Four Years With the Iron Brigade

by Lance Herdegen

  November 21, 1861

  Well the sun has again and it is a verry pretty morning and my potatoes was cooked and they tasted good to. Well about the review. I cannot acertain for certain what the number of men was. Some say 15,000 men, some says more and some less. But when the official report comes out in the papers I will note it down. Well it was long after dark when the Co came in last night but the Boys says it was not any harder work than the days before and the day that they wouldnt have missed going for anything, some says for five dollars. At any rate I would like to have been there with my pen in hand. I could have noted down the most important movements. I understand that we do not drill today. And if that is so I will have a good chance to write as well as doctor a little for my cold which got a little worse last night. I send the other day to Washington by a teamster for a box of Graffenbar [Graefenberg]24 pills and twenty five cents worth of Czane paper and I fix some paper tea for my cold. The ground frooze a little last night and the fire feels good this morning. Our fireplace warms up the tent pretty well. Well I must say goodby to this old companion in the shape of a little black covered book for it full.

  Goodby, I have the war fever as we say.

  Volume 2

  A Soldiering in Dixie

  November 22, 1861 to December 30, 1861

  Wm. R. Ray

  Place of Nativity

  Cassville Grant Co [County], Wisconsin

  United States of America

  And hope to God it may continue so

  Henry when this you see — remember me

  A Soldiering in Dixie

  Wm. R. Rays notebook. He being a member of Capt Callis Co [Company] which is F or the Lancaster Union Guards and If found by any person please notify the owner or give it to Capt Callis and oblige the owner and receive a reward. Wm. R. Ray

  November 22, 1861

  Camp Arlington near Washington in Virginia. Well here goes for filling up another notebook with small sketches and gatherings of the times and things that is transpiring around me. I have just sent home a book that I filled since I enlisted. Well the drums are beating and I suppose for drill. I will be ready at any rate. Well we have been out and drilled two hours and I have cleaned my gun and brasses and now the cooks are hollowing for us to get our dinners and my tentmates elected me to draw the victuals and I must go. And there the drummers are beating the dinner call. Well our dinner consisted of hominy. We tented pretty good.

  Well about the review. The papers state that there was seaventy thousand soldiers and twenty five thousand civillians. It is said to be the largest review that ever was in the United States.25 I will read the paper and then note down accordingly. We did not drill yesterday. But I was detailed to help one of the teamsters to haul wood and so that I did not get to rest. But it was not hard work that I done. I sent my other book home and a Frank Leslie newspaper [Frank Leslie’s Illustrated Newspaper] that had an engraving of the fleet off Port Royal [Port Royal Sounds, South Carolina) and the bombardment of the fort. I sent it home on account of the picture. Well I must quit writing in this book and begin to write a letter.

  November 23, 1861

  And it is raining this morning and rained most of the night. It was not verry cold last night. It is just about such weather as an April rain in Wisconsin. It is verry disagreeable weather. Hello, here it comes harder and more water and a great wind.

  Well our Orderly was in Washington day before yesterday and he heard some of the big officers talking about the Kings Brigade as being the best drilled on the review and expically the Wis Regts as being the best and largest. That accounts for us staying at home the day of the review. That we couldnt march in the same space as the other Regts. And he also heard that Mcdowel had offered two Regts for the fifth Wisconsin to put in this brigade instead of the Indianna Regt that is in now.26

  November 24, 1861

  And it is a pretty day but the wind blows some. It is Sunday evening and we are expecting to go to the funeral of A.W. Atwood [Olander W. Atwood], one of our Company boys.27 He was a verry wild fellow but still good hearted. I loaned him some money after he came out of the hospital the first time and the rations didnt suit him and he wanted to buy something that suited his taste. And also some paper, envelopes & stamps to write to his wife and money was scarce then in the Co but I saved a little and then run out after all before payday and had’nt enough to post a letter to my own mother. But it is not the first favor that I have done for the sick. I do not have a verry good name amongst some of the well boys for not accommodating them but I do not care for that for my conscience is clear on that score. Then this Attwood exposed himself and I often told him so, but he was one of them kind that couldnt be still when there was anything going on but he must have a hand in it. He wouldnt get mad for me telling him to go into his tent. He has a brother in the sixth regiment and he has gone with four men that the Orderly detailed to pick out a place and dig the grave. And when they come back we will go or the Co will go to bury him. It is customary for the Co to go to the funeral of a comrade but there is nothing compulsary about it. So the Captain put it to vote and all with the exception of five or six voted to go. But it is most always the case that there is some don’t care for nobody in a company like this.

  The order was given to fix up our tents and clean them out this morning and it was dark. There was four, I with them, went about half a mile after cedar boughs and two stayed and cleaned out of the tent and washed the knifes & forks, tin cups & plates. And there was one out of the tent on Co police. And we put the fresh boughs in all over the floor which made it look verry nice. Then the weekly inspection of arms and knappsacks came next and we supposed that inspections was over for the day. And there was a man from the opposite tent across the street came in and I was reading the N. York Herald [New York Herald] and spoke something about the war and we got into quite a argument and I was blowing away like fury and who should open the tent but Capt and him and the Colonel stuck their heads in and looked and viewed the tent and fastened up the door and as they turned to go away I heard the Capt say to the Colonel — that tent looks well and the Colonel answered and said, it does look verry well.

