Was on guard this
morning, but Sergeant Hugh Reid sent for me, and detailed me, with some men out
of every regiment in our brigade, to hunt deserters. Si Wolf and myself, out of
our company. We left camp at 3 this evening, marched two miles up the railroad,
and took the cars to Gordonsville. Got there at 4. It is a small place, but one
of importance, as all our supplies for the army from Richmond come from this
station.
SOURCE: Louis
Leon, Diary of a Tar Heel Confederate Soldier, p. 44
Took the cars at 5
A.M. and got to Keswick, a depot on the Stanton road. We left here after
staying one hour, and took our posts in the woods. As we are about twenty men,
with one lieutenant in command, we made no camp, but stayed about here and
reported every time there was any news about deserters. Wolf and myself went
out in the country to houses that we were told harbored deserters. We passed
ourselves off as such, and were well received, and got some valuable
information. They told us that the deserters were in the woods.
We then returned to
our companions, and got well soaked, as it was raining very hard. Stayed in a
barn all night.
We stayed in the woods
all day, but at night went out scouting for deserters, but did not find any.
Returned at 7 this
morning, went out again at dark, went through four houses of bad repute, but
found not one deserter. Went twelve miles this night.
SOURCE: Louis
Leon, Diary of a Tar Heel Confederate Soldier, p. 45
Left at 5 in the
morning. We hunted through the cliffs for several hours and caught one
deserter. Several of our men and myself dined in a widow lady's house. There
were quite a number of ladies there, and we had a very pleasant time. Then we
went to Mr. Bell's and had supper there. From there we went to Mr. Wheeler's
and stayed all night.
Camp near Rappahannock River, Va.,
March 5, 1863.
Edwin, Jim Allen and Ben Strother took dinner with me yesterday, and I think I gave them a pretty good dinner for camp. We had biscuit, excellent ham, fried potatoes, rice, light bread, butter, stewed fruit and sugar. They ate heartily, as soldiers always do. Edwin is not suffering from his wound, but on account of it he is privileged to have his baggage hauled.
A man was shot near our regiment last Sunday for desertion. It was a very solemn scene. The condemned man was seated on his coffin with his hands tied across his breast. A file of twelve soldiers was brought up to within six feet of him, and at the command a volley was fired right into his breast. He was hit by but one ball, because eleven of the guns were loaded with powder only. This was done so that no man can be certain that he killed him. If he was, the thought of it might always be painful to him. I have seen men marched through the camps under guard with boards on their backs which were labeled, "I am a coward," or "I am a thief," or "I am a shirker from battle," and I saw one man tied hand and foot astride the neck of a cannon and exposed to view for sixteen hours. These severe punishments seem necessary to preserve discipline.
We have no prospect of a fight now whatever, but if the weather continues dry and pleasant it may come soon. We are too well entrenched for them to attack us here, but it is hard to tell what these crazy, fanatical Yankees intend to do.
Our troops are all in fine health. We seldom send a man to the hospital now, but when we were on the Chickahominy River near Richmond we sent from five to twelve each day. I trust we will be exposed to no greater danger in the future than the bullets, for they do not compare in destructiveness with disease. Captain Hunt's company has lost seven men from bullets and twenty-five from disease, and in most of the companies the difference is greater than this.
The weather for the last three or four days has been very windy and blustering and characteristic of March. It was intensely cold last night, but to-day the sun broke out and it is pleasant.
I am anxious to see George. I know he is a charming little fellow.
A white frost; first frost of the season. All quiet below.
Gen. W. M. Gardner (in Gen. Winder's place) reports that of the exempts and citizens taken from the streets to the front, last week, a majority have deserted. This proves that even a despotic military act cannot be committed with impunity.
Gen. Beauregard telegraphs from Opeleka, Ala., that he has arranged matters satisfactorily between Gov. Brown of Georgia and Gen. Cobb, regarding exempts and State militia.
The President directs the Secretary to ascertain if this has been done in accordance with law and the interests of the service.
