DIY History | Transcribe | Civil War Diaries and Letters | George C. Burmeister diary, 1863

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1863-10-19 -- 1863-10-20

Monday 19  A heavy dew fell last night, and a number of my men got cold, and are complaining so that they must be placed in an ambulance.  Cannonading in our rear was going on this morning.  The enemy harrassed our rear all day.  We had a very severe march, one of the hardest we ever had.  Many men remained in the rear.  At 5 P.M. we reached Black River Bridge, where a number of our friends greeted us, and we felt that the expedition was ended and we would get rest.  It is reported that the enemy picked up a number of our stragglers, one of my men, Jacob Rank is missing, perhaps he has been gobbled.  Camped near the Bridge.  

Tuesday 20.  We are ready this morning to leave, but have not received any orders to that effect.  If we leave our camp we do not know whither we go.  The soldier’s life is one of uncertainty, he is no more than a machine which moves, as the engineer directs.  While here we heard the shrill, but pleasant whistle of the locomotive which sound appeared to tell me that we are still in the bounds of civilization.  We left here at one P.M. and marched to Sheron’s Plantation, a distance of 7 miles from the Bridge on the Bridgeport road.  This camp may be our winter quarters.  Jacob Rank returned safe to us today.

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Monday 19 A heavy dew fell last night, and a number of my men got cold, and are complaining so that they must be placed in an ambulance. Cannonading in our rear was going on this morning. The enemy harrassed our rear all day. We had a very severe march, one of the hardest we ever had. Many men remained in the rear. At 5 P.M. we reached Black River Bridge, where a number of our friends greeted us, and we felt that the expedition was ended and we would get rest. It is reported that the enemy picked up a number of our stragglers, one of my men, Jacob Rank is missing, perhaps he has been gobbled. Camped near the Bridge. Tuesday 20. We are ready this morning to leave, but have not received any orders to that effect. If we leave our camp we do not know whither we go. The soldier’s life is one of uncertainty, he is no more than a machine which moves, as the engineer directs. While here we heard the shrill, but pleasant whistle of the locomotive which sound appeared to tell me that we are still in the bounds of civilization. We left here at one P.M. and marched to Sheron’s Plantation, a distance of 7 miles from the Bridge on the Bridgeport road. This camp may be our winter quarters. Jacob Rank returned safe to us today.