Major-General George G. Meade to Margaretta Sergeant Mead, May 29, 1864 – 10 a.m.

South Side of Pamunkey River, Hanovertown,

Headquarters Army Of The Potomac, 10 A. M., May 29, 1864.

We have crossed the Pamunkey, and are now within eighteen miles of Richmond. Lee has fallen back from the North Anna, and is somewhere between us and Richmond. We shall move forward to-day to feel for him. We are getting on very well, and I am in hopes will continue to manoeuvre till we compel Lee to retire into the defense of Richmond, when the grand decisive fight will come off, which I trust will bring the war to a close, and that it will be victory for us.

SOURCE: George Meade, The Life and Letters of George Gordon Meade, Vol. 2, p. 199

Governor Samuel J. Kirkwood to Major-General Henry W. Halleck, February 17, 1862

Des Moines, Ia., Feb. 17, 1862.

Gen. H. W. Halleck, St. Louis, Mo.:

Sir: — I have received from Gen. Schuyler Hamilton Special Order No. 30, issued by him on the 10th inst., disgracing the 2d regiment Iowa Volunteer Infantry, by causing them to march to the point of embarkation at St. Louis with flag furled and without music.

I have felt constrained to return said order to Gen. Hamilton, for the reason that it seemed to me harsh and cruel to punish an entire regiment for an act of which but very few could have been guilty, and for which, as far as has been shown, all may have been innocent, and that I could not, under such circumstances, by receiving said order, admit the justice of the punishment.

I trust I will not be considered as intrusive in calling this matter to your attention, and earnestly requesting that if possible the stigma may be removed from the regiment. Very respectfully your obedient servant,

Samuel J. Kirkwood

SOURCE: State Historical Society of Iowa, Iowa Historical Record, Volumes 1-3, Volume 2, No. 3, July 1886, p. 324

Governor Samuel J. Kirkwood to Abraham Lincoln, August 21, 1862

I am satisfied Iowa has to-day not less than eighteen, and, I believe, twenty, new regiments ready for organization, in addition to the twenty-one now in the field.

S. J. K.

SOURCE: Henry Warren Lathrop, The Life and Times of Samuel J. Kirkwood, Iowa's War Governor, p. 219

Senator James W. Grimes to Elizabeth S. Nealley Grimes, September 9, 1863

Grinnell, September 9, 1863.

I am thus far on my tortuous way. We have very large meetings, never so large in the State before, and, so far as I can learn, the very best of feeling prevails among our friends. I cannot doubt our success in the State. The Democrats were never working so hard before, but we shall beat them.

SOURCE: William Salter, The Life of James W. Grimes, p. 238

Diary of Private Alexander G. Downing: Tuesday, December 22, 1863

Relieved from picket this morning. It was quite cold last night. I was on an outpost and our detail consisted of a sergeant, a corporal and twelve privates. We took turns standing on vedette, one hour at a time.

Source: Alexander G. Downing, Edited by Olynthus B., Clark, Downing’s Civil War Diary, p. 158

Diary of Private Charles H. Lynch: March 29, 1864

Arrived in Baltimore early this morning. Nothing happened to mar the pleasure of the journey. All were soon out of the cars, line quickly formed, ready to march from the Camden Street station to the Philadelphia R. R. station, on the east side. Our march led through Pratt Street, the scene of the attack on the 6th Massachusetts regiment in April, 1861, by the Baltimore toughs, who claimed to be in sympathy with the South.

At the Philadelphia station a train was soon made ready for us, which we quickly boarded, and were soon under way, passing the scenes of our first soldier life, Camp Emory and Fort Marshall. These were points of interest to us, and very pleasant recollections. After an uneventful trip we arrived in Philadelphia late this P. M. Ordered out of the cars, line formed for marching, stopping at a place known as the Cooper Shop, where a good dinner was served by the ladies of Philadelphia. It was a very pleasant occasion in our lives, never to be forgotten. Again journeying on towards New York. Our train being special was often side-tracked and we were forced to wait.

SOURCE: Charles H. Lynch, The Civil War Diary, 1862-1865, of Charles H. Lynch 18th Conn. Vol's, p. 48-9

Diary of Luman Harris Tenney: November 24, 1861

Sunday. Stayed in camp. D. R. H. and C. G. F. went up town. Read some and wrote home.

SOURCE: Frances Andrews Tenney, War Diary Of Luman Harris Tenney, p. 4

1st Independent Company Ohio Sharpshooters

Organized at Dayton, Ohio, September-October, 1861. Attached to Birge's Western Sharpshooters, 14th Missouri Infantry, and later 66th Illinois Infantry as Company "G."

SOURCE: Frederick H. Dyer, A Compendium of the War of the 3, p. Rebellion, Part 1495

2nd Independent Company Ohio Sharpshooters

Organized at Findlay, Ohio, September-October, 1861. Attached to Birge's Western Sharpshooters, 14th Missouri Infantry, and later 66th Illinois Infantry as Company "H."

SOURCE: Frederick H. Dyer, A Compendium of the War of the 3, p. Rebellion, Part 1495

3rd Independent Company Ohio Sharpshooters

Organized at Lima, Ohio, March and April, 1862. Attached to Birge's Western Sharpshooters, 14th Missouri Infantry, and later 66th Illinois Infantry as Company "K."

SOURCE: Frederick H. Dyer, A Compendium of the War of the 3, p. Rebellion, Part 1495

4th Independent Company Ohio Sharpshooters

Organized at Goshen and Camp Dennison, Ohio, and mustered in September 29, 1862. Attached to 79th Ohio Infantry as Company "K."

