Having received our clothing, saddles, and one month's pay, we were busy making the necessary preparations for our anticipated march.
Tuesday, February 1, 2022
Diary of Private Richard R. Hancock: Tuesday, July 30, 1861
Monday, January 17, 2022
Silas A. Hudson to Brigadier-General Grenville M. Dodge, July 11, 1863
I have just arrived
here from Headquarters and am on my way home with Master Fred, the General's
son, who will remain some time north for the benefit of his health.
Before leaving, I
had a confidential interview with the General and it gives me pleasure to be
able to inform you authoritively that your name will head the list to be sent
forward by him for promotion to Major Generalship. I am also authorized to say to you that his
recent success gives him more real pleasure and gratification because it enable
him to advance the interest of meritorious officers in his command who have
nobly stood by him, and have so largely contributed to his present fame and
position, than from any other consideration.
And although he has known you but little except in an official capacity,
you have his full confidence, and he approves your management of the duty
[assigned] you fully and completely.
We have taken 31,277
prisoners, one Lieut. Gen. and 14 Majors and Brig. Gen. and about 60 Cols. Etc.
So far as we are
able to obtain record by actual count, we have 66,000 stands of arms, 173 Field
and large guns, 660 bbls flour[,] corn
in quantities, five million dollars in clothing—their invoice, 250,00 lbs. of sugar,
large amou[n]ts of bacon, &c. &c. and ammunition sufficient for years,
and of the best quality as are their arms, 30,000 of which have never been
used, and which we will exchange our[s] for, and so make the caliber used by us
uniform.
Monday, November 15, 2021
Brigadier-General Rutherford B. Hayes to Lucy Webb Hayes, Friday Evening, December 9, 1864
Camp RUSSELL, VIRGINIA, December 9 (Evening), 1864.
MY DARLING:— We have had two winter days. It has been snowing for the last hour or two. We feel that this ends our campaigning for this year. The last of the Sixth Corps left this morning One "grapevine” (our word for camp rumor) says they have gone to Kentucky or Tennessee by way of the Ohio River, and another that they passed through Washington on the way to Grant. I conjecture the last is the truth.
General Crook gave me a very agreeable present this afternoon – a pair of his old brigadier-general straps. The stars are somewhat dimmed with hard service, but will correspond pretty well with my rusty old blouse. Of course I am very much gratified by the promotion. I know perfectly well that the rank has been conferred on all sorts of small people and so cheapened shamefully, but I can't help feeling that getting it at the close of a most bloody campaign on the recommendation of fighting generals like Crook and Sheridan is a different thing from the same rank conferred well, as it has been in some instances.
Dr. Joe is busy court-martialling one of his brethren, who as medical chief of our hospitals at Winchester turned into private profit the medicines, stimulants, chickens, eggs, etc., which had been provided for our wounded.
We hope to get home together the last of this month or early next, but no one can yet tell what is to be our fate. We are waiting on Sherman and the weather. – My love to all.
P.S. – I am ever so glad that Governor Chase is Chief Justice. I had given up all hope of his appointment.
I sent to Gallipolis directing my trunk or valise to be expressed to Chillicothe care of William McKell. If he is put to expense, as he will be, perhaps, have it paid. Get into it — my duds may need airing. – I shall want two or three pairs knit woollen socks.
MRS. HAYES.
Thursday, November 11, 2021
Diary of John Beauchamp Jones: Sunday, June 19, 1864
Hazy and cool.
We have no details
this morning of the fighting yesterday, and some doubt if a battle was fought.
I presume assaults were made on our intrenchments in diverse places, and
repulsed.
Beauregard's battle,
Friday night, is still in smoke, but it is rumored the enemy lost 9000 killed
and wounded.
Firing is heard
to-day. There may be good policy in keeping back accounts from the field, until
it is all over and something decisive accomplished. We have not met with
serious disaster at all events, else there would be consternation in the city,
for bad news flies fast, and cannot be kept back.
There was fighting
yesterday at Lynchburg, no result known yet.
Every Sunday I see
how shabby my clothes have become, as every one else, almost, has a good suit
in reserve. During the week all are shabby, and hence it is not noticeable. The
wonder is that we are not naked, after wearing the same garments three or four
years. But we have been in houses, engaged in light employments. The rascals
who make money by the war fare sumptuously, and “have their good things in this
world.”
