1862 September 2 near Falls Church, Va.

[from the diary of James Dinsmore Templeton, musician and private in the 23rd Ohio]
 Tuesday, Sept. 2, 1862

Guard mounting
Wrote Letters to father &
Esy Caldwell got of Jo
a peck of potatoes
went with Phil & Alf
on a walk
Foot came in this
evening. Gen McDowels
corps now passing  Sur
geons[?] of several of his Genls
pass the men look rather
raged & dirty
All sorts of rumors are
about affairs of the late
battle
mostly Clear Cool

MSS 10317 

1862 September 2 near Alexandria, Va.

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

   Tuesday   Sept 2nd/62

     About noon we marched through
Fairfax and toward Alexandria.
I had an attack of Reumatism
in my left shins and right shoulder
so that I could hardly walk.
I told my Captain that I was
unable to go farther with out
resting.  He told me that I must
get a pass from the Surgeon
to fall to the rear.  I went to
the Surgeon, and he told me
to keep with the Regt, that
marching would do the Rhumatism
good.  I told him that I should
have to take of my things and
rest, and I steped one side, took
them off and rested.  We had
a hundred rounds of Catridges
given to us the day before
and I destroyed half of them.
It was killing me to carry
them.  If the Doctor had give me
a pass I could have rode on
an Ambulance.  After resting
half an hour I started on again.
The Regt went towards Hall Church
At night I stoped over night in
a barn with two privates of the
Ninth New York.


[transcript by Mary Roy Dawson Edwards]

MSS 12021

1862 September 2 Suffield, Conn..

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

Tues 2. Cleared off cold.  & wind – made calls – our troops badly
beaten – but it will all come out right I trust
     Look over old town records & made extracts –

[transcript by Mary Roy Dawson Edwards]

MSS 12935

1862 September 2 "Clifton," Fauquier County, Va.

[from the diary of Anne Madison Willis Ambler]

Mr. L[ackland] heard this morning that Jackson
had been cut all to pieces---severely
whipped--that an officer had
come from our army & said so & that
he was the only man left of his
regiment.  Patty & Emma said they
would not believe it from that
 authority, but Mr. L. & I were apprehensive
it might be so, as the battle was
said to have been thought last Wed-
 Thursday & Friday & it seems so
strange that we should be a
week hearing it if we had gained
a great victory--But we did not
have long to feel gloomy  a gentleman
came, whose son had been in the fight &
had come home to get a horse, & he
said we had gained a complete
victory-- gotten numerous stores, &
the field was in our possession-
 though we had lost severely  the enemies'
loss had been ten to our one,  told us of
many friends that we wounded.  Mr. Botts,
Mr. Moore, General Ewell, Barnch Brown.
--we felt sad to think of them==
 but rejoiced over the victory.

[as transcribed in 1972 by her granddaughter Anne Madison Wright Baylor]

1862 September 2 Chapel Hill, N.C.

[from the diary of Eliza Oswald Hill, refugee from Wilmington, N.C.]

Tuesday 2d  Liz has gone to pass the day with Mrs Lucas--I have been busily
at work--Lize & Mr Mason together in the parlour--No letters to day
from Richmond but one from Mrs Branch--saying Noah was
all ready to start to Virginia when Toms letter arrived saying
dont send him until he wrote for him to come.  I am truly sorry
it happened so--as Toms next letter begged me to start him.  Mrs
Branch had put up a nice ham & other eatables for him too--Mr.
Mason leaves tonight for Richmond--We area all sorry to part
with him such dreadful times as these are--His furlough
only extended 6 or 7 days--We have just hear of another battle.

MSS 6960

1862 September 2 Staunton, Va.

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

Tuesday, Sept. 2, 1862

The cars did not come in till about dark last evening. They brought rumors, but no reliable intelligence. This morning, however, I learned that A H H Stuart had received a dispatch from J. B. Baldwin, who is in Richmond, stating that Gen. Lee telegraphed that we gained a decisive victory over the combined forces of M^cClelland + Pope, near Manassas, on Saturday. It is rumored that one-third of Ewell's division was killed and wounded in the battle of Friday. So far we have the good news of Saturday's fight, but we rejoice with trembling, not knowing who are among the slain.

Afternoon. — Charley Arnall arrived just before dinner time, having left the army Friday morning. He was wounded in the shoulder, on Thursday. At that time our army had got between the enemy and Washington, and there was no communication with Gordonsville. He, of course, had no personal knowledge of what occurred later than Thursday. Represents our loss on that day as very heavy. Jack Doye + Preston Byers of this place killed. The former, poor fellow! said, as he was leaving home the last time, if he knew he would not be in another battle he would be perfectly happy. So many persons crowding around C. A. — women + others enquiring for friends — that I could get little out of him.

This afternoon the following telegraphic dispatch was received: "A complete and thorough rout of Pope, Burnside and M^cClelland. The enemy fleeing towards Leesburg in utter rout. Sickles killed. Pope and M^cDowell mortally wounded. More than fifty pieces of artillery already captured — our troops pressing. Botts, Rowan and Nadenbush" [officers of the 2^nd Va Reg] "wounded. Siegel also killed." Signed, "G. W. T. Kersley, Maj. +c"

[transcript by the Valley of the Shadow Project]

MSS 38-258

1862 September 1 near New Bern, N.C.

[from the diary of Jesse Calvin Spaulding, Co. F 25th Massachusetts]

Monday
Sept 1. 1862

At the opening of a new year of my soldiers
experience I have resolved, with the help
of God, to try and do better than I have done, and
to strive to control my tongue and actions
more carefully than I have the past year
   this is a place of great temptation (being in
the army) but with the help of God it can be
resisted--It is quite warm to day, but there
is a nice breeze.  The Captain drilled us in
company drill this forenoon, for the first time
since the march to Trenton.  I have not felt
very well to-day, but better than when I first
got up this morning.  Read part of a book this fore
noon, entitled "Matrimonial Brokerage,"  Had bread
and tea for supper.  It rained to-day so we did
not have to go on battalion drill.  Commenced
a letter home this afternoon.  Have enjoyed the
day very well, Smith and Pollard went out
a pass, and got some corn and boiled.  I
ate one ear.  Have not played a game of any
kind to day.  God Dadmun to shave me this
morning.

MSS  11293