SOURCE: Frederick H. Dyer, A Compendium of the War of the 3, p. Rebellion, Part 1495

5th Independent Company Ohio Sharpshooters

Organized at Camp Cleveland, Ohio, and mustered in February 25, 1863. At Headquarters Generals Rosecrans and Thomas, Commanding Army and Dept. of the Cumberland, March, 1863, to July, 1865. Mustered out July 19, 1865.

SOURCE: Frederick H. Dyer, A Compendium of the War of the 3, p. Rebellion, Part 1495

6th Independent Company Ohio Sharpshooters

Organized at Camp Cleveland, Ohio, and mustered in December 30, 1862. At Headquarters of Generals Rosecrans and Thomas, Commanding Army and Dept. of the Cumberland, March, 1863, to July, 1865. Mustered out July 19, 1865.

SOURCE: Frederick H. Dyer, A Compendium of the War of the 3, p. Rebellion, Part 1495

7th Independent Company Ohio Sharpshooters.

Organized at Camp Cleveland, Ohio, and mustered in January 27, 1863. At Headquarters of Generals Rosecrans and Thomas, Commanding Army and Dept. of the Cumberland, March, 1863, to May, 1864, and at Headquarters of General Sherman, Commanding Military Division Mississippi, May 20, 1864, to July 17, 1865. Mustered out July 28, 1865.

SOURCE: Frederick H. Dyer, A Compendium of the War of the 3, p. Rebellion, Part 1495

8th Independent Company Ohio Sharpshooters.

Organized at Camp Dennison, Ohio, March 9, 1863. At Headquarters of Generals Rosecrans and Thomas, Commanding Army and Dept. of the Cumberland, March, 1863, to July, 1865. Mustered out July 19, 1865.

SOURCE: Frederick H. Dyer, A Compendium of the War of the 3, p. Rebellion, Part 1495

9th Independent Company Ohio Sharpshooters.

Organized February 26, 1864. Attached to 60th Ohio Infantry as Company "G."

SOURCE: Frederick H. Dyer, A Compendium of the War of the 3, p. Rebellion, Part 1495

10th Independent Company Ohio Sharpshooters.

Organized April 1, 1864. Attached to 60th Ohio Infantry as Company "H."

SOURCE: Frederick H. Dyer, A Compendium of the War of the 3, p. Rebellion, Part 1496

Diary of Josephine Shaw Lowell: September 22, 1861

Yesterday it was two months since the Battle of Bull Run and we have had no general action yet.  . . . Gen. Fremont's failing appears to be a desire to act independently. It was for that he was court-martialled, and for that that Lincoln blamed him in issuing his proclamation. It is a very natural desire in a true lover of his country to take the way he thinks best to save her, but a subordinate officer should obey the orders of the Commander-in-Chief.

SOURCE: William Rhinelander Stewart, The Philanthropic Work of Josephine Shaw Lowell, p. 19

Lieutenant-Colonel Theodore Lyman to Elizabeth Russell Lyman, November 1, 1863

Headquarters Army Of The Potomac

November 1, 1863

Buford was here last night, and said he thought he could just “boolge” across the river and scare the Rebels to death; which would certainly be a highly desirable event, for we should have quite a chance of a visit home. As it is, no resignations are accepted and scarcely a soul is allowed to go home, even for a visit of two or three days. The life here is miserably lazy; hardly an order to carry, and the horses all eating their heads off. The weather is fine, to be sure, and everybody, nearly, is well; but that is all the more reason for wishing something done. I do not even have the drudgery of drill and parade and inspection, that the infantrymen have. If one could only be at home, till one was wanted, and then be on the spot; but this is everywhere the way of war; lie still and lie still; then up and manoeuvre and march hard; then a big battle; and then a lot more lie still.

SOURCE: George R. Agassiz, Editor, Meade’s Headquarters, 1863-1865: Letters of Colonel Theodore Lyman from the Wilderness to Appomattox, p. 40-1

Major-General George G. Meade to Margaretta Sergeant Mead, May 25, 1864 – 9 a.m.

Headquarters Army Of The Potomac, 9 A. M., May 25, 1864.

Yours of the 21st reached me this morning, also one from your mother to the same effect, that it was too late to refuse the house. Setting aside the injustice to me of placing the affair in such condition that I have no option in the matter, I have written a letter to Mr. Gerhard, which I enclose, and which you can hand to him at such time as may be deemed suitable. My contributing friends must know there was nothing personal in my action, because I do not know the name of a single contributor. I acted on the general principle I have always held, that a public man makes a mistake when he allows his generous friends to reward him with gifts. I wrote Mr. Gerhard it was not a case of necessity, as, by proper economy, we could and should live on our means; that if anything should happen to me, then I would be grateful for the smallest assistance given to you and the children; but until that time, I thought it better for me to preserve my independence, although no one could be more sensible to and grateful for the generous kindness of my friends than I was. My opinions are still unchanged; but if the affair is settled, and it is too late to decline, I have no disposition to be ungenerous, and certainly no design of doing anything that would be offensive to the feelings of those who have been so kind to me. You can therefore take the house, and express to all you know my deep obligation and sincere gratitude.

The enemy, though he has fallen back, still confronts us, and is being reinforced.

SOURCE: George Meade, The Life and Letters of George Gordon Meade, Vol. 2, p. 198-9