Confederate
Letter
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A. L. Peel Civil War Diary Adjutant, 19th. Mississippi Regiment June 1863 Monday, June, 1 - I cleaned my Pistol & Sword. Spent most of my leasure time reading Tactics. Sent Damon and Allen out & got some milk. Attended prear meeting tonight, our Chaplains are all doing good work. A great many have recently professed religion. Tuesday 2 - I have spent most of the day reading Tactics, have a pain under my belt this evening. Drs Sharp & McNeill have gone to take Tea with Miss Hattie Wendall. The two Drs returned and reported that they routed the provost guard from Miss Hatties house. Wednesday, June 3, 1863 - I have spent most of the day making forms for Comp morning reports. Lt Crump of the 14th Miss Regt came over this morning, they moved off Culpepper C. H. I was summoned as a witness on Court Martial in the trial of A. Therell Co B. Charges & Specification, Cowardice. Thursday 4 - We moved camp half a mile near the Brick Church, have a very nice Campground, though yankey graves are too near to us. Our nice camp did us no good, We re’cd orders & marched at 6p.m., halted near the river below Fredricksburg. Stacked arms in a thick pine woods, are ordered to rest until further orders. Friday 5 - We remained in line until 11 o’clock a.m. Were ordered to camp where we were. We soon pitched tents very nicely. The enemy brought their Pontoons & Artillery to the River. Opened heavy fire on our pickets and crossed over. We fell in, moved forward, and are now in trenches. Waiting for the enemy, it is dark. Saturday, June 6, 1863 - We put out 20 pickets last night. Moved 200 yards to the left this morning. Our pickets are firing occassionally, it is very warm, its 10 o’clock. At 2 o’clock p.m. we moved a mile to the left. A heavy shower of rain fell. The boys had several little yankey tents & each man an oil cloth. Col Harris & Maj Hardin are in a house near here. McNeill sent me a canteen of milk. Sunday 7 - I kept dry last night & rested well. The sun shined out brightly & warm. The enemy shelled out pickets at 1 o’clock, a few minutes. The enemy seem to be restless. This is the coldest evening that I ever saw in June. Davises Miss Brigade came up to Hamiltons Crossing this morning. Monday 8 - We moved ¼ of a mile to the left last night, halted near Marees Hights. Cousins Bill & Elie Peel came & spent a few hours with me this evening. I took a spy glass, climbed the hights & has a splendid view of the enemy. I found my horse this evening, he is looking well. Tuesday, June 9, 1863 - I went after my horse, had to pay $50 to get him & be insulted by a haggish old woman. Came by the hospital, eat dinner, the first I’ve eaten since yesterday. Got to the Regt at 4 o’clock. Our Batteries opened fire on the enemy at 6 o’clock, effected nothing. Wednesday 10 - I have spent this day lounging about on this steep hill side, it was very warm & sultry. A good many from Davise’s Brigade were over to see us. Damon brought me a canteen of milk, but after dividing it with my hungry friends, my portion was small. Thursday 11 - This has been a very sultry day. I went to the creek and bathed, came back & took a long nap. The enemy’s pickets attacked ours, were drive back, and a few of the rascals were killed. Friday, June 12, 1863 - I went to the creek, bathed & put on clean clothes. I have spent the remainder of the day laying in my tent reading Don Quixote. The enemy shelled us a little this evening to make us quit drilling. We paid no attention to them. Saturday 13 - The enemy sent over a flag of truce to ask Genl Hill to make our pickets cease firing on theirs. Genl Hill told them to leave if they didn’t wish to be fired on. A heavy rain came up at 4 o’clock p.m., lasted till late in the night. The most of us have tents and keep dry. Sunday 14 - The enemy crossed the River last night. Our pickets advanced at light this morning, captured 12 prisoners & some commissary stores. We recd orders at 8 o’ck a.m. to be ready to move. Started at 12 a.m., marched to Chancellerville, distance 12 miles. Halted at 6 p.m. Genl Posey sent me back after Co D 19th Regt which he neglected to relieve from pickett. Monday, June 15 - I got back to the Regt at day break, couldn’t find the Co. Col Harris & I went over the Chancellor Battle Ground. We started on the march at 9 o’clock a.m. towards Culpepper C.H. got a good many Cherries on the road. I am now on the road, very warm. We crossed the Rapidann River at 5 p.m., went 3 miles, camped for the night. Tuesday, 16 - We took up our march at 5 o’clock this morning, came through Stephensburg at 9 o’clock, through Culpepper at 10 & halted at 11 o’clock and camped, are ordered to cook three days