The weather is dry
and dusty; the hazy atmosphere produced perhaps by the smoke of battle and the
movements of mighty armies.
Eight P.M. The city
is still in utter ignorance of the details and result of the battle
yesterday—if there was one. If the government is in possession of information,
it is, for some purpose, studiously kept from the public, and why, I cannot
imagine, unless there has been a disaster, or Beauregard has done something not
approved.
I do not think the
people here appreciate the importance of the contest on the south side of the
river. If Lee's army were broken, I doubt whether it would even attempt to
regain the fortifications of Richmond, for then it might share the fate of
Pemberton's army at Vicksburg. And the fall of Richmond would involve the fall
of the State, and Virginia would immediately become a free State.
Tuesday, September 14, 2021
Colonel Rutherford B. Hayes to Lucy Webb Hayes, November 23, 1864
November 23. – Colder than any huckleberry pudding I know of! Whew, how it blew and friz last night! I took my clothes off in Christian style last night. No enemy near for a week and more makes this the correct thing. It got windy, flue disgusted smoked, let the fire go out, then grew cold; put on pants, coat, and vest, in bed. Cold again, put on overcoat and in bed again. Colder than ever, built up the fire, [it] smoked. So I wanted to be cold, and soon was. Tent-pins worked loose from the wind flapping the fly; fixed them after much trouble; to bed again, and wished I was with my wife in a house of some sort!
Today the men were to have had overcoats, stockings, shirts, etc., which they greatly need, but behold, we learn that the clothing couldn't come because all the transportation was required to haul up the turkeys and Thanksgiving dinner! We must wait until next train, eight days! And we all laugh and are very jolly in spite of it.
8 P. M. - The clothing has come after all. The turkeys are issued at the rate of a pound to a man. Very funny times we are having! When the weather is bad as it was yesterday, everybody, almost everybody, feels cross and gloomy. Our thin linen tents - about like a fish seine, the deep mud, the irregular mails, the never-to-be-seen paymasters, and “the rest of mankind," are growled about in "old-soldier" style. But a fine day like today has turned out brightens and cheers us all. We people in camp are merely big children, wayward and changeable. Believe me, dearest, your ever loving husband,
SOURCE: Charles Richard Williams, editor, Diary and Letters of Rutherford Birchard Hayes, Volume 2, p. 540
Thursday, July 8, 2021
Major Charles Wright Wills: March 22, 1865
Bentonville,
N. C., March 22, 1865.
The enemy
left about 2 a. m. Our brigade was ordered to follow them to Mill creek, about
three miles, which we did almost on the double quick, the 26th Illinois in
advance pushing their rear guard. The brigade went to Mill creek, but our
skirmishers went a mile further, to Hannah's creek. The 26th had seven wounded.
I saw in one place a dead Rebel and one of our men burned horribly. The woods
have all been burned over here. In another place a dead Rebel and one of our
men with his foot cut half off, one of his toes cut off, several more cuts on
his body, and a bullet hole in his temple. Some of the boys saw one of our men
with leg cut off in five places. Some surgeon had probably been practicing on
the last two men.
They were
14th Corps men, Sherman again says the campaign is over, that he only came out
here to show Johnston that he is ready to fight all the time. We start back for
Goldsboro (24 miles), to-morrow. Hurrah for mail and clean clothes. Colonel and
I occupy the outside of a house to-night, in the inside of which is a
Chinese-eyed girl with a Creole mouth. She is as intelligent as a door post.
You don't know how anxious I am to hear from you. I have had a reply to but one
letter that I have written since last November (15th). Our little supper is now
ready. Don't see how we will get along without Frank.
SOURCE:
Charles Wright Wills, Army Life of an Illinois Soldier, p. 366-7
Monday, June 21, 2021
Diary of John Beauchamp Jones: April 24, 1864
Cloudy and windy, but warm.
We have none of the details yet of the storming of Plymouth, except the brief dispatches in the newspapers; nor any reliable accounts of subsequent movements. But a letter from Gen. Whiting indicates that all his troops had been taken northward, and we may expect something further of interest.
It is still believed that Lee's and Grant's armies are in motion on the Rappahannock; but whether going North or coming South, no one seems to know. Our people unanimously look for a victory
I bought a black coat at auction yesterday (short swallow-tailed) for $12. It is fine cloth, not much worn-its owner going into the army, probably--but out of fashion. If it had been a frockcoat, it would have brought $100. It is no time for fashion now.
