"Will Jackson march on Washington..."

Thursday, August 28, 1862, near Manassas

On Monday, we came across the carcass of a deer, ate it in camp and felt thankful. On Tuesday,  we resumed marching with many of us stumbling rather than marching. Castles, Duncan and Terry, who had made those moccosins from raw deerhide were suffering from their new creations. Everyone near them were suffering as well from the smell.

My shoes had finally reached the point at which they protect nothing. Others were in the same way. My trousers were worn out in impolite places. The shoes were discarded but I dared not march sans trousers.

On Tuesday, we marched some more and suffered some more. I could tell that our force was getting smaller due to straggling. We did not know it that day but some of our cavalry and Trimble's infantry had attacked and captured the Yankee supply center at Manassas Junction. Yesterday, those of us who were still with the column marched into Heaven.

There were several storehouses and 100 cars captured largely intact. All were full of the riches called loot. Call it requisitioning, call it impressing, call it what you like, we looted. Once the area was deemed free of Yankee interference, we decended on this bounty, fairly-won, like Vandals in Rome. Everything was there and we took as much as we could carry which was a good deal.

The barefoot, which were most of us, were shod. The hungry, which were all of us, were fed beyond being full. I got two pairs of army shoes for myself. Having gone barefoot, even for a short while, I am comforted by the knowledge that, heavy as they may be, I will have new shoes hard by when these wear out. A new tarred haversack and a canteen, courtesy of Uncle Abe now hang from my shoulders.

And the food. Salt pork by the barrel and hardtack by the crate disappeared into mouths and haversacks. Numerous fires were rapidly started and the air was soon filled with the scent of cooking pork. Some of the Yankee regimental sutlers had their stocks here. We relished cigars, wine, tinned sardines, cakes, hard cider, candy, French mustard and other delicacies. As I do not indulge in the weed, I traded a bundle of six cigars I had "liberated" to Lieutenant Williamson for two tins of sardines he had acquired. We ate until we were tight as ticks. We slept very well that night. 

But that was yesterday. Early this morning we were back to the old routine of marching but all of us were cheerful about meeting the enemy with full bellies and full cartridge boxes. What couldn't come with us was put to the torch. Every few minutes, we could hear ammunition exploding and we felt satisfied at the sound.

We could hear a good deal of cannon fire and musketry from the direction of the Warrenton Turnpike. We were too far away to do any good. We stood ready in case we were needed. Corporal Flynn went around examining our cartridge boxes to see if they were full. We were able to determine that we are now in Pope's rear. What will Jackson do? We are between Pope and Washington. Will Jackson march on Washington while Lee holds Pope in place? Will Jackson and Lee destroy Pope between them? We are so very close to the old Manassas battlefield from last summer. Will we fight there or where? It seems clear that something will happen soon.