Gen. R. Taylor telegraphs that Gen. E. K. Smith has proclaimed pardon to deserters, from trans-Mississippi Department, after he had arrested most of them and sent them to their regiments, and now be recommends that no more troops be brought over the river or they will be sure to desert. The President directs the Secretary to correspond with Gen. Smith on the subject. Gen. Taylor is the President's kinsman-by his first marriage.
Gen. Beauregard left Opeleka on the 7th inst. for Hood's army, so in a few days we may expect a battle.
Clear and cool.
Pains in my head, etc.
Hon. Mr. Foote told
G. Fitzhugh early this morning that he had learned Gen. Early's army was
scattered to the winds; that the enemy had the Central Railroad (where?) and
would soon have all the roads. This is not credited, though it may be so.
There is a
mysterious fascination in scenes of death and carnage. As I crossed Franklin
Street, going down to the department this morning, I heard on my right the cry
of “halt!” and saw a large man in citizen's clothes running toward me pursued
by a soldier coming from the direction of Gen. Ewell's headquarters. The man
(perhaps a deserter) ran on, and the soldier took deliberate aim with his
rifle, and burst & cap.
I stood and watched
the man, being riveted to the spot by a strange fascination, although I was
nearly in a line with the pursuit. An irresistible curiosity seized me to see
the immediate effects of the shot. The man turned up Ninth Street, the soldier
fixing another cap as he ran, and, taking deliberate aim, the cap failed to
explode the charge again. I saw several persons crossing the street beyond the
flying man, who would have been greatly endangered if the rifle had been
discharged. In war the destruction of human life excites no more pity than the
slaughter of beeves in peace!
DEAR SIR: The copy of Evening Star received this evening assures me you have not forgotten me.
We are still here, together with Third Regiment Kentucky Volunteers. Why all the other forces were withdrawn is a question to be answered at Louisville. By the papers you will have seen that we, too, left on the night of the 13th, by orders of General Schoepf, in company with the Ohio and Indiana troops, as it seemed, by orders which should have been given me that day, but which were not received until two days afterwards, not only unnecessarily, but contrary to General Thomas' directions.
I was intensely mortified at the hesitancy of some of our Tennesseeans to move on when they found they had to take the road leading to Crab Orchard. They had got the impression we were returning to Camp Robinson to winter, but after I spoke a few words to them they obeyed the order to march. Many fell out during the night and some deserted. Our losses amount to about 40 to 45. We were without transportation, and were forced to leave almost the entire camp standing and every one of our sick behind. The roads were in a terrible state, and large numbers of men from the various regiments fell out on the way from sheer exhaustion. When I reached Dr. Josslin's I learned for the first time we were to return to this place.
Our men are most anxious to return to Eastern Tennessee, not so much to see their families as to drive the rebels from the country. We are all inclined to think that help will be deferred until it is too late to save our people. This ought not to be so.
Two or three batteries and 10,000 men, provided even with powder and lead for the people, could save Eastern Tennessee at this time. Will help never come?
General Thomas has left Crab Orchard, and we are here to look out for ourselves. To-night I have sent out between 600 and 700 men in the direction of Flat Lick, 8 miles above Barboursville, to try and cut off some of the thieving rebel scouts and to gain correct intelligence of their whereabouts.
I think it probable that we shall in a few days move on Somerset. I have no information as to the plans of General Buell. Can you not get those in power to give us a few more men and permission to make at least an effort to save our people? Do try. They are even now in arms, and must be crushed unless assistance soon reaches them.
Two men came in from Carter this evening who have been nearly six weeks on the way.
We moved our camp to the north side of town. Then we were marched to an open field this afternoon, and drawn up in line to see two men shot for desertion. After they were shot, we marched by them and saw one was hit six times and the other four. Their coffins were by their sides, right close to their graves, so that they could see it all.
Bright and cool;
subsequently cloudy and warm.
Dispatches from Gen.
