Changed our position to Young's Mill, a strong position nine miles from Newport News.
Throwing up breastworks, reënforced by four pieces of artillery and Fifth Louisiana regiment.
SOURCE: William S. White, A Diary of the War; or What I Saw of It, p. 104
We have now at this point eight pieces of artillery and three thousand men. Sent to Yorktown for eight days' rations and our tents.
This is one of the most beautiful camps I ever saw, but the great scarcity of good water makes it undesirable.
SOURCE: William S. White, A Diary of the War; or What I Saw of It, p. 104
On the afternoon of
October 23rd we left Columbus by boat on an expedition, destination unknown until
we reached New Madrid, Missouri. The force consisted of Companies A, C, I and
H. under my command and two sections of Captain Rodgers' Battery, 2d Ill.
Artillery. At New Madrid we were joined by Captain Moore's Company of Cavalry
(2d Ill.), the whole being under command of Captain Rodgers. We arrived at New
Madrid in the morning, disembarked and at once proceeded on our march toward a
place called Clarkson where there was a lot of rebels encamped. It was a
beautiful day, the sun shone warm and pleasant. We marched about eighteen miles
and it being the first march for most of the men, they had blistered feet, but
they kept up well. We reached the beginning of the plank road that leads
through cypress swamps and through sunken lands which were caused by a great
earthquake years before. Although the day had been so pleasant yet it commenced
raining at night, and as we had to go without fires it got to be very cold;
toward morning it commenced snowing. We started at 2 o'clock a. m. To prevent
any noise they left the artillery horses behind and the infantry pulled the
guns with ropes while the cavalry led their horses alongside the road. Captain
Moore had sent some men forward who had captured the rebel picket, and who, not
dreaming of an enemy being so near, had gone into an old log house to keep
warm. To me it was a romantic scene; although a bright night the snow was
falling lightly, the bright barrels of the guns of the men shining; the
quietness of the scene only broken by the tread of the men, the rumbling of the
artillery wheels, the cracking of the broken wood caused by the cavalry horses
tramping on it; and the danger ahead, made it all most interesting. We reached
the town about daybreak and found the rebels asleep. The artillery was posted
on the hill commanding the town, while the infantry and cavalry were dispersed
so as to surround it. All at once the artillery opened on the barracks and soon
the most astonished set of Rebs you ever saw came tumbling out not knowing
which way to run. They mounted their horses without any bridles, nothing but
the halter, and soon came rushing toward the lane where I had my men posted. We
gave them a volley which brought them to a halt and surrender. The fun was soon
over and we commenced to gather up our prisoners, our Surgeon Powell doing what
he could for the wounded, and the men catching horses, we were soon on our
retreat. The artillery horses had been brought up and were hitched to the
artillery. I never saw such a cavalcade before—the artillery going ahead, one
of the cannons in a wagon, it having been dismounted by its carriage being
broken. A company of infantry mounted on horses and mules, then the prisoners
surrounded by a guard, then more mounted infantry and lastly, the cavalry.
Several houses had been set on fire and women were screaming and crying because
their husbands, brothers or sons were being taken away. We camped about ten
miles from Clarkson that night, reached New Madrid the next night and Columbus
the following day. An incident occurred at Clarkson that may not be to my
discredit to relate. In firing into the barracks of the rebels a number of
houses were struck by shells which frightened the women and children almost to
death. I saw a number of them running out of a house, the children in their
bare feet. I ordered my men to keep quiet and went to the women and told them I
would help them with their children and lifted a couple in my arms; the poor
things were frightened but I told them I would not hurt them; while doing this
the shell from our artillery was falling thick around us, but I could not see
women and children suffer without helping them.
SOURCE: Joseph Stockton,
War Diary (1862-5) of Brevet Brigadier
General Joseph Stockton, p. 3-4
SIR: I have the honor to submit a report of
the capture of the armed steamer George Washington by a portion of the
artillery of this command on the morning of the 9th instant.
