Sketch of Hoods Texas Brigade of the Virginia Army (Handwritten Civil War Diary)

to see, two or three thousand men all at once devouring green corn The rapid manner in which it was done. The number of cobs lying near would have made a horse blush or a mule smile. and we were not allowed to build fires, except at a great distance in the mean time nearly all of us devoured ours raw. I eat about tin can but some of my comrades swore that they had finished 40 "I caved" and went to sleep dreaming of beautiful green fields of corn We left "Freemans Ford" and on the evening of 23d Aug [?] tried to hungry wagons coming up rations were issued and we were

prepared to enjoy the contrast between "Bison + bread" and green corn fried stewed -baked- roasted and raw but "Man proposes and God disposes" While supper was progressing orders came to march Supper wsa in every imaginable shape except one ready to eat Some had just drawn rations others were washing their frying pans some had their beef on the fire (I for one) others had only got their flavor into the pan and had their hands well bedaubed with dough in short we had supper in such a shape that we could neither eat nor carry it along and then could be heard cursing and swearing from man to man

but it was no use, and we prepared to march drinking to "better luck next time" for we were on our way to "Manassas." Nothing of very great importance happened on the march - except the passage of "Thouragh Fare Gap" of the "Blue ridge" on the evening of Aug 20th 62. Arriving at the Gap we found it disputed by Genl Fitz John Porter of the USA with 10,000 men and the Yanks had their artillery so situated so as to defend the Gap by enveloping it with grape and canister. Genl Whiting ordered us to climb the mountain. We started at it with a will and soon found ourselves above the din and confusion of earth and

could hear below us the report of canon from the Yankee guns as they fired down the gap. soon the firing ceased and we were ordered back. after having nearly reached the top of "The Blue Ridge." Our ascension of the mountain had caused the Yanks to allow us free passage through the Gap - On the march to the Gap we had been moving steadily on for 36 hours with half rations and but two hours rest during the whole time and after passing through the Gap we lay down about 12 at night and refreshed by sleep our exhausted limbs and excited minds as early dawn on morning of Aug 29th we moved forward.

and took our positions in line of battle, ready and willing to - our part in the bloody "2nd Manassas" "thousands of brave warriors stand trembling with eager anxiety, watching for the word to tread where the fallen heros sleep and wrench from the hand of our enemy another palm for our country's glory. From early dawn on the 29th till late at night the fury of battle raged on our left under the supervision of "Stonewall" who drove them back, time and time again, with immense slaughter. Hood's Brigade had taken it's position near the Warrenton turnpike They lay in line of battle late in the evening listening to the