Charles Smedley

“ The numbers of the detachments were changed to-day; all that were not full were filled up to two hundred and seventy; our detachment is now number thirty-two, and my mess is the second mess. We got no rations until this evening, when we received meal, boiled and raw beef, and pork. Bread and salt were issued; we got raw beef and miserable bread, with a pinch of salt. We made a pot of mush for our breakfast, coffee and stewed meat for supper; we eat only twice a day. My disease has left me and I am stouter. Was down to the creek this morning at four o'clock and took a good wash. ”

“ Were up at daylight and got our breakfast; then all hands went to work and put up our breastworks near three feet high. By six heard something like skirmishing in front of us, and a band playing. By seven o'clock we were under arms. Yesterday afternoon we heard some cannonading, which, we were told, was our cavalry and the rebel cavalry, with some artillery. We have a strong stone wall before us. We lay all day behind our works. All the rest of the army, or nearly so, has gone by; we, the First Corps, are in the rear and will not go until morning. ”

“ Was busy most of the day getting wood out of the run, but could not get much. We are out of wood. I made a small furnace to put my plate on. Was running about a good deal—am as well as I could wish to be. There were two hundred more men put in to-day. I was determined to get an axe to cut some wood, but did not quite get it. I got on the right side of a rebel sergeant, who is a mason, but he could do no more than ask for me of the one who had charge of the shovels and axes. ”

“ Soon after we got to bed last night we were ordered to pack up. Left Gordonsville in a train of cars at eleven o'clock at night, and after a hard night's travel got to this place (Lynchburg) about ten this morning. Were put in a deep ravine with a stream of water running through it. A heavy guard of citizens, consisting of old men, "played out" soldiers, and boys were around us. Two pieces of artillery are planted in range of us. I was with the first one hundred of our squad that came in to-day. We were put in charge of a Sergeant-Major, who drew rations for us. ”

“ Lay in the house most of the day reading the Bible—have got through Jeremiah. The news in the Macon papers is favorable to a speedy exchange. Buckley gets no better. Traded half my bread and beef for beans; ate nothing but a ration and a half of beans for breakfast. Drew the same kind of rations except beans—rice only partly cooked. Last night was so cold that I could not sleep.
6th day, 9th mo. 2d. Lay in the house—slept and read most all day. Drew the same rations as yesterday—got a piece of pork as large as my fist for a mess of thirty. ”

“ The weather continues to grow hotter. I am some better to-day; made gruel by soaking corn meal and boiling the water of it. Yesterday drew a ration of wood which was only half enough to cook a meal.
1st day, 7th mo. 17th. The hottest day we have had. I lay in the tent, very weak from the diarrhœa, which is getting better. Made some corn meal gruel for my breakfast. Drew meat, salt and molasses, six spoonsful of the latter as a ration. Had flapjacks for supper. ”

“ Was cloudy and pleasant to-day. I am rather bad yet. No news about the exchange to be relied on. Griffith has a lame back; complains of the rheumatism.
1st day, 9th mo. 4th. I am very ill indeed; lay quiet all day.
2d day, 9th mo. 5th. Seemed to be the warmest day; suffered terribly from the heat; lay in the tent most all day; am very weak. Drew bread, pork, a large ration of molasses, and boiled rice.
3d day, 9th mo. 6th. My disease is better. Lay in the tent most all day. Eighteen detachments were ordered to be ready to leave at any moment—commencing at the first, going up to the eighteenth. ”

“ I belonged to Company H, 18th Regiment Iowa Volunteers—was taken prisoner at the battle of Missionary Ridge, Nov. 25th, 1863—was sent to the Libby prison, in Richmond, Va., where I remained a short time—Then I was sent to Belle Island, where I suffered very much from cold and starvation. I often thought of death, which stared me in the face daily; though I was not worse off than the majority of the other [Pg 49] prisoners. I remained there until the 16th of March, 1864, when I was sent with others to Andersonville, in Georgia, where I suffered very much ”

