Bryce
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Camp Near Winchester, Va. Wednesday July 15 /63
Quietly resting and awaiting orders which we think must soon come. Nothing of ___
special has has occurred in camp to-day. Richard Avery, late of my co., but now a
courier for Gen. Pickett, came to see us and from him I heard many of the particulars of
the recent great battles at Gettysburg, Pennsylvania. He told me the loss in our
Division was about three thousand five hundred and there was only twelve hundred left.
This does not include our Brigade which was left at Hanover Junction or Jenkins' Brigade
left near Petersburg when the Division moved north into Maryland and on to Pennsylvania;
that it was thought the loss in Pickett's DIvision was about equal to the loss in all the
other divisions of our army put together. He said some of the regiments numbered but
fifty or sixty men. One, the 8th, but sixteen. Every officer belonging to the right
wing of this Regt. is missing. Companies are commanded by corporals, regiments by
lieutenants, and a brigade by a major. The enemy had eighty-four pieces of artillery on
the mountain and the fire
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of them all was directed against the division when it charged the Yankees line. Their
troops were formed in ten lines, one line above the other (as the men captured state) and
they poured a heavy(?) fire into our line as it moved on steadily on without a waver, and
line dressed as if on parade till they reached and carried the enemy line, but our line
by this time was so weak and having no support they could not hold it. In attempting to
fall back the most of those left were killed, wounded, or captured, but we held the field
and if the Yankee army had advanced we would have made them pay dearly for it. The
spirit of our men was not broken one bit and the Yankees had enough of it and not the
courage to follow us. -- -- Gen. Lee brought off his army shattered as it was by the
great numbers opposing us. all honor to Gen. Lee and his noble army so devoted to him
and the cause.
Camp Near Winchester, Thursday July 16 /63
All quiet in our camp to-day and I have no news from any source save that our army had
crossed the Potomac into Virginia, the enemy having troubled us but little I hear in
falling back from Gettysburg and at the crossing of the Potomac to Virginia.
Camp Near Winchester, Friday July 17 /63
Weather cloudy. Saw Mc? and I walked over to town. Saw a large number of Yankees sick
and wounded who were left in their hospital here when Milroy was defeated and abandoned
his army. Continued our stroll out to the fortifications. Found the enemy had greatly
strengthened the old forts and lines of entrenchments and had also erected many new ones.
The main fort which contained a large magazine in which was stored a great quantity of
ammunition and which they blew up when they evacuated the place.
pointed out to us the different forts held by Milroy and were charged and captured by our
men under Gen. Ewell and the points of interest.
Our army is now camped near Bunker Hill eleven miles beyond Winchester and it is thought
a battle will occur should the enemy advance.
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Near Lindon Station, Va. Tuesday July 21 /63
This indeed has been an eventful day to me - probably more so than any other day of my
life. Much excitement, adventure, danger and fighting, A brisk march fording two swollen
streams, toiling up the mountain, a lively race down pursued by cavalry - hiding in the
bushes, captured, questioned, a prisoner under guard and wondering what will be next.
But I will resume my little diary of events. All were aroused before light this morning
in our bivouac at Cedarville. THen a hurried breakfast and about light the brigade moved
off briskly taking the road to Front Royal. Soon we heard from some of our cavalry the
enemy had possession of Snicker's, Ashby's and Manassas Gap and we were being hurried
over to get possession of the latter gaps. Pushing on we reached the north and south
branches of the Shenandoah river, both of which were very high and the currents strong
and rapid, particularly in the latter. Several (myself among the number) came near
drowning. Gen. Corse and his staff and the field officers of the brigade having mounted,
rode about in the stream, rescuing the men who were being carried down by the strong
current. My blanket, haversack of rations and ammunition got soaking wet when I was
carried down. Some lost valuable articles that were dropped in the river as they
struggled in the swift current or in trying to retain their foothold in the rocky bed of
the river. After crossing we met a portion of a brigade of cavalry who had been driven
from Ashby's Gap on yesterday by the superior numbers of the enemy. From them we heard
our cavalry still occupied Manassas and Chester Gap though the enemy were hourly expected
to arrive there. Pushing on we passed through the town of Front Royal
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and after gettng a short distance beyond the town my regment was ordered to take the road leading up into Manassas Gap while the rest of the brigade moved on to occupy Chester Gap. After marching about a mile and a half Cos. B and C were detached and sent over on another road to Wallpen to establish a picket line. We then moved on a short distance when we were halted and Cos. C, G and my Co. A were detached for picket under the command of Capt. James Stuart of Co. E. The remaining companies were held at this point for a reserve. The three Cos. under Capt. Stuart then continued on up the Gap. AFter marching two miles over the rough, winding mountain road and when near the top where we were to establish our picket we discovered away off to our right on the mountain side a body of cavalry about three quarters of a mile from us. Some said they were Yanks, others they were our own men. Capt. S thought they were Confederates but ordered us to "halt, close up and load" but before we could do so we saw plainly they were the enemy and that they had discovered us and were moving down on us and making signals to others in their rear to come on. I omitted to say
