Colonel Charles Russell Lowell to Josephine Shaw Lowell, September 8, 1864 – 9 p.m.

Near Summit, 9 P. M., Sept. 8, 1864.

To-day has quite changed the face of things, — the Third Brigade (my brigade) has been broken up: the Second Massachusetts is transferred to the “Reserve Brigade,” and I take command thereof, Colonel Gibbs being transferred to command of Second Brigade: the change looks like making the Second Massachusetts a permanent member of the Army of the Potomac, or that portion of it which is here.¹

I am now where, if there is anything to be done for Mr. Linkum² in the way of fighting, I may have a chance to do it. Good-night, — it's dark and rainy and windy enough to make a move to-morrow certain, — it's just the night to injure forage and rations, and very naturally they have arrived.

_______________

¹ The reorganization of General Merritt's Division was as follows: First Brigade, Brigadier-General Custer; Second Brigade, Brigadier-General Devin; Reserve Brigade, Colonel Lowell. The Reserve Brigade consisted of the First, Second, and Fifth United States Cavalry and the Second Massachusetts Cavalry; also Battery D (horse artillery) of the Second United States Artillery.

² The negro “contrabands” called their far-off benefactor “Massa Linkum,” and the Union Army the “Linkum soldiers.”

SOURCE: Edward Waldo Emerson, Life and Letters of Charles Russell Lowell, p. 337, 460-1

Lieutenant-General Ulysses S. Grant’s Special Orders, No. 64

Headquarters, Armies Of The United States,

City Point, Va., March 29, 1865.

Special Orders

No. 64

II. Maj. Gen. P. H. Sheridan, commanding Middle Military Division, will order the detachment of Company D, Fifth U. S. Cavalry, now serving with him to report immediately to these headquarters, wherever they may be, in the field.

By command of Lieutenant General U. S. Grant.

E. S. Parker,

Acting Assistant Adjutant-General.

SOURCE: Arthur Caswell Parker, The Life of General Ely S. Parker, p. 121; The War of the Rebellion: A Compilation of the Official Records of the Union and Confederate Armies, Series I, Volume 46, Part 3 (Serial No. 97), p. 248

Major General George B. McClellan to Major General Henry W. Halleck, October 25, 1862

HEADQUARTERS ARMY OF THE POTOMAC,

October 25, 1862. (Received 12 m.)

Maj. Gen. H. W. HALLECK,

General-in- Chief:

The following is an extract from the report of Col. Robert Williams, First Massachusetts Cavalry, late of Regular United States Dragoons, now commanding a detachment of cavalry on duty with General Newton's division, at Cherry Run:

I have in camp 267 horses, belonging to officers and men; of these, 128 are positively and absolutely unable to leave the camp, from the following causes, viz, sore-tongue, grease, and consequent lameness, and sore backs. For example, the Fifth U.S. Cavalry has now in camp 70 horses; of these, 53 are worthless from the above causes. Out of 139 horses, the remainder, I do not believe 50 can trot 80 miles. The other portion of my command, now absent on picket duty, has horses which are about in the same condition, as no selection, unless absolutely necessary, has been made. The number of sore-back horses is exceedingly small. The diseases are principally grease and sore-tongue. The horses, which are still sound, are absolutely broken down from fatigue, and want of flesh. I will also remark that the men in my command are much in want of clothing.

GEO. B. McCLELLAN,

Major-General

SOURCES: The War of the Rebellion: A Compilation of the Official Records of the Union and Confederate Armies, Series I, Volume 19, Part 2 (Serial No. 28), p. 484-5