"Now we starve like peasants."

Wednesday, July 8, 1863, in the trenches near Hagerstown

We left Gettysburg very late Sunday night. As secrecy was important, we skulked more than we did retreat. As at Chancellorsville, we needed to give the Yankees the impression that we were still there. We were told to be quiet by anyone with a stripe or bar. I suppose we left successfully as we were not attacked or even followed for awhile.

We marched away from Gettysburg along the Fairfield Road. There was some talk in the ranks that perhaps we were making a flanking move and would catch the Yankees where they least expected it. The further we went along the road, the more we realized that this was nothing less than a retreat. We came, we fought, we lost. There will be tomorrows to come.

We arrived in Fairfield early Monday morning. We rested there until that same evening when we resumed the march in the direction of Hagerstown. On Tuesday, we were somewhere near Waynesboro where we stopped and rested again. We now understood that the Army of the Potomac was coming after us. We would have to get to the Potomac River crossings before the Yankees did or be cut off from home. 

When we arrived here today, we spent only a few moments resting before we began throwing up earthworks in anticipation of a battle. We hear that Meade has sent his cavalry to nip at our heels and get in between us and the crossings to stall us until Meade's infantry can catch us on this side of the river. If he comes at us with us behind these earthworks, we will remind him of what Fredericksburg was all about. We are depending on Stuart to keep their cavalry away until we can finish these earthworks. We hope to keep Meade at bay until we can cross.

It has rained upon us every day since we left that town in Pennsylvania. Had it not been for the rain, we might have crossed already. As it is, the river is swollen and may prevent our crossing until it has receded. That would, quite badly for us, give Meade time to catch us.

As we passed through the enemy's country, we saw many happy faces, but none were happy at seeing us except while heading south. There were jeers and taunts and there were more than a few of us angry enough to rush at them and thrash them well. We did not; we stayed in the ranks and behaved ourselves. There was no foraging, no impressment and no certificates of payment. We were interested too much in moving along.

Today, I have eaten the last of my crackers. All I have left in my haversack are a handful of beans and some salt. I have no meat. We are all like this. Where our commissaries are, I do not know. It was not so long ago that we ate like kings. Now we starve like peasants. If one of those mules pulling wagons should happen to pass on, we will rush it and claim it as our own before some one else does. At least there is plenty of sweet water here.

There is artillery throwing up their own works near us. We feel better knowing that they are hard by. If we had any rations, we would share with them just because they are here. We can hear musketry in the far distance. As long as it remains far, we are not too concerned. If the firing comes from cavalry, we will be more than concerned as they can travel fast enough to be here before we are ready to receive them.

Holton is growing tired and is telling me that it is time to put down the pen and pick up the shovel.


I Send You These Few Lines:


The race is on. The finish line is the river crossing. If Lee wins, his army will be saved and the war will continue. If Meade wins, Lee's army will be in the bag and the war could be over. Meade is being pressured by Washington to pursue and corral Lee. Meade knows full well what Washington does not, that his army has taken a beating and any pursuit will be at the risk of his army's existence a Lee might pull another audacious rabbit out of his hat. All depends on Lee holding off Meade long enough for the Potomac to recede to a point where it can be crossed safely.

There are some changes in the commander's photos flanking this blog. On the Union side, Reynolds was killed and then replaced by Abner Doubleday who was relived and replaced by John Newton. Stoneman has been replaced as army cavalry commander by Alfred Plesanton. Sickles was wounded and replaced by David Birney. On the grey side, Pender was wounded and replaced by Trimble who was also wounded and replaced by James Lane. 

The Confederate army is starving, tired and is penned up with its back to a swollen river. Lee will need a good deal of luck to get out of this predicament.