Martinsburg, Va., July 15, 1861, Sunday.
I will try and take time to give you an account of the
proceedings up to this time since we left Hagerstown.
We started from the latter place about four o'clock,
Thursday afternoon, and marched to Williamsport, a distance of seven miles. The
men stood the march very well. We reached the side of the Potomac about 6.30,
where we camped for the night; nothing occurred of importance during the night
except one of the guard being fired upon just before daylight. The camp was
aroused at four o'clock, and the column started very soon after. The fording of
the river was a very interesting sight. It was about a quarter of a mile wide
and two to three feet deep in that place; the regiment marched through it
bravely, keeping in close column. As soon as we got over, everything was put in
fighting order, as we were told there was a body of cavalry on the look-out to
cut us off. Our company was thrown out as rear guard to look out for the
wagons, stragglers, etc. Our march was uninterrupted, however, and we arrived
at Martinsburg towards night, after a hard march of fifteen miles with no halt
except occasional rests; passing by, on our way, the late battleground, on
which I picked up a small dirk which had evidently seen service. I have now got
to hurry up, as the Quartermaster has just informed us that we march to-morrow
morning at five o'clock, and it is now “tattoo.”
Our army here is about twenty thousand strong, and is
encamped seven miles from General Johnson's rebel force. I suppose our move
to-morrow is towards the enemy, although I don't know it.
We had a rather narrow escape from getting into a trap
to-day. Colonel Gordon detailed Captain Curtis and myself, with four picked men
from each company, to go with the Quartermaster and four wagons to forage. We
started off for a place the Quartermaster had been told of, where there were
hay and other things we wanted. We had got within about a mile of the place
when we met a white man, who happened to be a Unionist, who told us that instead
of going to a place where we would get forage, we were within about fifteen
minutes' march of about two hundred rebels. We deployed the men instantly, and
then the Captain and Quartermaster started back on another track to see what
could be found in another direction. In about five minutes, I had orders to
carry the party to a house about a half a mile off, that belonged to an
out-and-out secessionist. We surrounded it, made our bargain for hay, pigs,
chickens, etc., very much against the owner's will, and started back for camp,
where we arrived in due time.
You must not expect to hear from me again for some time, as
we are going out of the region of mails. I am in the best of health, and we are
having cool, comfortable weather.
SOURCE: Charles Fessenden Morse, Letters Written
During the Civil War, 1861-1865, p. 5-7
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