rations. I am now in a field grazing my horse. I wrote a letter & spent the evening lying in the shade. Wednesday 17 - We started our march at 11 o’clock, halted to rest frequently, but a great many men were sunstroke. Genl Anderson passed us & one of the boys said to him Mr Anderson your company is mighty tired, let us rest. We marched 10 miles 7 halted. Waded Hazel River late this evening. Our men straggled tolerable badly. Thursday, June 18, 1863 - We commenced our march at sunrise, the sun shined warm, there was no breeze stirring. We marched rapidly until 12 a.m., our men fell fast on the road side. After going 6 miles we halted 3 hours, then marched on, a hard wind came up, nearly blinded us with dust, then a hard rain came up, we halted at sun set, half a mile from Flint Hill. Friday 19 - We started our march at 6 o’clock this morning, crossed the Blew Ridge, got to Front Royal at 12 a.m., halted in a field until 4 o’clock. Capt Dean & I walked several miles looking for something to eat, I have had nothing to eat since yesterday morning. We passed through town & got to the Shenandoah River at 7 o’clock p.m. Saturday 20 - We crossed the Shenandoah & Rappahannock rivers last night a heavy rain came up as we the latter continued nearly all night We came half a mile and halted I sat in the rain & held my horse until morning. We cooked one days rations moved through a beautiful country pass through White Post & camped 2 miles this side. Sunday, 21 June, 1863 - We started at 6 o’clock this morning, traveled slowly through the prettiest country that I ever saw, the citizens are very kind & loyal. We were in a hard rain, got to Berryville at 12 a.m., camped near town. I made out a Field Return. Pryor was absent with important papers when he ought to be present. Monday 22 - I rec’d a commission last night as Adjt. It has been a long time coming. I went to a branch & washed. Sent my horse to the shop to be Shod, but didn’t succeed. Started to march at 10 o’k p.m., came 8 miles through a beautiful country. Saw many pretty ladies waving C. S. Flags. Our men marched splendidly, camped at sunset. Tuesday 23 - We commenced our march at 4 o’clock a.m., passed through Charlestown at 10 a.m. Were re’cd with cheers by the ladies. Marched within 2 miles of Shepherdstown & struck camp. Drew two days rations, one of beef, the first we’ve had in 4 Months. I had some nice cherries this evening. Wednesday, June 24, 1863 - Took up march at 5 a.m. crossed the Potomoc at 7 a.m. halted until our Division got cross, my horse fell in the river and hurt his knee. Passed through Sharpsburg at 1 p.m. through Cheatersville at 2 p.m. saw only two C.S. Flags the women looked sour. We camped near Boonsborough at 6 p.m. Thursday 25 - We took up our march at 3 ½ a.m. passed through Boonsborough at 4 a.m. Saw a few secessionists. Crossed the Antietam River at 6 a.m. came through Funkstown at 10 a.m. the ladies were all glad to see us. We halted at 12 a.m. near Haigerstown. Confederate money is of very little value here. We are cooking one days rations. Friday 26 - We took up our march at sunrise came through Hagerstown the doors were all closed the people had very long faces. We got into Pensylvania at 8 a.m. at little Richmond. We came 13 miles & camped. It has rained all day. We issued whiskey to the men. Some of them are pillaging the country. We have a guard after them. Saturday, June 27, 1863 - Marched at 5 a.m. our Regt in rear of the Division. Genl Longstreet passed us, passed through Chambersville at 1 p.m. the people looked mad. Passed Genls Lee & Longstreet they looked splendidly as they stood on the roadside. The two greatest living generals. Our men have been pillaging a great deal & have acted shamefully. I disapprove of it because it demoralises our army, not that I sympathize with the people. We camp five miles from Chambersburg. Sunday 28 - We had preaching, two ladies attended; they thought us a very rough set. Bro’s Robert & Add went in the mountains & got several horses & gave them up to the chief Q.M. Maj Hinkle tried to steal the finest. I went to Fayetville and talked to the Copperheads. Monday 29 - We have spent the day in camp; Some old Dutchmen came to look for horses. I had a nice bale of cherries five or six different kinds. Add took a squad of men and went looking for the horses, did not get any. It has been raining all day. I wrote a letter. Tuesday, June 30, 1863 - Rain has been falling all day. I don’t feel well, have spent the day lounging about camp; have furnished several guards to citizens. A good many citizens are badly frightened, others don’t care. These Dutch girls don’t wear stockings & wear very short dresses, I think that they love to climb cherry trees. |
