Marched four miles from south of Salt Sulphur Springs to
north of Union — a beautiful grazing country. Salt Sulphur a pleasure resort in
good condition; Union a fine village. A bushwhacker killed by [the]
Thirty-sixth. Slept last night on the ground; rained all night; roads still
worse. Slept well. Greenbrier River reported unfordable. Starvation only to be
kept off by energetic and systematic foraging. General Crook anxious; works
himself like a Turk.
Four men of Company F, who went out foraging at Blacksburg,
reported to have been seen dead on the road. They went out foolishly unarmed.
Washed, shirted, and cleaned up.
MEMORANDA..
1. A better pioneer party.
2. A provost guard to look after stragglers, prevent
plundering, etc.
3. A better arrangement for sick and wounded.
4. A guard to feed and keep prisoners.
We have now been fifteen days away from all news except of
our own successful movements.
We have here two hundred and fifty Rebel prisoners of [the]
Thirty-sixth, Forty-fifth, Sixtieth Virginia, etc. They are wellbehaved, civil
fellows; have had very little to eat for some days. We are trying to feed them.
A good Secesh mother is now feeding some of them.
SOURCE: Charles Richard Williams, editor, Diary and
Letters of Rutherford Birchard Hayes, Volume 2, p. 458-9
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