"The Yankees are up to mischief".

Monday, December 5, 1864, in works near Boisseau House

This is a dark and evil war. Our company was requisitioning some items that we needed very badly. Corporal Flynn volunteered Duncan, Holton and myself to assist Captain Stover and Lieutenant Williamson in fulfilling the request. We were to follow them to the brigade quartermaster and bring back the needed items.  Holton asked the Lieutenant to see the papers we were to submit to the quartermaster. Holton read to us the list of treasures.

There were seven pairs of trousers, twenty-one flannel shirts, twenty-three cotton shirts, six jackets, twenty pairs of shoes, seven pairs of socks, twelve blankets, twenty-three pairs of drawers, thirty-one pairs of socks, an ax and a tent fly. We could have been knocked over with a feather. We were certain that with so much to be issued to the company, each of us would surely receive something. All three of us wanted new shoes, drawers, socks and blankets. Holton wanted all dozen blankets.Duncan and myself each wanted a flannel shirt to keep us harm while on picket duty. Honton said he did not need one as the dozen blankets would do him just fine. I wished for a new set of drawers and jacket. All of us wanted new haversacks but there were none on the list.

The quartermaster, when presented with the list, shook his head and said that his cupboard was nearly bare. Our officers pleaded with him, citing the suffering of their troops. The quartermaster replied that all the troops were suffering and hat one could not get water from a rock.We walked away with only the ax and the tent fly. The ax was given to the second platoon as they had broken theirs while chopping firewood. We were crestfallen. We walked with bowed heads all the way back to camp.

When we arrived, we were greeted by many others in the company who knew that were on an errand of great reward. They started cheering us once they spotted us. Some wag called out that Duncan, Holton and myself were the Three Wise Men bearing gifts. The cheering stopped once we got close enough for them to see that were were returning with nothing. There was no cheer among the boys for the rest of the night. We will just have to get along with what little we have for some time longer.

The Yankees are up to something. For the past few days, it has been our turn to pull picket duty in front of our works. There are supposed to be three of us in each rifle pit. Two may sleep upon their arms as one keeps watch. Our purpose is to give warning if the Yankees advance upon us.

Duncan, Castles and myself were sharing a rifle pit but we took little sleep. There was too much noise to get any sleep. We heard horses and quite a number of them, more than we had heard the last time we were on the picket line. There were too many horses for just routine patrolling. We heard the creak of many wooden wheels. Some would be supply wagons and some would be artillery. During the day, we could see additional columns of smoke from additional fires. At night, we could see and count additional glows from fire pits. We asked the boys in the pits on our left and right if they were hearing what we were hearing. They all confirmed what we thought. The Yankees are up to mischief.


I Send You These Few Lines


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The requisition mentioned above is a compilation of two requisitions, each bearing a date of November 30. One was filed by Lieutenant Williamson and the other by the company commander, Captain Stover. The items listed here are the actual items originally listed and the ax and tent fly were the only things issued.

The sounds being heard in the rifle pits were not being imagined. Even though it is late in the year, the Yankees are preparing yet another attack.