Diary of Gideon Welles: Monday, May 16, 1864

I yesterday took a steamer with a small company, consisting among others of Postmaster-General Blair, Senators Doolittle and Grimes, Messrs. Rice and Griswold of the Naval Committee, Count Rosen of the Swedish Navy, Mr. Hale (the newly selected Consul-General to Egypt), G. W. Blunt and Assistant Secretary Fox, Commander Wise, Dr. Horwitz, and two or three others, and went down the Potomac to Belle Plain. The day was pleasant and the sail charming. We reached Belle Plain about two P.M. and left a little past five. Is a rough place with no dwelling, — an extemporized plank-way from the shore some twenty or thirty rods in the rear. Some forty or fifty steamers and barges, most of them crowded with persons, were there. Recruits going forward to reinforce Grant's army, or the wounded and maimed returning from battle. Rows of stretchers, on each of which was a maimed or wounded Union soldier, were wending towards the steamers which were to bear them to Washington, while from the newly arrived boats were emerging the fresh soldiers going forward to the field. Working our way along the new and rough-made road, through teams of mules and horses, we arrived at the base of a hill some two or three hundred feet in height, and went up a narrow broken footpath to the summit, on which were the headquarters of General Abercrombie and staff. The ascent was steep and laborious. We had expected to find the prisoners here, but were told they were beyond, about one and a half miles. The majority were disposed to proceed thither, and, though tired and reluctant, I acquiesced. The prisoners, said to be about 7000 in number, were encamped in a valley surrounded by steep hills, the circumference of the basin being some two or three miles. Returning, we passed through the centre of this valley or basin. The prisoners were rough, sturdy-looking men, good and effective soldiers, I should judge. Most of them were quiet and well-behaved, but some few of them were boisterous and inclined to be insolent.

One of the prisoners, a young man of some twenty-five, joined me and inquired if I resided in the neighborhood. I told him at a little distance. He wished to exchange some money, Rebel for greenbacks. When I told him that his was worthless, he claimed it was better than greenbacks though not current here. I asked him if they had not enough of fighting, opposing the Union and lawful authority. He said no, there was much more fighting yet to be done. Claimed that Lee would be in Fredericksburg before the Union army could get to Richmond. Would not believe that J. E. B. Stuart was killed, news of which I received just as I came on board the boat this morning. He was earnest, though uninformed, and said he was from western North Carolina. Returning, we reached Washington at 9 P.M.

To-day I have been busy in preparing two or three letters and matters for Congress.

Governor Morgan called on me relative to abuses in cotton speculations, and malconduct of Treasury agents and others. Some of the malpractices which are demoralizing the army and the officials and disgusting the whole people in the lower Mississippi are becoming known, and will, I trust, lead to legislative correction. As Morgan introduced the subject and thought proper to consult me, I freely gave him facts and my views, which conflict with Chase and the Treasury management. A bill which Morgan showed me is crudely drawn but introduces, or makes, an entire change. It is not, in some of its features, what I should have proposed, but it will improve on the present system.

SOURCE: Gideon Welles, Diary of Gideon Welles, Secretary of the Navy Under Lincoln and Johnson, Vol. 2: April 1, 1864 — December 31, 1866, p. 31-3

Diary of to Amos A. Lawrence: Wednesday, January 26, 1859

Company to dinner at four. Agassiz, George Ticknor, Professor Felton, Rev. Dr. Huntington, Charles Hale (Speaker of House of Representatives), Lord Radstock, ex - Governor Washburn, and some gentlemen from the legislature whom I wished to become acquainted with Mr. Agassiz. They all seemed to have an agreeable visit, and I hope it will help along the project of establishing the Museum of Zoëlogy at Cambridge. Lord Radstock is a young man, travelling with his wife.

