There was 64 recruits come this evening for our Regt & a sett of good looking men too. The Quartermaster assigned them to Co for the present & I drew & dealt out rations to them, for our commisary Sergt has gone out with the ration teams to the regt. But I got along amazingly well. I have been verry busy today. I have evrything to attend to or most evrything. I consult the Quartermaster some on things I know nothing about.
February 9, 1865
And fine day. And some of the Boys come into camp today & they represent the thing in pretty fair light. Our troops have fortified & are going to hold the line. There is talk of our boys coming into camp to get their things & then return & build quarters on the new line.
February 10, 1865
And fine day & the rumor still prevalent that our Div is coming in to camp & at night they did come. We heard of them coming & went to work to build fires in each shanty. The recruits that we sent out yesterday came back with the boys & they have to be taken into the tents till theirs is covered. Tis rumored that we all have to go tomorrow to the new line.
General Edward S. Bragg
Generals in Blue
February 11, 1865
And we did’nt go from camp till about 10 A.M. & we were ordered to Meads station to take the cars for City Point & the boat for Baltimore for special duty by order of Gen Hallack [Union General Henry Halleck]. An honor confered on us for our daring bravery at Hatchers Run & other times before. But I could not see that we would go to Baltimore & when I got on the cars I thought we would go to City Point. But when we got down there, only 1200 could go so the recruits were taken out & when we got on the Boat, the recruits was sent too, on another boat. But we bunked on the Boat & lay there all night. But were ordered off in the morning & could not go to Baltimore but no orders to go anyplace.
February 12, 1865
And cold and windy. We got on the cars about 1 P.M. & come back to Crawford station within ¾ of a mile of our camp we left the day previous. Here we went into the woods & got dinner & started for to hunt a new camp away down on the left someplace. We are likely to be put into other brigades & we know not where. Loud are the curses against old drunken Bragg. We think he is to blame for us not going to Baltimore. The boys are quite downhearted. Well, we marched about 5 miles & went into camp near the old division for the night & until further orders. Tis verry cold. We, the Co., fixed up a wind brake & built huge fires & were soon comfortable. But nothing compared, says the boys, to what we would have been in Baltimore. But we must abide by our fate. But old Bragg. Oh dear, what Blessing is showered on his head by most of the Boys. He has played truant to the men that won him his star.
February 13, 1865
And weather same as yesterday. We lay in camp today & in the evening a picket detail goes out of our Regt on picket. We do nothing today but speculate on our future destiny, we mightily fear the old brigade is broken up & we have to go into some others. Bless Old Bragg.
February 14, 1865
And the weather fine & warm. We lay in camp all day. The officers goes out with the Colonel to look up & lay out a camp returning at night with the glad tidings that we will move early in the morning about 1 mile & go to building quarters again & that we, the 2 Regts, the 6th & 7th Wis are formed into a Provisional Brigade & be commanded by the Colonel of the 6th Regt, Col Kellog [Colonel John Kellogg]. So we are the Iron Brigade yet. Those troops that have gone was not with the brigade when it won the name of Iron Brigade, so we don’t calculate to let them have it yet. & we are afraid that Old Bragg will go & get our Brigade flag & parade it around with what the please to term the Iron Brigade. But if he has got the great part of it with him, it is not the Iron part.237
February 15, 1865
And weather rainy, but we come to our new camp & find it laid out verry nicely, but in a muddy cornfield with considerable corn yet remaining on stalks, plenty of wood & water near. We go into camp in the woods till we get our cabins up. We pitch tent & go to work to get out timber. We took two of the nearest & best trees we evr could find. We split them into slabs as thin as we could, cut them 8 by 12 feet long. We didnt find much truble in splitting them. We quit pretty early & got up a good lot of wood & built a huge fire in front of our tent & got supper. Eat it, chat awhile about cabin &c & go to bed. There is only three of us now. Dick, he had a sore knee & went to hospital when at City Point. We all sleep togather now & will sleep warm though tis raining & cold.
February 16, 1865
And rainy day, verry disagreeable. But George & I work most of the day & Tom cooks &c, takes care of things. Our 2 Regts are organized completely now & we go by the name of Provisional Brigade.238
February 17, 1865
And fine day & we worked moderately hard. We work just as if we could leave all we have done any minute & we calculate to go. We are in no great hurry. The boys say we are getting the best cabin in the Regt & we are getting along fine.
February 18, 1865
And fine day. We still work away. I took in a German one of the last recruits that come in with me. He appears to be a fine man. Cant talk much English but has been in America some years. Has got quite Americanized, handy with tools & with all, I think I have made a good choice.
February 19, 1865
Still at work leisurely. Got cabin up, chimney partly built. Getting nice cabin, best in Co & as good as any in Regt. Great news from the South. [Union General Robert] Foster has got Charleston & Sherman got Branchville & Columbia both in South Carolina, the latter the capital of state. Sherman & Foster is going just as they please. Lee was sending off a large body of troops to operate against Sherman which caused this Army to make the last move so as to draw them back. And it did do it.239
February 20, 1865
And fine day and same as yesterday. The rumored good news of yesterday was read officially today. There was great cheering in the other Regt when it was read. But our Regt as usual said nothing. Some as they turned to go to their work made out to say Bully in a common tone.
