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

Post image for “Everybody is satisfied the Johnnies here are only waiting for dark nights to evacuate.”–Army Life of an Illinois Soldier, Charles Wright Wills.

“Everybody is satisfied the Johnnies here are only waiting for dark nights to evacuate.”–Army Life of an Illinois Soldier, Charles Wright Wills.

August 20, 2014

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

August 20, 1864.

During the last few days cavalry has been operating on the right against the enemy’s communications. We have been making demonstrations, as they call it, or diversions in favor of the cavalries; that is, one, two or three times a day we raise a yell along our corps line, and open on the enemy with cannon and muskets. This, aside from scaring them a little (and it is getting most too old to do even that), does but trifling damage, for at the opening yell they all “hunt their holes,” in army slang, take position in their works. Everybody is satisfied the Johnnies here are only waiting for dark nights to evacuate.

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