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Civil War Diary Adjutant, 19th. Mississippi Regiment December 1863
Tuesday December 1, 1863 - Half of our men were awake at a time all last night, it was very cold a very heavy frost fell. the ground has been frozen all day. Our Right wing was relieved at 9 a.m. by the left wing, came back to our Breastworks. The Col H, I & S, Sgt Maj & myself made a Bivouac & are sitting by a bright fire to night. Wednesday 2 - We moved at 3 o'clock this morning, 5 miles to the right, halted awhile and came back to the Plank road Went 7 miles towards Chancellerville captured a few prisoners, the enemy went back across the river, We came back in rear of our fortifications and are now in camp. I'll go to sleep. Thursday 3 - Friday, December 4, 1863 - We took up our march at 4 o'clock this morning got to our old camp near orange at 9:00 a.m. distance 12 miles our wagons came up this evening, We pitched our tents cooked rations the first I've eaten in 24 hours I have only eat once in every 15 or 24 hours during the week past. Friday 4 - I took a detail and cleaned the bushes & brush from the front of my quarters. We have orders to keep two days rations on hand R. W. Phipps received his commission as major of this Regiment. Saturday 5 - I performed my regular daily duties. Adam is sick. We have to cook, wash &c for ourselves We get along very well without his (Adams)Service We received intelligence of Longstreets defeat, Lou Alexander is again appointed Commissary Sergeant. Sunday 6 - The day passed very dully by, there was no preaching nothing to make the pretty day interesting, I performed my regular routine of duties It is now midnight I got too cold to sleep, got out of my bed of leaves and have kindled a fire, This wicked war has cheated me out of much sleep. Monday, December 7, 1863 - I sent up a good many applications for furloughs. have spent the day as usual I don't like to cook Somebody stoled my Skillet & Pot, so I have to borrow. I am sitting in my tent by a bright fire have just been thinking of the gloomy State of our country. Tuesday 8 - nothing of interest has occurd today. Wednesday 9 - This has been a very pleasant day, We heard that Chalmers gained a victory in Miss - Tomorrow is set apart for fast day, Sam Pryor has a large hunk of Beef tonight preparing for the occasion, I think that he might fas more than one day. Thursday, December 10, 1863 - Today is set apart by the Governor of Georgia as a day of humiliation fasting & prear. Pryor & I fasted but the remainder of our mess did not. Morison gave us a Sermon for the occasion. Friday 11 - Capt Dean & I went to Orange the village is crowded, Lt Bowen arrived from Miss. lost many letters that were sent by him and had to leave a box of clothing on the road. We hear very bad news from Miss relative w, its not prudent to say who. Saturday 12 - This has been a very rainy bad day I've passed it as usual I heard some very good music tonight one of Mahones Brigade with his Banjo. Sunday, December 13, 1863 - This has been a very dull and quiet Sabath with me We had no divine service I took a long nap my mind is troubled about news from Miss - I can hardly think of anything else, What is this world coming to. Monday 14 - Dr Sharp and I have been hard at work all day building and getting boards for a Stable, I administered the oath of commission to Rev Morrison as chaplain of this Regt he is a cleaver & good man but is not very popular with the soldiers Tuesday 15 - I worked on my table awhile today I performed my regular daily duties, Wednesday, December 16, 1863 - I attended a party in Orange last night didn't enjoy myself as well as I might have done if &c, I completed my Stable all except covering it today. my hands are very sore my pony and I had a fight this evening, he kicked me and I beat him with the c? cable? Thursday 17 - nothing of interest transpired today. the weather is rainy & bad, I promised to send a pony to Miss Home but will not. Friday 18 - The weather is still very cold. I have performed my regular daily duties Saturday, December 19, 1863 - I loaned my pony to W. Young to go to the 42 Regt There is of interest. Sunday 20 - This has been a very quiet day We had no preaching our Chaplain ought to be put in the guard house if he dos'nt preach to us these pretty days, The men have built a Chapel and our man wo'nt preach Most of Chaplains are worthless, I wish that Rev Duke were here Monday 21 - Sharp & I finished our Stable today. I have been quite busy making various & sundry reports. I have to read orders every evening on Dress parade and don't like it this cold weather Tuesday, December 22, 1863 - Nothing worth writing has transpired Wednesday 23 - We had Regimental Inspection this morning it was very cold work Thursday 24 - Sam Add & I built a Chimney to my tent Mahones Brigade got various & sundry