JOHN FREEMAN DIARY
JULY 1862 - DECEMBER 1862
July 1st Light rain. (4th) Sold Envlps
10c. Had a shirt washed the first time. Paid 10 ct for it. Wrote
2 Letters S. P. Martin
4th Examined for Hospital
5th got on cars at Tupelo left 8 o'clk for Columbus ____ all
night got to Columbus 1/2 hour by sun of 6th. got dinner then
went to Convalescent. sent camp and naims Register. Left Billy
Hunter at Depot in care of Dr. (19th) Light rain. Stood gard
round conv. camp. (11th) on detail.
13th Sunday Went up in town to see Billy Hunter. Found him very
low. Evening went in bathing in nice place.
16th Left camp Blewitt for Regt. Fine rain while on train. At
Tupelo camp dark. James M. Waldrip had letters from home.
20th On guard
21st Wrote letters for Bob and myself
24th Herd from wife, from Bettie.
July 24 Lt Rayborn and others back to co.
31st Herd from home by W. H. Thomason.
August 1st Wrote 2 letters on guard
2nd Left Tupelo, at Mobile Sunday Eve. 3 o'clk. Left on Boat
Dixie for Montgomery Arivid at Montgomery Wednesday Eve. Left on
cars next morn.
7th 2 o'clk on cars for Atlanta, Ga. arrived by 12 o'clk, Left
Atlanta for Chattanooga
9th At Chattanooga 12 o'clk
11th Went out in country got good dinner paid 50 cts. Bought
Peaches and apples, sold some cleared 90c. This was at Camp Look
Out.
12th Rec Letter from Wife and Bill
19th Left Camp Look Out in evening, Marched to Chatanooga. Staid
all night. Jacob, Thos. W. Hargis, Wm Aiken and others came to
Co. Rec'd letters from home with cheering news of a fine son and
health of family.
F. M. Jones T. R. Hunter J. Patrick W. W. ___
August 20th Left Chattanoogs. Marched 6 miles to Camp Mocisen.
Staid there till the 28th. Herd H. Ellis death.
28th Left at dusk marched all night and next day till 12 o'clk.
Waded a creek.
31st Sunday Marched six mi to Dunlap. Camped till Sept 3rd. Went
out in country, got some fruit, found clever people.
Sept 3rd Left early in morning. I and Jacob detailed with
Ordnance waggons. Had a dry and hilly road over mountains.
Nothing of importance happened. Marched on till Saturday eve,
passed through Spencer and Sparta.
1862
Sept 6th Through Vanburen and Smith Countys. Saw a gallows for
hangin a man, a Soldier for committing rape on respectable woman
but I learned he was pardoned.
Sept 7th Went in bathing in Cany Fork of Cumberland River. Saw
Levi Smart well.
3rd Left after one days rest
9th Passed by a house and stoped and bought chicken 50 cts from a
man that said the Federals had aimed to destroy him but was
mistaken in the place and destroyed one of their friends houses.
His name was John Taylor. Old Bachelor, and tanner by trade.
County rocy and hilly. Road very Ruff.
10th Cross Cumberland River. Saw fine chance of Ladies in Putnam
Co.
11th Smith County. Union People generally.
11th Camped at Red Sulphur Springs. Rain in evening. 18 mi of
Greensborough
12th In Monroe Co., Ky
12th Crossed Barren River in twelve mi of Trenton
(13th) passed through Roseville, Barren Co. Jim Waldrip sick.
Rested Sunday the 14th, had a mutton dinner 35 cts.
15th Washed clothes and left camp 2 o 'clk. Very fine cesession
people. Rain light in eve. Passed through Glasgow at dark. Took
wrong road, went one mi out of way, travelled all night.
16th At Cave City in morning at one hour by Sun. Herd of Wesly
Brantly's death. Saw him killed by Waggon running over him, so
stated.
17th News of the Surrender of Fort Munfordsville unconditionally
with five thousand prisoners, ten thousand stand of arms,
munitions, stores &c.
