August 27—Returned at 7 this morning, went out again at dark, went through four houses of bad repute, but found not one deserter. Went twelve miles this night.
Diary of a Tar Heel Confederate Soldier By Louis Léon [53d North Carolina Regiment, infantry]
August 26—We stayed in the woods all day, but at night went out scouting for deserters, but did not find any.
August 25—Took the cars at 5 A.M. and got to Keswick, a depot on the Stanton road. We left here after staying one hour, and took our posts in the woods. As we are about twenty men, with one lieutenant in command, we made no camp, but stayed about here and reported every time there was any news about deserters. Wolf and myself went out in the country to houses that we were told harbored deserters. We passed ourselves off as such, and were well received, and got some valuable information. They told us that the deserters were in the woods. We then returned to our companions, and got well soaked, as it was raining very hard. Stayed in a barn all night.
August 24—Was on guard this morning, but Sergeant Hugh Reid sent for me, and detailed me, with some men out of every regiment in our brigade, to hunt deserters. Si Wolf and myself, out of our company. We left camp at 3 this evening, marched two miles up the railroad, and took the cars to Gordonsville. Got there at 4. It is a small place, but one of importance, as all our supplies for the army from Richmond come from this station.
August 23—They have commenced to give furloughs, one to every two companies.
August 12—We had a very severe storm to-day, which killed two men and hurt several of our brigade. It tore up trees and played smash in general.
August 11—Nothing up to to-day. This, I suppose, is to be our regular camp, as we have commenced to drill again.
August 4—Left our camp, marched three miles, one mile on the south side of town.
August 1—Resumed our march at 4 this morning, and got to Orange Court House, fourteen miles. It is a very hot day, and there were several men fell dead on the road from sunstroke. We rested here until the 4th.
July 31—We left here to-night, marched seven miles, and halted.
