March 2d.—Marched from Charlottesville, by Gordonsville, and encamped near Orange Springs about 10 o’clock, P. M. Got corn, per M. G. Hatcher, from Gen. Lee’s headquarters.
March 3d.—Left camp early, and wound around on a very cold trail after Kilpatrick. Halted 8 miles from Spottsylvania C. H., about 3 o’clock, to feed. Mounted at sunset and traveled all night, reaching Hanover Junction at 9 o’clock A. M., March 4th, and at 3 o’clock moved down to 6 miles of Richmond. Raining very hard, and nobody knows where Kilpatrick is.
March 5th.—Lying in camp all day and the rain pouring down. Drew three days rations of corn meal and bacon—about enough for three meals.
March 6th.—Still in camp. Four orders to saddle up and move, and four countermands. Plenty of horse feed, by stealing a little.
Monday, March 7th.—Moved out this morning on the road to the Valley, passing up the Rail Road by Beaverdam to Bumpas Station, 16 miles below Louisa C. H., and encamped. Yanks have burned all the Rail Road wood and buildings at Beaverdam, and tore up the rails.
March 8th.—Nothing to eat, and raining fast. Marched to Louisa C. H. and laid over. Still no rations.
March 9th.—Came to Gordonsville and camped. Drew some mule meat and hard-tack about four o’clock—first rations since 7th.
March 10th.—Lying in camp all day near the nastiest and meanest hole in the Southern Confederacy, to wit: Gordonsville. Found a grocery store and bought it out. Cheese, $10 per pound. Butter, $10. Ground Peas, $1.50 per quart. Tobacco, $5 per plug. Lead pencils, $3 each.
March 11th.—Still at this sweet-scented little place waiting for something to turn up, which it did, about 4 P. M., in the shape of an old, long-legged, razor-backed, slab-sided, black sow, poorer than Pharaoh’s kine, and the last one left in the county, but we killed and eat her, and the only meat we’ve had since the mule gave out.
March 12th.—Left camp at sunrise, and marched by Orange Springs to plank road, thence by the | old familiar Parker’s Store to Chancellorsville, and encamped upon the famous battle-field.