our road up the Gap skirted along the mountain on the left woods and on the right open country extending across towards Chester Gap. It was through this open country the enemy's cavalry was moving down on us. So Capt. S gave the order to fall back into the woods and move rapidly back to the reserve - and this we did. Some - I with them - thought we could make better time in the road along the woods, kept part of the time in the woods and then in the road. We were all now quite exhausted after toiling up the mountain and the long race down. Some went further back in the woods thinking the cavalry would not follow them. I did the best I could to reach the reserve, sometimes in the woods and then would try the road. I soon became completely exhausted and hearing the clatter of the horsemen just behind me realized my only hope of escape was hiding in the thick scrubby bushes. And taking advantage of a sudden sharp bend in the road I sprang into the woods and crept into
a thick cluster of young pin oaks. I had secretly laid down under their
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decipher first line
I saw a line of dismounted cavalry moving as skirmishers obliquely through the woods. The line swept by me within a few feet of me but not one saw me. I scanned their faces closely as they moved by me and must say I never saw a more nervous looking scared lot of men. I owed my escape to their moving obliquely past me. I had two or three of our men with me and [if] we had given one good rebel yell in the woods I believe the whole line would have taken to their heels. Probably about one hour later a mounted officer from the front rode back through the woods with his pistol from his holster in hand. He halted two or three paces from the bushes under which I lay and a little in advance of me and took quite a long survey of the open country in front and putting spurs to his mount moved off to my great delight.
My safety lay in his fixing his gaze in front at the open country. If he had but half turned his head I do not think he could have failed to see me. I certainly was happy
when he ? down to the road leaving me unseen and undisturbed. During all this time I could hear quite plainly the two troops that had been posted by a big tree near me at the bend of the road. About 3 p.m. another mounted regiment came forward, this one moving across the great field in front and beyond the road and halted opposite to me. AFter having been passed and passed so often without being seen I felt quite safe and thought at night I would
make my way through the woods into our lines and rejoin my regiment. Just then too I thought I would take a look at the new command and so parted the bushes a very little but it was my undoing and my hopes were blasted by having a keen eyed trooper exclaim, "There is a grayback under that bush". They called to me to come over and surrender and there was nothing left me but to do so, but to say that I was ? ? I was mad all over and with that keen-eyed trooper in particular and myself yet more so for my imprudence in parting the bushes to look for ? and walked direct to the head of the Regt., passing the cavalryman who had come for me without speaking. I walked up to a group of officers (the adj. Lt. col. and Col.) The adjutant asked me what regiment
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Brigade I belonged to. I said the 17th Va. and that I had no further information. Another then began to question me but I refused to answer questions. Then another the Col. I think said they had captured a number of my regiment & began to question me but I refused positively to give any information. The officers then laughed quite ? probably at my stubborness & temper I showed and ordered one of the men to take me to the rear. The soldier who had me in charge told [me] the Regt. by which I was captured was the 2nd Regt. of U.S. Cavalry ? on their way out to relieve the 1st U.S. Cavalry - the Regt. who made the attack this morning. The man was very communictative - that Gen. Merritt of the regular army was in command, his force consisted of the 1st, 2nd and 5th Regulars, that the 6th Pa. cavalry and Battery K. This made me feel uncomfortable as we had but one small Regt. in the Gap, no artillery or cavalry. Moving on about a mile we came up with five of my regiment, Sam McMuran and Jesse Murray of my Co., three of Co. E who had also been captured and was turned over to them and we were all carried before Gen. Merritt whose Hdqrs. were near Linden Station and about four miles from where I was captured. Upon arriving at this Hdqrs. which was under a large tree by the road side and surrounded by a number of staff officers and a larger mounted escort. After ordering us to sit down I heard him direct his adj. gen. Capt. ? to "take down our names and to get from us all the information he could". I happened to be the first he approached with his pencil and book in hand. I gave him my name and Regt. and looking down our line of men said "Capt. it is usless o ask questions as we have no information to give." Hearing this the Gen. became very angry and turning to his Adjt. said, "If any of them volunteer any remark tye him up to a tree" adding as if to himself, "It is bad enough to be riding over these mountains this hot day without listening to remarks. I was just about saying to him, "No one invited you" when I checked the words and sat down, remembering I was in his power. But to my very great surprise as the Capt. stopped before each man who gave his name but he did not ask a single question. Knowing our small force I only wanted to warn and give a hint to our men to be careful in answering questions. The Gen. then ordered us to be turned over to the 6th Pa. Cavalry and adding
"Take them ? & move along rapidly." We found the 6th Pa. together
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make my way through the woods