around camp fires and under trees, passing the time as soldiers pass many days, heavily. 12 M. ordered to hitch up and move camp below town. The order came while we were eating dinner, but in fifteen minutes we were on the move, the infantry after us, colors flying and drums beating. Went into camp about three quarters of a mile below town between the river and the levee, with the infantry right below. It is pretty flat but overgrown with weeds.
The Division is put in close quarters and a chain of guards thrown out with orders not to pass anyone out unless furnished with a pass signed by Brigade commander. We are effectually penned, like so many mules, the first time this Division was ever guarded since we left Corinth. But the 7th Division never had a good name among sutlers and Secesh merchants, and they have not improved here. They have not forgotten our confinement on the sand bar here last spring, and are anxious to take spite on the place. They patrol the town in large squads with pretending officers, helping themselves to anything or everything they want and march on, putting provost guard at defiance. I say “they” because I always count myself out in such games.
Thursday, 17th—We had a cool rainstorm this afternoon which was quite refreshing. The sick in the general hospital here in Vicksburg are improving and are being sent home on thirty-day furloughs.
September 17th. This is the anniversary of the battle of Antietam; another year of constant campaigning has gone, and still the war lasts. Will it ever end? This is our third year of fighting, and much of the romance of early days has faded away.
Our comrades continually drop by the wayside, causing many changes, some of which are not so agreeable, but we are still firm of purpose and sanguine of our ability to conquer in the end. General Meade, who has been in command of the army since just before Gettysburg, is a very careful officer, not thought to possess any great merit as a general, and has none of the dash and brilliancy which is necessary to popularity. It seems likely we shall be led in a plodding, ordinary sort of way, neither giving nor receiving any serious blows, a great pity. At 9 A. M. the division crossed Cedar and Slaughter mountains, a distance of about seven miles, and then bivouacked for the night.
by John Beauchamp Jones
SEPTEMBER 17TH.—Lee and Meade have their armies daily drawn up in battle array, and an engagement may be expected.
It is said the enemy is evacuating East Tennessee; concentrating, I suspect, for battle with Bragg.
It is now said that Brigadier and Col. Lee, A. D. C. to the President, etc. etc., is going to call out the civil officers of the government who volunteered to fight in defense of the city, and encamp them in the country. This will make trouble.
A Mr. Mendenhall, NewGarden, N. C., Quaker, complains of the treatment two of his young Friends are receiving at Kinston from the troops. They won’t fight, because they believe it wrong, and they won’t pay the tax (war) of $500, because they cannot do it conscientiously. And Gov. Vance says the treatment referred to will not be tolerated.
September 17.—The steamer Marcella was seized and plundered by rebel guerrillas, in the vicinity of Dover Landing, ten miles below Lexington, Mo. Four soldiers of company A, Fifth M. S. M. — Edwin Ross, Chris. Sele, Martin Fisher, and Charles Waggoner — were on the steamer visiting their homes at the latter place, on furloughs. They were taken out and marched off with the assurance that they were to be exchanged for other prisoners or paroled. When the rebels had marched about two miles, they stopped and divided the plunder and money, which employed them about an hour, after which the prisoners were put in line, and instantly the order was given to fire, at which Ross, Sole, and Fisher fell dead, but young Waggoner, finding himself unhurt, sprang away for safety, and though shot after shot rattled past him, he finally made his way uninjured to the brush, and went into Lexington.
—A rebel raid was made upon a collection of vessels on the eastern shore of Virginia. The schooners Ireland and John J. Houseman were taken out to sea, plundered, and set adrift. The schooner Alexandria was also plundered, and the government schooner Alliance, loaded with stores valued at thirty thousand dollars, was captured.
October 17—Marched four miles to-day and tore and burned up the same amount of railroad.
September 17—Very little firing to-day.
September 16, Wednesday. Dispatches and also a private letter from Dahlgren speak of the assault and repulse at Sumter. Neither is clear and explicit. I should judge it had been a hasty and not very thoroughly matured movement.
