Following the American Civil War Sesquicentennial with day by day writings of the time, currently 1863.

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“I wish I was in the cavalry. This plodding along afoot is dry business..,”–Army Life of an Illinois Soldier, Charles Wright Wills.

May 19, 2014

Army Life of an Illinois Soldier, Charles Wright Wills, (8th Illinois Infantry)

Kingston, Cass County, Ga., May 19, 1864, 5 p.m.

The artillery has been working all day, but have not heard how much of a fight. That dead Rebel colonel was Iverson, of the Second Georgia Cavalry; we think he was formerly a M. C. of this State, and a secessionist. The citizens here have most all left the towns, but are nearly all at home in the country. The cavalry had sharp fighting in the road we have come over to-day. Many dead horses and a number of fresh graves by the roadside. I wish I was in the cavalry. This plodding along afoot is dry business, compared with horse-back traveling. I hear this morning that Wilder’s mounted infantry captured two cannons and 600 Rebels this afternoon. Also that 6,000 prisoners were yesterday started from Dalton for the North.

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