July 15, 1861

Corporal Nathan Pugh of the Walker Light Infantry, makes the following entry in his diary:

Started on our dreary march through the mountainous wilderness of laurel at daylight this morning.  All weak and tottering from hunger.  We have marched through this wilderness for thirty-six hours, without discovering any mark or sign to indicate that man had ever trod the soil before; and I have not idea that this region was ever before penetrated by any man living.  For nearly two days we have marched without so much as hearing a bird.  No game!  Nothing in this region for game to live on.  The growth consists of laurel, laurel, laurel, with occasional spruce-pine and birch.  The boys are eating birch-bark—some are eating spruce-pine bark.  As for myself, I cannot bear to look at them as they eat it.  I ate it freely yesterday, but to-day I am sick—sick, I suppose, from eating it yesterday.  We are marching in profound silence, no man having strength or energy to converse with his companion.  Many of the boys are throwing away their guns, &c., not being able to carry them.