drinks & Eatables for Christmas, Col Hardin got his furlough our Sutler (Shertzinger) invited me to orange to spend Christmas with him Friday, December 25, 1863 - I went to Orange this morning, Robbers had robbed Shertzinger of every thing that he had & tore his Tent down he lost $2000, I came back to camp got very cold riding & in building a fire I liked to have mashed my finger off put myself under influence of chloriform Saturday 26 - I have stayed close in camp today, we only get a quarter of a pound of beef I fear that we will Starve if our rations are deminished any more, guards brought two men to Maj Phipps for attempting to rob a Sutler in Mahones Brigade, he sent them to Genl Mahone, Sunday 27 - We drew nothing but Flour from the Commissary so we have only some bad bread to eat A Colonel in Gordons Brigade was knocked from his horse and robbed by Soldiers last night This army is disgracing itself or the mean men are disgracing it. Monday, December 28, 1863 - This has been a wet and cold day, I have eat nothing but bread today, am distressed about our Commissary Department Tuesday 29 - I have been busy making out Reports to day - drew no rations don't like that way of doing - Some robbers robbed the Commissary dept in orange, Add returned from the country, left Wil Young with his Sweet Heart, Wednesday 30 - A new order came granting furloughs allowing 4 to every Hundred men for duty Dr Peel Capt Dean & Jno McKie will start Home early in the morning - Pryor is going out to where Young is to a frolick Thursday, December 31 - Now old book we part and maybe forever. You have been a faithful constant and watchful companion, you have been careful to record most every deed of mine since we met. you have been my greatest confident, you have often relieved my memory, I know that I will miss you but we must part.. May God grant me the glorious privelage of meeting you at a far happier day in the future when our country will be free and independant Good by. Adjt A. L. Peel 19 Miss [NOTE: This entry from the back of A.L. Peel's 1863 diary, shows the most distress of any of Albert's writings.] December 11, 1863 - I have heard bad news that Shocks my every nerve, I feel Sad, restless, disappointed and Surprised, my feelings are totally inexpressible Look back to the days of our earliest youth when we were playmates, then you were so pure, so innocent and unassuming; yes - until late I looked upon you as the brightest of the fairer sex, I esteemed you for all that makes woman lovely, was proud to remember you as my old playmate and eagerly looked forward to see you complete your book of life without a single stone on its many pages. But oh what a mistake, and great God what a shock to me to hear of thy disgrace; why was it not death instead of such disgrace Why were you chosen for such a victim, were you so blind; or am I so desieved in woman I am not only disappointed distressed and restless, but I am puzzled to know where to look for pure virtue, or is there such a thing; is it not a mere word of flattery to the human race, no- my own bosom teaches me that there is such a thing, the shame that I feel for you is proof enough, would that I could have prevented your great fall to low degredation, providence has after all been mindful enough to take your angel mother to his happy home, so that she could not suffer the torture of Ten Thousand deaths by your disgrace, - oh woman why are you thus so weak and foolish, Why have you stooped so low and endured so much to distroy the brightest gem of the human race. See what you have done to lower your sex. Were it only the distroying of your self I could look at it as the falling of one, Time alone can rub out the dark Stain of your sex, While you are past all hope your name will ever be associated with the lowest darkest disgrace, I can only say to the God who sayeth its never to late to repent, have mercy on you.[NOTE: This news from home, involving an unnamed woman, has left Peel researchers with an enduring mystery. Considering the mid-19th century moral climate, it is safe to assume that the woman in question was either caught with a man or worse, pregnant. For such news to have reached Albert suggests she may well have been a Peel relative, since families of the time would have gone to great lengths to prevent any shame from being known outside of close kin. As a genealogical researcher I hesitate to name someone else's ancestor without considering my own great great grandmother Ellen Peel. She was 17 at the time; her younger brother Hunter was living with at Hickory Park with their Peel cousins; and most importantly in February 1864 she married Walter Jenkins, aged 32, older brother of Albert's best friend Peter Jenkins. This marriage was short-lived and without issue, but still the possibility that Ellen Peel could be the woman who distressed Albert must be considered.] |