War Diary of Luman Harris Tenney.

16th. Got up and foraged eggs for myself and oats for my horse. Box gone. Team tipped over last night three times. Very dark. Slept with Thede. 103rd camped near by. Many boys came over, seemed good to see them. Issued beef. Boiled beef and had tea, crackers and gingerbread for supper. Like old times. Thede and Charlie on picket. Occupied their tent alone. Wrote to Sarah Felton.

15th. Rainy during the night and drizzling in the morning. Went on, leaving the teams. Drew ammunition. Rode along some with A. B. then with Chester. Passed through Nicholasville and Lancaster. Crossed the Kentucky River. Mountains for several miles. Grand scenery. Reminded me of the Alleghanies. Reached Stanford, 45 miles, about 10 P. M. Went on two miles.

Kentucky

14th. Ordered on to Stanford. Started right away after breakfast. Passed many large massive residences along the road. Excellent fences and beautiful farms. Saw a great many negroes, generally well dressed, but very wishful. Drew and issued rations at Lexington in the evening. Saw West Hospital. Rode through the city, twelve or fifteen thousand. H. Clay’s monument, 150 ft. high.

13th. Ordered to remain here at present. Prospect of staying in “Sturges’s” division in east Ky. Don’t like him on account of Mo. notoriety. After breakfast cleaned up my revolvers and loaded them. After noon, wrote home and went down town. Pitched quoits over at Co. H. Charlie came over and we reviewed old letters of mine. Saw the boys gamble. One little 15-year-old had $120 won.

12th. After breakfast, Col. (Abbey) and I got a team and rode horseback to town for rations—got 3 days’ rations. These troops from the Potomac never received any company savings. Marched at noon after giving rations. Ordered to Stanford, 50 miles south of Lexington. Reached Winchester about dark. Got some eggs and biscuit. A darkey came in and had a good visit. Intelligent though uneducated.

11th. Left town soon after breakfast. Two negro slaves were snatched from the horses—oh how shameful! Am glad I did not witness the scene. Afterwards several such incidents transpired. How shocking. Major Burnett delivered up one on the word of two Ky. officers. Met the Third Batt. at Mount Sterling. Very pretty country all the way. Letters from Fannie, Will and Fred. Wrote to F. Chaplain at supper. Drake most sick.

10th. Renewed our march soon after sunrise. Got some biscuit for lunch. Drake and I rode together some again. Got into Sharpsburg a little after noon. We of the commissary put our horses in a shed and slept in a hayloft. Issued one day’s rations. Such a green Com., never saw. Ate supper at a sound Union family’s Hart’s. Sarah very pretty little girl. Saw quite a scene at the hotel about a slave. Four or five girls crying.

9th. A little after sunrise, went to breakfast at a private house. So many slaves about here, more than white folks by far. Started on at 8 P. M. After nine miles passed through Flemingsburg. Men, women and children were out with flags and handkerchiefs. It did our hearts good. Passed through Tilton. Drake and I stopped at a house and got dinner. Went on to Sherburne and camped. Chamberlain got thrown and hurt badly. Got wagon for the boys.

(Ohio River)

8th. Had a very pleasant morning ride up the smooth, glassy water in the sunshine. Reached Maysville at nine. The people received us with open arms. All seemed very hospitable. Waved handkerchiefs and flags and invited the boys to breakfast. Never were treated so well before. Took dinner at hotel with Thede and Burt. Horse at stable. Marched at two. Rode with Drake. Had a very pleasant visit with him. Beautiful rolling country, grass green. Encamped at Lewiston, 7 miles from Maysville. Slept out with Drake. Cooked ham and made tea for supper. Many boys and officers drunk.