“ The roads were hard, which made the marching good. We got to Middletown by one o'clock, passed on through towards the mountains, and encamped. We appear to be in a valley. All of the First and Twelfth Corps are encamped around here. The country we have passed through the last two days is of the best farming land.
1st day, 6th mo. 28th. Last night we got one day's rations of sugar, coffee, crackers, beef and pork. The Adjutant said we would be likely to move at three o'clock this morning. ”

“ His goodness of heart, his amiable disposition, gained him many friends, and wherever known, whether at home in his native township, or in the army of his country, none knew him other than the noble young man and soldier. ”

“ It rained all night and was showery most of the day. My disease is some better—am very weak and losing flesh. The number of petty hucksters seems to increase in the main street. Cucumbers are from 37 to 50 cents; onions from 25 cents to $1.00; turnips from 12 to 20 cents; rutabagas, same price as turnips; squashes 25 to 50 cents; peanuts from 20 to 25 cents per half pint; beans 20 to 50 cents per half pint; flour at the rate of $1 per pound; four ginger cakes 75 cents to $1; rice 30 to 40 cents per pint; salt 75 cents per quart; soda 25 cents per spoonful; rations of meal for 20 and 25 cents ”

“ All have run out of rations. This has been a warm day all around. We still hold the field. General Longstreet was wounded and is in our hands. Just as we came here, there had been a charge made in front of us, which drove the rebels. Large numbers came into our lines, holding up their hands, hats, and white rags.
7th day, 7th mo. 4th. Six o'clock A. M. Still hold our position. All is quiet except the skirmishing. Had rations of pork, crackers, sugar and coffee. Night. We lay in the position we took up last. ”

“ Cooked G. Hatfield a pot of gruel before roll-call; got our own breakfast after roll-call. Washed a pair of drawers and stockings this morning. The rebels threw up some earthworks as if they expected to be attacked. They appear to be getting reinforcements here. The rumor is that the railroad between here and Macon is cut, and that they are expecting a raid by our cavalry, and that Atlanta is ours.
5th day, 7th mo. 21st. Got breakfast after roll-call—had "corn dodgers" and gravy. Drew meal and molasses; got wood for three days. ”

“ Drew no rations.
2d day, 10th mo. 17th. Was the same kind of day to me as others. Close was worse all day; the ward-master got him an egg, some beef tea and coffee, which he ate and yet seemed hungry. We think he cannot live over night.
3d day, 10th mo. 18th. Covered Close up with all the blankets, and got permission to sleep by the nurse's fire. The night was cool. Close kept sinking until four o'clock this morning, when he died. It looks like rain again this morning. Burns, one of the nurses, and I, put up a tent of my gum blanket and one of the new blankets. I am not much better. ”

“ All the wood is gathered up by the men, which [Pg 29] leaves us with scarcely any. There have been prisoners put in here from all parts this week. Twenty-five thousand is a low estimate. I feel stouter to-day than I have for two weeks; my complaint hardly troubles me. Drew salt for yesterday and meal, beef and salt for to-day. The rumor now is that we will be paroled or exchanged soon, to commence on the seventh, &c., &c. Captain Moore, of the 72d Ohio, was in here to-day and gave this piece of news to us. ”

“ Lay under our tree, and sit by the fire all night; it was very cool. Drew same rations as yesterday, excepting the cabbage; got a square inch of pumpkin. About noon got orders to move to the opposite side of the camp, when the most able men, the nurses, and those who wished, were sent back to camp; the rest put in detachments of one hundred. I am in the seventh detachment; are in the woods, with water handy.
3d day, 9th mo. 20th. Had a cool night of it last night; lay in the woods until five o'clock ”

“ Had corn meal and pork for supper. Griffith is a little better. An old shoemaker, who had taken the oath of allegiance to the Confederate States, came in to-day to try to raise one thousand shoemakers, to go out and do as he has, and work for the rebel government. Some of the boys caught him, shaved his head and marched him around camp.
5th day, 6th mo. 16th. There is as much rain as usual. Am getting along in the same old style. Sold a loaf of bread for fifteen cents and bought an onion. Drew boiled rice and meat. [Pg 26] The rice is so dirty and gritty that it is not fit to eat. ”

