Monday, October 21, 2013

Diary of Alexander G. Downing: Monday, December 29, 1862

We had company drill this morning and received orders to be ready to march in the morning. We have been at Holly Springs nine days now, and the town is almost deserted.2
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2 When we passed through Holly Springs going south, the town looked very pretty, and no property was destroyed. But when the place was surrendered to Van Dorn by our traitorous colonel in command of the small garrison, and that without the firing of a gun, then it was that destruction followed. When we had to come back to find our stores burned and live on half rations, our men were not in the best of humor; they did not care then if the whole town was destroyed. — A. G. D.

Source: Alexander G. Downing, Edited by Olynthus B., Clark, Downing’s Civil War Diary, p. 90

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