George S. Denison to Salmon P. Chase, August 26, 1862

New Orleans, Aug. 26th, 1862.

Dear Sir: The troops at Baton Rouge have evacuated the place, without destroying it, and are now joined to Gen. Phelps' command at Carrolton. His effective force is now about six thousand men and many guns, and is sufficient for the defence of the place. The fortifications are strong, and Gen. Phelps has the entire confidence of his men. An attack on the City was feared, and therefore the troops were brought down from Baton Rouge. The secessionists confidently expect the city to be taken soon, and had they succeeded at Baton Rouge, an attack on the City would have followed immediately. I do not believe it will now be made, but if attempted, will certainly be unsuccessful. They expected aid in the City, but Gen. Butler has disarmed all citizens. About 25,000 arms of various kinds have been given up.

The first Louisiana Reg't. is full and ready for service, and nearly enough men enlisted to form a second Reg't. The men are generally foreigners — many Germans — and will do good service.

A free Colored Reg't. formerly in Rebel service, is being organized. Probably this Regiment will be increased to a Brigade. I urged this matter upon Gen. Butler, but he had already decided upon it favorably. The free negroes of Louisiana, are certainly superior, as a class, to the Creoles (descendants of French and Spanish settlers). They are intelligent, energetic and industrious, as is evident from the fact (as stated to me) that they own one seventh of the real estate in this city. This is their own work, for they commenced with nothing, of course.

These men will be good soldiers. Gen. Phelps has at his camp 1,500 men — escaped slaves. Enough to make a full regiment are drilled (without arms) and go through all movements well. I do not know whether Gen. Butler intends them to have arms. They are good looking men, and I believe will be good soldiers.

The health of the troops is good, except those lately at Vicksburg, among whom however, deaths have been few. The City is quite healthy, and there is no longer much danger from Yellow Fever. This is owing to Gen. Butler's severe quarantine regulations. A few more days of health will render us perfectly secure.

The Union sentiment is developing itself satisfactorily. The laboring classes are our friends. When the great Southern armies are broken up they will no longer be afraid, and all will be well.

Provisions are high, and there is much suffering in the City. It is much to be regretted that the River was not opened, so that provisions might be cheap. The condition of the people now is scarcely better than under rebel rule — as to food, I mean.

For other reasons, the opening of the River is of the utmost consequence.

Much complaint is made by Union men, and justly, that those who have been secessionists, are frequently given employment by the authorities, to the exclusion of Union men. Concerning the Custom House there have been no such complaints, I believe, for I have been particularly careful in selecting officers, but I regret to say that other departments have not exercised the same care.

Col. Butler is a brother of Gen'l. Butler and came out with the army, and immediately commenced doing business. He is not in government employ. He is here for the sole purpose of making money, and it is stated by secessionists — and by some Union men—that he has made half a million dollars, or more. I regret his being here at all, for it is not proper that the brother of the commanding General, should devote himself to such an object. It leads to the belief that the General himself is interested with him, and such is the belief of our enemies and of some of our friends. The effect is bad. General Butler seems entirely devoted to the interests of the Government. I have observed closely his brother's course. I do not believe the General is interested in his speculations. I have delayed mentioning this matter until now, hoping to be better informed. Hon. Reverdy Johnson can give you as much information as I can.¹ I believe Gen. Butler is disinterested and that he is a most able officer though in a difficult position. Should I learn anything further, you will be informed.

_______________

¹ Hon. Reverdy Johnson, Senator from Maryland, was “appointed by the State Department as a special agent, to proceed to New Orleans and investigate and report upon the complaints made by foreign consuls against the late military proceedings in their respective cases.” (Secretary Stanton to General Butler, June 10, 1862, Rebellion Records, Series I, Vol. XV, p. 471. Cf. Series III, Vol. II. Cf. also the appendix to these letters.)

SOURCE: Diary and correspondence of Salmon P. Chase, Annual Report of the American Historical Association for the Year 1902, Vol. 2, p. 310-2

Officers of the 1st Louisiana Infantry (USA)

In active service during the Siege of Port Hudson

FIELD AND STAFF

Colonel — Richard E. Holcomb of Connecticut. Killed in action June 14, 1863. William O. Fisk of Massachusett. Promoted to Colonel, June 15, 1863.

Major — Charles H. Grosvenor of Ohio.

First Surgeon — Seth C. Gordon of Maine.

Second Assistant Surgeon — Richard H. Meserve of Maine.

Quartermaster — James A. Leonard of Mass.

Chaplain — Samuel M. Kingston of Ireland.

Captains — William George of Denmark. Frances Felton of Prussia, Alonzo W. Persons of Massachusetts; Henry G. Ingham of Pennsylvania; Charles May of Saxony; George Shemenauer of Baden, Germany; George A. Mayne of Vermont; James T. Jenner of England; John R. Parsons of Massachusetts.

