Civil War Diary of Charles H. Lynch

May 25th. Again on the march after an early breakfast. Marched in good order through the town, by music of the drum corps. The town is an old Virginia one. Many old buildings, some showing the effects of the war. Reaching the center of town, filed to the right, going west, on the Winchester Pike. On the march we were obliged to ford three small rivers, or creeks, as the natives called them. Passed a number of large mansions. Many small outhouses, the homes of slaves in prosperous times. We surely are now in the enemy’s country. In conversation with the natives we would try and keep them talking, on account of their peculiar dialect. We never could find out how far it was to the next town, in miles. The answer would be “Right smart aways, I reckon.” After a tiresome march we reached the town of Winchester late in the afternoon. After a halt in the town for a while, until the Colonel could report to the Commander, General Milroy, we again were on the march, out the south side of the town, to locate camp about two miles from town.