We had a rough time last night, Patten and myself being the outpost
victims. The water flooded the road knee-deep, wetting us through; but we knew
no one could crawl upon our post without being heard, on account of the
splashing they must make. We were bothered only twice during the night: once
when the corporal of the guard (Mason) waded to us, found we were awake, and
retreated in good order; and again as we sat on the old ammunition box, soaked
through, we were disturbed by something crawling over our feet. I struck at it
with my gun, but made no impression. We supposed it was a moccasin. We were
relieved about six o'clock this morning by Company I. Lieut. Johnson left us in
charge of Sergt. Parsons, and we started for the breastworks. As we neared the
fort, after leaving the town, we beheld a splendid sight, although it was an
awkward position for us. The rebels seemingly have perfected their
arrangements, for as we turned the brow of the hill they opened, and we had the
pleasure of witnessing the first cannonade on this side of the town, and as we
were directly behind the fort, we had a lively time in reaching the traverse.
We could see the men beckoning, but did not know why. After repeated dodgings
and rollings over, we reached the traverse, only to find it occupied by Company
A, in command of Lieut. Coffin, who ordered us to "Move on!" We
moved, although against our will, and at last found our own company, under a
new traverse, nearer the fort. The boys had taken possession, and were making
much sport at our mishaps in getting in. Millar's face was actually radiant; he
was one of the lucky ones in getting in first. As he was corporal of the guard,
we thought he should have stayed till the last, to see that we were all right,
but he probably thought the last should be first in this affair. The company
had had a hard time also, working nearly all night building the traverse with
the bomb-proof behind it. Our tent was gone, and all our things scattered, but,
after a deal of hunting, we found the remains, and proceeded to re-pitch. We
worked all day enlarging our traverse and finishing our bomb-proof. The day all
through was a hard one. Our captain must have felt flattered, it being his
birthday; and I don't believe he had a chance to count or think of his age on
account of the constant salutes from all directions. That is the reason,
probably, why Sergt. Parsons hurried us in this morning, that he might be on
hand to participate with Capt. Richardson in his celebration.
SOURCE: John Jasper Wyeth, Leaves from a Diary Written While
Serving in Co. E, 44 Mass. Dep’t of North Carolina from September 1862 to June
1863, pp. 47-8
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