July, 1863

     
Jul 1. Left our camp & marched towards 
Gettysburg & met with the enemy before
we got there & we were ordered in the 
fight & we fought for some time driving
the enemy beyond the town from all fronts. 
One man killed 1st Lt., 1 man wounded 
in our Co. (F).

Jul 2. Detailed to go to the wagons to 
cook up rations for our Co. (F). No
fighting this morning. P.M. heavy 
cannonading going on but not much musketry.
Drove the enemy 2 miles from their positions. 
Our division not engaged today. Dont 
feel very well.

Jul 3. Drawn up in line of battle ready 
to charge the enemies breastworks. The
boys are busy throwing up dirt with 
their hands for a shelter. P.M. heaviest
cannonading going on I ever heard in my 
life. Our line advanced on the enemy
but soon repulsed.

Jul 4. Still lying on our arms. Nothing 
going on but picket firing today. P.M.
Orders to fall back from our position. 
Artillery busy moving off. Our division
commenced to retreat about 8 OC & marched 
till sunrise the next morn

Jul 5. ing having come by a little town 
Fairfields. Marched today through mud
about a foot deep & stopped about 9 OC P.M. 
at Frogtown, Franklin County Pa. marched 
all night going out on picket & never 
slept a wink. Robbed a hen roost about 
day & took two bee hives.

Jul 6. Went out from Waynesborough with 
Sergt. George Co. D to ___ some bread &
milk. Also went out & got some rasberries. 
Marched from Waynesborough 3 OC P.M. & 
reached Maryland about 6 P.M. & camped 
within 2 miles of Hagerstown Maryland.

Jul 7. Marched at daylight about 1 mile 
south of Hagerstown & stopped to get
rations. My Reg (the 47th Va.) detailed 
as provost guard in town.A great many
men under the influence of liquor. Bought 
a pair of shoes for myself for ten
dollars.

Jul 8. Still on provost guard. Went around 
to some of the union houses & got something 
to eat for the Federal prisoners. Nothing 
going on but arriving stragglers on the 
streets. Quite a tiresome job. Detailed 
for patrol guard to night.

Jul 9. Went to Washington house this morning 
and got my breakfast. 5OC P.M. orders to get 
ready to go to our brigade. We were relieved 
by the 35 Ga. regiment. Report that New 
Orleans has been captured by our forces.

Jul 10. In camp & nothing to do. Some troops 
moving off now. Orders to march. Some 
cannonading going on not far from us. Marched 
to Funkstown Md. but did not cross the 
Antietam river but some drawn up in line on 
its banks.

Jul 11. At Funkstown guarding the bridges 
that are over the Antietam. Skirmishing 
going on in front. P.M. left Funkstown 
bridges & marched across the Sharpsburg 
Pike & formed a line of battle with the 
other portion of our brigade.

Jul 12. Went out on line of skirmishers 
this morning at day light. Advanced
with a few others out side our skirmishers 
to get water. Went within 100 yards
of the yankees. No firing on our line at 
all. 6 OC P.M. relieved from picket.

Jul 13. Rained this morning. The enemy 
seem to be hard at work fortifying. We
are still lying in our entrenchment 
waiting for their advance. Bad news from
Vicksburg if true. Reported capture of 
Vicksburg by the Federals.

Jul 14. On a retreat this morning having 
commenced it last night about dark,
the roads being ___ ___. Crossed the 
Potomac & reached old Va. shore about 11
OC A.M. Very glad to get back safe. Lost 
5 men from our co. (F) on the retreat.

Jul 15. Marched at 5 OC A.M. & passed 
through Martinsburg & kept on till we
reached Bunkerville where we went in camp, 
making about 15 miles to day. Went to the 
creek & washed off. Feel quite well after 
a long march.

Jul 16. Staid in camp to day to rest, clean 
our guns & wash our clothes. Wrote a letter 
to my mother. Washed & put on some clean 
clothes & feel much better. 
P.M. Hear some cannonading in the direction 
of Charlestown.

Jul 17. Still in camp. No orders to move 
yet. Wrote two letters this morning.
Recd a letter from home which tells me 
that all are well. Rain is falling very
fast at this time. P.M. Wrote another 
letter to my mother. Feel very well.

Jul 18. In camp and nothing to do but 
cook & eat; but very little we have to
cook: Pleasant weather after raining 
yesterday. Baked some green apples but
they were awful sour. Bought some butter 
milk to eat this P.M. 

Jul 19. This is a beautiful sabbath morn. 
Oh I wish I was home to go to church & 
see all my friends & acquintances. Walked 
over to the division commissary train & 
got dinner with my friends. Came back & 
found a new Gen. attached to our brigade.

Jul 20. In camp & nothing to do and nothing 
to eat. Wrote several letters. P.M.
had regimental inspection this afternoon 
attended by our new Brigadier Gen. Walker. 
Some rations came at last but very few indeed.

Jul 21. Orders to march this morning. Packed 
up & ready for action. Marched at 12 OC 
about 2 miles south of Winchester & stopped 
for the night. Cooked up rations all night 
& were ordered to leave at 4 Oclock A.M.

Jul 22. Marched this morning at sunrise on 
the Front Royal pike & in that direction. 
Arrived at Front Royal about 2 OC P.M. 
I went down in town & got my supper. 
We crossed the Shennandoah on pontoon 
bridges about 1 OC P.M. 

Jul 23. Orders to move at sunrise. Came on 
in town & got some bread. Marched from 
Front Royal to within one mile of Flint 
Hill & stopped to get rations. Had no 
wood to cook with & we went to get some 
rails off the fence & we had to
carry them back by orders of Gen.

Jul 24. Marched from Flint Hill by Gaines 
crossing & met with the yankee cavalry 
not far off & had a small skirmish with 
them but drove them off. Kept on & 
crossed two rivers one was the Hazel. 
Camped not far from river.

Jul 25. Marched to Culpepper C.H. & camped 
in our old camps. Got a pass & went in town. 
Had my likeness taken. Bought some little 
articles & returned to camp but found my 
reg the (47) gone on picket. I didnt go but 
cooked up their rations.

Jul 26. Went down on picket this morning & 
carried the boys rations to them & returned 
to camp. Wrote a letter to my mother. Our 
reg. the (47 Va.) relieved from picket in 
the afternoon. Had inspection of arms after 
got to camp.

Jul 27. Went down in town this morning & 
bought some soda & a few other articles 
& returned to camp. P.M. had a very heavy 
rain this afternoon. Started to spring 
& got soaking wet & did not get a drop of 
water.

Jul 28. Went up to the com. dept. this 
morning & got my hair trimmed by one of
my friends & returned & found guard 
stationed at around our brigade. Something
that we are unaccustomed to have a brigade 
guard.

Jul 29. Wrote home by a boy going down. 
Had 4 roll calls to-day, one drill & 2
inspections and nothing to eat. Hard 
times and more coming. Had a thunder 
storm this afternoon. One man came to 
our co. (F) from hospital.

Jul 30. Up by times to roll call. Drew 
a pr. shoes from the Qr. Mrs. dept. Had
co. drill this morning. P.M. drill 
suspended on acct of preaching service by
the Corps chaplain. Another thunderstorm 
this evening. Dress parade this P.M.

Jul 31. Got a pass & went in town & got 
various articles & returned to camp.
Had co. drill in afternoon in place of 
battalion drill. Received orders late to
cook up one days rations immediately 2 
days rations of corn meal issued.