May 18th. — I wish I could satisfy your fears about
the Army of the Potomac. Thus far we have won no victory. We have
suffered a terrible loss of killed and wounded (nearly fifty thousand), and Lee
is in an impregnable position. J. Grimes commanded the Seventeenth Regiment of
Infantry, until he was finally knocked over by a broken shell. He is not much
hurt, only bruised, and will return to the army, and try his chances again next
Saturday.
I have just returned to my room from dining at Mr. Eames's
with Mrs. Julia Ward Howe — for company, Admiral Davis, Foster, of Connecticut,
Gurowski, and your husband — a pleasant time, of course. Mrs. Howe gave what
she calls a reading, last night. I did not go, but, as she insists upon my
going on Friday, I suppose I must comply.
The news from different directions is not at all pleasant to
me. I confess that just at this present writing I feel pretty blue.
SOURCE: William Salter, The Life of James W. Grimes,
p. 262
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