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Regiment: 1st U.S. Volunteers Sharpshooters
Battles Mentioned:
Historical Figures: Fitz J. Porter, General Smith
Camp in the field
35 miles from Richmond
May 12th 1862
My Mary
To day I received
three letters from you. they were
the first I have had in more than
a week. May 14
th As I had got
thus far fall in sings out our
Orderly and off we go. we joined
our Reg. the next morning and
marched here a place called Indian
Point Landing. on one of the bran-
ches of the York river. our boats
one in the harbor by dozens with
previsions for the troops.
I will copy from my Diary a
sketch since leaving Williamsburg
Thursday evening we were told
to be ready to march early in
morning. Friday we marched
thirteen miles to all place called by
the inhabitants “Burnt Ordinance.”
(queer names they have in VA)
We stopped for the night about two
P.M. after making my tea for
dinner Lieut. Baker asked
me to take a stroll with him.
The first house we visited
a woman gave us each a glass
of milk but it was easy to see
they had rather it had been
Confederate Soldiers. we chatted
an hour or more and then
went to another house. After
some inquires. (a yankee will
be a Yankee every where) the
lady of the house (You must
remember that there is no
men left except very (
[ ? ]
and no boys
under over sixteen)
told us she had three sons in
the Confederate Army.
[ ? ]
three young ladies, two seemed
to be the old ladys daughters
they were all very bitter against
us the old lady said she had
rather her sons will die then
stay at home when an invading
foe was on their threshold.
I told her I admired her
spirit and wishes it was in
what I thought a better cause
she gave us three buscuit each
she hating us so bad that she
would take no pay. Saturday
morn at day break. we were
on the road again. before noon
twelve miles were
[ ? ] over
when we stopped until Monday
six P.M. an order coming to
join our Reg. without delay
we went five miles back
Smiths Div being some eight
miles in advance of Porter
Sunday I owed mother a
letter so I wrote to her inten-
ding to write to you afterward
but I was so tired I lay down
and went to sleep. Monday morn-
ing I went out and “drawed”
a nice barn from a Secesh
thinking good on a march.
Tuesday we had the hardest
march we have had from
early in the morning until near sundown with our
knapsacks on and fifteen miles
travel having come several
miles out of our way. We are
now thirty miles from Richmond
our Commissary her orders
to draw our nex
[ ? ]
in the Capital of the Southern
Confederacy. we have four day
rations on board to-morrow
Onward again. I hope to write
you next Sunday week from
the Capital Confederate States
A kiss
Good Bye Gardner
