One of yesterday's
wounded died to-day. This negro company was taken away to-day, as there is no
telling what even men without arms will do to such devils, although they have
got guns.
SOURCE: Louis
Leon, Diary of a Tar Heel Confederate Soldier, p. 64-5
Engle received a
letter from his father today, who told him they had seen my parents, and I
would hear from them soon. This is the first time that I have heard about my
parents since the commencement of the war. Thank God, my parents, as well as my
sisters and brothers, are well.
SOURCE: Louis
Leon, Diary of a Tar Heel Confederate Soldier, p. 65
Received two letters
to-day, one from home and one from my brother Pincus, who went to Washington on
his way to visit Morris and myself, as he has to get a pass from headquarters
before he can see us. He was refused and returned home. Our daily labor as prisoners
is that at 5 in the morning we have roll call; 6, breakfast, 500 at a time, as
one lot gets through another takes its place, until four lots have eaten; we
then stroll about the prison until 1 o'clock, when we eat dinner in the same
style as breakfast, then loaf about again until sundown. Roll is called again,
thus ending the day. We get for breakfast five crackers with worms in them; as
a substitute for butter, a small piece of pork, and a tin cup full of coffee;
dinner, four of the above crackers, a quarter of a pound mule meat and a cup of
bean soup, and every fourth day an eight-ounce loaf of white bread. Nothing
more this month.
SOURCE: Louis
Leon, Diary of a Tar Heel Confederate Soldier, p. 65
Left camp at 8 this
morning to go on picket twelve miles from our camp. Our brigade went on picket
at Raccoon Ford, and picketed up to Moulton's Ford. Raining hard to-day, also
on the 2d. The river is ten feet above common watermark.
SOURCE: Louis
Leon, Diary of a Tar Heel Confederate Soldier, p. 58
As I have not heard
from my parents since the war, they living in New York, I thought I would send
a personal advertisement to a New York paper to let them know that my brother
and myself are well, and for them to send an answer through the Richmond paper.
I gave this to a Yankee picket, who promised me he would send it to New York.
Nothing more up to the 7th.
SOURCE: Louis
Leon, Diary of a Tar Heel Confederate Soldier, p. 58-9
This is a day of
fasting and prayer, set apart by President Davis.
SOURCE: Louis
Leon, Diary of a Tar Heel Confederate Soldier, p. 59
Were relieved to-day
by Doles' Georgia Brigade. Got to camp at I in the evening, raining very hard
all day. Nothing more up to the 14th.
SOURCE: Louis
Leon, Diary of a Tar Heel Confederate Soldier, p. 59
I went to A. P.
Hill's corps to visit my friend, Lieutenant Rusler, and returned to camp on the
15th.
SOURCE: Louis
Leon, Diary of a Tar Heel Confederate Soldier, p. 59
Nothing more up to
the 18th.
SOURCE: Louis
Leon, Diary of a Tar Heel Confederate Soldier, p. 59
Our corps of
sharpshooters went out today target practising. We shoot a distance of 500
yards offhand. Some very good shooting was done.
SOURCE: Louis
Leon, Diary of a Tar Heel Confederate Soldier, p. 59
I hit the bull's-eye
to-day. We are practising every day up to the 23d.
SOURCE: Louis
Leon, Diary of a Tar Heel Confederate Soldier, p. 59
Went to Moulton's
Ford, met Stonewall Brigade on our way, and had some lively talk with them, all
in fun, of course. Stayed on picket until 30th, then we were relieved at 11 in
the morning, and reached camp at 2.
SOURCE: Louis
Leon, Diary of a Tar Heel Confederate Soldier, p. 59
Rumors are flying
that we will soon get hard fighting. Nothing more up to the 4th.
SOURCE: Louis
Leon, Diary of a Tar Heel Confederate Soldier, p. 59
This morning we got
orders to be ready at a moment's notice. Broke camp at noon, marched to our old
breastworks at Mine Run, seven miles from camp. Rested two hours, and moved
forward toward the river three miles further and halted.
SOURCE: Louis
Leon, Diary of a Tar Heel Confederate Soldier, p. 59-60
It has been snowing,
and is very cold. Some of the boys have formed a dramatic company, and I went
to see them play "Toodles." There were two men shot in our brigade
for desertion to-day. Nothing of interest until 11th.
SOURCE: Louis
Leon, Diary of a Tar Heel Confederate Soldier, p. 56
Left our camp at sun-up, got five miles and halted in the woods. We have been detailed to run two sawmills, and we are now putting up winter quarters there.
SOURCE: Louis
Leon, Diary of a Tar Heel Confederate Soldier, p. 56
Nothing more until to-day. W. R. Berryhill has got the smallpox. Quite a number of us were in the same quarters with him, but none of us caught the disease. I was detailed to work at the mills, and therefore I am learning a new trade. Live and learn.
SOURCE: Louis
Leon, Diary of a Tar Heel Confederate Soldier, p. 56
Hard work until to-day, when we were sent out to lay a plank road. While at work General Lee and his daughter rode by us, and soon after a courier came from his headquarters and gave us some woolen socks and gloves—sent to us from his daughter. Nothing more worth recording this month.
SOURCE: Louis
Leon, Diary of a Tar Heel Confederate Soldier, p. 56
While hard at work
in the woods, hauling stocks for the mill, my furlough came, for eighteen days.
So I was relieved. On the 3d I left camp and got home on the morning of the
6th. It took me several days to get accustomed to living as a civilian, as I
have been in camp for two years at a stretch. I had a very good time, and will
always be grateful for the kindness shown me by every one while at home.
SOURCE: Louis
Leon, Diary of a Tar Heel Confederate Soldier, p. 56-7
Reached camp to-day, and found that my regiment had marched once since I left. This was the first I missed since my regiment was formed. Nothing more this month.
SOURCE: Louis
Leon, Diary of a Tar Heel Confederate Soldier, p. 57
