Four Years With the Iron Brigade

by Lance Herdegen

  Well on the 7th of this month we had a hard snowstorm of about 24 hours. Snow about 6 inches deep. In two or three days it was all gone. And we had mud for a week, then fine, fine weather and good getting about which made it more cheerful. They have sent off several squads but don’t send me. But they always pick out the worst characters. Therefore I have had a good chance to study which I have improved and have got so that I can go right along with bookeeping in common buisness way besides learning to write a great deal better.

  Well it seems as though it is too good the way I live but still it is harder on me than when at home. Be up evry third night, but when it is stormy weather we don’t stand on the outposts. Guards only where there is shelter for them. I am on guard today and it is raining like Jahune. So the guards will be taken off, at least those that are outside.

  All the soldiers that are here have drawn woolen clothing from U.S. clothing store and the guards have to pay for their washing hereafter. I have drawn 1 pair drawers, 1 shirt, a knit one it is verry warm. About ten days since they [sent] off 23 of the guard giving them plenty of clothing &c to keep them warm and the talk evry day is that some more is going but they havn’t gone yet.

  About two weeks since they got tired of so much noise in the main building that they moved us all out and quartered us in ward A3 and here we are now. They are good quarters. We have two common sinks for washing face and hands. And two bathing rooms with a large iron bathing tub in each room with soap & towels. But I have one of the latter of my own and use it myself. So we are well situated as I could wish with good beds, chairs and stands twixt our beds.

  About a week since there was about 300 soldiers came from Philadelphia. All had been in hospitals there and not verry bad ones as they, the most of them, could walk or all of them. I was down with about a doz other guards to bring them from the depot and we waited and waited. Train after train came. At last at 7 P.M. they came and we marched them up. I, with two or three others, was rear guard and I stopped a carriage and had a verry lame man get in and just as he got in, the horse began to back and the man kept pulling him back. At last the carriage tipt over. Then I thought I had done it. But all were satisfied when he was getting in and none of them attached any blame to me, not even the cripple. And worse than all it was raining torrents and the road shoe top deep with mud. So we helped the man unhitch and he got on his horse and he was verry anxious to have the basket and in getting out the basket the mystery was solved. Lo & behold there was a jug in the basket. Then [I] knew enough. I took the cripple by the arm. And I had his knapsack on my back which I carried all the way and we plodded along, got here at last. And I make a point for the supper table.

  December 2, 1862

  And verry fine morning after a rainy day yesterday and quit a cold night but not so cold as I have usually experienced in Wisconsin on the first day of the first winter month. The ground didn’t freeze to the depth of an inch after all the great ado made by the boys. And what made it appear cold to me was being on guard and having a slight [cold], therefore it affected me some. I stood in the main entrance hall of the main building. There couldn’t a bit of wind strike me. But still there was that dead cold chill air that always haunts such places where the great heater of the world never has a chance to cast its congenial rays upon it. But however, I am relieved. Am comfortably situated by my stand. Pen in hand busying myself as usual when I have any spare time.

  I am still at the hospital. And same as ever, don’t know when I shall return to my Regiment. I am [on] duty as usual and that is about double what I would have to do at the Regt, I think. I have had no news whatever from the Regt for near a month. I wrote a letter to Lieut Young three or four days since to let him as well as the boys know how & where I was. Also giving him a polite invitation to look after my discriptive list and send it to me. Which had ought to have been done long since but has been neglected by somebody, I don’t know who. I cannot now get but two months pay as I did not get it ere the Payroll was sent off to be signed.

  On the 27th inst, or Thanksgiving Day, this Delaware Co. give us a splendid dinner of roasted turkeys, chickens, ham, ever so many different kind of pies & cakes & sauces. In fact it was what I call a Wisconsin Celebration No 1.

