1861 Page 1
Weston Lewis Co Va Thursday July 4th
Went to Jackson 15 miles. Then to Bennetts Mills. 3 miles Pitched tents 5 Ocl On picket at night Frid July 5th Went on Scout got prisoners; out all night Sat July 6th Returned to Camp in morning; stood Camp Guard at night Sun July 7th Went 6 miles in Country got 9 prisoners out all night Monday July 8th Had good breakfast at farm House. Returned to Camp. Rec’d message
to go to Weston in the morning |  Large scan of diary page 1 |
P.2
Tuesday July 9th Set out for Weston Marched through rain got wet through; Got
Weston before dark. Our Co. was Co. L. O.K. Wed July 10th Went to Clarksburg for Provision as Wagon G’d Thursday July 11th returned, had Baulky Team. Got Sesesh team to draw load back
to W_ Friday July 12th Went for Provisions and Returned. Lost point to knife sheath Sat July 13th Went to Glenville and joined Regt. 28 miles from W. Sunday July 14th On Police Guard Wrote great many letters Recd papers &
Drawing from W |  Large scan of diary page 2 |
1861 P 3 Monday July 15th Very pleasant. Wrote most all day Capt Co C had Horse shot, one
Corporal shot in right side. Did not kill him Tuesday July 16th Was in Camp in fore noon. Went after Cattle in Country got 21 head. Got all Blackberries I wanted Wednesday July 17th On Picket G’d, across the River. Dean Corp’l Thursday July 18th Was in Camp Went to River & Returned to Shore Ship with Prov’s Friday July 19th On Camp Guard in night Coe. Got to sleep & fell down
1861 P 4 Sat July 20th Was in camp had the pipe all day very lonesome Sunday July 21st On Guard very pleasant Colonel Tyler gave a speech down on flat
Was good Mon July 22nd Was in Camp very pleasant. Got Sesesh Horses Co H-- & three men Tuesday July 23rd Was in Camp fixed tent so could sleep 8 Oclock in eve – left G
traveled 10 miles got there 2 oclock in night Slept til 4 in morning Wednesday July 24th Started for Bulltown 17 miles got there and met 18th Regt 12
Cannons also 17th Regt & 92 Regulars with 4 cannons |  Large scan of diary page 4 |
1861 P 5 Thursday July 25th Left Bulltown all the forces 3 or 4,000 for the sesesh Camp 6 miles. Rained all the way. Got there but all had fled Friday July 26th On Camp Guard. Man shot by accident with a Revolver did not kill him. 17th Regt’s picket shot a Sesesh dead dead Saturday July 27 17th regt left – also the Regulars with their 4 Guns We stayed till
Eve then followed it rained very hard got there 8 Oclock got supper & dried Clothes
I went to bed (good sleep)
1861 P 6 Sunday July 28 Left Camp & traveled in mud. Arrived at Suttonville & pitched tents One of Co. A’s men died palpitations of the heart Mond July 29th Was in Camp got four letters some from C--- Dennison,
Done nothing Tuesday July 30th Went two miles from Camp commenced an entrenchment
Very tired at night Commenced letter did not finish Wednesday July 31st Went & finished Entrenchment. Colonel Tyler came up there
Came back to Camp & finished letter & wrote annother to Albert H
1861 P 7 Thursday Aug 1st Was in Camp till 10:00 Went to the river & in the Eve- went out to
Entrenchment stood picket guard from 12 till morning Went to [see Fri below] Friday Aug 2nd Camp & stayed till 10 then marched 7 miles & Camped for night Saturday Aug 3rd Left for Rebel Camp 9 miles to Devils Valy arrived 5 oclock
no Rebels Sunday Aug 4th Went up on top of Noah’s Ark’s Mountain 6 or 700 feet high
Got Huckle berries on top of Rocks Came down Eat dinner recd 3 letters [see below]
P 8
from Chas Hart. Sarria---[unable to make out] & White Answered, - Ev
Attended divine service in the Evening Very interesting acct of Mr Brown’s journey to Charlestown with a message to Gen’l Cox Monday Aug 5th In Camp to day got the blues wrote some in the afternoon J.H D
with me 23rd Regt ts Co’s came in in the Evening Tuesday Aug 6th Marched to day 12 miles from devils Valley over Big Birch Mountain
9 miles. Was water carrier for Co. camped 8 Oclock Rec’d letter Frank &
Delia Botsford Came from 23rd Regt.
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Wednesday Aug 7th Was in camp till 3 P.M. Then marched 5 miles to Somerville
Carried water for Co. Thursday Aug 8th Went 3 miles & traded coffee for potatoes & corn bread got pail
Of black berries had battal [struck through] Regt. Parade J.H.D. A. Woolf & self Friday Aug 9th Went on Guard was very wet. Boys had Battalion D [probably drill] Saturday Aug 10th Was in Camp. Wrote 3 letters to Dl & Frank & Capt. Chas. Was very wet in Tent. Came off from Guard 4 A.M. Dismissed at Eight. Bot Acct Book of
Luttler had order 1.00
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Sunday August 11th/61
11th Was in Camp Wrote to Mary. Rained very hard in Evening. Had good sing with
Adam Eve- Monday 12th Was in Camp Moved tents up on hill commenced song about Colonel
3 cheers for the 7th. Report that mail carrier was killed. Capt. Sprague taken prisoner.
