1862 August 28 near Gainesville, Va.

[from the diary of Private Ephraim A. Wood, Co. C., 13th Massachusetts]


     Thursday   Aug 28th/62

At day light we were called
up, not having had but one hour
and a half to sleep.
We marched to Hay Market.
Before we got to Hay Market, the
colum moved so slow and I was
so tired and sleepy that I layed
down under a shady tree and
went to sleep.  I must have
slept a number of hours for
when I awoke the rear guard was
just going by.  They said the
Rebels were not a great ways
behind.  I marched on as
rapidly as possible.  After going
two miles which brought me
to New Market, I found that our
Brigade had left their Knapsacks
and had gone to the Gap distance
four miles (Thorougherfair) to keep
in check some Rebels that were
there.  The other Brigades were
throwing off their Knapsacks
and marching to the Gap.

I had got within two miles
of the Gap when I heard the report
of Musketry.  When I got to the Gap
I did not know where my Reg.
was.  Some one told me it was in
the Gap and I came very near
running right into the hands
of the Rebels.  I went into the
woods, on the right and found
two Regts of the Brigade having
it hot and heavy  I went in with
them but did not get a chance
to fire but one shot.  I was so
afraid of shooting some of our own
men.  The balls came thick and
fast, through some blunder.  Some
of a Virginia Regt (Federal) and some of
our Brigade got to firing upon each
other, it being in the woods, it
was very easy to make such a
mistake.  I thought I would get
out of such a scrape and try and
find my own Regt, which I found
on the left, laying behind a hill.
Our Gen was very foolish to lead his
men in such a place without knowing
the place, and what force he had
to contend with, a thousand men
in that Gap could keep back nearly
twenty thousand. (Gen. Hardsuff is sick
and Col Stiles had command of Brigade)
Gen. Ricketts is in command of the
Division, which is composed of
four Brigades.  While on the right with those
in the woods I saw some terrible wounds,
one poor fellow had both under eye lids
of his eyes torn down nearly two inches.
How a ball could make such a wound
I do not see.  After laying behind the
hill a short time we were ordered back
to a woods about two hundred yards to the
rear.  In going across the field Sergeant
Lemoyne of this Company was
wounded in the hip.  We had been in
the woods but a short time when we
were marched back to Hay Market, got

their Knapsack, and marched three
miles, and Bivouack near Ganesville.
In the affair at the Gap Private
Clark of Co. E was killed, Corporal
Jackson Co. E was wounded and since
died.  Private Robins of Co D. wounded
and has since died and from five to
eight wounded.


[transcript by Mary Roy Dawson Edwards]

MSS 12021