1862 September 15 Staunton, Va.

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

Monday, Sept. 15, 1862.

As I was sitting in the porch yesterday afternoon, two young
soldiers, dirty and ill-clad, passed up the street towards my
stable. I followed and overlook them at the corner. They were
Georgians from one of the Hospital in Richmond, going to
join our army in Maryland. They told me that fifteen
hundred of them had arrived in town the night before, by R. R.
I invited them down to the fence and gave them some grapes,  
bread + tomatoes, which they seemed glad to get. Afterwards
three more came up and asked for grapes, but I did not
see them. About 4 o'clock, the whole column marched
out of town, down the Valley. They seemed very merry
as they passed along.

I met Englebrecht

this morning, just
 from Frederick, Md.
He was there when
our army entered, +
gives a ludicrous ac-
count of the affair. —
The men dropped in
one and two at a
time, and the first
inquiry of every
 fellow was for a
shoe store. He says
the U. S. authorities
have recalled the order
for drafting and
will rely upon vol-
unteering. We had a considerable force
at Martinsburg, which crossed the Poto-
mac for the purpose (it is presumed)
for the purpose of cutting off the enemy
still at Harper's Ferry. Many rumors
during the last few days, but no
reliable intelligence from any
quarter.

[transcript by the Valley of the Shadow project]

MSS 38-258