At 5 o'clock on the
8th instant a gunboat and a steamer were reported near Chisolm's Island, the
former aground and the latter making efforts to get her off. The following
artillery forces were ordered to report at the causeway leading to the island,
viz: Beaufort Artillery, Lieutenant Stuart, six guns; Nelson Artillery, Captain
Lamkin, four guns; Cooper's North Carolina battery, three 10-pounder Parrott
guns, and Company I, Eleventh Regiment South Carolina Volunteers, Captain
Campbell, two guns.
While the batteries
were being brought into position the gunboat, which had now been set afloat by
the rising tide, moved off toward Port Royal Ferry. General Walker then
directed me to divide the guns and to take one portion to the ferry with the
view of intercepting her, and to order the other portion to open fire on the
steamer as soon as she should attempt to move. I directed Captain Lamkin with
two guns and Lieutenant Stuart with four guns to remain, and sent forward the
rest to the other point. At 5 o'clock a.m. the steamer gave indications of
moving, and these guns were rapidly placed in battery by their commanding
officers and a brisk fire opened upon her with 6-pounder shot and 12-pounder
shell. After two rounds it was evident that she was disabled. She raised a
white flag and drifted up the river and across to the opposite shore.
Upon hearing the
firing I returned, and observing that her crew were attempting to escape into
the marsh opposite I directed the commanders of batteries to reopen fire upon
them, and continued it until they had disappeared. She was now evidently on
fire, and as soon as the explosion of shell and powder on board had subsided I
boarded her and found that she had sunk in 4 feet of water, was burnt to the
water's edge, and had carried two 24-pounder howitzers aft and 20-pounder
Parrott pivot gun forward. There were 3 men in her yawl, which lay astern, 2 of
them severely wounded and the third dead. They were taken ashore. Efforts were
made to bring off one of the howitzers, which from want of proper means were
unsuccessful. Attracted by the cries of wounded men in the marsh I entered it,
but the reappearance of the gunboat rapidly approaching rendered it unsafe to
remain any longer. As the wounded men had been left where they would not be
perceived by the enemy and could not be assisted by us, I rode back with a flag
of truce and directed the attention of the captain of the gunboat to them, and
after some unimportant conversation with him returned. No information of
importance was elicited from the prisoners while in our possession.
The practice of our
batteries reflected great credit on the gunners, conducted as it was at early
dawn and at a rapidly moving object half a mile distant.
The expedition sent
down two days afterward succeeded in getting off from the wreck a 24-pounder
howitzer (which was buried on shore until it could be brought off with safety),
the bell, and a small kedge anchor. A heavy and continuous shelling of the
wreck from the opposite shore forbade all further attempts to secure the pivot
gun. The enemy had already moved the other howitzer.
My thanks are due to
Captain Earle, of the Furman Light Artillery, a volunteer, who rendered
efficient aid during the attack upon the boat, and also to Captain Barnwell, of
General Walker's staff, who upon both expeditions afforded me the most valuable
assistance.
SIR: A rebel
steamboat passed Burkesville yesterday at 12 o'clock, loaded with men and
cannon and other arms, clothing, &c.
I send 300 cavalry
to heights on this side to intercept it, if possible. I will move with 300 of
Third Kentucky and the Nineteenth Ohio to an advantageous position at the mouth
of Renick's Creek, 2½ miles above Burkesville, on the Cumberland. I shall move
the whole force here to Burkesville. It is only 4 miles farther from Glasgow
than Columbia. I am not willing to see the Cumberland surrendered, without a
struggle, to Zollicoffer and the rebel invaders. If this movement is wrong, it
can be censured. I know it will be right if we whip the scoundrels and wrong if
otherwise. More boats are expected up. If we delay much longer the enemy will
have time to bring his re-enforcements from Texas and Louisiana.
We have no cannon,
and must rely on our rifles to take off the men from the boats. With one piece
of artillery the boats could be torn to atoms or sunk.
Can you not send me
a section of a battery? I have ordered your commissary to supply rations to the
troops about to move.
Clear and cool;
rained in the night.
Gen. J. H. Morgan is
dead,—surprised and killed in Tennessee,—and his staff captured.
Gen. Hood telegraphs
that the enemy is still retreating—toward Atlanta, I suppose.
The cruiser
Tallahassee having run into Wilmington, that port is now pretty effectually
closed by an accumulation of blockaders.
