DIY History | Transcribe | Civil War Diaries and Letters | Andrew F. Davis papers, 1862

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06_1862-04-17-Page 02

in our haversacks and put evrything els in the wagons except our Arms and gum blankets and push ahead without the wagons.  We traveled until 2 Oclock when there was a heavy Storm of rain come on which made it so dark and muddy that the ammunition wagons could not get along. consequently we had to Stop until daylight.  As soon as it was light we ware again on the march and at 8 Oclock we arrived at Savanna 8 miles below where the battle was raging.  We had to await there until 10 Oclock before we could get transportation and then we got on board a Steamboat and by 12 Oclock ware at or near the Scene of Action.  By 1 Oclock we ware landed and formed in line of Battle and the scenes that we witnessed from that time on for 2 days it would take an abler pen than mine to describe.  When we arrived at Savanna the town appeared filled with the wounded and evry boat that landed brought additions to the number.  The Battle as you no doubt know commenced at daylight Sunday morning.  The Rebels commenced the attact with about 75,000 men on Gen Grants division which was near 50,000 strong. Several Regiments of the Ohio troops and one of the Iowa Regts took a regular Stampede and made a most disgraceful and cowardly retreat but the Mimesota Pennsylvania Kentucky Illinois and Indiana troops contested evry inch of the ground during the whole day but ware compelled to gradually fall back and at night all of our forces ware completely hemed in in a Space of 3/4 of a miles  Night here put a stop to most of the fighting and things looked as though our forces would be bound to surrender. and had it not been for the river it would have been a worse Stampede than Bulls run ever was.  Late sunday evening Gen Nelson Succeeded in getting part of his forces over the river and monday morning he went into the work with the energy of a devil incarnate and held them in check until Gen Wallace arrived

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in our haversacks and put evrything els in the wagons except our Arms and gum blankets and push ahead without the wagons. We traveled until 2 Oclock when there was a heavy Storm of rain come on which made it so dark and muddy that the ammunition wagons could not get along. consequently we had to Stop until daylight. As soon as it was light we ware again on the march and at 8 Oclock we arrived at Savanna 8 miles below where the battle was raging. We had to await there until 10 Oclock before we could get transportation and then we got on board a Steamboat and by 12 Oclock ware at or near the Scene of Action. By 1 Oclock we ware landed and formed in line of Battle and the scenes that we witnessed from that time on for 2 days it would take an abler pen than mine to describe. When we arrived at Savanna the town appeared filled with the wounded and evry boat that landed brought additions to the number. The Battle as you no doubt know commenced at daylight Sunday morning. The Rebels commenced the attact with about 75,000 men on Gen Grants division which was near 50,000 strong. Several Regiments of the Ohio troops and one of the Iowa Regts took a regular Stampede and made a most disgraceful and cowardly retreat but the Mimesota Pennsylvania Kentucky Illinois and Indiana troops contested evry inch of the ground during the whole day but ware compelled to gradually fall back and at night all of our forces ware completely hemed in in a Space of 3/4 of a miles Night here put a stop to most of the fighting and things looked as though our forces would be bound to surrender. and had it not been for the river it would have been a worse Stampede than Bulls run ever was. Late sunday evening Gen Nelson Succeeded in getting part of his forces over the river and monday morning he went into the work with the energy of a devil incarnate and held them in check until Gen Wallace arrived