There was one of the old Vet come to Co. today from hospital. He has been missed in Co. much for he was our Phunny feller. His name is [Webster] Cook. He was sunstroke when we took the Weldon R.Road.
February 21, 1865
And fine day & we put the cover on our cabin & moved in but have considerable finishing to do yet. Many little things to numerous to mention. We have a better chance to build this time than ever before. The sutler brought up some nails & our Co has an auger of its own & plenty of axes & they are in pretty good order too. We have two in our mess. Our chimney draws good & evrything seems to go well.
February 22, 1865
Fine day & we put in a floor, put up shelves & Pins. Hang up different articles, finish our bunks which makes them neat & comfortable. This is Washingtons Birth Day & some of the officers are having a spree. But not ours for many of them don’t taste liquors at all & the others are moderately temperate. Just at dark we have orders to pack up & be ready to march at a minutes notice but don’t go yet.
February 23, 1865
And fine day. The new is good. The armies from all quarters is doing well. I answered Mothers letter today & have got our cabin so near done that we can live comfortable in nothing more to do except put up the door & that we will do sometime when we get other matters arranged that are more necessary. We have a rubber blanket up for a door which answers verry well.
February 24, 1865
And cloudy & sprinkles of rain once & a while. We are ready for a good roof, warm & cooky. The official telegram of the capture of Wilmington N.C. was read today to us but as usual our Regt didnt cheer but all around us they was howling. I wrote a letter to Lu today in answer to one I received near two weeks since.
All of our Co. have got into their quarters & we have cleaned up our street & we begin to feel quite at home.
February 25, 1865
Stormy day. We are ordered out in line at 9 A.M. Break rank after stacking arms and go to our quarters there to await the tap of the [dr
um] for to fall in to go out on Review Corps Review. But the storm continued & the order was countermanded & we stay in cabins most of the day. I write & study my arithmetic &c. I got a letter from Florence and answered one that I got day before from Lu. I got two papers from Mother today. The North Western Christian Advocate.
February 26, 1865
And misting rain in morning but afternoon fine. We have nothing of importance but good news of Shermans moving on & on all the time & Rebs falling back & so it goes. I wrote a letter to Henry today in answer to his which I read a little while since.
There is great rumors about the paymaster coming but he don’t come as yet. I have not faith in the rumors, for he has often been reported to be coming but don’t get here. I hope it is so to be sure & hope is all, but let Government keep the money if they will end the war.
We had dress parade this evening & orders was read for to be four hours drill evry day hereafter from 9 to 11 A.M. and from 2 to 4 P.M. & all the usual camp duties such as policing & the regular guard mounting &c.
I was going to wash some today but forgot it was Sunday. Then when I thought of it, as a matter of course, I didnt wash but spent the day reading testament, studying arithmetic, writing &c.
February 28, 1865
And rainy day all day. I was on fatigue today as Sergt of the detail. We were out in the woods getting out timber for Corderoy Road. Found bad timber & had a bad time generally. Got wet to skin & come home about 3 P.M. This is the last day of the month & the muster for pay come off today. Just dark & the paymaster has come, is at the Col’s now.
March 1, 1865
And rather rainy and I got my pay today & collected some that was owing to me. They have paid up pretty well. I sent $ 10.00 to Mother in a letter & paid off my debts & been settling up generally.
I was called on by the Lieut to help him make out the Muster Rolls. Twas my turn to go on guard but the other sergt was sent. I guess he was not able to do him much help. I sent for a pair of Stripes & Chevrons to a firm in Harrisburg, Penn.
March 3, 1865
And stormy like day & do nothing today in the way of work. I write to N.Y. today for some certificates. I am going into the Pen Buisness again to try to make something. I sent $2.00, that will get 11 certificates. I have also sent to T. B. Peterson, Philadelphia for the U.S. Army Regulations.
The news in the papers is good. But there is a rumor in camp that Sherman & 10,000 of his has been captured but I don’t believe it. There is a great many Deserters coming into the lines now. They average 125 daily in the Army of Potomac. Lieut got his furlough late last night & was off at just daylight this morning for home.
March 4, 1865
Rainy day. This is Inauguration Day. Lincoln & Johnson will be in office for 4 years. There is report that Sheridan has captured rebel general Early & his army.240
March 5, 1865
And a murk misty, cloudy day & nothing of importance. Our Rolls was a little wrong and the 1st Sergt called on me to help him right them which, as a matter of course, I did. I bought me a Patent pipe for which I gave $2.50 for it is a neat & good smoking one. I thought as I had not bought one for several years, I could afford it now.
I wrote for a copy of the Army Regulations today for which I sent $2.50. Don’t know the price but am confident of its being enough. I am studying Arithmetic & tactics, reading the papers &c, keep doing something all the time.
I forgot to tell you about the late Promotions in the Co. Webster Cook & Thomas Blunt have been promoted to corporals & Corporal Morse promoted to Sergeant. The report of Shermans being captured is false.