SOURCE: William Lawrence, Life of Amos A. Lawrence: With Extracts from His Diary and Correspondence, p. 160

Edward Everett Hale to Charles Hale, August 8, 1862

But Abraham's draft is universally well received and has hurried up the volunteering at once. When it is filled, nearly half our military population in Massachusetts will be under arms. . . . Gov. Andrew is sentimentally opposed to a regular draft, a very absurd opposition. I think there are already evidences that he means to call out the volunteer militia for nine months, instead of bravely taking by lot his 15,000 men.

SOURCE: Edward Everett Hale Jr., The Life and Letters of Edward Everett Hale, Volume 1, p. 330-1

Edward Everett Hale to Charles Hale, August 5, 1862

August 5th, 1862.

Old Abe has called out 300,000 men by draft, and has informed us that if the 300,000 volunteers do not appear by the 15th he will draft for them. This is as it should be — if he had put his figure higher it would have been better. The act giving him power was run through just in the heel of the session. The old theories of war are exploded, which spoke of people's staying at home and sending a few wretches to do the fighting. For if everybody goes on both sides, universal service justifies itself by the great appeal in fact, which I have so often lectured about in theory; viz. the appeal to physical force. The result of universal suffrage may be right or may be wrong, but it is the result which will be carried through.

SOURCE: Edward Everett Hale Jr., The Life and Letters of Edward Everett Hale, Volume 1, p. 330

Edward Everett Hale to Charles Hale, July 25, 1862

The recruiting goes on perfectly steadily. William Loring my old parishioner, who is Lt. Col. commanding the 34th wrote down to me to ask me to be chaplain of his regiment and I was sorely tempted, I confess. I suppose if I was at even a regiment's headquarters, the feeling that all was ill done would be rather worse than it is in this blissful ignorance in which we live.

SOURCE: Edward Everett Hale Jr., The Life and Letters of Edward Everett Hale, Volume 1, p. 329

Edward Everett Hale to Charles Hale, April 1, 1861

I want to congratulate you specially on the dignity, spirit, decorum, and wisdom of the paper since the war began. I think it really deserves all praise.

In the way of war poetry, print again Holmes's verses of the President's Fast. We had them the day after. The burthen

“God bless them when our Northern pine

Shall meet their Southern palm.”

runs in my head all the time. Indeed the whole thing fills me with unutterable sadness. But if we come out of it a nation it is worth something.

SOURCE: Edward Everett Hale Jr., The Life and Letters of Edward Everett Hale, Volume 1, p. 326-7

Edward Everett Hale to Charles Hale, March 2, 1861

I doubt if we have any news. No other paper than ours had the final report of the Peace Conference. That august body seems to have done its duty in biding over the weeks before next Monday, perhaps would have done more duty if it had bided a little longer. There is great virtue in Time.

SOURCE: Edward Everett Hale Jr., The Life and Letters of Edward Everett Hale, Volume 1, p. 326

Edward Everett Hale to Charles Hale, March 24, 1861

March 24.

dear Charles:

I have just sent your name to Cabot as a member of the drill club. You will have to pay Salignac six dollars; there is a fee of twenty-five cents a month to the man who cleans the guns, hence called quartermaster. If it is convenient for you to come round at 11 tomorrow (over Jones, Louis, & Ball's, No. 20) or a few minutes before eleven, I will meet and introduce you. But you cannot take your first drill at that hour, — and if you are pressed for time, I will find what the hour for the new comers is, and let you know. We are to move this week to a hall in Sudbury St., because the floor where we are is not safe.

SOURCE: Edward Everett Hale Jr., The Life and Letters of Edward Everett Hale, Volume 1, p. 324-5

Edward Everett Hale to Charles Hale, February 26, 1861

February 26, 1861.

There is not any news at all, but that we drilled with muskets yesterday for the first time. Why the pesky things did not fall on the floor before us I do not know. It is excellent exercise and so trivial in its detail that it is perfect rest. I have slept better since Feb. 1st than for a great while before and have not once been tired.

SOURCE: Edward Everett Hale Jr., The Life and Letters of Edward Everett Hale, Volume 1, p. 324