July 4th, 1861

July 4th, 1861

Gordon, Stephen

1861-07-04

Courtesy of National Park Service, Fredericksburg and Spotsylvania National Military Park, FRSP 3983-3987, FRSP 15960-15961.

English

4th Sunday This morning Par and i went about and picked about three quarts of raspberries fished a while in spring mill pond but did not catch anything. In the afternoon there was a very hand shower there was some very large hail fell. Lieut Bradford and Miller got back today. They issued three days rations to the brigade. They say that the battle of Gettysburg has been the hardest one of this war. It exceeds antietam by far It is estimated that we have from Eight to twelve thousand prisoners Our Brigade was not engaged except a few as skirmishers. Lost one killed and three or four wouilded. The battle field is twenty five miles from here. General Meade had a horse sl1ot from under ilim The rebels thought that they was fighting green militia. They did not think that the army of the potomac had got up there yet the hospital wagons are all ordered to the front. This is the dullest fourth of July that i ever spent there is ilO demonstration whatever in town. The rebels gave themselves up by the thousands. whole briages was captured

Diary