Editor’s Note: This item is part of a collection of letters and diary entries from soldiers of the 8th New York Heavy Artillery written while the unit was at the Siege of Petersburg. Researcher and author Kathryn Lerch generously donated all of the items in this collection for use at The Siege of Petersburg Online.
Wm. Pike Diary July 23-25, 18641:
Saturday July 23, 1864
Struck tents and moved to the right about 30 [?] rods and got out tents about half pitched when orders came to move again. Went about 30 [?] rods to the right and then countermarched to the same place we left in the morning.
Sunday July 24, 1864
We have got our camp formed and our tents pitched again. Our Chaplin returned to the regiment. No divine service. All quiet except for skirmishing.
Monday July 25, 1864
No change. We are lying in camp. Drew two days rations. Heavy firing in front of Petersburg. Capt. Sherwin was taken to the hospital sick.
Source:
- Transcribed from original by Kathryn Lerch and used with permission from the Niagara County Historical Society, Lockport, NY. Pike’s diary also provides some of the information about the regiment’s trek to Deep Bottom near the end of the month. ↩