Gen. Johnston's Chief Commissary offers to send some bacon to Lee's army. A short time since, it was said, Johnston was prevented from advancing for want of rations.
SOURCE: John Beauchamp Jones, A Rebel War Clerk's Diary at the Confederate States Capital, Volume 2, p. 191-2
Monday, February 1, 2021
Diary of Corporal David L. Day: November 20, 1862
WE STAY AWHILE IN PLYMOUTH.
All the troops, with the batteries, wagons, horses, mules and negroes, have been sent around to Newbern by boats, and we alone are left to garrison the town till further orders. In the meantime it would be agreeable to have a change of clothing. When we left Newbern, we left behind us our traveling satchels, with all our best clothes, taking nothing except what we had on, which is now in a very dirty and dilapidated condition with no chance to get any. The major seems to take a great pride in his regiment, but I really cannot see why he should take much in such a ragged, dirty, lousy set of vagabonds as we are, but anyway he does, and naturally likes to take us out for dress parade and show us up to the naval officers, of whom there are quite a number stationed here. In this he sometimes gets a little set back, when about half the boys appear out without any shirts on. At this he will mildly remonstrate, but will be told their shirts are out being washed, and they appear out with their blouses for shirts, with their pants and suspenders outside. This thing continued for a few nights, until the major became so disgusted he swore a big swear that he wouldn't have another dress parade until we had some shirts. That of course made the boys feel proper bad, and they said: if that was the case, they would vote never to have any. Plymouth is a small but rather pretty town, situated on the south bank of the Roanoke river, about five miles up from the sound. It is a half shire town of Washington county, and contains two churches, two hotels, U. S. custom house, court house and jail, but no school-house. It has been a place of considerable trade, doing a good coasting business and exporting large quantities of cotton, corn, shingles, lumber, fish and naval stores. There are some Union people about here, who appear to be nice sort of folks, but nearly all of secesh proclivities are away.
SOURCE: David L. Day, My Diary of Rambles with the 25th Mass. Volunteer Infantry, p. 76-7
Thursday, December 24, 2020
Diary of Caroline Cowles Richards: January 1863
Grandmother went to Aunt Mary Carr's to tea to-night, very much to our surprise, for she seldom goes anywhere. Anna said she was going to keep house exactly as Grandmother did, so after supper she took a little hot water in a basin on a tray and got the tea-towels and washed the silver and best china but she let the ivory handles on the knives and forks get wet, so I presume they will all turn black. Grandmother never lets her little nice things go out into the kitchen, so probably that is the reason that everything is forty years old and yet as good as new. She let us have the Young Ladies' Aid Society here to supper because I am President. She came into the parlor and looked at our basket of work, which the older ladies cut out for us to make for the soldiers. She had the supper table set the whole length of the dining room and let us preside at the table. Anna made the girls laugh so, they could hardly eat, although they said everything was splendid. They said they never ate better biscuit, preserves, or fruit cake and the coffee was delicious. After it was over, the “dear little lady” said she hoped we had a good time. After the girls were gone Grandmother wanted to look over the garments and see how much we had accomplished and if we had made them well. Mary Field made a pair of drawers with No. 90 thread. She said she wanted them to look fine and I am sure they did. Most of us wrote notes and put inside the garments for the soldiers in the hospitals.
Sarah Gibson Howell has had an answer to her letter. His name is Foster—a Major. She expects him to come and see her soon.
All the girls wear newspaper bustles to school now and Anna's rattled to-day and Emma Wheeler heard it and said, “What's the news, Anna?” They both laughed out loud and found that “the latest news from the front” was that Miss Morse kept them both after school and they had to copy Dictionary for an hour. War prices are terrible. I paid $3.50 to-day for a hoop skirt.
SOURCE: Caroline Cowles Richards, Village Life in America, 1852-1872, p. 148-9
Tuesday, September 1, 2020
Diary of 5th Sergeant Osborn H. Oldroyd: June 5, 1863
Sunday, August 9, 2020
Diary of 5th Sergeant Osborn H. Oldroyd: June 2, 1863
Receiving supplies at Chickasaw Bayou for the army around Vicksburg. |