DIY History | Transcribe | Civil War Diaries and Letters | Laura Gibson's correspondence to her mother, June-August 1863

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Laura Gibson's correspondence to her mother, June-August 1863

05_1863-06-20 Page 05

is up one hill and down the same all the time.  The strongest position an army can have - and all these vallies are just alive with troops - and still when I rode over here yesterday I did not see a hundred men.  It would seem almost incredible to hear any one tell you that more than a hundred thousand men filled these vallies. You could not find them if you tried and yet this morning column after column of troops went by. sprung up as if by magic only to shrink away again to night in the gullies, hollows and under the trees & under brush and scarcely leave a trace. There are two regiments encamped in this valley one on each side of the road, the 15th Iowa & 11th Iowa, and there seems to be room enough for two men - they are hidden away under the leaves - Mrs Gibsons Pavillion as the Officers call it is progressing rapidly.  Joe just came to the tent door and says "did you hear that big gun?  I tell you their at it now."  I told him I would like to go out on the hill and see them and he says "no, no, you must stay here de rebels shell come mighty far sometimes."   There is a hill just up here where you can see all the forts and the steeples in V. and can see just where the balls strike. It is one continuous cannonade now -  one gun right after another without any interval.  I do hope they will take the place today.  I will not close this until I hear the result of this affair. The Regiment have not been paid off yet - were to be today but of course will not now - I have not felt the heat at all yet.  Will says I must keep very still during the

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is up one hill and down the same all the time. The strongest position an army can have - and all these vallies are just alive with troops - and still when I rode over here yesterday I did not see a hundred men. It would seem almost incredible to hear any one tell you that more than a hundred thousand men filled these vallies. You could not find them if you tried and yet this morning column after column of troops went by. sprung up as if by magic only to shrink away again to night in the gullies, hollows and under the trees & under brush and scarcely leave a trace. There are two regiments encamped in this valley one on each side of the road, the 15th Iowa & 11th Iowa, and there seems to be room enough for two men - they are hidden away under the leaves - Mrs Gibsons Pavillion as the Officers call it is progressing rapidly. Joe just came to the tent door and says "did you hear that big gun? I tell you their at it now." I told him I would like to go out on the hill and see them and he says "no, no, you must stay here de rebels shell come mighty far sometimes." There is a hill just up here where you can see all the forts and the steeples in V. and can see just where the balls strike. It is one continuous cannonade now - one gun right after another without any interval. I do hope they will take the place today. I will not close this until I hear the result of this affair. The Regiment have not been paid off yet - were to be today but of course will not now - I have not felt the heat at all yet. Will says I must keep very still during the