War Diary of Luman Harris Tenney.

5th. Rode into camp bright and early. Made a tent again and got some coffee. Cloudy and dark. Got dinner at a wealthy planter’s. We were all disgusted, so much superficiality. So little soul or mind. Marched towards the river. Ordered back to Somerset. Various reasons given. Many speculations. Got rations after stopping for night. Went two and a half miles and dealt with drunken Lt. Was angry and threatened him.

4th. Sky clear and sun roasting. Blankets steaming. All felt miserable, so wet and such a dreamy sleep. “Boots and saddles” before breakfast. Went to commissary for rations. Could get none. Whole cavalry force went out, some on each road. When at Otter creek learned that the rebels had left Traversville and gone to Jamestown, bound for Knoxville. Turned back, heavy thunder shower. Wet through in places. Got forage. Got supper and slept just inside of our lines. Slept on a porch.

Sunday, 3rd. Wet and muddy, disagreeable. Went to Post Commissary and drew rations, 948. Issued to the men in the P. M. Mr. Brown came, bringing the mail. Two letters for me, one from Fannie and one from home. Both did me much good. Fixed up our oilcloth as a tent. Thought it very nice. At dark a thunderstorm arose. Had a candle to read by. Soon discovered a stream ran through the tent. Blankets wet—soaked and half suffocated. Rebels gone to Traversville.

Monday, 3rd. Moved on at 8 o’clock having waited for tents to dry off. Passed Catlett Station and reached Warrenton Junction at noon. Burnside’s Hdqrs. here. One Div. here. Passed one at Manassas, at Ferrero and one at Bristol. Drew hay for our feed, also oats for three days. Also 7 wagons. Kept quite busy. Didn’t get much sleep; ordered to march at 2 A. M. Cold—Tea—8 days of commissaries and 5 of forage.

2nd. Major Purington ordered on a scout with 150 men towards Traversville. 7th on the Albany road, I went along. Learned there were 900 rebels in the fight yesterday. Cheke among them. Went to a house and saw another wounded man, wounded in the charge near Monticello, hit in thigh. Rode four to eight miles, leg bleeding, Arthur Brannon of Lebanon, Ky., Shewarth’s Regt., wished the war had never commenced, still willing to fight. Citizens represented nearly 100 wounded. All demoralized. Officers could not get them to stand ground. Got into camp at 8 P. M. Rained during the night. I got wet enough.

1st. Commenced moving across at 4 and all the regiments over by 9 A. M. Some fortifications on both sides of the river; Zollicoffer’s old huts still there. Moved on and overtook the 1st Battalion at Monticello. H, E, M in advance of column continually. Skirmishing. Four miles beyond M. found the rebels in force on two roads leading to Albany and Traversville. Howitzers, 1st. Ky., 45th O. V. I. on the Albany roads, 2nd O. V. C. on Traversville. In line near the woods. Co. D dismounted to fight on foot. Rebels broke. Pike fired 5 rounds at them, 500 or 600 yards, wounding some. Gave my canteen to one wounded man. Pursued two or three miles, ordered back. Several prisoners. Ate supper where one wounded 1st Tennessee man was, Andrew Johnson. Marched back to Monticello.

30th. After breakfast, mustered. Issued two days’ rations. Lt. Abbey started for Stanford for rations. Bob, Ritter and I overtook the column five miles from Mills Springs. 103rd, 27th N. J., 112th 1ll. crossed at the upper ford. Commenced crossing at Mills Springs at 10 A. M. Unsaddled and got tea. Skirmishing over the river. Saddled up and hastened to the river by order. Swam the horses, ferried the men. Amusing to see the horses. Several drowned. Hard to get them across. Lay down on the bank. So much noise, could not sleep much. Crossing all night. Fannie’s birthday (nineteen).

29th. Went out for oats. After breakfast started back to Somerset. Let our horses eat and then followed. Drake, Ritter, Bob and I stopped half way and got a cup of tea. Found reinforcements at S. Issued pork. No mail for me. “H,” “E,” and “M” ordered over the river. In the evening got my coat fixed—mended. Got my washing. Wrote to Fannie.

28th. Up at daylight, breakfasted, fed and started on at 6. Gen. Carter passed by. Went but two miles and waited an hour or two. River not fordable. Returned and bivouacked on the ground of the night before. Went out foraging corn, hay, and cornbread and milk. Saw two idiots. Rained again. Got somewhat wet. Two of the 2nd O. V. C. companies on picket.