"It was easy to shoot them down."

Saturday, October 1, 1864, Weldon Railroad, Virginia

I should not have begun this entry tonight but now that I have, I must see it through. All I want is some sleep. I am hungry but am too tired to eat.

Yesterday morning, we were rousted from our most comfortable trenches right here where I sit. The long roll, which we have heard so many times in this war, sounded and all thoughts and efforts not relating to preparing to march into battle was forgotten. Anyone who did not finish their breakfast stuffed the remains into their haversack in the hopes that the opportunity would arise to complete the act, if they lived.

Once again, we marched through Petersburg, heading north towards Richmond. The citizens  questioned us as to what was happening and where we were going. We had to shout back that we had no idea about either question. We crossed the Appomattox and entered the turnpike to Richmond. We had not marched too far at all up the pike before we were halted and told to go back the way we came. We had thought that Grant had slipped aside our Lee and was making a bold move to capture the capital. We rested for awhile and resumed the march, this time heading south.

Soon after we reoccupied our trenches, we saw the Yankees coming our way. All of us high privates speculated that the Yankees were making another try to break this railroad. We prepared to receive their attack, confident that they would smash themselves against our works. We did not wait long.

After a short while, someone decided that the division would attack them. The Twelfth was on the extreme left of the brigade. Between us and the Yankees was an open field. Open fields are nothing to us. We have crossed too many such places in this war to be much bothered by them. Besides, that is where the Yankees were and we have to smite them.

Their skirmish line, in advance of their main line, did not put up much of a fight before retreating. Some three dozen did not retreat fast enough and are now on their way to a camp just for them. Poor fellows, some were relieved of anything useful by our own soldiers. I will say that I acquired nothing by this manner but that was only because I was not fast enough.

Their line advanced towards us. We were not going to wait on them. Under orders, we charged them. We received one volley. On we came and they surrendered the field to us by abandoning it. It was easy to shoot them down. Some of us threw rocks at them out of contempt but they were running faster than we could throw. Their artillery threw some rounds at us but they soon limbered up and left.

At the other side of the field was a second line of Yankee infantry in some pines. These Yankees had more sand in them and stood and fought with us. We charged them, too. For awhile, it reminded me of the fight at Spottsylvania when they were charging us in the woods. Some of us were barefoot but it mattered not.

I fired some thirty rounds but I cannot say for certain that I hit anyone. One of those fellows put a ball through my canteen and ruined it. When this fight was over, I got a new one. There were many to choose from. It took awhile but this second line retreated but in better order than the first.

We held the line formerly held by the Yankees in the woods. We held under their artillery and rifles, somewhat protected by a fence and an undulation in the ground. We stayed until it looked that the Yankees would not be coming again and then we left. I think that it was near to nine of the clock. We marched back to this place in the rain.Having just been released from the hospital, I fear becoming sick again and being sent back.

Our colonel is dead. Colonel Bookter had suffered several wounds prior to this fatal one. We thought he had been killed at Spottsylvania but he survived. 

We have fresh fish in camp. Caskey and Cauthen recently joined us from Columbia. Neither have been assigned to our platoon.They are but two. We need many thousands more.

This is enough. I am whipped.


I Send You These Few Lines.


The battle described above was the Battle of Jones' Farm. This was part of the siege of Petersburg. Little-known compared to Gettysburg, Nashville and many others, it was one of many such small actions during the war. Small in this case is a relative term. If someone is shooting at you, it's pretty significant.

Bookter was Colonel Edwin F. Bookter, of Richland District, South Carolina. A former member of the state legislature, he assumed command of the 12th South Carolina upon the death of the former colonel, John Miller.

Caskey and Cauthen are John Harper Caskey and James M. Langley. According to their service records, they enlisted in Columbia on the same day in September. Eventually, they made their way to the camp of the 12th.

Another battle is over. It is nearing the time when Mother Nature will postpone all military operations for awhile. With so little time left in this year's campaign season, will Grant try one more time or cease his efforts until the weather gets better in the Spring? We may find out.