1862 April 22 Camp Beckley, Va.

[from the diary of Charles Hay of the 23rd Ohio]


                                       Camp Beckley, Apr. 22nd.
     As yet, our march has been deferred.
Rain, incessantly pouring down, has been our
principal visitant, a most unwelcome one
truly when continuing so long.
     And Mud!  shades of green arbors, &
velvety grass plats, what a sight.
A perfect ocean (in miniature) of
this unpleasant semi-liquid, and, in
boatmen’s language, still rising.
Navigation is open to the door of
every tent.  We, ‘poor sojers’, must
flounder about in this, until some=
=thing better “turns up”.  “Sich is life”,
especially in the army, & we all pray
fervently that some fortunate unforeseen
circumstance may presently “cut it
short;” i.e. our army life

[transcription by Mary Roy Dawson Edwards]

MSS 13925