1861 September 28

[from the diary of Francis G. Hale, Co. F. 34th Ohio Zouaves]

we was woke up this
morning by the cry of
water water we got
up a bout 2 o clock
and the water was
at the lower part of
our tents and a raising
at day light it was
all over the tents so
that we could not
get to them with out
wadeing we left our
tents you can see
the boys ridind round
on big boards and boats
get ing things out we
left our cooking utensels
in our tent we could
not get them out so
we left them there the
Kanawha is about
40 feete high there is
hay stacks drift an
old boats going down
all the time there
is two boats at the
landing now we will
etheir go to gauly or
to Charleston I do not
know which
the Major went up to
Gauly to see where we
should move to we are we are
hemed in now in about
two akers but the river
is quit raising I gess
now but our tents are
all covered with watter
we can only see the
tops of some of them
we got a flat boat to
take us a crost to
a mountain a crost
a brake it look very
gloomy here to day and
we have a sad pros
pect be fore us for to
night for we have not
got our tents they are
all under watter
we are here yet and it
is dark and the water
is a raising but there
is a way for the boat
is coming back we
got on an land over
a bout 8 o clock I
never felt so bad
as I did at dark
I thought I may
not see any body
of my kindred a gain
for things looked scaly [scary?]
for we had water
on both sides 3 or 4
hundred yards wide
we got a crost and fix
for the night it was
very cold and we
had to get up to
the fire and warm
in the night I do
not care for to be
in sutch afix again
while I am a suldier

MSS 13405