It is said Gen.
Forrest has blown up Tunnel Hill; if so, Sherman must be embarrassed in getting
supplies of ordnance stores.
Sir Wm. Armstrong
has sent from England one or two splendid guns (a present) to our government,
with equipments, etc. And the manufacturers have presented us with a
battery of Whitworth guns, six in number, but they have not arrived yet.
Rained last night;
clear to-day.
We hear of great
rejoicing in the United States over the fall of Atlanta, and this may be
premature. President Lincoln has issued a proclamation for thanksgiving in the
churches, etc.
Mr. Benjamin informs
the Secretary of War that the President has agreed to facilitate the emigration
of Polish exiles and a few hundred Scotchmen, to come through Mexico, etc. The
former will enter our service.
The "Hope"
has arrived at Wilmington with Sir Wm. Armstrong's present of a fine
12-pounder, all its equipments, ammunition, etc. Also (for sale) two
150-pounder rifled guns, with equipments, etc.
A little firing
to-day. Went to the river to throw up breastworks. Worked all night. We put up
one piece of cannon right on the river bank, but had to work all night in the
swamp to do so. We carried sandbags for breastworks to protect the
artillerymen.
A FIELD DAY.
We had been drilling and going through the motions of artillery firing
every day for a month, and a few days ago it was thought best to test our
theory by a little practice. Each gun was to fire eight rounds. The targets,
about the size of a large barn, were set up 600 yards in front of the guns.
At noon the pickets were called in from out the woods and soon after
the firing commenced. I ordered a blank to commence with to see if the old gun
would shoot. It spoke out splendidly; I was pleased with it; I then ordered a
solid shot. It was fired and went somewhere, I don't know where; but it didn't
hit the target. Calculating that a shell will travel a mile in seven seconds
and the target was about a third of a mile away, I thought I would try one with
the fuse at three seconds. It was fired and burst at the muzzle of the gun.
That was not satisfactory. I then ordered another with the fuse at five
seconds. This exploded when about half way to the target. I began to think
those shell were all intended for short range anyway, and ordered one at one
second. It was tired, and I heard it whizzing off through the woods a mile
away. I was disgusted with shell practice and thought I would try canister. We
tired one and I could see the bushes cut away ai about 200 yards. Those shots
had been fired at two degrees elevation. I ordered the corporal to sight the
gun at the tops of the trees out in the woods, and tried another canister. This
was better, the shot scattering about the target. : We had now only one more
shot, I thought I would try a solid one, and ordered the gun sighted at the top
of the target. This was an excellent shot and I know it must have gone very
near the target as I saw the top of a tree shake out in the woods in a direct
line of the target.
On the whole, the firing was not entirely satisfactory, but the gunnery
was all that could be desired and I am inclined to think the fault was in the
ammunition. I think it must have been shopworn or second-hand). But perhaps I
ought not to find too much fault, as this was our first practice. I am now
impatient for an attack, for I know we can hold this post against any force
that would be likely to be brought against it, and demonstrate to the country
that we are heroes descended from heroes.
Bright and pleasant.
A letter from Gen. Maury indicates now that Mobile is surely to be attacked. He says they may force a passage at Grant's Pass, which is thirty miles distant; and the fleet may pass the forts and reach the lower bay. Gen. M. has 10,000 effective men, and subsistence for 20,000 for six months. He asks 6000 or 7000 more men. He has also food for 4000 horses for six months. But he has only 200 rounds for his cannon, and 250 for his siege guns, and 200 for each musket.
Meal is the only food now attainable, except by the rich. We look for a healthy year, everything being so cleanly consumed that no garbage or filth can accumulate. We are all good scavengers now, and there is no need of buzzards in the streets. Even the pigeons can scarcely find a grain to eat.
Gold brought $30 for $1, Saturday. Nevertheless, we have only good news from the armies, and we have had a victory in Florida.
SOURCE: John Beauchamp Jones, A Rebel War Clerk's Diary at the Confederate States Capital, Volume 2, p. 156
300
|
Tons of
|
powder
|
1900
|
" "
|
shells
|
470
|
" "
|
shot
|