Hood (Sept 7th) state—1st dispatch: that Sherman still holds his works one and
a half miles from Jonesborough. 2d dispatch, same date: “Sherman continues his
retreat!” He says, in a 3d dispatch, that Sherman visited the hospitals, and
said he would rest awhile at Atlanta, and then march away to Andersonville,
where we keep the Federal prisoners. Although Hood attaches no importance to
declarations from such a source, yet he deems it a matter of first importance
to remove the prisoners, which suggestion Gen. Bragg refers to the Secretary of
War without remark. Gen. Hood also urges the reinforcing of his army from the
trans-Mississippi Department. He is sending a brigade to Opelika, to await a
raid.
Gen. Forrest has
been ordered, the President approving, to Middle Tennessee; but, contrary to
his desire, he is not allowed to proclaim amnesty to the thousands of deserters
expected to join him, so firmly do the President and Gen. Bragg adhere to Gen.
Lee's advice never to proclaim pardon in advance to deserters, even at this
critical epoch in our affairs.
All of us have been
made sick by eating red peas, or rather overeating
Our cause is in
danger of being lost for want of horses and mules, and yet I discovered to-day
that the government has been lending horses to men who have
but recently suffered some of the calamities of war! I discovered it in a
letter from the Hon. R. M. T. Hunter, of Essex
County, asking in behalf of himself and neighbors to be permitted to retain the
borrowed horses beyond the time specified—Oct. 1st. Mr. Hunter borrowed two
horses and four mules. He is worth millions, and only suffered (having a mill
burned) his first loss by the enemy a few weeks ago! Better, far better, would
it be for the Secretary to borrow or impress one hundred thousand horses, and
mount our infantry to cut the communications of the enemy, and hover on his
flanks like the Cossacks in Russia.
Cloudy and pleasant; no rain last night, but the earth is saturated. No additional news from the army. It is said Gen. Bragg prevents news, good or bad, from expanding believing that any intelligence whatever in the newspapers affords information to the enemy; and he is right. All the mysteries will be solved in a few days, and we shall have all the news, good, bad, and indifferent. I heard cannon last evening; also this morning. Our casualties could not have been large, else the ambulance train would have been in motion. That is certain. It may be that Grant's army is crumbling, I hope so; and it may possibly be that negotiations are in progress. There must be an end of this; for the people of both sections are tired of it.
So far Grant has unquestionably failed in his enterprises against Richmond, and his present reduced strength certainly renders it unlikely that he can prevail against us hereafter. His new levies, if he gets any, will not be fit for the field this year; and all his veterans will soon be gone, — killed, or home, — never to return. Thank God, the prospect of peace is “bright and brightening,” and a dark cloud is above the horizon in the North. Lincoln and his party are now environed with dangers rushing upon them from every direction.
No doubt Lee's army is weakened by detachments sent to Early; but then the local troops have been sent home, which is at least a favorable augury. The following order is published:
GENERAL ORDER No. 65.
It having been represented to the War Department that there are numbers of foreigners entrapped by artifice and fraud into the military and naval service of the United States, who would gladly withdraw from further participation in the inhuman warfare waged against a people who have never given them a pretext for hostility; and that there are many inhabitants of the United States now retained in that service against their will, who are averse to aiding in the unjust war now being prosecuted against the Confederate States; and it being also known that these men are prevented from abandoning such compulsory service by the difficulty they experience in escaping therefrom, it is ordered that all such persons coming within the lines of the Confederate armies shall be received, protected, and supplied with means of subsistence, until such of them as desire it can be forwarded to the most convenient points on the border, where all facilities will be afforded them to return to their homes.
By order,
(Sigued)
S. COOPER,
A. and I. General.
My turnips have not come up yet, and I fear the hot sun has destroyed the vitality of the seed. It is said the enemy still hold the Weldon Road; if so, then I fear our flour will be delayed, if not lost.
What if Grant now had the 140,000 more—lost in this campaign? Or if Lincoln should succeed in getting into the field the 500,000 men now called for?
The next two months will be the most interesting period of the war; everything depends upon the result of the Presidential election in the United States. We rely some little upon the success of the peace party.
