Thomas J. Peel
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A.
L. Peel
July 1861 July 1, 1861 - The Penitentiary was burned this evening. I went over to see it. one of the Prisoners tried to escape jumped the wall & got a boyonet stuck through him, July 2 - We received a couple of Boxes of cakes & all sorts of good things to day from home. We will live high for a while. Lu & I went down town & got some ice cream, July 3 - We received orders to cook two days rations & be ready to march to Winchester to morrow the boys are all anxious to leave this City & move closer to the enemy. they gave several cheers when the order was read to us I am afraid that Add is to sick to go with us, the boys are all in high spirits July 4, 1861 - We left for Winchester this evening on the cars. I left the camp ground in the rear of the Regt with 40 guards & took about that No of straglers. We will travel all night. July 5 - We arrived at StrasBurge this evening. We passed through Manassas Gap today We have marched from StrasBurge to centerville this evening we are all very much fatigued & our feet are blistered, I will guard the wagons, the Blankets are alll taken out & I will have to sleep on tent poles damn such accommodation. July 6 - We left New Town early this morning for Winchester & arrived at 10' We then heard that Johnson would attack the Federal forces at MartinsBurge that evening. So we halted 3 hours to rest & left our sick & put out. We arrived at Bunker hill tonight We will stay in an old shop it is raining very hard July 7, 1861 - We received orders to fall back to Winchester this morning. We didnt like it at all but had to obay. We arrived at Winchester at 11 a.m. & camped in an old field, We were drawn in a line of battle S We heard that the enemy were coming up the Rail Road, but it proved to be false. We found Elie Peel at Winchester this morning. Add stayed with him as he was sick, & couldnt march. We hae stretched our tents this evening. Bill Ellis & McKie arrived this evening with 13 recruits & some letters. July 8,9 - (No entries) July 10 - We received orders to strike tents, pack up & cook two days rations after cooking & packing up, all ready. We were ordered to eat our provisions and we found it a false alarm July 11, 1861 - We had no drill today, the soldiers have not recovered from fatigue so we will spend the day in rest. Lu went up town & got some Molasses July 12 - Nothing has transpired today of importance. We had company drill this morning July 13 - We had skirmish drill this morning for the first time. We got six recruits from Byhalia to day. Two of them will mess with us till they get tents I am on Picket guard tonight it is raining I have come to camp to getsupper. July 14, 1861 - We have done nothing of importance to day I went over to the 11th Regt This is my birth day I am Twenty July 15 - We have orders to strike tents pack up nap sacks & cook provisions for Three days. I want to leave this place I dont like the people, I believe they are abolitionists July 16 - We moved over behind the Battery today. our tents are jammed as close together as we can get them We will elect a Lieutenant tomorrow, We moved behind the Battery this evening, July 17, 1861 - No entry July 18 - We received marching orders & put out on a forced march this morning at 11' We waded three creeks today. A great many soldiers have given out & fallen on the roadside, their feet are blistered & bleading, We halted at Shanendoah River tonight and will sleep on the wet ground without blankets. I feel very bad July 19 - We arrived near Piedmont this evening & halted untill dark. LeutDean, J. G McCoy & I went about 5 ms & got a very nice supper & got back just in time, for the Regt was forming a line to march we sleep on the ground in the rain to night July 20, 1861 - We are at Piedmont without a darn thing to eat. Some ofthe boys are out preping anything that looks like it is good to eat. We have blankets stretched for shelter for our tents are left behind at Winchester Ludovick & several sick boys are left there they are indispose to march July 21 - We are still at Piedmont We pressed Four Beeves & some meal we baked bread on rocks & broiled meat on the coles & Fox came over this evening & I went up to his Regt & he gave me a chicken leg & piece of bread they will be of in in the morning for Manassa, We are ordered to sleep with our arms tonight & have nap & haversacks on packed ready to march at a moments warning We heard that Beauregard is fighting at Manassa. July 22 - We left Piedmont at the 1st dawn of day in Box Cars half of the company are ontop it is raining & cool, We arrived at Manassas at 10 am & heard that the battle was over the soldiers are bussily bringing in the dead & wounded we gained the victory but dearly bought we stood in the rain two hours & then marched out to the battle field distance 8 m's through the rain mud & halted in the bushes on Broad run we have struck fires & are drying ourselves we are hungry & have nothing to eat & no prospects for anything July 23, 1861 - Tom came from home today & brought Alfred with him we are all glad & supprised to see him, he left his trunk at the junction containing letter & many things for us. Leut Dean & I went to the Battlefield, it is strewed with dead yankeys & some wounded ones, it is the most horrid sight that I ever witnessed, one zouave has his head shot off. Elie came over to see us. The boys are cutting bushes to make shelters we got some provisions & have had something to eat. The LinchBurge Artillery left here for senterville this morning We bought yankey blankets from them. July 24 - Some of the boys went to the Battle field & brought some bomshells to camp with them this evening Robert bought a minny Rifle that was taken from the yankeys. I saw two muskets with minny balls shot through their barrels Bob Bowen found a pistol on the battlefield We have not drilled today July 25 - Tom & Sam went to the junction today & brought us some letters & c. I went down to the creek and washed my own clothes, the water is so muddy that I couldnt get them clean. Alfred is sick. July 26, 1861 - Tom started home this morning & got to the junction to late for the cars, so he came back to stay with us tonight. he will leave at four in the morning,, July 27 - Sgt Black started to strasBurge this morning to get our Tents & Baggage We sent by him for a good many articles Mr Jno Coleman arrived here to day & brought a good many things for the boys from home, he will remain with us several days, Add & I found a cannonball in the ground July 28 - Nothing of importance has transpired to day. July 29, 1861 - Several of the sick boys came on from Piedmont to day. P. Jinkens & I went over & saw the 11 & 2nd Regiment to day & saw some of our old friends who were in the fight July 30 - Robert took our company over to the 17th Regt to day & it was quite a long walk. We saw our fellow soldiers from H. S. We laughed at them for running from the yankeys. they had no excuse & looked sheepish. George Myers came to our camp he is not well he brought some letters to the boys. say Calvin is improving rapidly Gen Beauregard came to see us today. |
