Sunday, May 27, 2012

1862 May 28


[from the diary of Lieutenant John Tyler, of Letcher's Artillery]

P.M.  May 28th.  Read orders early this morning
to return to Kilby’s Mills station & then wait
orders.  When we reached the road that
turns off to go to Ashland, one mile
from that place, Videttes came galloping
up from Ashland saying that the enemy
had driven in our Pickets and were ad-
-vancing on the place in body, being then
only a half mile off.  When hearing this, Genl
Anderson, ordered our battery into position
commanding the road to Ashland for
a mile, and had it masked.   Then we
sat for sometime on horseback watching
for the approach of the enemy with our
glasses, guns loaded.  In an hour or two
my section ^ ‘was’ ordered to limber up and start
on to hunt the Yankees up, so we took
the road to Ashland and reached
the place without being interfered with.
I put my guns in position comman-
-ding the railroad & turnpike.  While we

were there, Cavalry pickets were sent out
in different directions, but reported no
enemy in sight.  The Quartermaster’s dept.
was opened and the soldiers allowed to go
in and take off anything they found,
they wanted.  They went in & such a sight
I haven’t seen for many a day.  It was like
sacking a city.  The men came out loaded
most indiscriminately.  Jim [Tyler’s slave] went in &
secured a chest of tea, some writing
paper & envelopes, & two testaments.  Hearing
that there was a box of cannon amu-
-nition in there I had it put on my
cassion, & found I had some that was
just right for my guns.  After remaining
until 5 or 6. o’c and no enemy appearing
we limbered up and started on to Kilbys
3 miles off.  I reached our place of biv-
ouac just beyond Kilbys about 8 ½ o’c,
having had not a mouthful to eat since
5 o’c in the morning & riding all day.

[transcription by Mary Roy Dawson Edwards]

MSS 6150

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