  John Harvil [John Harville]28 came into our tent a little while since and is here yet. He brought us the news that we had the name of having the best and cleanest quarters of any in the Co by the Colonels decision and he inspected evry tent. He could see how we had things fixed for there was only three in the tent but if he had come here a great many times he would found such a crowd here that he couldnt a seen anything else. For we have a great many visiters. Our tent being so comfortable and always having a fire. There is fireplaces in most of the tents but they are too lazy to get wood. One think that he has brought more wood than another and so it goes. We have some in here evry day that are kind a sick to sit by the fire. We have the name of having the best fireplace in the Co. There is somebody running here evry day to get a little paper or tobacco or to toast their bread and so on and the boys put me in to turn them of saying that I could do it with such a good face and I can the hearty ones but not the sick for I do evrything I can for them. But the hearty ones damn them, I say they had as much of a money as we had at payday and if they didnt use it right that is no reason that I should give to them. So the boys tell them that I own it and then I pound them roughshod for coming here to get it given them.

  Well when we first come here there was plenty of old axes laying around so I picked up one and saved it and tried to get the boys to put a handle in it but they didnt do it. So I put one in and then they all had something to do so they couldnt help me to grind it. And I got a fellow to help me grind it. Then they was running here to get it until it got dull and then Frank Boyanton ground it again and we could not get it hardly long enough to chop our own wood. Now I have just refused it to a man that wanted it. I can refuse it easy because there is nice camp axes to sell and if we loose ours we shall have to buy one and they might as well do that as anybody. Then they will have one without th
e truble of borrowing.

  Well Jesse Shipton & Richard Pierce have just got back from digging Attwoods grave. It is out just this side of Balls Cross Roads, a noted place but of no importance as I can see but there is a great deal said about it. I and J. D. Overton [John D. Overton]29 got the promise of a pass tomorrow to go to Alexandria which is about six miles from here. It is said to be a large place. Well it is snowing now for the first time and is likely to snow and if so I shall not go there tomorrow. We did not bury Attwood today as it was late when the men got home from digging the grave.

  November 25, 1861

  And it is a cold windy day. It did not snow much and I did not get to go to Alexandria neither. There is snow on the shady side of objects yet and it is likely to be. The ground frooze pretty hard last night and it will hardly thaw out today. The reason that I didnt go to Alexandria today is that Overton was put on guard and I was put on water guard which is to carry water for the cooks. So we calculate to go some day soon.

  Well they have buryed Attwood and got home. I would of liked to a gone to the funeral but being on guard I couldnt. The following is an account of the funeral. It is the first one that this Co have had to go to. And I hope it will be the last. Well, the Co was called into ranks, that is all that wanted to go (there was some five or six that didnt go) and were marched to the hospital where the ambulance was ready to take the corpse to its final resting. And they started the regiment band before with muffled drums and playing a funeral tune, it was a malodious but verry solemn tune. Then the ambulance bearing the corpse and the driver and the big brother of the deceased. Then the boys marched after the ambulance in single file.

  Well, the Co has just got to the parade ground and there is where the Regt forms before going on Battalion drill. I guess the boys will want to go on double quick today for the wind blows cold from the west. But I have not had to be out in it much today for the cooks does not use so much. And I having the same man as I had the last time to help me and he shirked and I carried ten pails full more than he did. And I shall watch him today for he has the name of shirking. His name is Isaac Raymer [Isaac C. Raemer].30 I hadnt ought to have on guard today as I was on extra duty this time around but the Orderly being away, the second sargeant didnt mark it and I went to the Orderly and told him how it was and said he would like for me to do it as there was so many had a pass today and that he would mark it on the next round and if he does it will be a long time before I come on again. Well I must go and see if the cooks wants water.

  November 27, 1861

  And I didnt write any yesterday. The cause of it is that I was at Alexandria and six more on the same pass and it will be the last time that I going any place with so many on the same pass. And that kept me on the same run to keep pace with pass. Therefore I didnt get to write any as I would of a liked to. But I will give as good an account of what I seen as near possible. Well after getting the pass signed, it was near an hour before we all got ready to and had a hard time to get started but when we did, we went a good pace and got there about ten oclock. The distance is six miles from here. We rambled about until we got pretty well scattered but I stayed with the pass and the man that carried it got tight or verry near drunk. His name is George Atkinson.31

  But we went first to the docks and they were in a verry bad state but they were repairing. The docks are all wood and they are verry rotten. Evrything indicates the neglect and a want of industry and enterprise. In fact it is so all over the city (for such it may be called). The streets are verry dirty and in some places there is a verry bad stench raises which must be verry unhealthy. The streets are filled with people, mostly soldiers. And at almost evry street corner there is a guard stationed. And there is no strong drinks sold that is stronger than beer and some places they are not allowed to sell that even. But George Atkinson found something stronger but it was in the suburbs of the city I guess. I went down several times to the docks and saw small crafts coming in and going out. And a good many fishing smacks as they are called. Those all go by sail that I have spoken of for the larger had only two masts. But there lay the Pensacola Man of War anchored out in the river, the river here being quite large. The Pensacola mounts 24 guns. She is pretty good size, that is I thought so but there was a sailor along with us and he said it was a ship but a small one. It had three masts. It had steam also, it is a steamship.

