A cornfield was a
rough place to sleep for a night, and try to rest. Up early this morning. After
a hasty feed, again on the march, along the main pike to Lynchburg. Our advance
is slow most of the time, as we drive the enemy along. At times it is hot work.
General Hunter, for reasons best known to himself, has ordered the burning up
of many fine old Virginia mansions with all the contents. Many fine appearing
ladies weep while their homes are burning. All they can do is to look on. One
cannot help but feel sorry for them. That is cruel war. When told it was done
by order of the General, I heard one woman say, “I would like to pull the
General's nose.” There were some great fires along that Lynchburg Pike. One
report was that our men had been fired on from the houses that were burned.
They were not all burned, along the pike. It is fight as we advance, at times,
making a forced march. Late this P. M. we go into battle near Lynchburg. A hot
one. The enemy routed, retire to their main earthworks, near town. We capture
two field pieces and a number of prisoners. Darkness put an end to the fight.
The battle is known to us as Quaker Church, four miles from Lynchburg. A line
of battle having been formed, our guns were stacked, with orders to keep close
in line. Getting a little feed, we dropped down on the ground to try and get a
little sleep and rest. In front of Lynchburg, Virginia.
SOURCE: Charles H.
Lynch, The Civil War Diary, 1862-1865, of Charles H. Lynch 18th Conn.
Vol's, p. 78-9
No comments:
Post a Comment