Sunday, June 29, 2025

Diary of Private William S. White, April 23, 1862

What a beautiful day! How prone we are to note only the stormy days, whilst the days of beauty seem to be taken as belonging to us by right, and we fail to render thanks unto Him to whom praise is ever due.

All nature shines resplendent in the soft beauties of a spring-day morn; the noble oaks and stately elms are budding forth in all their spring-time loveliness, and the earth is with verdure clad; even the little chirping birds seem plumed with brighter colors than is their wont and are singing their songs of joy, bathed in the mellow morning's light.

Oh! war, horrid war, too soon your cannon's sound and bugle note may change this lovely scene.

We left camp early this morning to resume our march into the interior of North Carolina, but were ordered back to our camp of last night. We are now in Gates county, some eight or ten miles from the Virginia line.

SOURCE: William S. White, A Diary of the War; or What I Saw of It, p. 114

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