Co G went [struck out]. Cavelry & Snakes went to relieve him Was taken on
Big Birch Mountain. Rec’d new canteens. J H Douthitt marked name on it. Was very
Wet in the night
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Tuesday August 13th 1861
Was in Camp rained most all day Was very cold in night. Also Wedy Aug 14th Was in camp. Clean up [up struck out] out the tent in afternoon
Filled box for Provision. Cleaned Revolver. Boys had Dress Parade. I did not go for
want of shoes Thursday Aug 15th Had orders to March I packed dishes Started 11 a.m. Marched
9 miles & camped I had no shoes hurt my feet very bad Carried knapsack
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Friday Augst 16th 1861
Was in Camp Wrote to to [sic] J.S. Card in forenoon Wrote to Albert Carr in afternoon
While the Boys was on Battalion Drille. Boys has Dress Parade Did not go had no Shoes Saturday Aug 17th Was in Camp Took place as cook did not go out on Drille Had
Marching Orders Was countermanded Missed Roll call Went on Zouave Drille with
Johny Galvin in the Eve-
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Sunday August 18th/61
Was in Camp cooked for Boys.Had a Stroll with Jnc.H Douthitt after Sassafras roots
Had sing with no. 5 in Evening th------[unintelligible] Monday 19th Was in Camp. Wrote to C.M.S. John. H.D. bot some Apples had good
Eat. Orvis traded Coffee for Beans Got Sesesh Capt of Home Guard. Broke his Gun
Across the fence Had supper very late on acct of rain Had good sing in Eve-
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Tuesday Augst. 20th/61
Was in Camp. Washed Clothes in forenoon Had 3 chickens for Supper Had Drille with
Jnc.Galvin Cap Shatlee [Sp ?] & four men killed. Nine taken Prisoners Had force
March Started about 11 [?] PM & Marched for Gauley Bridge 27 miles 21st Marched 19 miles & Camped about 12 AM Had no Shoes blistered my feet.
Went to sleep after Dinner Slept till 7
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Thursday Augst. 22nd/61
Was in Camp & cooked. Corporal of Co. K got away from the Sesesh.
Rec’d Shoes from U. Sam. Was very wet all day Friday 23rd Was in Camp. Rec’d our Dress Suit from Clarksburg
Sesesh Spy in front of the Band Wrote letters to S.M. C & M. E.L.H.
In a hurry Saturday 24th Left Camp at 11 A.M. to go to Cross Lanes Got as far as
Peters Creek and returned three miles. Making 17 miles
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Sunday 25th Left Camp at 8 A.M. for Cross Lanes and stopped at Peters
Creek till 3 P.M. then went on till within 1/4 mile of old Camp. Laid in road
the Company being on guard. Monday 26th About sunrise while getting our breakfast heard firing down by old
Camp. Fell into line and in marching down towards the noise were ordered to move on
the hill on our left Here we halted and [cont’d below]
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formed line for retreat Retreated over the mountains as fast as we could. Suffered for
water in the fore part of the day. Traveled till near midnight when we halted on the top of
a mountain near a house. Roasted corn and went to sleep. Tuesday 27 Started again at 4 A.M. Halted at 9 A.M. roasted more corn. Then came on and forded the Elk. [cont’d below]
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Stopped about dark and had more corn and some meat Wednesday 28 Continued our retreat Got breakfast after fording the Elk twice
Came on till within 16 miles of Chaston. [Charleston] Thursday 29 Met Provision wagons Started at 2 A.M. Arrived at Charleston at 11 A.M. after having marched 120 miles Rested in Camp I wrote letters to Albert Carr and Sister Mary in the afternoon. Took supper with Co. G. 1st Ky Reg-
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Friday Augst 30
30th Helped to cook. 1st. Ky.Co.G.- went on scout. We took their tents to sleep in while
they were gone Sat. 31st. E. Mills & myself cooked for Company Sund Sept 1st. Cooked for the Company Mond Sept. 2nd. Washed Clothes. & rested in Camp Rec’d 8 letters in afternoon from Gauly Bridge Selby brought news from Colonel G [G crossed through] Tyler
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Tuesday September
3rd Rested in Camp 1st. Ky. Returned Accident. Man Shot in 26th. Regt. Weds 4th. Recd Knapsacks I lost Oil cloth & Blanket. Pitched tents & bunked Thurs 5th. Was in Camp and Cooked for mess. Friday 6th. Was in Camp not very well, Wrote a letter John G Foley Sat 7 In Camp. Not very well wrote letters to Wal Ev & Elisa. Man buried. Died at
the Hospital | 