First Lieutenants—James T. Smith, of Ireland; Thomas L. Scott of Massachusetts; Marcena C. S. Gray of Maine; Martin V. B. Hill of Massachusetts; Rudolph Krause of Hanover; Henry T. Carter of Maine.

Second Lieutenants — George M. Severy of Maine; Devereux E. Jones of Canada; George G. Smith of Vermont; Charles S. Leonard of Massachusetts; Adolph Charpenter of France; John Kline of Germany; James M. Gardner of Scotland; Richard Byrne of Ireland; John Kearney of Ireland; Michael H. Dunne of Ireland.

Commissioned Officers of Co C. First Louisiana Regt Infty Vols.

Captain — Francis Felton.

First Lieutenant — Thomas L. Scott.

Second Lieutenant  — George G. Smith.

SOURCE: Abstracted from George G. Smith, Leaves from a Soldier's Diary, p. 147

Diary of 2nd Lieutenant George G. Smith: July 12, 1865

Discharged on account of expiration of term of service. Got discharge papers made out, and regiment disbanded on the 17th. Got my pay on the 18th. Many of the officers did not have their accounts straight with Uncle Sam, and I never learned how it went with them.

SOURCE: Abstracted from George G. Smith, Leaves from a Soldier's Diary, p. 144

Diary of 2nd Lieutenant George G. Smith: July 24, 1865

Left New Orleans on board the steamer “Missouri,” for New England, via St. Louis, Chicago and the Great Lakes.

SOURCE: Abstracted from George G. Smith, Leaves from a Soldier's Diary, p. 144

Diary of 2nd Lieutenant George G. Smith: July 1, 1865

Ordered to New Orleans on board the “Silver Moon.” Arrived next day.

SOURCE: Abstracted from George G. Smith, Leaves from a Soldier's Diary, p. 144

Diary of 2nd Lieutenant George G. Smith: June 11, 1865

Detailed to take command of a force to guard the telegraph station across the river, opposite the fort. Relieved by a company of U. S. regulars under Lieut. Brown.

SOURCE: Abstracted from George G. Smith, Leaves from a Soldier's Diary, p. 143-4

Diary of 2nd Lieutenant George G. Smith: December 31, 1864

This day closes up a very eventful year in our history. Many graves had been made. Disease and the fortunes of war had done their work, and the ranks of the First Louisiana Infantry Volunteers were thinned to less than one half the original number. Still we went on, heedless of what the future might bring. No thought of the morrow. “Let the things of the morrow take care of themselves.” Today nine companies moved into the barracks and Co. C moved into the fort just as we were one year ago. Col. Fisk in command of the Post.

SOURCE: Abstracted from George G. Smith, Leaves from a Soldier's Diary, p. 143

Diary of 2nd Lieutenant George G. Smith: December 22, 1864

Arrived at Port Hudson. Went ashore; but the place did not look much as it did during the siege — the works were narrowed up. I recognized the spot where the mortar battery stood, and where the gallant First Platoon of Co. E, First Louisiana, charged up the bluff of Thompson's creek, and drove the rebels behind their breast-works, half an hour in advance of the rest of the line of skirmishers, on May 27, 1863. I saw the terrible Lady Davis that used to salute us every evening with her mighty shells that never exploded or hit anybody. It was a 10-inch gun, mounted en barbette in a bastion, on a pivot, so it commanded the entire horizon. The soldiers got wonderful ideas of that gun. They said it was mounted on a platform car, and they had a track so as to run it down to the breast-works every night and fire it. We could distinguish the point where we charged on June 14th, when we got so horribly cut up. I wanted to go to these spots, but there was not time. Arrived at Donaldsonville at 9 p. m., and encamped on the old drill ground.

SOURCE: Abstracted from George G. Smith, Leaves from a Soldier's Diary, p. 142-3

Diary of 2nd Lieutenant George G. Smith: December 21, 1864

Left at 10.

SOURCE: Abstracted from George G. Smith, Leaves from a Soldier's Diary, p. 142

Diary of 2nd Lieutenant George G. Smith: December 20, 1864

Arrived at Vicksburg, where we were transferred to the “Illinois.”

SOURCE: Abstracted from George G. Smith, Leaves from a Soldier's Diary, p. 142

Diary of 2nd Lieutenant George G. Smith: November 28, 1864

Ordered, with the 161st New York, to Memphis, on steamer “Baltic.” Accident to the rudder. Taken in tow by the “John Groesbeck.” Arrived at 3 p. m. on the 30th. Encamped three miles east of the city, near the rebel breast-works. Lieut. Jones and myself made a pretty good tent out of some boards, with fly over the top, and bought a stove and put it in and made it quite comfortable. About December 13th, we had a heavy snow storm, with snow drifts in the company streets, and it was very cold, but it did not last long. There were many amusements in the city — a circus and theatre, so we passed the time very pleasantly.

