1862 April 6

[from the diary of Daniel D. Logan, younger brother of General Thomas M. Logan, and a Sgt, Co. B, 1st Special Battalion (Rightor's), Louisiana Infantry]

Sunday - April 6th 1862
Slept in the trenches again last night – Reveille at 3 ½ o’c – A heavy
thick fog hung over the Creek (Warwick) & marsh until nine o’c
this morning – when the Enemy opened on us – they did not
waiste [waste] ammunition today as yesterday only firing 27
rounds – Capt Cosinghams battery shot 14 times one shell
striking & exploding one of the Enemys Cassons – the
explosion made a great noise & sent up a blaze
of abt ten feet circumference – Capt Sand’s battery
shot five shell over the Sharpshooters in the woods
near the mill – where the enemy were skirmishing with
Capt [word lined out] Cohens Company of 10th La – near there Keeping up
a brisk fire at times – On our right the Enemys
sharpshooters [-] & the Cadets & La Guards with
other companies of our force, Kept up a skirmishing fire
all day – One Yankee stationed in a pit on the brow of a hill
about 700 yard from Cosinghams battery has Kept up a steady
fire on all who put their heads over the Earthworks
annoying the gunners & men very much – So far
he has hurt no one – tho’ his balls graze the
parapet frequently - & striking the palisades in the rear –
he wounded Lieut Zachraries pony, he must have a very
fine rifle & is a good marksman – a spring opposite this chaps
post is strickly guarded by him - & every man who ventures
for water hears the music of a rifle ball abt him our
men avoid the spot – this fellow cannot be seen by the
boys. I thought I saw him yesterday from the battery & shot
at something near where the flash of his rifle approached but
he keeps on firing – I also shot at two yankee officers with
my Enfield Rifle – Could see them riding around their
battery, but it was 1000 yards off & did not probably
do any damage – I have been trying to get Capt Smith
to allow me to join the skirmishers on one night
but he refuses to allow me to leave the Company. My
Rifle could do some damage there, our smooth bore
muskets cannot cope with the Enemys rifles – the La.
guards rifled muskets only reach them the Cadets
smooth bore guns fall short most every shot.
4 La Guards & two Cadets are slightly wounded –
Augustine, Dix, Herrington, Treundeaux [?] & Irigony [?]
they will all recover – one Georgian Killed today & two wounded
while passing thru our camp, the trees [?] there are riddled by
shot & shell from the enemys battery’s. – Captain Cosinghams
battery was struck 19 times yesterday & four shells burst
over it. We had an alarm at ten o’c tonight, we all
got off up from our cold beds & fell to our arms.
there was considerable firing from our pickets
at the Mill, Capt Cosinghams battery sent
two shells among the wood choppers of the Enemy
Six sick men came from camp today & joined us
Elliot & Norcum look like ghosts – Natt Taylor do [too]
Eggleston & Gregory joined us today
from Yorktown – they report that
the Enemy opened on Saturday in
Yorktown – firing 280 shot & shell
at us there – The Donaldsonville Artily
is said to have done some very good
shooting - & one of our batterys sent a ball
through a str [steamer] that came under range
of its guns – we only fired two shots
at their vessels – 11 vessels –

[“The Henrico Artillery”, commanded by Capt.Johnson H. Sands]
[Lt. Theo. Zacherie, Co.F, 1st Special Battalion]



[Transcription by Mary Roy Dawson Edwards]

MSS 6154