I was detailed with twenty members of our company under the
command of Lieutenant Merwin to take boats and to row to a long bridge over a
branch of the Patapsco River, there to remain on guard duty for ten days. It
was about eight miles from the fort. It proved to be a picnic for us. Our duty
was to guard the bridge. When off duty we tramped through the country for
miles. It was a fine fruit section of Maryland. We bathed in the fine, clear
salt water and white sandy beach. The ten days passed quickly when we were
relieved and obliged to report to our company at the old fort, when we resumed
our duty of various kinds, drilling and guard duty, also keeping the camp
clean.
Our rations remained the same from day to day, fresh beef,
salt beef, pork, hard-tack, and soft bread. Our supper remained the same every
night, a cup of black coffee, a plate of boiled rice with very black molasses,
called by the boys coal tar, two slices of soft bread. We became so tired of
rice that we could not eat it
SOURCE: Charles H. Lynch, The Civil War Diary,
1862-1865, of Charles H. Lynch 18th Conn. Vol's, p. 10
No comments:
Post a Comment