Culpepper C. H., Va., April 6, 1864.
. . . The only clear day for some time. I have hopes that
the weather will continue so until the roads become fitted for campaigning, and
that they then continue in such condition until we try title with Lee, for
Richmond. Richmond ours, and all will be well. Nothing after the defeat of Lee
and the capture of Richmond by our armies can successfully make head against
our onward sweep through the remaining states in rebellion.
Nothing of any interest or worthy of note to-day. Troops are
slowly but constantly coming to the front from furlough, gradually swelling our
ranks and increasing our strength for the coming conflict. Oh, that we may be
as successful in this new field as in the West.
And I must say that everything looks more favorable to
success in the coming campaign than it did at Chattanooga. From the most
deplorable condition of affairs, we came out most gloriously there. With
everything looking so favorable here and the General exerting, as he is, his
whole powers, with the immense means he has at his command too, I cannot but
hope strongly that all will end well.
The greatest fear now is that General Banks may be tardy in
his movements. But the glory that can be secured to him only by activity on his
part, and the rich prize held out to him in the orders sent him, I trust will
spur him on.
The General has made up his staff and sends forward their names
to-morrow to be published in orders for the War Department. I have a little
anxiety to know whether they will announce me as chief of staff as the General
has requested they should. My anxiety is caused by the position to which
General Halleck is assigned. But I have very little doubt that the General's
wishes will be complied with. I have thought it possible my confirmation was
secretly opposed by some friends of General Halleck through the very plausible
objection that I am already a staff officer. Certainly “two chiefs of staff” to
one general is beyond all that precedent has established in this war.
But I suppose I do General Halleck injustice by the thought.
He has done so much for his country notwithstanding some failures, and the
abuse of the press, that his fame is secure, and nothing can be added to it by
his being on the staff of one so recently his subordinate, unless one were
ungenerous enough to suppose that he might desire the position with a view to
sharing with the General any honors that may be hereafter won, if won they are.
To-day is the second anniversary of the first day's fight at
Shiloh. At this hour, 10.30 o'clock P. M., I was sleeping in a field hospital
with the dead and terribly wounded. Into this hospital I had managed to escape
from the most terrible of storms, after having become thoroughly saturated with
the falling flood. Yet I went to sleep that night notwithstanding the
fierceness of that day's terrible conflict, full of the hope of a glorious
victory on the morrow. I realized the fullest consummation of that hope on the
afternoon of the next day when the enemy beaten at all points retreated towards
Corinth, and had General Buell and his officers concurred with General Grant in
the propriety of pursuit that day, the memorable siege of Corinth had never
found a place in history.
SOURCE: James H. Wilson, The Life of John A. Rawlins,
p. 411-3
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