1862 May 6 retreating from Yorktown, Va.

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


                      Tuesday – May 6th 1862
Our whole army got under weigh last
night – I woke up this morning at 5 o’c
& got off on foot as the last troops
were moving out of town   we leave a
good many of men wounded here &
I fear the Enemy will capture many a sick
man & straggler – Such a scene as the retreat
of a great army presents – I marched twelve miles
without stopping, passing through one continuous
train of wagons, artilery & troops, haulting
at ten o’clock at a widow Ladies on the road
who said that she had nothing to cook for me.
I sat in the door talking to the good women,
when two young ladies came in from a neighbors
adding considerably to the conversation & my
entertainment   they were general in their regrets
that Genl Johns[t]on had command instead of Magruder
who had protected them for twelve mo’s & he would
never have retreated before the enemy in this
way – the whole party shed tears of sorrow
when they asked me what they should do, if I
thought the Yankees would hurt them – One of the
young ladies was really very pretty & right intel-
-igent too – To my surprise the old ladies had
a very good dinner prepared for me, of ham
& eggs, Coffee & bread – whether because I had made
myself agreeable to them or not I cannot say –
the yard was full of soldiers & the good people
made me come in & make myself at home –
I parted with these Kind & passing acquaintances
with a sad heart for their fate, tomorrow the
Enemy will be upon them – marching on by the
West Point road I joined the Hampton legion
abt dark at a point 3 miles from that place                                                      
where the Enemy are said to have landed
twenty regiments, evidently with the intention of
cutting off our retreat to Richmond – The
prospects are very fair for us to have a
fight with them in the morning – Slept
with Mullie tonight

[transcription by Mary Roy Dawson Edwards]

MSS 6154





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