Friday, May 11, 2012

1862 May 12 between Yorktown and Richmond


[from the diary of Jonathan Hager of the 14th U.S. Regulars, as copied at a later date]

May 12
There were to day many rumors of an ex-
pected battle & that we were to take part in it--
The contingency however seemed a remote one
and we could not very readily realise it.
We prepared ourselves for anything that might
occur and if it should be our lot to fight
we would do our duty.  We did not then
think how near was the hour when we
would have our first experience of the
feeling of going into battle.
To night Capt McKibbin of our regiment brought
into camp some ice.  It was the first we had
seen for a long time & was a positive and
decided luxury.  We sat on that bucket
of ice water until we had our fill & more too.
Some could not resist the temptation to
qualify the water with a little of the ardent
fearing no doubt that it might astonish
their stomachs too much

MSS 9044

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