“ Sent out skirmishers. When we were first under fire, a piece of shell struck the ground between Captain and I, throwing the sand in our faces. The whole number of killed and wounded of the Ninetieth Regiment is near fifty—of our company four or five wounded.
5th day, 7th mo. 2d. Slept last night behind the stacks, on two rails, under my gum blanket. All was quiet. Captain gave me five crackers and some coffee for my breakfast. There is some firing out among the pickets, and skirmishing going [Pg 56] on all the time. Several other Corps came up yesterday and last night; we are stronger now. ”

“ Charles Smedley, eldest son of Joel and Martha Smedley, was born in Fulton Township, Lancaster County, Pennsylvania, on the first day of November, 1836. Until his nineteenth year he remained at home, assisting his father in farming during the Summer seasons, and in the Winter attending the public school of the district. Having mastered the elementary branches usually taught in the district schools, and desiring to acquire a knowledge of the higher scientific studies, he entered as a student in the celebrated Friends' School at Westtown, on the seventh of May, 1855. ”

“ About seven o'clock we were taken to near the extreme left, formed in line and advanced some distance, then halted and sent out skirmishers, (twenty from our Regiment.) By this time, except the artillery, all was quiet, but occasional firing among the skirmishers. While laying here, I went back with canteens to get water, and when I returned, found the Brigade moving towards the right. We held our ground all day, and on the left, where the fight was the hottest, we drove the enemy, taking a large number of prisoners. Large numbers of dead and wounded lay all over the field. ”

“ At the battle of the Wilderness, on the 5th of May, 1864, Charles Smedley was captured a second time, and, as we are informed in his diary, was taken by the Confederates to Gordonsville, thence to Danville, from Danville to the prisoners' pen at Andersonville, Georgia, and lastly to Florence, South Carolina. At Andersonville he remained nearly four months in a stockade filled with thousands of Northern patriots. Here he suffered untold hardships, being exposed to the scorching rays of the sun, the cold atmosphere of the night, and to frequent storms of rain. ”

“ The news is this evening that the rebels have left. We had a very heavy rain this afternoon. Got rations of pork, crackers, coffee and sugar, for four days, this evening.
1st day, 7th mo. 5th. Had a hard night last night; made a bed on three rails, with gum blanket for cover; it rained very hard all night. Soon after we got to bed, orders came [Pg 59] for every man to have his accoutrements on, and gun by his side. About three o'clock there was a general alarm along our lines ”

“ Spent the day laying in my shed. My disease is on the mend. Got to the creek and took a bath this forenoon. Drew fresh beef, rice, meal and salt. Got medicine to-day. The men die pretty fast.
7th day, 10th mo. 1st. Lay quiet as possible. Drew one-half of a large hard tack, eight spoonsful of molasses, and salt. ”

“ From Philadelphia, after enlisting, Charles Smedley was sent to Washington, and from thence to Front Royal, a small town west of the Blue Ridge, where the 90th Regiment was then encamped. He joined it just previous to the advance of our forces sent to intercept "Stonewall" Jackson, in his progress down the Shenandoah Valley. He continued with the regiment, and was with it up to the time of the second battle of Bull Run. For more than a week previous to this engagement, he had made application to be sent to the hospital, being weak and exhausted from disease. ”

“ We were almost worn out by the time we got to camp. It rains most of the time, making the roads muddy and traveling difficult. At two o'clock we had orders to move, and by half-past two were off. Took the Hagerstown pike and followed it partly over the mountain; then turned to the left, and up a high mountain, and formed in line of battle along the road at sundown. After getting supper we built breastworks until dark. Part of the Eleventh Corps is here with us. Met large numbers of cavalry. Most of the army is here. The rebels are not far off.
5th day, 7th mo. ”

“ We [Pg 54] passed over a very mountainous country yesterday, but very beautiful. The marching was easy, on good pike; weather cloudy and misty. We soon started, in charge of the sergeant, who had a few lines from the officer of the day. When we came to the pike, we joined the middle of the First Division, which was in the rear. After going one-fourth of a mile, the road branched off, one leading towards Frederick City and the other to Pennsylvania. ”