Aug. 15th. Here in the same spot. When we came in here the supply trains were just coming
in. The report was that the whole of the cavalry train of thirty-five wagons had been captured by guerillas that came through Snicker’s Gap. Our train was in the rear, the cavalry train in the center of the train guarded by hundred days men. They run without firing a gun, in fact, there was no firing on either side. That was all true, but last night we heard the rest of the story. Our cavalry in small force came up before they had time to remove the wagons or the supplies. There was a paymaster and his wagon, and money with the train. They had got the paymaster and had just got the money out and were opening the box but got none of the money. Others were taking off the mules. The cavalry retook all except the paymaster and a few of the mules. My informant said that he saw 16 of the guerillas that were captured and that there were others, so that and that Snicker’s Gap region is an infernal one. They care but little for anything but the plunder.
Now I will go over to the skirmish line again. They kept popping away all day. Just before night our line advanced and the firing was pretty sharp. The rebs ran and would stop at every cover and hold on as long as they could, then run their best again. There was firing enough to kill and wound a thousand men. Our division pickets have been relieved and have come in. they were all from this Brigade. There was none of our regiment hit. Capt. Wales of the 2d was hit and will not, probably, live. I understand that there were but six of our men hit; as the line passed over the ground, four dead men rebs were seen by the boys. Most of them think they hit somebody..Probably the rebs think the same.
Tinkham came near getting hit twice. Once a small limb of an apple tree that was right before his face, the ball hit the limb and glanced; once in getting over a fence just as he jumped down the ball went through the top rail, right where he jumped from.
I have been over to the right of the 10th Regt. Their picket has not been relieved. Understand they are all right. The boys had plenty of honey. Brainerd gave me all I wanted to eat. Saw all that were not on picket. Wanted to see Zopher. He gives the most correct account of things that he is engaged in of anyone that I know. Brainerd is in good flesh. What is his name? No matter, Cheney, Bruce, Ben Bowen, Henry Hazelton, Austin Better, Brooks, Clark, 11 from the company are on the picket. Those that I mention I saw, and they are all well.
It is now noon again, and I must eat, get some dinner. It is very hot. This fine Valley has seen no rain wince the first of June. The earth is hot. One would suppose that we have seen the two most beautiful Valleys in Virginia, Loudoun and Shenandoah, on the route that we have taken in. Coming up this valley, mountain ridges have been in sight on both the right and the left and the country between splendid. The buildings unlike those parts of the south that I have been acquainted with are of the most substantial order, many of them of stone, both barns and houses. Nearly all of them have spring houses built of brick or stone; notwithstanding the drought there is plenty of springs of pure water and of large size. The water cold, and what we at the North term hard. The water in the Creek is hard. This stream is called Cedar Run and has been known by that name in the history of the war.
Well, well, I had forgotten my dinner but my hunger has just cried out anew. Have plenty to eat. Pork,
beef fresh, and hard bread.
4 o’clock. Nothing new or interesting has occurred since morning with us. What the rest of the world is
doing is of no consequence. I suppose if it is, we hear nothing of it. This afternoon I have taken my bayonet and have dug some crystalized quartz. They are small and rather imperfect. I dug them, thinking what nice things they would be for the children. The ground is full of them. If it is cool in the morning I will get some more. There is gold in the ground here, that is evident, if I ever get a chance to send them as a specimen of the Shenandoah Valley. Look in the papers that I send. If we stay here long, I shall be
out of stamps. I cannot get them here. Send me a dollars worth. I will send most of them back to you. Send some 2-cent stamps.
I shall, soon have pay due again. There is some back pay. I do not know as I shall get it at the next
pay day. It ought to come at the end of the year, but the end of the year with the regiment is October; with those that came from Brattleboro is at the next pay day. Do not think that I shall have to stay here with the regiment until October. There was a commission came for a man in the regiment by the name of Pane. It was dated June 29th, but he did not get it until July 10th. It saved him a march up here. Perhaps you know we do not belong to the army of the Potomac now. It is the army of the Middle
Department, takes Western Virginia and the Shenandoah Valley.
