DIY History | Transcribe | Civil War Diaries and Letters | George C. Burmeister diary, 1864

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1864-05-04

Lay in an open field an hour when we marched to a hedge fence, near which the enemy had engaged our cav.  We prepared for action, our cavalry held its ground nobly.  Toward sunset the enemy commenced to use his artillery on us, the solid balls and shells struck quite near us.  The rebels yelled lustily, but advanced very cautiously.  They did not come near enough for us to fire on them, and after dark we returned towards Gov. Moore’s plantation.  The governor is a fugitive from his home, perhaps an officer in the rebel army.  His wife is a born Yankee, but as great a rebel as lives in the confederacy.  What a magnificent mansion and garden he owns but dissatisfied with themselves they entered into league with the (illegible)

Wednesday 4.  We were moved to the other side of the bayou quite early this morning.  The rebels came upon us with a strong force our artillery opened on them which compelled them to fall back.  Our skirmishers were already engaged.  We retreated after an hour’s work.  The rebels followed us and came this side of the bayou, where several of our regts and two batteries engaged him, and drove him back, at one time the engagement threatened to become general.  In the afternoon we moved again to the front, our battery made the rebels turn in a hurry, when it sent several shells into them as they advanced.  Again we went to camp and again went to the bayou which we picketed tonight.

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Lay in an open field an hour when we marched to a hedge fence, near which the enemy had engaged our cav. We prepared for action, our cavalry held its ground nobly. Toward sunset the enemy commenced to use his artillery on us, the solid balls and shells struck quite near us. The rebels yelled lustily, but advanced very cautiously. They did not come near enough for us to fire on them, and after dark we returned towards Gov. Moore’s plantation. The governor is a fugitive from his home, perhaps an officer in the rebel army. His wife is a born Yankee, but as great a rebel as lives in the confederacy. What a magnificent mansion and garden he owns but dissatisfied with themselves they entered into league with the (illegible) Wednesday 4. We were moved to the other side of the bayou quite early this morning. The rebels came upon us with a strong force our artillery opened on them which compelled them to fall back. Our skirmishers were already engaged. We retreated after an hour’s work. The rebels followed us and came this side of the bayou, where several of our regts and two batteries engaged him, and drove him back, at one time the engagement threatened to become general. In the afternoon we moved again to the front, our battery made the rebels turn in a hurry, when it sent several shells into them as they advanced. Again we went to camp and again went to the bayou which we picketed tonight.