  There the old cook blows his whistle, a little bit of a piece of iron with a mechanical hole in it, which when he presses his breath through with all the power at his command, makes a verry shrill sound which can be heard verry easily by those with good appetites. Then there is a rush for the dining room. The old chief cook of the whole mess of cooks is there & takes command & with him and his subordinates they get us strung along each side of the table. And no man to sit down until the said chief waves a little flag which he holds in his hand and stands on a stool higher than the Co. So we all got a standing position at a parade rest.

  Then there was a man with a great big parchment in his hand got up on another stool. Also stating he had a series of resolutions to offer in behalf of the Ladies of the County. And he proceeded to read which he done verry poorly from some cause. But the resolutions were good. Exceedingly well suited to the occasion, rendering our heart felt thanks to the ever mindful fair sex. That through with, the chaplain went through with his services, according to the rules of his church, on such occasions, thanking the great Creator for permitting us to come togather to give thanks &c.

  Then the chief waved the flag and we were all quickly seated and. And what we done I need not tell you, but leave you to imagine what we done. We ate a good meal. Then they brought us one thing after another until we had to leave our plates loaded, couldn’t kept it for we ate as long as we could.

  Well, Thanksgiving over with and we come back to the old thing again. Go on guard evry third day as usual. There was about one hundred soldiers sent away two or three days since. And some fifty today or night rather as they send them away on the twelve oclock train for some reason. I suppose so as to keep them from getting drunk on the road. As it is impossible to keep them from it when sent in daytime and they get evry guard out or as many as they have guns for to guard them down and until they get on the cars. Then the Provost guard takes them in hand until they get to Washington or Alexandria where the convalescent camp is.

  I see by the statistics that there are sixteen thousand convalescent soldiers at Fairfax Seminary Camp or Convalescent Camp. And that they have been treated verry bad in the way of not furnishing them in wood, blankets &c wherewith to keep them warm. And Surgeon Gen. Hammond denies through the column of some of the papers of having anything to do with it. That it was not his business, but it was a gross neglect on the part of somebody but didn’t say who that somebody was. Some of the boys writing back tell hard stories about the place, of them suffering with cold. And when I think of how well off I am it is quite a contrast. And I feel perfectly satisfied but I have yet to be dissatisfied of this place.

  December 8, 1862

  And fine day with about 6 inches of snow on the ground which fell on the fourth inst and has stayed so. So cold has the weather been that it has not thawed any except where the sun shines on the south side of the buildings. The thermometer has been down to 20 degrees below zero which is not verry common in this country. And the papers state of there being as much snow at Fredricsburg, where the army lays now as there is here and the thermometer as low. If so, some of the boys must have suffered for there is some that will not carry as much as will keep them warm. And are verry careless and think of nothing only as they want to use it. I never knew it so last winter. And it would be much worse now as the boys have nothing but their shelter tents. And maybe some of them none. I feel sorry for them, verry sorry.

  We have changed our place of dining again. We have for 2 days but are going to eat up at the main building hereafter. They have stoped this cookhouse down here in the lower one. As the lower wards have been emptied there is no use of the kitchen going on just for the guards only. I am verry glad of the change for we have better victals and everything is cooked better and
cleanlier looking. It is only such rations as we got at camp. But its all in the cooking. Poor rations well cooked eats well when a fellow is hungry. I am perfectly satisfied with my living.

  The farmers are still husking corn here. I got a letter from Henry stating all well and that he was most done husking corn &c getting his falls work done earlier than usual. I also got a letter from Sister Mary [Mary Jane Ray] & all was well and that my Nephew Isaac Lander [son of Isaac C. Lander and Thurza Ann Ray] was dead. He died at the military hospital Keokuk, Iowa, he being in the southwest department. I was sorry to hear of it. His mother and one of his sisters went down to see him when they heard he was sick but he had been dead four days when they got there. I have got so many letters that I cannot think of them all. No, not half of them but hereafter I will try to keep pace with them, which I can probably do as I cannot write any more. For somebody stole the last and only paper I had and I have no money. Well, only one cent but I must keep that for seed.

