1862 September 10 on the road beyond Washington

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


  Wednesday   Sept  10th/62

     Shoes & C came from Washing-
ton this morning.  I have not
drawn a pr, as I have a good pr.
that I bought of Saml Currier
nearly two months ago, they have
not commenced to wear out.
It afternoon packed up and got
into line ready to march, but orders
came to go into Camp again.

     Marched this forenoon.  My
Knapsack seem to get the best
of me to day, and after marching
about eight miles I told the
Lieut that I should have to
rest before going further.  He told

me to stop then, and come along
when I felt able.  After siting
by the road side a little while
James Leeds of Co. A, (Son of Mr Leeds
Police detector of Boston) came along,
and it being near supper time
we concluded to go to some house
and get some supper.
     We went to a House that was
some way back from the road.
The people had seen but very few
Soldiers, only two having been
there before us.  We asked them
if we could buy some supper.
They said we could have some
supper, but would not take any pay
for it.  When we had got nearly
through a man came along
who it appears was a clock maker.
We did not like his talk at all
He seemed to be very intimate
with the people, by his talk I
judged he was a Seceshionist

 Just as we had finished eating
a Soldier came along and asked
the Woman if she could give
him a bite to eat.  She told him
to sit down, and went to work
preparing him a supper.  This
citizen went to her and told
her not to get any that she
would have to work all night
if she was agoing to feed soldiers.
He then came to us and told us
that there was a young fellow
that was sick in another room
that wanted to see us.  Said he,
he is manager of things here and
probably want to collect pay
for the suppers.  We went to
him and it was even so.  He
told us to pay the Women
folks for our supper.  We did so
but they did not want to take
it.  We forced it upon them.
This other Soldier then told the
Woman that he would not trouble
her to get any thing for him
as he had no money.  This Citizen
told him that he could not expect
any supper then.

The Woman said she did not want
his money, but to sit down and
eat.  She then told the Citizen
that she had no Sons in the
Army to help fight for the
Country, and she thought it
was no more then right for her
to feed one or two Soldiers.
The Citizen told her she would
ruin her self if she was agoin
to feed the Army.  Said she I
don’t intend to feed an Army
and as to my coming to want,
I have plenty to last me through
this life, and some to leave for
my children.  If it had not been for
this Citizen I feel confident that
she would have asked us to stay
all night.  We put on our Knapsack,
and went out to the barn and
slept on the Hay mough.  It rained

all night.


[transcript by Mary Roy Dawson Edwards]

MSS 12021