Owen celebrates his 21st birthday on his way to a disaster at Fredericksburg. The 14th Indiana is riddled by artillery fire as it advances up a muddy hill with Confederate troops firing down on them from behind stone walls. Trapped in defensive ditches they dig by hand, they wait until the cover of dark to escape sharpshooter bullets.
A terrible battle: Fredericksburg
November 15, 1862
Marching today towards Fredericksburg, which is 40 odd miles off. Camped near the Array & Alexander road.
November 16, 1862
Rearguard today. Camped after dark near our old camp last spring under Jimmy Shields.
November 17, 1862
Arrived in a mile or so of the burg aforesaid and camped. (?14th prefrase for pict, er!?) I being Lucky is left back in camp with orders to take care of Company things if unloaded but more especially to take care of No. 1.
November 2, 1862
Today is my birthday. I being just twenty-one.
General Sumner sent over a demand at 4 o’clock for the town to surrender accompanied with a threat that if any more shots were fired from the town on our troops that he would open on the town with his batteries.
The General also started in his demand that no more trains should run into town and that the women and children should be removed within sixteen hours. The mayor replied at some length stating that no more shots should be fired from the city on our troops and that no more trains should run into it. Also that while the Rebel troops would not occupy the city, they would not allow ours to do so.
November 23d, 1862
The city has not yet surrendered. Mr. W. Wright is building the bridges from Aquaias Creek to this place and cars will soon run.
November 26, 1862
We were reviewed today by General Sumner. I was on picket up the Rappahannock and did not witness it.
December 7th Sunday
This is the coldest weather that we have had this year. Our shelter tent is all that we have to shield us from the cold blasts of a northern winter.
We have a nice little fireplace and the tent is about two feet high from the ground. Fifteen of our boys who enlisted in the regular cavalry returned a few days since having been ordered back by an order to the effect that but ten can enlist out of one camp.
December 8, 1862
Tonight, orders came to the Company commanders for the quarters to be built up so as to protect us from the cold weather.
December 9, 1862
Today is a busy day and many little backwoods cabins are being erected and great ingenuity is being displayed by the boys in building them.
December 10, 1862
Ordered this evening to prepare three days rations, and in haversacks to march at 6 o’clock next morning.
December 11, 1862
In motion before daylight. Cannonading already commenced on Fredericksburg. We got in sight of the city and lay all day while a terrific bombardment was carried on. Late in the evening the bridge was laid and a portion of the troops passed over amid deafening cheers from the soldiers.
Several soldiers and engineers were killed and wounded from the houses in the city, which were shelled till several fine edifices were in flames, and the smoke rising like a high black curtain between the heavens and the earth.
December 12, 1862
Crossed into the city early this morning and remained in the streets all day while the balance of the troops were crossing. The enemy were fortyfied(sic) on a range of hills out on the railroad a mile from the city, who could be plainly seen.
December 13, 1862
A terrible battle was fought lasting from noon till after dark.
Our troops advanced across the open country intervening between the city and the “rebs” while a terrific cannonading was opened on us, which did us much damage killing sometimes between a dozen and fifteen
We held the position at night that we had taken when the action began. 1st Brigade was ordered off the field about an hour by sun, but some did not come off till the night had far advanced.
Our Regiment lost about 75 in killed and wounded. Add to this 180 at Antietam and we have the number of 253 in the two engagements.
December 14, 1862
Couches Corps which opened the ball on yesterday was reformed and in line in the streets of the burg, while Porter’s Corps still held the field, he skirmishes or pickets still pecking away at each other.
December 15, 1862
Positions still the same. Last night, our men dug numerous rifle pits to protect our advance from sharpshooters. General Kimball was wounded in the engagement of the 13th. He has gone to Washington City and Col Mason is in command of French’s Division, he (French) being under arrest.
December 16, 1862
Last night after getting snugly to bed we were ordered to fall into line, after which we crossed the river to the north side and moved to our old camp. The whole army has moved back. It was a desperate affair; running our troops up in front of the rebel batteries, without doing any good after all our fighting.
We were in line today. That is our Division which occupies the extreme right. I suppose it is feared that the Rebels may make a demonstration on the right and hence this precaution.
December 24, 1862
We were reviewed today by Maj. Genl Sumner.
December 25, 1862
Christmas and a very dry one at that. Very nice weather at this time for this time of year. We have had several rations of “rot-gut” issued to us lately and some of the boys let their heels get higher than their heads!
December 26, 1862
On account of so much rioting in camp the whiskey ration was cut short, to the discomfiture of many a bold “Soger Boy.”
December 3, 1862
Mustered today. Six months’ pay due us and no prospect for any soon. There is a screw loose somewhere in not paying us off sooner when our families at home are in so much need of that desired article.