Sept 18th Rumors of Buels Army in pursuit
19th Cool. Still at Mumforsville. Still on detail, commenced with
J. M. Moncrief Ordn Waggoner. Crossed Green River. Camped in
Woodsonville, Heart Co., Ky.
20th Troops leaving. We left at sundown and saw more troops than
I ever did before. Herd from Levi Smart who was in the fight at
the front. He passed me but I did not see him. Marched all night.
Jim Waldrip sick. Camped at Hogensville, Larue County, rested
till 23rd.
23rd Passed through New Haven.
24th Arrived at Bardstown, Ky.
25th Drew rations and draw______.
26th Went out in country 3 mi. Could not buy anything. Got some
apples and cleared after eating and giving away, $2.50. Billy
Maples with me on 1/2 profit.
Sept 27th Reported to Capt Bowen, Capt of Waggon gard, changed to
forage waggon detail. Rain eve.
28th Went to Catholic meeting. Very fine church and furniture,
the finest I ever saw and the 1st.
Oct 1st Went on detail after some whiskey to Rogersville (20 mi),
Spencer Co., Went through Fairfield 14 mi N. of Bardstown. Ate
dinner with a clever Irishman, no charge. Bought Jim some butter.
Found knife and swaped it for one large, 2 Big blades for $2.00
to Boot.
Oct 3rd Swaped knives twice. Drawed wages and commutation up to
30th of June. Amt $35.50
4th Left Bardstown. Back to my Co. Regt, passed through
Springfield, Washington County, and Perryville.
5th Camped at Camp Breconnige
6th Camped at Harrodsburg and cooked rations
October Memorandum 1862
Oct 7 Counter marched back to Perryville in line of Battle.
Rested in line at our guns, a fine moonlight night, pleasant, no
disturbance, all quiet, still.
8th Picketts firing before daylite, canonading commenced early.
We was ordered out in line about twelve o'clock when our Battery
opened fire on the enemy's Battery. Three Horses was killed, one
gun disabled,no one killed. About 3 o'clock we charged over the
fence we had been behind, down a steep bluff very ruff and rocy,
up a rocy branch where we was ordered to take off our knapsacks.
J. W. Freeman was left to guard them. One man was wounded here by
a piece of a shell. We then went on over a rock fence, over a
field, two other fences about 1/2 or 3/4 of a mile.
Oct 8th We was ordered fire and fall down then rise and
doublequick untill a general engagement commenced. We kept
advancing till compelled to fall back on account of a heavy cross
firing which wounded and killed half of my company, four being
associate and bro-in-law J. W. Hargis, and orderly J. C. Cathy,
Jas. Simpson and Corpl. Oldfield. Two others died from their
wounds. I discharged my duty the best I knew how, shot 18 times,
then helped Capt. Bowen to carry Levi Childress off the field and
continued to help carry off wounded till after night. Our little
company was rallied and charged the enemy's Battery under Adjut.
Miller, one and the only officer that was not wounded. Col.
Benton, Lt. Col. Wright and Major Mason all being wounded. Col.
hip, Lt. Col. arm, Major foot. I was detailed to help pick up the
lost guns of the Battlefield late in the night. Saw Some Yang
(sic) wounded on the field, gave them drink of water for fellows
appeared to be suffering a great deal.
8th The battle raged furiously till dark. The Federals being
drove off the field all of ___ was busy all night but little rest
at all.
9th Early in morning on the march back to Harrodsburg very tired
and weary. Camped at 12 o'cllk . News reached us that Kirby Smith
had taken 8000 prisoners.
Oct 10th Passed through Nevader and Brantsville.
11th and 12th Rested at Camp Dick Roberson. H. T. Rushton of my
mess went out in country and got some eggs for breakfast and
Cabbage for dinner. Cool rain.
13th and 14th Hard marching. passed through Lancaster, Rockcastle
County. Very tired and sore. Very ruff, Rocky and hilly road,
crossed R. C. river and passed Wild Cat Battle ground.
15th Passed through London at sundown. Camped at forks of the
road 47 miles from Cumberland Gap, rested 2 days. Bought some
fresh pork 16th.
17th Hard marching through Barbersville cross Cumberland River.
Knox county, Ky.
