Showing posts with label Battle of Olustee. Show all posts
Showing posts with label Battle of Olustee. Show all posts

Sunday, September 22, 2024

Diary of Corporal John Worrell Northrop: Thursday, May 26, 1864

At 7 o'clock, another man had been shot, lay near the creek. Brisk showers in the night; the day is steadily hot. Rumor that 4,000 are to be sent to Cahawba, Ala. Some of Siegel's men arrived reporting a fight with Breckenridge, in the Shenandoah Valley, in which we got the worst. Another sentinel fires into camp this morning with what effect I do not learn.

About 125 negroes are here who were taken in the battle of Oolustee, Fla. When brought here there were 200, 75 of whom have died since March. Five hundred white Union soldiers were taken at the same time. The white officers commanding the negroes were not allowed the usual courtesies of war and were turned in here. The most prominent of these was Albert Bogle, a major in the 8th U. S. colored regiment to which they belonged. He was severely wounded. No attention was paid to the wound by Confederate surgeons who claimed to be acting under military orders. While on his way, between here and Macon in a box car, suffering from his wound, at one of the stations a Confederate officer fired two shots into the car seemingly designed for him. He is an intelligent young man and bears these abuses with a dignified composure; is still suffering from his wound, but is now improving. He regards their attitude towards him as a fair exhibition of the insane vindicativeness of some Southerners and their extreme rashness on the negro question. These 200 colored men were put into squads and put under charge of white Unionists taken at the same time and had been doing Rebel work outside, which, it is claimed, was to keep up the prison, but some of which is said to be on fortifications. Major Oberly says that none of the negroes who were wounded when taken, received medical attention, and died rapidly after being put in. The Confederates boast a fine rifle battery planted on the ridge commanding this prison, captured at the same time. A few days ago a white sergeant, while waiting at the gate to go out with a squad of negroes on Rebel detail, was shot by the guard, and immediately killed, the guard pressing his gun against his victim's breast, there being no apparent provocation for the outrage.

This Southern insanity on the color question is their sole reason for refusing exchange of prisoners. These negroes appear to have an intelligent understanding of the issues involved in this contest, often more so than some of our own people; for I must confess that here are men of every type of ignorance, vicious and innocent, that can exist under Northern civilization, as well as the better class; some of the meanest outlaws found in our cities, renegades from Canada, a plenty who are fit tools in the hands of scoundrels at the head of raiding gangs who seek to perpetuate damnable careers; some who are naturally good but are easily duped, under existing conditions, to join in evil pursuits. In an assemblage like this, promiscuously drawn from a large country, if all were honest men it would be strange indeed. But as I have thus spoken I will say that in no community of like number is there more patriotic zeal, manhood, virtue and intelligence than exist here.

The raiders are out tonight before dark; assaulted a man near the gate and robbed him, it is said, of a $100. Others interfere in his behalf and a desperate fight ensues which is checked by the guard who threatened to fire into the crowd and the thieves got away with the cash. Another hub-bub soon occurs.

A fellow is caught stealing a pair of shoes and after a squabble, is tied up. No rations today.

SOURCE: John Worrell Northrop, Chronicles from the Diary of a War Prisoner in Andersonville and Other Military Prisons of the South in 1864, p. 62-4

Saturday, May 6, 2023

Dr. Seth Rogers to his daughter Dolly, April 2, 1863—Evening

CAMP SAXTON, BEAUFORT, S. C.,
April 2, 1863. Evening.

Such is the management here that my notes no longer date from satisfactory advance posts. Four weeks ago tonight I was saying a last goodbye to our camp ground, and at a late hour went on board the steamer that was forever to take us from South Carolina. The deserted camp by moonlight saddened me, but this inglorious return impresses me more than I can express. It seemed appropriate that we should steam up Beaufort River the night of April 1.1

It was not too late for me to visit dear old Mr. Saxton. He told me how terribly disappointed the General was at the sudden and unexpected conclusion of General Hunter to order the evacuation of Jacksonville. One night it was agreed that General Saxton should visit us in person, but early in the morning all was reversed and empty steamers were sent for us. General Hunter could not be persuaded to countermand the order.2

Today the long slumbering fleet at Hilton Head has begun to move towards Charleston. A very small force is being left to protect these Islands and you will be glad to know that we are to do picket duty in the absence of other troops. An attack upon us is not the most improbable thing to anticipate. I think our boys would enjoy a fight with almost any number of the enemy and some of our officers are slightly belligerent.

One of our soldiers who was expatiating on the pluck of the chaplain exclaimed, "My God, what for you made him preacher? He is de fightenmost Yankee I eber did see."

Last night about a hundred of the boys bivouacked on the hurricane deck and early this morning they were full of cheerful congratulations. I heard one say, "Well, Jim, how are you?" Bully, tank God." I am constantly amused by their pointed, laconic remarks.

I understand that Gen. Hunter gives as a reason for withdrawing our regiment from Jacksonville that he needed the others and dared not leave us alone. So far as safety is concerned, I would rather be on the mainland of Florida than the islands here.3 My box of supplies from the Soldiers Aid Society of Worcester, opened well today. We brought it up from Fernandina with us. The Gen. Burnside was loaded with stores for us at the moment General Hunter was McClellandized, and everything was dumped off at Fernandina. The box has arrived at the moment we most need it, and, with the exception of the lint, every article will be exceedingly useful. We confiscated a few bales of oakum up the St Mary's and I like it better than any other material for general dressing.
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1 See report of Colonel John D. Rust, in 1 Records of the Rebellion, XIV.

2 He was always the most impulsive of men. - T. W. H.

3 The subsequent battle of Olustee proved that Hunter was right. — T. W. H.

SOURCE: Proceedings of the Massachusetts Historical Society, Volume 43, October, 1909—June, 1910: February 1910. p. 384-5