George Diary: September 1863

Tuesday Sep. 1st.: Lieutenant J. Justice arrived from furlough to-day. All quiet.
Wednesday Sep. 2nd.: Captain Maxwell of company E. returned from furlough. Brother Samuel is expected to-morrow.
Thursday Sep. 3d.: Wrote some letters; have been furnished with a riding horse and army saddle.
Friday Sep. 4th.: Was ordered to return to Camp Nelson and bring up a wagon train of commissary supplies. Left early this morning on my new mount and arrive at Camp Nelson about five P.M. The distance is about thirty five miles.
Saturday Sep. 5th.: At Camp Nelson; start with wagon train on return; arrive in the evening at Camp Dick Robison; corral for the night.
Sabbath Sep. 6th.: Start early with wagon train on the return to Crab Orchard, where we arrive at five o'clock P.M. Wagon train consisted of six wagons of the army type with six mules to a team; these are in charge of a wagon Master under my direction.
Monday Sep. 7th.: Doing some office work; wrote a letter home.
Tuesday Sep. 8th.: Doing nothing to-day except writing some letters to friends. Rumors that we are to move soon.
Wednesday Sep. 9th.: Wrote to sister. Orders this morning to be ready to move ae eight to-morrow morning. Lieut. Justice has been appointed Acting Commissary of Subsistance of the first Division of the 9th. Army Corps, and Lieut. Winnegar A.C.S. of the 3d. Brigade. I was appoined to act as clerk and orderly to Lieut. Winnegar.
Thursday Sep. l0th.: Army moves at eight A.M., leaving Crab Orchard in the direction of Cumberland Gap and Tennessee. To-day my appointment under Lieut. Winnegar was rescinded. Ordered to report to Lieut. Justice and was instructed to remain at Crab Orchard to await the arrival of a wagon train, and also a drove of beef cattle, and to bring them forward as soon as possible. A detail of seven men was placed under my direction to assist.
Friday Sep. 11th.: Waiting for wagon train and cattle; expect to start from here to-morrow.
Saturday Sep. 12th.: Start on the long march from Crab Orchard across the mountains, with a wagon train, and eighty four head of cattle, about three P.M. Soon after taking the road, overtaken in a heavy rain and hail storm and all are thoroughly drenched. Corral about six P.M.
Sabbath Sep. l3th.: Start early and drive about twelve miles; corral about two miles this side of Mt. Vernon.
Monday Sep. 14th.: Leave Mt. Vernon early in the morning; drive to Big Rockcastle Creek, a distance of about eight miles; corral about noon and remain over until next day in order to graze cattle, good pasture.
Tuesday Sep. 15th.: Leave Big Rockcastle early; cross Wild Cat Mountain; corral near London, a drive of sixteen miles.
Wednesday Sep. 16th.: Leave London early; rest at noon; kill a young beef to give men fresh meat; sold what we could not take with us to a farmer. Move from this place at three P.M. to Laurel Ridge Corral at the widow Colyers at six P.M. Cow dropped calf; exchange her for a steer with a farmer.
Thursday Sep. 17th.: Move at six A.M., drive eighteen miles; corral within about four miles of the advancing army.
Friday Sep. 18th.: Move at daylight, and about nine A.M., arrive at encampment of troops. Turn cattle over to brigade commissary. After-noon collecting.
Saturday Sep. 19th.: Troops move at six A.M., cross the Cumberland River, bivouac.
Sabbath Sep. 20th.: Army in the move by daylight; pass through Cumberland gap at noon; encamp two miles beyond. At eight o'clock P.M. issued two days rations to troops. Dr. Taylor incidentally visited the stone monument marking the corner of three states, Virginia, Kentucky, and Tennessee. One walking around the monument has set his foot on the soil of three states.
Monday Sep. 21st.: Troops move at daylight; pass through the mountain village of Tazwell and encamp about three miles beyond. It is said skirmishing with the eneny is going on in our advance. We are moving in the direction of Morristown Tenn.
Tuesday Sep. 22nd.: Army on the move by daylight; troops for the Clinch River, and later in the day cross the Holstein River. Arrive at Morristown Tenn., after dark following a heavy days march or more than twenty miles. Dr. Taylor and I sleep in a straw stack because our blankets are not where we can readily get them.
Wednesday Sep. 23d.: There is talk this morning of sending me back to Crab Orchard to bring forward a wagon train of commissary supplies. Order received ny me at four o'clock P.M. I am to take back with me a train of fifteen empty wagons in charge of a Wagon Master. On account of delay in making up wagon train was not able to pull out until about sun down. Proceed on the way back as far as the Holstein River and corral for the night. The distance back to Crab Orchard is about one hundred and fifty miles. We are to make all possible speed. There is some danger along the way from guerrillas.
Thursday Sep. 24th.: Cross the Holstein at sunrise and corral two miles beyond the Clinch River. Our move to-day was about sixteen miles. To-day met our 1st. Division 9th Army Corps on the way south they say they are ordered to Knoxville Tenn. I mean the 1st. Division wagon train.
Friday Sep. 25th.: Wagon train moves at sun-rise; pass through Tazwell, also through CumberlandGap and corral about ten miles beyond.
Saturday Sep. 26th.: Move at seven A.M. and corral at Barboursville, Ky. a distance of about twenty five miles.
Sabbath Sep. 27th.: Leave Barboursville at sun-rise and corral at Laurel Bridge about three o'clock P.M. I rode on ahead a couple of miles to a farm house to stay for the night. After I had left the train, Wagon Master Cardis, who was under my direction, went to a farm house not far from the corral and was shot and killed.
Monday Sep. 28st.: On account of the killing of Wagon Master Cardis, on their own initiative the drivers took the body and in the night drove to London, passing the house where I was staying. Not being with the train I knew nothing of the murder until next morning. From the men who were under considerable excitement, with many different stories, definite particulars could not be learned. It is supposed that Mr. Cardis went to the farm house, as was often the custom of the men to buy eatables, and in some way made himself non gratio, and was resented and shot; or he may have been shot simply because he was a Union man in the employ of the Government. Some of our men wanted to go back and out of revenge burn the murderers property; but this was strenuously opposed. We buried Cardis about noon at the village of London. Drive about three miles to the Post and load three wagons with coal for Crab Orchard; corral for the night. The death of the wagon master has put upon me the additional responsibility of directing the train and looking after the men and teams.
Tuesday Sep. 29nd.: Move at sunrise and corral two miles beyond the Big Rock Castle.
Wednesday Sep. 30th.: Wagon train on the move by daylight. pass through the village of Mt. Vernon at noon; arrive at Crab Orchard about five o'clock P.M. We were seven days in making the trip from Morristown Tenn. to this place.

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