Page:Southern Historical Society Papers volume 28.djvu/73

 // n'per's Fen- /// Mmnixsas. 67

collect and bring off captured guns and harness. This was my first view of a battle-field; men dead and wounded, scattered all around, horses dead and mangled, and others alive and wounded, arms and accoutrements strewed everywhere, and guns and caissons, some in good condition, others knocked to pieces met our view on all sides; such scenes were new then, but they have become quite familiar since. We brought off several guns, with much harness and many blankets and overcoats, to the Lewis House, where we were camped for the night, I taking it on a caisson cover. I was awaked about daylight the next morning by the rain, but crept between the two folds of the caisson cover and slept a while longer. On awaking I saw passing several pieces of artillery, and among them a thirty-pounder Parrott piece, all of which had been captured on the retreat.

HEADQUARTERS RODES'S DIVISION, CAMP NEAR ORANGE C. H. [VA.],

March loth, 1864.

Notwithstanding my determination to continue this record regu- larly, I have neglected it for some time, but will continue now, writ- ing off and on as I find leisure, for, having been lately transferred from the Reserve Ordnance Train to Major-General Rodes's Divis- ion, I expect to be more occupied than I have heretofore been.

We spent Monday following the first battle of Manassas near the Lewis House, it raining incessantly the whole day, and none of us being able to procure any rations but hard crackers, and those only what had been captured. Fortunately one of my messmates, Jo< Packard, had a jug of honey, and we lived off of honey and hard tack that day. That night, after imagining that I had found a com- fortable place in a barn-loft to spend the night, I was summoned to go "on guard" for the first time in my military experience in the battery, and as Captain Pendleton wouldn't hear to letting us off guard duty that night, I had to turn out notwithstanding the rain.

We had two posts, and Bev. Jones" was my companion in the re- lief. How it did rain! but we took it the best way we could, and, after the first relief was over, endeavored to find something to eat, but were not very successful. I frequently recall this first night "on guard," barring my Harper's Ferry experience, and must confess that it was almost as disagreeble as any other night I ever spent in that occupation. The next day we had some rations issued to us,