This diary must soon come to an end. Will fill the few remaining
pages and then stop. Co. “I” boys are very kind. They have reduced soldiering
to a science. All divided up into messes of from three to five each. Any mess
is glad to have us in with them, and we pay them with accounts of our prison
life. Know they think half we tell them is lies. I regret the most of anything,
the loss of my blanket that stood by me so well. It's a singular fact that the
first day of my imprisonment it came into my possession, and the very last day
it took its departure, floating off away from me after having performed its
mission. Should like to have taken it North to exhibit to my friends. The
infantry move only a few miles each day, and I believe we stay here all day.
Went and saw Mr. Kimball. The officers commanding knew him for a Union man, and
none of his belongings were troubled. In fact, he has anything he wants now.
Announces his intention of going with the army until the war closes. Our good
old friend Mrs. Dickinson did not fare so well. The soldiers took everything
she had on the place fit to eat; all her cattle, pork, potatoes, chickens, and
left them entirly destitute. We went and saw them, and will go to headquarters
to see what can be done. Later. —
We went to Gen. Smith, commanding 3d Brigade, 2d Division, and told him the
particulars. He sent out foraging wagons, and now she has potatoes, corn,
bacon, cattle, mules, and everything she wants. Also received pay for burned
fences and other damages. Now they are smiling and happy and declare the
Yankees to be as good as she thought them bad this morning. The men being under
little restraint on this raid were often destructive. Nearly every citizen
declared their loyalty, so no distinction is made. Gen. Smith is a very kind
man, and asked us a great many questions. Says the 9th Michigan Cavalry is near
us and we may see them any hour. Gen. Haun also takes quite an interest in us,
and was equally instrumental with Gen. Smith in seeing justice done to our
friends the Kimballs and Dickinsons. They declare now that one of us must marry
the daughter of Mrs. Dickinson, the chaplain performing the ceremony. Well, she
is a good girl, and I should judge would make a good wife, but presume she
would have something to say herself and will not pop the question to her. They
are very grateful, and only afraid that after we all go away the rebel citizens
and soldiers will retaliate on them. Many officers have read portions of my
diary, and say such scenes as we have passed through seem incredible. Many
inquire if we saw so and so of their friends who went to Andersonville, but of
course there were so many there that we cannot remember them. This has been
comparatively a day of rest for this portion of the Union army, after having
successfully crossed the river. We hear the cavalry is doing some fighting on
the right, in the direction of Fort McAllister. Evening. — We marched about two or three miles and are again
encamped for the night, with pickets out for miles around. Many refugees join the
army prepared to go along with them, among whom are a great many negroes.
SOURCE: John L. Ransom, Andersonville Diary, p.
156-7
No comments:
Post a Comment