1862 June 13 Staunton, Va.

[from the diary of Joseph Waddell, civilian employee of the Quartermaster Dept.]

Friday night, June 13, 1862.

Our army was near Mt. Meridian this morning — 

said to be pursuing the enemy now. We may look 

for another inroad before long. Davy Strasburg is 

up from the army — took dinner with us to-

day. He reports 600 as the number of prisoners 

taken on Monday and since. Many Federal soldiers 

are said to be wandering in the woods, and more 

or less of them have been brought in every day. Twen

ty of them surrendered to one of our men. The evening 

left more dead on the field than our offi-

cers here ever seen in the same area. Many 

Federal soldiers are said to be wandering in the 

mountains of Hardy +c. — they escaped towards the 

West, from Strasburg, when Banks was flying 

before Jackson. Strawberries are plentiful with 

us now — out of our own garden — Have been 

selling in town at $2 a gallon!   

[transcription by the Valley of the Shadow project]

MSS 38-258