1862 August 15 Raleigh, Va.

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

                             Raleigh, Va., Aug. 15
     Reveille beat at an unusually
early hour this morning, and we
were all obliged to “turn out” long
before day, and prepare for our
march.  At daybreak, we were on
the move, the detachment at Pack’s
Ferry forming a junction with us on
the main road.  Soon after starting,
rain commenced falling, which
was all very well, had it not
continued until we were pretty thor=
=oughly drenched.  However, on these
hot August days, it is preferable
to have rain-water dropping, than
to be swimming in perspiration.
At Shady Springs we joined the
Flat Top force, and halted for dinner.
Without incident worthy of note, we
reached Raleigh about an hour before
sundown, and camped a mile north of
town, traveling 20 miles today.  Everything
looks quite familiar.

[transcript by Mary Roy Dawson Edwards]

MSS 13925