1862 December 15 across river from Fredericksburg, Va.

[from the diary of the Rev. Francis E. Butler, Chaplain of the 25th New Jersey]


Mon. 15. Quiet night – except aroused by musketry near us at 1 A.M.
Attended Sergt Townsend’s funeral at 9 A.M. buried in box west side of garden                                                                         
of Jno. Minor house – nearly So. E. of R. Mosely grave.(in next lot.) almost in
line with an ivy covered tree – ½ back fr. St.  head to St – Caroline St.

The battle Sat. was very severe – Our loss is now 94 – K.W. & M.  We are
ordered to move all wounded across river.  Either bec. we expect them to
shell city or we renew battle.  What strange & dreadful wounds.
Talked with wounded – prayed &c. – Fine pleasant morning – Our little
cottage has a hole fr. shell right over where we eat & sleep –
The drummers are throwing up bomb casemates at end of garden –

12 noon wrote letters to friends of some of dead – No action today – Since
Thurs. morn. we have been in momentary expectation of a general engage-
ment.  Sat. we had – but all rest of time we have been in suspense.
Our food is chiefly bacon – fried – griddle cakes without eggs or raising –
Silent again – wrote Mr. H.   A.G.G. [?] of our brigade has ordered a detail
of men to get crow bars &c. to loop hole houses –

5.P.M. The fact that our wounded have been removed & surgeons sent over
& loads of furniture & stoves also - & no attack made today - & most of
all that our severe attack made really no impression on rebel line - & our
loss is great – I infer that we may be withdrawn across river tonight - &
the loop holes are for sharp-shooters to cover retreat – But the rebels can
shell us at leisure – Our batteries can cover us from other bank – but if
bridge is broken it would be a bad place – the rebel papers call this spot a
vast slaughter pen – May God direct & keep us – a shell just burst in air
near us fr. rebel battery – tho. no regular firing –
Just got thru. supper when Regt. was ordered to support picket.  I left al-
Hd. qrs. of 25th Reg. in charge of sick, guards & drummers–Reported to Col.
Hawkins about 8 – he ordered me to move across river – I called all in
took names put sick in front – drummers next – guard in rear – put spare
muskets in hands of drummers – put house in order – left memo. for
Col – in case he called also a notice to all after comers to preserve place
& furniture as we had – fastened house up – formed line & marched
silently down dark st. to turn over to river – Met one regt. among others
ready to pass over – Marched to bridge – Met Col. Dutton’s regt. halted at bridge
Got brigade comd. to let us pass–got over safely – counted files halted for sick
&  then wandered along in dark for three hours seeking our camp – at last
made Gen. Sumner’s hd. qrs. & reached Camp at 12 ½.  Called roll – Regt. came in
about 1 A.M. turned in very tired – came on rain & blow.  While waiting
orders to cross talked with Corp. Jones – deeply affected tears & prayers – perhaps
conviction perhaps fear of enemies shells – for didn’t know but enemy wd.
open on us – Our army crossed great many regts. lost road.  frequent calls
“What regt. is that” on way–Had difficulty in keeping men together–but all
over safe.

[transcript by Mary Roy Dawson Edwards]

MSS 12935