19th Very tired, fell behind.
Oct 19 and 20 Still hard marching. Passed through the gap and
crossed Powel's Creek, a beauty-full stream, clear as cristal.
21st Through Tazewell, Tenn. short rations but made out very
well. 1/2 pt of flour per day, some bacon. Camped on Clinch
river, Union County, Tenn. Myself and Rushton went about 1 1/2 mi
and got a good supper and some dried apples and onions.
22nd Marched till 2 o'clk, camped at Maynedsville.
23 Good roads and weather.
24th Arrived at Knoxville 2 o'clk. Lieut. Readdin, S. P. Martin
and others visited us, got letters from home for the first in
long time, not since we left Chattanooga, by the hand of Bros. J.
W. Freeman and Tos. Hargis.
25th Herd of Mikel Waldrip death.
26th Snow shoe deep, wrote letters to home folks.
Oct 27 to 30th Nothing of interest.
31st Went to town, bought aples and candy, sold some, cleared
$5.00. On guard twice at the camp.
Nov 2nd Preaching twice, orders cook rations.
3rd Ordered to fall in line at 2 o'clk. Marched through Knoxville
and out five mi. on the R. R. and camped.
4th Went out in the country and bought appels, cleard $5.70.
6th Bought apples, cleared $1.50
7th Still at camp on railroad near Knoxville, light snow . Bought
appels myseelf and M. C. Watkins.
8th Left Knoxville on cars for Chattanoogs, there 10 o'clk p.m.,
went and staid with R. Freeman at Convalescent Camp. Herd of W.
H. Watkin's death. Left in the evening for Brigeport.
9th At Brigport sundown, camped.
November 1962
November 10th Moved across the river. Briges not finished. Pretty
day
11 Wrote letter home. I have very bad cold.
12 Still here
13th Left B. port 10 o'clk night forAlsona. At Alsona before day
on cars.
14th Marched cross creek, put up tents and cleared off ground
15th Pray meeting.
16th Inspection Sunday. Warm and light rain.
17th Wrote Sister Emily a letter.
18th Drew 2 mo wages $22.
20th Washed clothes
21st On gard at R.R. Bridge Bought $5 worth apples. Cleared $2.00
22nd Recd Letter from home by Col. White. Bought ___ and dried
peaches, myself and Watkins, Sold and Cleard $7.00
23rd Left Alsona for Shelbyville 2 days march. Capt. Bowen left
for home. Sent $82.00 home and letters by him.
24th At camp near Shelbyville.
November and December 1862
25th Cleaned up streets. Cloudy.
26th Gen. inspection and Drill by Hardie.
27th Bought Tobacco and pies, cleared on pies $1.00
28th Sold tobacco to Faires at cost.
30th Inspection. Rainy last night.
Dec 1st to 4th Drill (Cloudy and cool, 1st)
4th Reported one case small pox in our Regt, but did not spread.
5th On gard. Snow. Orders to be ready to march at one hours
notice.
6th Reported Price had gained victory at Holly springs and other
places in Miss.
7th Wrote letter home. Div left us. Rushton came in from Brg.
Detail. Myself and Jones made on pork $1.00
8th On gard round Regt. Built a chimney to our tent. Durham back
to Co.
10th J. M. Waldrip on gard.
11 Pretty warm day.
12th Bought pork mess apiece $1.80.
13th Washed clothes
Dec 14th Cloudy. Swaped blankets with Rushton. Gave him $10.00 to
boot.
15th Preaching by Well, private in Regt.
16th Vacconated. Dan Tate sick.
18th On gard. Passed with G. Rounds.
21st Regt drilled in Skirmish drill.
25th On gard in Magraws place, Nvg.
26th Went to town, bought pies cleared $1.75. Dan Tate sent to
Hospital.
27th Egg nog three mornings, rain night.
28th Jim Waldrip sent to Hospital. Left for Brigade. Marched 9 mi
and counter-marched back to Shelbyville, old camp.
29th On Duck River, Bedford County.
30th Pickett gards. Rushtons choice.
31st Herd cannonading at Murfresboro. F. M. Bloodworth back to
Company.