It has cleared off beautifully, and the snow will soon disappear.
SOURCE: William S. White, A Diary of the War; or What I Saw of It, p. 138
Thursday, October 29, 2026
Diary of Private William S. White, November 9, 1862
Remained "in order to move" all day, but night found us "without farther orders."
SOURCE: William S. White, A Diary of the War; or What I Saw of It, p. 139
Diary of Private William S. White, November 10, 1862
Left White Post this morning for Winchester; passed through the latter place about midday and camped on the Martinsburg Turnpike, two and a half miles from Winchester.
Thus after nearly two months have passed away we find ourselves again heading towards Martinsburg, and possibly we may revisit that, to me, detestable place. Since my sojourn near Berry's Ferry and White Post I have formed the acquaintance of several estimable young ladies, among whom Miss Kate McC—k stands preëminent. Grand old people these Valley Virginians are, and their hearts are as large as their barns!
SOURCE: William S. White, A Diary of the War; or What I Saw of It, p. 139
Diary of Private William S. White, November 16, 1862
Yesterday I came to the Union Hospital at Winchester to stay with a sick member of my company, Rufus G. Smith. He is very ill and cannot possibly recover. This disease is very prevalent in our army and is attributable to the constant exposure of our men.
SOURCE: William S. White, A Diary of the War; or What I Saw of It, p. 139
Diary of Private William S. White, November 20, 1862
Poor Rufus died this evening; 'twas heartrending to hear the piteous wails of his young wife and see the silent but deep anguish of his aged father. I was riding most of the night to procure some conveyance for his remains, but did not succeed, and we will have to bury him in Winchester.
SOURCE: William S. White, A Diary of the War; or What I Saw of It, p. 139
Diary of Private William S. White, November 21, 1862
Broke camp to-day and I suppose we are on the road towards Culpeper Courthouse; halted for the night near the little village of Middletown.
SOURCE: William S. White, A Diary of the War; or What I Saw of It, p. 139
Diary of Private William S. White, November 22, 1862
Was very ill last night—I am afraid I will have an attack of pneumonia, as my throat is quite sore. Crossed the north branch of the Shenandoah and camped near Woodstock. 'Tis bitterly cold and our troops suffer greatly.
SOURCE: William S. White, A Diary of the War; or What I Saw of It, p. 139
Diary of Private William S. White, November 23, 1862
Moved on to Mount Jackson and camped near that village.
SOURCE: William S. White, A Diary of the War; or What I Saw of It, p. 139
Diary of Private William S. White, November 24, 1862
Passed through the village of New Market; then leaving the Valley turn—pike we turned sharply off to the left and crossed the Massanutton Mountain into Page county. The scenery from this mountain was grand—equal to the Swiss Alps of Europe.
Spread out beneath us lay the beautiful Valley, dotted with numerous farm houses and smiling villages, whilst far away to the west the lofty North Mountains reared their proud heads into the fleecy clouds of heaven.
We camped for the night on the east side of the mountain and soon we will be on our way across the Blue Ridge.
SOURCE: William S. White, A Diary of the War; or What I Saw of It, p. 139-40
Diary of Private William S. White, November 25, 1862
Only marched twelve miles to-day; camped near Hawksville, a small village in Page county.
SOURCE: William S. White, A Diary of the War; or What I Saw of It, p. 140
Diary of Private William S. White, November 26, 1862
Reveille this morning at 5 o'clock—a long and tedious march before us to-day, as we will have to cross the Blue Ridge at Millan's Gap. The route was terribly tedious, for the road wound along side the mountain first one way and then another. Although we would march for mile after mile yet it seemed as if we could throw a rock from where we first started in the morning.
One spot in this ragged mountain gap struck me as being peculiarly lovely—a bold and limpid stream dashed down the mountain side and plunged into the deep gorge beneath us; the jagged rocks covered with a thick and beautiful coat of moss; the wild "arbor vitae" and the "mountain ash" entwined with luxuriant and gigantic creeping vines made this a spot ever so green and fair, though winter's icy blast howled mournfully by. What a fairy spot to spend a summer's night in!
NIGHT!
"Tell me not of morning breaking,
From the chambers of the deep:
Or the world to beauty waking
From the arms of balmy sleep,
Give me midnight gems of glory,
Glowing in the moonlit sea,
Gilding lake and mountain hoary,
Night, oh! night hath charms for me.
"As the tears of angels falling,
Turn to diamonds on each flower,
And the beetle's horn is calling
Fairies to their green-wood bower:
When the holy light is streaming,
And the leaves droop on each tree,
Then, when all the world is dreaming,
Night, ah! Night, hath charm for me."
But before we reached this beautiful spot another mountain scene has been presented to me-just before we reached the summit of the Blue Ridge I noticed a miserable log hovel near the road-side and, for curiosity, to see its inmates, if it were possible that human beings lived in such a miserable pen, I walked in. Oh! what a picture of human misery met me upon my entrance-huddled together in the chimney corner were a half dozen flaxen haired children, perfectly begrimed with filth, some of whom were almost in the state of nudity. Great holes and crevices were in the walls of this miserable cabin, through which the chilly north wind whistled and roared with impunity. Not a thing to eat did they have, and the two old crones who, with the little children, dwelled therein, managed to pick up a precarious living as best they could-perhaps they subsisted on the sublimity of the mountain scenery. Judging from their conversation "they feared neither God, nor man," and their curses upon the soldiers for stealing an axe from them were both loud and deep.
SOURCE: William S. White, A Diary of the War; or What I Saw of It, pp. 140-1
Diary of Private William S. White, November 27, 1862
Started this morning by sunrise and expected to reach Gordonsville by night, but only marched seven miles and camped three miles from Madison Courthouse. Expect to remain here several days.
SOURCE: William S. White, A Diary of the War; or What I Saw of It, p. 141
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