The "Mud March"

The Hampshire Room for Local History has in its collection several diaries, letters, unpublished manuscripts and first-hand accounts of the war. Excerpts from these documents will be used to give accounts of the local regiments and soldiers experiences during the conflict.

The following excerpts are from the Diaries of soldiers Judson Bradley and Hubbard M. Abbott and the unpublished manuscript of Brevet Major General Oliver Edwards.

Judson Bradley

Tuesday 20

Cloudy & wind N.E. Orders to cook all the rations by 12. Regt. ordered in & we marched from our old camp about 12m. We have had a hard march & are camped down in the woods & the rain which is falling makes one lonesome. We are going over the River again I suppose. above Fredericksburg.

Wednesday 21

Rainy & Oh! what mud! I never saw such mud. We have marched to near the place we are to cross & the pontoons are stuck in the mud. Encamped on a steep side hill in the woods. Slept in wet blankets & was uncomfortable.

Thursday, January 22, 1863

[In margins]- Burnside and his army “stuck” in the mud. Providence did not smile on the last move & we are all back in the old camp.

Day on the hill all day. We got Whiskey rations today & wanted hard bread but got none. Had orders to pack up & then orders to pitch tents. Rained some today. Built fire & tried to dry the blankets but did not succeed very well.

Friday 23

Weather still cloudy. Order in to start at 6 o’clock but did not start until about 8. Then stood holding knapsacks until tired. Think a long march with out rest & air light until after 8 miles. We got back to the old camp & drew rations & put up tents. Letter from Hall.

Saturday 24

Sunshine out this morning & we felt cheered but clouded up again. Fixed palisade & cleaned the gin [?] in the morning. Drew 2 days rations this afternoon. Assorted beans in the [?]. No mail. Wrote to Luther.

H.M. Abbott

Tuesday, January 20, 1863

Advance to meet the Rebels We were called in from picket about 11 oclock + ordered to march we had

just time to draw rations + then we had to fall in + [dust] + we marched about 10 miles + the way we were rushed was [u caution???] it was the hardest march we have had The brigade started 1 ½ hours before we did + we had to catch up with them. before night + we did it it was very warm

Wednesday, January 21, 1863

It commenced to rain last night [raind?] like thunder we were called up + ordered to fall in at 6 o clock + we [stepped?] + the mud was ankle deep every step we marched about 4 or 5 miles + camped pitched tents + got things comfortable + were ordered to fall in [we moved] about ½ mile to change camp in our march [we found?] lots of artillery +  Pontoons stuck in the mud [with/such?] from 12 to 14 [more on ????????]

Thursday, January 22, 1863

We lay still all day we were in camp in a [side] hill about a mile from the River. Expected to go over the River but the mud was so deep [we could] not move  It rained in showers all day + the mud grows deeper. + the prospects are now that we shall make another grand retreat without [muting] the Rebels.

Friday, January 23, 1863

Started at 7 o clock on the retreat from the Rappohannock 37th Regt led the Brigade well folks can talk about mud I never [see] such mud it was more than ankle deep in the road all the way we passed lots of army wagons turned over + any quantity of dead mules + horses we came back to our old camp arrived at 12 o clock [noon] found every thing [distroyed] that could be. Our rations [run] out yesterday + we had to make our march to day without any thing to eat

Saturday, January 24, 1863

have been buïsy all day fixing up things + getting them into shape as they were before we left   have got everything all [wright ?] + think we can [live?] again It has been cloudy all day but has not rained Policed the street for inspection tomorrow we had [soup] for dinner drew rations of all kinds to day.  the forward movement has [cost] a good deal + I think would have been a success if the weather had been good

Oliver Edwards

On January 20th, orders were read from Gen. Burnside that we would again meet the enemy. We moved towards Banks Ford and made good progress, when we bivouacked, but the weather changed and the rain came down. When morning dawned the scene was changed; the roads soon became impassable, even for foot, and pontoons, artillery and ammunition wages were stuck in the mud. The rain poured down. The rebels have discovered our movements and ready for us, but we cannot bring up our pontoons to cross on, nor our artillery to cover our crossing. The roads have no bottom and nothing but infantry can move. The fords are impassable, the water is so high and rising. There is literally nothing to do but to return to camp as soon as we can extricate the army. The next day the rain ceased, and the next, the 23rd, we returned to camp, the laughing stock of “Johnny Reb”, hungry, without rations, tired, discouraged, wet, and mud from head to foot. Sickness and death prevailed, and gloom too thick to penetrate, with the worst of winter weather.

               Assisted by all my officers every means were taken to improve

[page 28] the condition of the 37th. I secured permission to change our camp and selected a comfortable site, laid out the best regimental camp I ever saw in the field. Every hut had its fire place and floor,-was dry, warm and well ventilated. The camp was built in a few days, with our only tools -three axes to the Company, and such hatchets as the men possessed. Sickness ceased as if by magic; every man in the regiment was comfortable unless on picket, and we were quickly ready to fight under whoever the President should put over us. Visitors to the army were frequently taken by prominent officers to view our model encampment, and the happy healthful faces of my men were encouraging to see.

               Never at any period in the existence of the Army of the Potomac was there such demoralization as existed after “Burnside’s Mud March”. Prominent Generals represented to the President the necessity for the removal of Gen. Burnside. Generals Franklin, Smith, Newton, Brooks and others were active in their opposition to Burnside. It was believed that the command of the Army of the Potomac was at this time offered to Gen. D. N. Couch and by him declined. Those of us who knew Gen. Couch best, believed him in every way competent to successfully command, but his modest estimate of his own abilities made him distrust himself.