Tuesday, December 4, 2012

1862 December 5 near Fredericksburg, Va.

[from the diary of the Rev. Francis Eugene Butler, chaplain of the 25th Ohio]


Dec. 5th – Marched at 8 – It began to rain some – changed to snow
& snows now 9 P.M.  We reached camp at 2 ½ but wagons arriv
detained by steep hills - & did not arrive till 8 P.M.
I rode back 5 miles to see about them.  The Q.M. very polite &
gentlemanly today – Our men & preceding brigade have
committed great depredations on farmers – In one house where
I bot. some butter, I saw a bullet hole thro. side of house which
had had been shot by a soldier firing at hogs hens or something – it
grazed the woman bonnet - & Cart off some of the turnips
Another widow woman begged me with tears to place a
guard – or come in “for a warm”, but I was not out of saddle for
over 12 hours – roads fearfully  muddy – many stragglers –
As I rode at dusk thro. the snow covered pine forests – after
the wagons toiling thro. mud & snow – it seemed like revolutionary
times – saw quail close by road.  We are now about 1 ½
mile fr. river.  Liverpool [?] point, & cross tomorrow probably
nr. Berdan & V. followed us in carriage & brot. word of severe
illness of both Col Ayres & his wife.  Also sd. Banks expedition
had failed (in part) to take Richmond while Burnside
held Ser. at Fredericksburg & we are to cross over

to act as his grand reserve.  We shall see by Sunday
night probably – A hard days march tho. only about
13 miles – men halted, built fires & tried hard to keep
up & be comfortable – we are now in a pine forest
snow falling & tent floor covered with wet leaves &
snow.  We saw men catching rabbits in field where
we halted last night.  Been in saddle 12 hours, rode
abt. 22 miles – back & forth.

[transcript by Mary Roy Dawson Edwards]

MSS 12935

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