  November 28, 1861

  And it is Thanksgiving day and we are observing it to. This morning we had orders to fix for review after getting our dress coats. We have one uniform suit now. We fixed up with one new suit. Guns clean and evrything cleaned for Govenor [Alexander] Randall was a going to view us and make a speech. We formed on the parade ground and the Co was equalized and Co F was the right number for the first time so they did not take any off. We were marched to the front of the Arlington [House] and were formed into column by division and the other Regts of the Brigade also and we went through the performance of presenting arms to the Govenor and then General [Rufus] King gave the soldiers and officers an introduction to Randall and then he proceeded to speak and make a good speech. He addressed the Wisconsin boys first, then turned to the Indiania Regt. And at last to the whole Brigade and after he was done speaking, the Colonel of the Indiania Regt proposed three cheers for the Govenor. Then Gen King, then George which meant George B. Mcllen then for three for the Union and then we were dismissed by King and marched home by our own officers. I understand that the Colonel or Lieutanant Col was invited to dine at the Arlington House on a Thanksgiving dinner which he excepted. There was a great many officers to hear the speech. It was short but to the point.

  Well it is a pleasant day, that is pleasant over head and warm but not so pleasant among some of my tentmates. The cause of it is the stealing of a map. One of the boys stole a map from another but I am out of the muss. And I will watch him myself. I will not mention any name at present. Well we looked as well as any of the Regts today when we got our uniform on and I guess we will wear them now and I will send my old clothes home if I can. Well I will quit for a while and sew on a button on my coat.

  November 29, 1861

  And it is a pretty afternoon but the forenoon was a little misty and rainy. It is quite warm now, I could go without my coat verry well now for a couple of hours, but it will soon be cool enough. We did not drill any this forenoon but I guess we will drill in firing some this afternoon. I have spent the forenoon in reading and writing a letter for Wm Smith, [William A. Smith], a great cronie of mine.32 Oh, but it is warm, we having a fire in the tent. And now the sun coming out it is too warm. I guess I will go and buy some popcorn as the pedlars is right here. It is done up in papers like tobacco.

  Well it is candlelight and I got my corn. It was verry good but still verry dear eating. Well it is raining again and guess it will rain here instead of snow which we would have in Wisconsin. We were out on drill and fired blank catridges long enough to fire away ten rounds. Then we went to drilling and had the best drill that we ever had and came home tired but we did not have any dress parade and it wasnt such a hard drill although we double quicked considerable. I have got another Frank Leslie newspaper ready to send home which I gave eight cents for.

  December 3, 1861

  And it is a long time since I wrote any in my book. And I am water carrier today again and I am glad of it. I hope it will always come so. I would rather do it than to stand guard. It is verry cold this morning. It is so much so that the mud is dried up for once and I carried water enough to do the cooks awhile so therefore I to write.

  The boys are going doublequick after forming on the parade and the orderly seargeants giving in their accounts which they have to do now evry morning. Then the major gave the command from the right of the company to the rear into Column which was performed then he gave the command to trail arms and doublequick which was done until they had a mind to stop which wasnt so soon as usual for it is so cold. And it being the coldest night we have had and I slept as comfortable as I ever slept in
my life. But there has been one left our tent which is Jesse Shipton and we have more room and live more comfortable for we have fixed up things better. We have changed our bed so that we only take up about half of the tent floor. For we lay with our feet togather, that is three on one side and three on the other side and the blankets lap over each other so that it is double thickness over our feet. We spread the blankets crossways and the three can lay under them verry well so we have three over us instead of two when we laid two and two.

  There was a bad affair happened in our Co yesterday which terminated in six of them being put in the guardhouse and there was a great many more that ought to went in for they done the same thing but didnt get catched at it. The cause of it is that we didnt drill yesterday morning and our boys with a great many others went to tearing down a house that an old man lived in. But I think that our boys wouldnt of done it, but it was begun the day before by some of the sixth Regt boys it is said. And our Captain told us that they was going to court martial them but I don’t know as they will but will scare them a little. I guess there is from this time out to be a patrol around this vicinity and if they catch any body out they will [make] them prisinors.

  The account of us not drilling yesterday morning was this. That the Capt wanted one of the Lieutenants to take a squad and the orderly to take the other squad and first one then the other didnt want to do it. And just for sport the Lieutanant Young ordered us to shoulder arms and right face and double quicked us to our quarters and told us to break ranks and do as we pleased. But the other officers didnt like it much. And after the boys got in the guardhouse, some of the field officers it is said, accused the Captain of dismissing his Co for the purpose of giving his boys a chance to get the things before the other Companies were dismissed. But that is not so, I feel quite certain.