The order from the Adjutant-General's office was first suggested by Gen. Beauregard, discountenanced by Mr. Secretary Seddon, approved by the President, and slightly modified by Gen. Lee. It remains to be seen what will be its effect. Deserters are certainly coming over in large numbers; so much so, that it is proposed to establish a depot for them in Georgia. Gen. Winder writes that it is not his province to be charged with them as well as with the prisoners. He is miserable; his rogues and cut-throats have mostly remained behind, preferring a city residence; and the Bureau of Conscription will not, it seems, conscribe Marylanders, most of whom have grown rich here. Will the President and the Secretary of War yield to Assistant Secretary Campbell, and the "Bureau," and Judge Halliburton—or will they execute the act of Congress, enrolling all “residents” for the common defense? Nous verrons.
One meets no beggars yet, although we have been suffering a famine for more than a year.
The State Government is now selling a little rice-one and a half pounds per month to each member of a family—at 50 cents per pound, the ordinary price being about $2. And the City Council has employed a butcher to sell fresh meat at about $3.50 per pound. The State will also distribute cotton cloth and yarn, at something less than the usual prices. There would be quite enough of everything necessary, if it were equally distributed.
Two men out of our
regiment were whipped for desertion. They were undressed all but pants and
shoes, tied to a post, and each given thirty-nine lashes on their bare backs.
The balance of this month nothing new, only very cold.
This morning orders are issued for all the troops in and around Corinth to be paraded on the review ground by eight o'clock, A. M., to witness the execution of one Johnson, a deserter from Company A, First Alabama Union Cavalry. At the appointed time all the troops are on the ground and in position. The sun shines intensely hot, and the tramp of infantry and the galloping of horsemen keeps in the wind one dense cloud of smoke. Soon the procession with the unfortunate man appears upon the ground. They march slowly along the division line, the doomed man walking, supported by the Chaplain of the Sixty-sixth Indiana. He has the appearance of a guilty man—guilty of deserting the flag and his comrades. After the procession has passed the line, they march to the place of execution; the deserter is placed upon his coffin in a sitting position. A solemn and impressive prayer is offered by the Chaplain after which he is blindfolded. The executioners take their position, the Provost Marshal gives the command, and the man who so unhappily erred from the path of duty is launched into eternity. May his ignominious death prove a warning to all who might peradventure be tempted to do likewise.
It rained all night!
Cloudy and windy to-day.
Gen. Hood corrects
his dispatch of Saturday; we captured only 13 guns; but we captured some 18
stand of colors.
HEADQUARTERS, ATLANTA,
July 23d, 1864.
Hon.
JAMES A. SEDDON, SECRETARY OF WAR.
The
enemy shifted his position on Peach Tree Creek last night, and Gen. Stewart's
and Cheatham's corps formed line of battle around the city.
Gen.
Hardee's corps made a night march, and attacked the enemy's extreme left
to-day. About 1 o'clock he drove him from his works, capturing artillery and
colors. Gen. Cheatham attacked the enemy, capturing six pieces of artillery.
During
the engagement we captured about 2000 prisoners.
Gen.
Wheeler's cavalry routed the enemy in the neighborhood of Decatur, to-day,
capturing his camp.
Our
loss is not yet fully ascertained.
Major-Gen.
Walker was killed. Brig.-Gens. Smith, Gist, and Mercer were wounded.
Prisoners
report that Gen. McPherson was killed.
Our
troops fought with great gallantry.
J. B. HOOD, General.
It is certain that a considerable force of the enemy has crossed to the
north side of James River; for what purpose is not yet clear.
A detachment of our forces has been defeated near Winchester, by
superior numbers, losing 4 guns.
The Dispatch of this morning says:
All accounts received of the engagement at
Snicker's represent that the Yankees were badly whipped on that occasion. It is
stated that some fifteen hundred of the enemy fell to rise no more, and only
six were made prisoners. It is probable that a considerable number were drowned
in their attempt to recross the Shenandoah.
Gen. Beauregard wrote to the department a few days ago that the country
in the rear of the enemy was filled with their deserters, and suggested that by
proclamation or otherwise, desertion should be encouraged. They ought to be
welcomed and subsisted, and transported to any point near their own country
designated by them. On this the Secretary of War indorsed rather a cold
negative. But he went too far—the country must be saved—and
the President, while agreeing that no proclamation should be issued,
indorsed an emphatic approval of any other means to encourage desertion from
the enemy.