  December 12, 1862, [Battle of Fredericksburgj81

  Fine morning but cold. About half of the snow has gone of and yesterday, in the middle of it was quite warm which melted it away verry fast. The weather is still cold where the army lays but has moderated so that they have made a move and shelled and burned the City of Fredericksburg and crossed and built bridges and crossing the whole army and it supposed that a great battle is raging today from accounts in the papers. Also stating the greatest and most heroic deed of the [war] being done by 100 men that volunteered to go across the river and take a squad of rebel sharpshooters that were stationed there to pick off our engineers and mechanics that were building one of the bridges which it was impossible for them to finish. There was more volunteered than could be used, they only wanted 100. So they started over in small boats and landed on the other side, fixed bayonets, charged on the rebels, drove them off, took 101 prisinors, come back.

  The bridge was finished and the troops began to cross and there was enough troops thrown across to hold the place till this morning when all would cross to make battle if necessary. All of this was done under a shower of missiles thrown from our guns, 173 in number. They all opened at once and kept at it. All concentrated on the city. There was twixt 8 & 9000 shells & fired yesterday completely enveloping the city in smoke up to dark last night. Evrything was going on fine. The people are awaiting in anxious suspense for tomorrow mornings paper expecting to hear of a great victory.

  December 14, 1862

  And fine day. Quite warm. Last night was warm also and most of snow is gone off from the ground pretty much. There is exciting news this morning from the army. The Sunday morning Chronicle brings news of the army being hotly engaged and that our forces drove the enemy and held the ground they had gained, was still fighting desperately.

  Now for some of the reports that was put in circulation this morning by some of the boys for a spell. And was a pretty good one. It was this. That the rebs had taken 15000 of the Penn. Reserve prisinor when in fact there is not that many of them or never was. But it caused some speculation in jokes which were cracked pretty freely of the reserve Boys of which there is a good many on guard here. It was thought for a good while that it was true. There was only a few lines in the paper about it. I suppose the news is suppressed. I was on guard yesterday. This being Sunday, I think I will to go to church tonight. Well I will have to wait patiently till tomorrow morning and see what the news will be. No more at present.

  December 26, 1862

  And evening. Well Christmas is past once more and New Years is close at hand. There has a great many things of interest transpired since I last wrote. The Battle than I spoke of when I last wrote is over, it being already placed on the pages of history by the historian as one of the Bloodiest of the war. 1,500 killed, 10,000 wounded and our army after 4 days battling, some times hotly engaged, at others not a gun fired by either side, were forced to fall back across the River on the same old line they occupied before crossing. Nothing gained, but knowing that the enemies works are impregnable. The army fell back and was all across the River ere the Rebs knew. Our forces took about 700 prisinors, and they lost about as many in same way. The wounded was all got off the field before we fell back and the dead was buried the two or three succeeding days under Flag of Truce as usual.82

  The cry of the country against [Army of the Potomac commander Ambrose] Burnside is hard and there was a committee appointed to investigate it which didn’t take long, for Burnside took all the blame on himself as his own defeat and says it can’t be otherwise for the gallantry of the troops was unquestionable. They done all that could be desired by any Generals. I will leave it to the Historian to record the valor shown there and that hottly contested field. There has been nothing unusual transpired since the Battle.

  December 29, 1862

  And a verry fine day. It is warm and pleasant. But no snow as I have been used to see in a more northern latitude. There is nothing unusual from the Army. Don’t know where [Union General Nathaniel] Banks is as yet but he will turn up some place with a crash.

  Oh, I forgot to tell you about us moving into the new quarters that have been erected for us. We have the Regular bunks to sleep in now instead of a bedstead as heretofore. There is three in a Bunk. Myself and Sherart and a clever German by the name of Wehaug occupy one bunk. We moved in on the 24th inst just after dinner and that night Sister Tyler gave us a splendid supper. And the guards, through the orderly Sergeant, presented the Surgeon in charge John L. Lecoute with a gold ring as a token of Friendship. After which he made a few appropriate remarks. He was much surprised, and seemed greatly moved almost to tears. He said he felt verry much pleased knowing the sentiment of some of the people. He was much surprised to see such a good feeling toward him.

