Newton County GaArchives News.....MR. MOSS'S DIARY AS KEPT DURING SIXTIES September 20 1917 ************************************************ Copyright. All rights reserved. http://www.usgwarchives.net/copyright.htm http://www.usgwarchives.net/ga/gafiles.htm ************************************************ File contributed for use in USGenWeb Archives by: Phyllis Thompson mandpthompson@bellsouth.net February 13, 2004, 12:49 pm The Covington News "This Is As I Saw It. It May Be Different As Others Saw It" He Says of 3d Regiment, Company H. BEGINNING WITH THE YEAR 1861 June, 1864 1.....Crossed the Blue Ridge at Roaring Gap, went about seven miles and camped 21 miles from Jonesville and 22 miles from Bunch Court House at Woodruff's, who had a lot of Jacks and Jennies about the size of large sheep. 2.....Stopped and fed at 10 o'clock on meador grass and at 3 o'clock we camped on the river New, in Grayson County, Va., in old church. We heard there that Gen. VAUGHN'S brigade had been in no fight, but was dismounted and gone to the Valley of Virginia. 3.....We crossed the Iron Mountain; it was 7 miles across. Fed at 10 o'clock on grass, on creek which was one of the headwaters of Holston River, about 5 miles of the 7 mile ford on the Holston. We went on to the 7 mile ford on the Holston and saw lots of sheep on the side of the mountain. We camped in Smith county, close to the railroad. 4.....Crossed the river and got to Abingdon at 2 o'clock. We could hear no reliable news of Gen. VAUGHN, nor the dismounted men of the 16th Georgia. We heard Gen. JOHNSON had whipped the Yanks bad in Georgia, and fighting was going on at Richmond. 5.....Went to Bristol and started in search of men of the 16th Ga., with the horses of the dismounted men. Lieut. CHEENEY was in command of them. We found them in 6 miles of Abingdon on the Holston river, south fork. We all went in bathing. 6.....We moved down about 1-2 mile and camped, and drew tobacco, the first we had got from the government. Orders came for us to move at once to PRESTON'S farm on the Abingdon and Bristol road. Got there at 10 o'clock at night, and camped in a large field to pasture our horses. 7.....We all that could get fish hooks went fishing and some to hunting ground hogs. The ground hog killed and several fish caught. I got four good ones. Heard Gen. VAUGHN'S brigade had been in no fight yet. 8.....Orders came for us to go below Bristol. Got there late in the evening, raining hard, everybody wet and mad. We drew rations of meat and salt, but no bread. 9.....We went after flour but failed to get any. We got orders to go to Marion, Virginia. We left at 4 o'clock for Bristol to draw muskets and flour for three day's rations. Camped at Preston's farm at our old place of camping. A storm came up and as we dismounted we found JOEL HARPER'S horse dead that he had left there. 10....We passed through Abingdon at 11 o'clock, went four miles and pastured our horses and rested. Camped 7 miles from the 7 mile ford. Col. FRY was captured by Capt. OSBORN. 11....We passed the 7 mile ford and pastured our horse three hours, then passed through Marion, Va., and went 12 miles and camped in 4 miles of Mt. Airy, or Era, the highest point of railroad in the U. S. A. I found a good knife sticking in the fence corner, and was offered $40.00 for it. 12....Moved to new pasture. Wrote letter to JOHN R. DAVIS. Drew some good beef. Heard of the Yankee raid to Salem, and that Morgan was captured and the Yanks in Atlanta, Ga. 13....Went to Marion after rations. The road was macadamized all the way, 13 miles. Drew three day rations of beef. Heard the Yanks were in 6 miles of Lynchburg yesterday evening. There was plenty of frost this morning. 14....Started at four o'clock for the 7 mile ford; got within 3 miles of Marion and camped with the 31st Tennessee Regt. Infantry. 15....Went through Marion, drew tobacco and went within 2 1/2 miles of salt works. Stopped and let our horses graze. We then passed the salt works and went 12 miles and camped at the foot of Clinch Mountain, at Snider's Gap. 16....Crossed the mountain which was six miles over. I had my horse shod by HARDY DUKE. I furnished the shoes and nails and gave him $20.00. We went on to Lebanon, county seat of Russell county, Va., and drew rations for two days and camped 1 mile from town. Got orders to go back to Abingdon at dark. We heard the Yanks were badly whipped at Lynchburg, and lots of prisoners taken, also heard the Yanks were at Greenville, Tenn., 2 Regiments of negroes. 17....We started for Abingdon, 22 miles. Crossed the Clinch Mountain at Moccasin Gap and north prong of Holston river, and got to Abindon at 2 o'clock. Heard the Yanks were at Kingsport. We stopped close to town and rested a while, and went 6 miles further on and camped and pastured. 18....Left at daybreak, and passed through Bistol and drew rations. We heard the Yanks had fallen back. We went 2 miles and pastured our horses. We heard that Morgan was threatening Cincinnati. We went by Thomas' Mill and took down Beaver Dam Creek about 2 miles and camped for the night in barn. I slept on a plank. Rained all night. We got news that Capt. OSBORN was mortally wounded at Broilsville by bushwhackers under KIRK. The 3rd Tennessee was engaged in the fight, and some wounded, but none killed. Capt. OSBORN died the next day at Leesburg. 19....We crossed at Duvald's Ford, camped and staid all night. It rained all night. 20....Drew rations of meal and bacon. Me and MARRETT went after cherries and some others. Lots of them; 2 kinds; Oxheart and red. Heard KIRK had reinforced with 175 of Thomas Indians with his bushwhackers and armed with 16 shooter and defying the 3rd Tennessee, and 16th Ga., to come down. 21....We moved down about 3-4 mile and pastured in a better place. I had a strange dream of home. 22....Went to BRUMBY'S old mill and then to MARTIN'S after flour. Got 57 pounds and a mess of mulberries. 23....We moved to Duvald's Ford. 24....We went to two mills but could get no flour. We could do without when we could do no better. 25.....I went to Wallis mills and got three day's rations. We got orders to go to Kingsport, 28 miles from Duvald's ford. Traveled until 10 o'clock at night and camped until day. To Be Continued. This file has been created by a form at http://www.poppet.org/gafiles/ File size: 6.4 Kb