March 6, 1865
And fine day & I am on guard. We have no guard mounting. We have 2 Post on the color line & one in front of the colonels quarters & they are all recruits so. So I and the Corporals have to teach them the duties of a guard which we find laborious for many of them cannot speak a word of English. The news is good & all is well. The Recruiting in the State of Wis is Brisk.
March 7, 1865
And fine day & I was relieved from guard at the usual hour. We have review today. Was reviewed by Generals Mead, Warren & Crawford. Our Division only was on this ground. The other divisions of the Corps had grounds other places to the left. It passed of verry well, was verry fatiguing for we had to wait a long time for the Gens. Tis currently reported our Regt is going on Provost duty at Corps Headquarters. Some say to Army Headquarters.
March 8, 1865
And stormy day, rain most of the day making the streets & roads a perfect slough of mud & water and altogather was a verry unpleasant day & do nothing of importance.
The news from Sheridan through the Papers is good. Say he has captured 1800 men & Early with them & drove the other pell mell. I got a letter from Philip Brother. He wanted to know of me where his brother Frank was. But I couldnt tell him. I have answered his letter. I am pleased to hear from the old boys & would be much so to hear from L. C. Parsons, Ex Sergt [Loren Parsons] for he is owing me some & promised to send it to me when he got his money changed. It has now been 6 months since then & I guess that he has not it now to send.
March 11, 1865
We have inspection this morning & not in verry good order & are to have Co inspections evry morning till we can come out better. This pleases me, I like to see disipline. I sent for a copy of the Army Regulations yesterday & sent $2.50.
March 12, 1865
And fine day. We have the inspection this morning & come out in better order. There is some of the men that would have to do better if I had command. I do dislike a dirty soldier when it can be helped & there is some that will get a blessing when I come to review their conduct. God forbid that I should get so debased as to use my time up gambling when I should be doing duty.
March 13, 1865
And fine day. We have inspection again today & in good order today. The Sergt comd’g Co does verry well. But he don’t punish the delinquents & he should. He & I gets along well togather with the buisness of the company but I cant stand the other two. Bradburry [Nathan Bradbury] & [Albert] Morse & especially Bradburry for he is an Idiot and what is worse is a verry selfish man of the worst stamp.
We had 5 recruits come to our Co this evening & they are all Germans. We had to take 2 into our cabin as we had a floor. So it goes. Those that fix up comfortable have to be put on. There is one cabin with 3 noncoms in & they have the poorest one in the lot. They are Sergts Reamer [Raemer] & [Nathan] Bradbury & Corp [Cyrus] Alexander.241 The 2 latter are my worst & I guess only enemies. God forbid that anything should happen them but they are sure of their reward.
March 14, 1865
And a fine day. I am sent out with the old men to chop logs for the recruits cabins for they must go on drill. Bradburry took command of them & heretofore they did not like him for they say he don’t know anything about the drill. But he puts on more airs that a frenchman at dinner.
We get the order to be ready at 1 P.M. for review which we did & march over to Humphry Station on the R.R. About ½ distant where we find the 1 st & 2nd Divisions preparing for review. & we got into shape too & after waiting 2 hours or so, Gen Warren & Lady with a number of his staff reviewed us. After which we marched in review & all passed off well & we returned home verry tired. Found rations ready to be given out & orders to hold ourselves in readiness to march. & get supper, draw rations &c. Verry tired. The review well paid me for going, twas a gay time. William Booth has just returned from furlough & the cabin is full of boys asking questions &c. And twas late ere we got to bed. He brought my watch back well repaired. It cost me $3.50 & I now have a good timepiece.
I & Jake got our pens we sent to New York for. The dozen cost us $20.00.1 paid him $10.00 & I got the certificates I sent for & send the money for pens & watch chain. They certificates cost $2.00 & I now have sent $15.00.1 have met with good success selling those I had so far.
March 15, 1865
And fine in after part of the Day but rainy in forepart. We done nothing in forenoon & Battal
lion drill in afternoon. I sent $50.00 by Express to Henry to give to Lu. I was intending to send more but have nothing to spare now. I spend nothing but for necessary expenses.
March 16, 1865
And fine day. Squad drill in forenoon. Sergt Morse drilled the recruits. I wrote a letter to Cornelia & one to Lu and in afternoon had Corps review at the same place as the last & it went off a good deal better. Tis said that Secretary Staunton & Gens Grant & Mead was there but we not being allowed to look sideways when passing the reviewing Officers so I couldnt see them.
We are still under marching orders. Drew two day rations in evening. Many of the Boys sent their overcoats home & some their blankets. But there was no order for them to. So I thought I would keep mine yet till the order comes for I like to be comfortable & not expose myself to the inclement weather which might cause me to be sick. I got 2 letters today, one from Lu & one from Jennie, the young lady Spright & the State Journal & we in our tent get a daily, mostly the New York Herald. The news is good. Sheridan played hob with the rebs & so is Sherman. Some part of the army under him has whipped the Rebs. I think it was Gen Cox’s command.
Four Years With the Iron Brigade Page 50
