"There are newspapers here...

Tuesday, July 22, 1862, Richmond


We arrived at the South Carolina Depot somewhat late thanks to our mishap with the wagon wheel. While Essex watered the mules, Chambers took the four of us and handed us over to an officer who quickly passed us on to a corporal who inspected our orders and gave us back to Chambers. We are to act as guards for the Depot to ensure that no supplies go to unworthy hands. We are not to assist in loading or unloading any wagons or in any other form of manual labor. Our sole interest is to be wary and on guard at all times. Two of us stand guard under arms for three hours and then are relieved by the other two for three hours. We return for a second round of guard duty and hen the other two do the same. At the end of a total of twelve hours, the Depot is closed and two of us may do as we please while the other two stay inside the locked Depot.


We arrived almost at closing time so all four of us stood guard to get all of us broken in before tomorrow. We have a space towards the rear of the building where we have placed our blankets and haversacks. I am sitting on a bag of meal and think that one or two more of these will make for a fine mattress. The Depot is located on the south side of Main Street between Fourteenth and Fifteenth Streets.


There are newspapers here and much to read. The Daily Dispatch of the nineteenth carries a report that says that the Yankees on Hilton Head Island are raising a regiment of negroes from that area. There is also a piece about the Yankees being in Janesville in Lee County.


Today's edition of the same newspaper has a story quoting a Northern source concerning the size of their army. It is stated that there are more than 600,000 Yankees out to subjigate us with another 300,000 on the way. It concerns us little. The more Yankees there are against us, the easier it will be to hit them when we shoot. I will save these newspapers and any others that may come our way. The rest of the boys back in camp will want to read these.


We arrived too late to be fed but Essex did find a few biscuits for us. We combined them with what we brought in our haversacks and called it first rate. If we are lucky, all of us will get a chance to sample whatever edible fares may be nearby. Just what else is there that we may indulge in?