Marching orders. Broke camp. After a short march, go into
camp on high ground near the Potomac River. Plenty of water here where we could
bathe and wash our clothes, hang them on the bushes and wait for them to dry.
We also used the river water to drink and make coffee. The current ran very
swift at this point.
(During my army life I drank, made coffee, fished, bathed,
washed my clothes, waded through, its blue waters. When clear it was blue as
one looked at it. When storms came it was yellow, the color of Virginia and
Maryland mud.)
We only enjoyed our camp near the Potomac for a few days,
when marching orders were received, to report at Hagerstown, Maryland, about
ten miles from Sharpsburg, or about eight from our camp. At Hagerstown the
Seminary and the grounds were used for a rebel prison and hospital, where we
were to do guard and picket duty. Many of the poor fellows confined there died
from wounds and disease. While the duty was not very laborious, it was not very
pleasant. This is a fine section of Maryland, scenery fine. A large spring,
walled in, in the center of the city, from which we obtained water. Quite a
large number were confined here as prisoners of war. Here we also came in
contact with an army of pedicules, which kept us very busy fighting them. Our
boys claimed they bore on their backs the letters C. S. A., Confederate States
America. The Seminary and grounds covered quite a tract of land. Our camp was
placed as far as could be and still be on the grounds enclosed.
SOURCE: Charles H. Lynch, The Civil War Diary,
1862-1865, of Charles H. Lynch 18th Conn. Vol's, p. 27-8
No comments:
Post a Comment