SOURCE: Abstracted from George G. Smith, Leaves from a Soldier's Diary, p. 139-40

Diary of 2nd Lieutenant George G. Smith: November 26, 1864

On picket guard. Relieved at noon.

SOURCE: Abstracted from George G. Smith, Leaves from a Soldier's Diary, p. 138-9

Diary of 2nd Lieutenant George G. Smith: November 18, 1864

Col. Fisk seized the freight house at the depot. It was about 200 feet long and was stowed just as full of hard bread as it could be packed; so he had a good large force of men detailed to clear the house and myself to take charge of it. Our occupation was changed from killing men to killing rats. We soon discovered that some of the boxes had rat holes gnawed in them and the bread most all eaten out. By and by we began to see rats. There were two or three little rat terriers running around and they began to see them too. Then they caught two or three. That nearly set them wild, so that every box that was moved they stood ready for the rats. Other dogs came, so that we had ten or a dozen dogs before we got through: but as we proceeded the rats would retreat, so that by the time we got half way through they began to be pretty plentiful. The dogs would not eat them, but as fast as they would kill one they would snatch up another; then the boys would pile them up, and at the final wind up it became a circus. The dogs had all they could do. Of course we did not count them, but the number ran into the hundreds. As the men had slept the night before in wet clothes, I went to the quartermaster and told him I wanted some whiskey for the men; he told me to get what I wanted, and said there was a pail. I got a pail full, and had the men fall in, in one rank, and carried the pail along and told them to drink all they wanted. Some of them would fill their cup pretty full, but they were equal to the occasion. Then I marched them back to their quarters, and broke ranks before the medicine began to take effect. However, I did not see any one any the worse for it. Sheetiron ranges were put in for each company, and they had good comfortable quarters. Most of the officers found accommodations at the hotel.

SOURCE: Abstracted from George G. Smith, Leaves from a Soldier's Diary, p. 137-8

Diary of 2nd Lieutenant George G. Smith: November 17, 1864

We were ordered to Columbus, Ky., where we landed at dark It was rainy and cold, and the men slept in an old cotton shed.

SOURCE: Abstracted from George G. Smith, Leaves from a Soldier's Diary, p. 137

Diary of 2nd Lieutenant George G. Smith: November 15, 1864

Finished my quarters — they were very good ones too. It was boarded up about four feet and the tent put over the top, and the soldiers built me a brick chimney.

SOURCE: Abstracted from George G. Smith, Leaves from a Soldier's Diary, p. 137

Diary of 2nd Lieutenant George G. Smith: November 1, 1864

Moved up on higher ground, by the fort.

SOURCE: Abstracted from George G. Smith, Leaves from a Soldier's Diary, p. 136-7

Diary of 2nd Lieutenant George G. Smith: October 31, 1864

Quite cool today. Lost all my blankets and overcoat yesterday. Passed Island No. 10, and arrived at Columbus, Ky., at 11 p.m. At Cairo changed boats for Paduca, Ky., where we arrived at 8 p. m. Next day, Sunday, went on shore to cook rations but slept on board at night. On the 24th camped on the river bank — very muddy, rainy and cold. On the 28th was the officer of the guard at the bridge above the town.

SOURCE: Abstracted from George G. Smith, Leaves from a Soldier's Diary, p. 136

Diary of 2nd Lieutenant George G. Smith: October 19, 1864

Passed Helena, Ark., and reached Memphis at 8 p. m. Staid all night on board the steamboat. Next day we went ashore and camped two miles in rear of the city, but at 5 p. m. took the steamer “Belle Memphis” with the 161st New York, and moved on up the river.

SOURCE: Abstracted from George G. Smith, Leaves from a Soldier's Diary, p. 136

Diary of 2nd Lieutenant George G. Smith: October 16, 1864

It being Sunday, we had a sermon by the chaplain of the 161st New York. Passed Napoleon, Ark., and ran past the “shute,” landing at White river at 3 p. m. On the 18th went on board the “Bart Able” with the 161st New York and the 29th Illinois, bound for Memphis.

SOURCE: Abstracted from George G. Smith, Leaves from a Soldier's Diary, p. 135-6

Diary of 2nd Lieutenant George G. Smith: October 15, 1864

Arrived at Vicksburg. We all went ashore to give the bands a chance to clean the boat. Myself and several others visited the town. Tried to get into one of the forts on the hill, but they would not let us in. The city showed many marks of the severe pounding it got during the little “onpleasantness” at the time General Grant was there. I saw many under-ground houses, some with two or three rooms. In one of them the carpet was left on the ground inside. I did not think they were any protection against mortars. But cannon balls could not reach them. At 7 p. m. we were on the way up the river.

SOURCE: Abstracted from George G. Smith, Leaves from a Soldier's Diary, p. 135