My cabbages and turnips (fall) are coming up already.
We had but 13,500 men and 44 pieces artillery in the recent march into
Maryland. The enemy say we had 40,000!
Letters are pouring in, denouncing the new schedule of prices,
sanctioned by the Secretary, and demanding a prompt modification. The President
wrote the Secretary to-day that immediate action is necessary.
GENERAL: Your
general order, blank number, is received. The dispositions you made are
excellent. It will be impossible for Johnston to cross the Big Black River,
north of the railroad, without being discovered and your troops ready for him.
My only apprehensions are that Johnston, finding us so ready, may cover a
movement south, and dash in at Baldwin's and south of that before troops can be
got out to meet him. A move of this kind certainly could not be made for
anything more than a diversion to relieve the Vicksburg garrison. It does not
look to me as if Johnston would ever think of bringing his wagon train across
Big Black River south of us. I had but little confidence in the blockading of
the roads south of the Jackson road; something has been [done], however, and
will help a little if Johnston should attempt to come in that way. Ord's
cavalry watch all the ferries south of Baldwin's, and though they sometimes see
rebel cavalry east of the river, yet they discover no signs of an attempt to
cross.
I sent out a scout,
who traveled for some time east from Big Black River bridge and south of the
railroad. He says no troops have gone south of the railroad. The same statement
is made by a deserter from one of the Texas brigades stationed at Bolton
Station; but this information is several days old. In the mean time Johnston
may have changed his plans and the position of his troops half a dozen times.
You need not fear, general, my tender heart getting the better of me, so as to
send the secession ladies to your front; on the contrary, I rather think it
advisable to send out every living being from your lines, and arrest all
persons found within who are not connected with the army.
HDQRS. THIRTEENTH A.
C., Near Vicksburg, July 1, 1863.
Lieut. Col. JOHN A.
RAWLINS, A. A. G., Dept. of the Tennessee:
COLONEL: I have the
honor to send to headquarters two prisoners, with a black boy, captured near
the mouth of Big Black by Maj. James Grant Wilson, Fifteenth Illinois Cavalry,
while attempting to cross the river in a canoe. Major Wilson found a few
letters in the possession of the prisoners, which are inclosed for the
information of the major-general commanding.* If the statements in the letters
of the amount of rations (and the black boy says it has been but one-quarter
pound of bacon and meal each for ten days past) can be relied on, the
information is valuable. It is strongly corroborated by the statements of
deserters for some days past.
Snow still on the ground. Wind high and very cold. Men must suffer on picket. Three deserters came in from Early. Early going to Staunton – perhaps to Richmond. Sherman and Hood "as they were." Am getting anxious about Sherman.
November weather; like snow, only it doesn't. Captain Blazer and his scouts make some captures; a deserter from Sixth Corps was married in ten days after.
SOURCE: Charles
Richard Williams, editor, Diary and Letters of Rutherford Birchard
Hayes, Volume 2, p. 535
Sunshine and showers, the former predominating.
Gen. Lee sends a dispatch saying the enemy's attack yesterday was repulsed easily-our loss very light.
It is said, however, that the enemy have Guinea's Station, 12 miles this side of Fredericksburg.
Gen. Beauregard intends shelling Butler in his fortifications to-morrow.
From the West, in Georgia, and beyond the Mississippi, all seem bright enough.
Congress has passed a resolution to adjourn on the 31st inst., in obedience to the wish of the President. He has a majority in both Houses, it seems; and even the bills they pass are generally dictated by the Executive, and written in the departments. Judge Campbell is much used for this purpose.
Gen. Bragg sent in a manuscript, derived from a deserter, stating that of Gen. Butler's two corps, one, the 10th, is from the Southern coast, no negroes in it, leaving only negroes in the Southern garrisons. We learned Butler was in command, and dismissed all apprehensions and one day we had but 5000 opposed to his 40,000!
SOURCE: John Beauchamp Jones, A Rebel War Clerk's Diary at the Confederate States Capital, Volume 2, p. 214-5
