Wednesday, July 21, 2021

Diary of Private Daniel L. Ambrose: Thursday, October 9, 1862

This morning we remain at Rookersville, and the probability is that we will remain here all day. This is indeed a wrecked country, being almost brought to a state of starvation. Today, Frank Morse, commissary sergeant, takes some meat to a suffering family in Rookersville, when the lady replies, “Oh, dear! this is Yankee meat; I don't know whether I can eat Yankee meat or not, I fear it is contaminated!". Thus the South's ignorant classes have been deluded by wicked and unprincipled men. This evening some of the magnanimous Seventh boys give bread to children who are crying for something to eat. How sad a sight it is to see innocence suffering. Oh! wicked men! why did you fling these dark curtains around this people? Why did you whelm this fair sunny south in cruel, desolating war, and cause your beautiful innocent ones to cry for bread ?

SOURCE: Daniel Leib Ambrose, History of the Seventh Regiment Illinois Volunteer Infantry, p. 112-3

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