[248] Boonsboro, (South Mountain) Md. We are ordered to Summerville Ford, near Rapidan Station, where the Yankees are threatening a passage. Marched very rapidly and halted a mile from the ford. Our artillery kept up a heavy firering for several hours and had several men killed. Captain Carter's battery cannot be excelled.
September 15 and 16. Rodes' division, composed of Daniel's and Ramseur's North Carolina, Doles' Georgia, and Battle's Alabama brigades, were marched out to witness a melancholy sight, the public shooting of one of Ramseur's brigade, who was convicted of desertion by a court martial and sentenced to be shot to death by musketry. It was a sad sight, but his death was necessary as a warning and lesson to his comrades. Each regiment was marched in front of the dead body, and his breast was pierced by several bullets. On return to camp we found two of my men, George Ward and Dick Noble, who had been on a scout across the river and captured a Yankee and carried him to General Rodes, and secured a splendid pistol and seven-shooting rifle. Heard Rev. Dr. L. Rosser deliver an eloquent lecture to our Christian Association on ‘patriotism, benevolence and religion.’
Oct. 8, 1863. I drew from quartermaster Pickens, 15 envelopes, one quire of letter paper, half quire of note and half quire of foolscap paper and five pens. Such things are growing scarce, and show to what extremities we are rapidly approaching. Lieuts. F. A. Rogers and John R. Williams of Company A, were promoted Captain, and First Lieutenant of said company, and Lieutenant John Rogers of Company E, promoted to captain. At 3 P. M. we were ordered to pack up, and marched until 9 P. M. and camped near Dr. Terrell's, 4 miles from Orange C. H.
Oct. 9. At 4 o'clock A. M. we marched through Orange, waded Rapidan river, and bivouacked three miles from Madison C. H. Here our ‘spider wagon,’ as the North Carolina ‘Tar Heels’ call our cooking utensil wagon, failed to come up and we had to ‘make up’ our flour, water and salt on oil cloths, and bake before the fire on our gun ramrods, sticks, rails, etc. And, after salting our beef, hung it on poles before the fire until cooked. We were all hungry and ate heartily of our beef and bread.
Oct. 10. Continued our march through byroads and old fields, and new roads cut by the pioneer squads through the woods, until we came to the Sperryville turnkike, 11 miles from Culpeper C. H.
