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George C. Burmeister diary, 1864
1864-01-03
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Sunday 3 I am Brigade officer of the day, and a very mean day it is, it is raining and sleeting quite hard. I have been writing letter nearly all day, towards evening I took a horse and rode around the line, and put out the countersign to the guard, it was one of the worst rides I ever had in my life. The cold rain beat heavily into my face so that I was nearly chilled as I got home. But this is a soldiers life. I may congratulate myself that I do not have to stand guard in this bad weather as some of our men have to do today. Some of the people at home, suppose a soldier to be the happiest man on earth, they reason thus, a soldier has very little work to do, receives good pay, clothing, and food. But they never think of the numerous dangers, fatiguing marches and severe guard duties he has to undergo. While the citizen sleeps in his comfortable bed, in safety, the sentinel must pace his lonely beat in the pitiless storm and cold, in danger of being shot down like a beast by a prowling Godforsaken rebel. Yes and while the citizen is filling his capacious stomach with the best fare the bountiful market affords the soldier must eat his scanty army ration of the simple, necessaries, of life . The officers are specially envied by some people because they receive more money than the private soldiers, let me ask, would you expose your life, or health to the enemy or the inclement weather for the few paltry dollars that an officer receives? I would not give my health for all the money in God's unlimited realms.
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Sunday 3 I am Brigade officer of the day, and a very mean day it is, it is raining and sleeting quite hard. I have been writing letter nearly all day, towards evening I took a horse and rode around the line, and put out the countersign to the guard, it was one of the worst rides I ever had in my life. The cold rain beat heavily into my face so that I was nearly chilled as I got home. But this is a soldiers life. I may congratulate myself that I do not have to stand guard in this bad weather as some of our men have to do today. Some of the people at home, suppose a soldier to be the happiest man on earth, they reason thus, a soldier has very little work to do, receives good pay, clothing, and food. But they never think of the numerous dangers, fatiguing marches and severe guard duties he has to undergo. While the citizen sleeps in his comfortable bed, in safety, the sentinel must pace his lonely beat in the pitiless storm and cold, in danger of being shot down like a beast by a prowling Godforsaken rebel. Yes and while the citizen is filling his capacious stomach with the best fare the bountiful market affords the soldier must eat his scanty army ration of the simple, necessaries, of life . The officers are specially envied by some people because they receive more money than the private soldiers, let me ask, would you expose your life, or health to the enemy or the inclement weather for the few paltry dollars that an officer receives? I would not give my health for all the money in God's unlimited realms.
Civil War Diaries and Letters
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