  All the Doctors were present as well as the Ladies, the latter waiting upon the table. The affair passed off well and we had plenty of it. And after the supper was over we had a keg of Beer which some of the Boys imbibed pretty freely and we had a noisy time all night. Not much sleep for the weary. There was quite a number of light heads and evry night since we have had some drunken fellows. There is 84 men in the guards quarters which fills the bunks. There has been a Lieut detailed here for duty. The card shufflers are busy. Nothing else for today.

  Oh yes, I got a letter from Brother Amos [Amos W. Ray]. Hadn’t heard from him for 2 years. He is in the 16 Indiania Regt. laying near Memphis Tennessee, that being in the Department of the Southwest. Which I answered and answered a letter from Henry. Some days since, I received a letter from Sarah and all was well. I am on guard today. On the First Relief No. 6 post.

  January 2, 1863

  Well, New Year has come and past and nothing transpired to denote it except the wishing of each other a happy Year Years. We guards had nothing to eat but Uncle Sams grub consisting of fat pork, bread &c the same as we get on other days. Of late we don’t get as good victals as we used to. We have lost our old and good cook, he wouldn’t serve any longer. There has been from 2 to 6 and more of the guards drunk all the time since Christmas Eve. But this has played out for we took a vote on the Guard house affairs viz: That evry man that came home drunk was to be put in the Guard house and it was carried without opposition. And since that time we just shove them right in as soon as they raise the least disturbance. It causes some sport. But all submit to it. And it being a law of our own making, nobody can find much fault with it, if any. So things will go off better now and we will have to go on guard evry third day now only instead of evry other day as it has been since the day before Christmas.

  There has been a good many parties and balls around here but all small ones, none of which I have attended. There was a watchnight meeting up to Upland, the small town about a mile from Chester. I being on guard could not go to it. Oh, I said we did not have anything unusual. But we did, for there was about a dozen Boys fired as many volleys as the old year was going out and the new one coming in.

  January 6, 1863

  And a foggy mornin
g. We have verry fine weather since I last wrote. Nothing unusual has transpired. Three of the guards has volunteered to go to their Regts. Namely Wm R Ray and C Ladd & Burns. We expect to go today but may not till tomorrow. The Boys call us patriots and say they wouldn’t go until obliged to. But I am sorry to say there is too much of that feeling throughout the Army. And I will go for I think it my duty as evrybody else that considers themselves able.

  9 P.M. And waiting for the cars we are at the Provost Marshal office. We came down here starting from Chester about one oclock. Reached here 2 oclock and now expect to start for the depot any minute. There was 3 secesh prisinors came down with us who are going to Fort Del tomorrow. There has quite a number gathered in from the different Hospitals in this City of Philadelphia. The old Corn Exchange Building is used for this buisness, they having built a new one. A splendid one too.

  January 15, 1863

  And fine day but windy. It having been so long since I have written that I must go back a few days. I am now at the Company and have been for 5 or 6 days. But have been so busy fixing up my quarters that I couldn’t write.

  Well to return to the Provost Marshals in Philadelphia. 10 P.M. we started for the Depot to take the 11 oclock train, but didn’t get off till one oclock train. We had first class cars. The train starts, goes slow towards morning, overtake the train that preceded us & it had broken down. But still went slowly along and something got the matter of our horse so we went slowly.

  7th [January 1863] And we arrived in Baltimore about 1 P.M., got good dinner at the refreshment saloon, started for Washington on 3 oclock train, went pretty brisk, reached Washington before dark, partook of a rough repast at the soldiers retreat and were sent in some poor quarters or verry cold quarters, put in a miserable night, couldn’t sleep for cold.