Diary of 2nd Lieutenant George G. Smith: October 10, 1864

Marching orders again, and at 4 p. m. we were steaming up the river. We had the First Louisiana Infantry, 161st New York Infantry, 23d Wisconsin, a squadron of First Louisiana Cavalry, and six pieces of artillery on board the transports Charlton and Illinois.

SOURCE: Abstracted from George G. Smith, Leaves from a Soldier's Diary, p. 133

From Corinth and New Orleans

More Heavy Skirmishing – Gen. Butler Dispensing Beef and Sugar to the Poor.

ST. LOUIS, May 21. – Special dispatches from below this evening state that every heavy skirmishing is constantly going on at Corinth, and a general engagement is likely to take place at any time, as the federal lines extend close to the rebel pickets.

The steamer Platte Valley was fired into on her way up the Tennessee River, but nobody was hurt.

The rams have reached the fleet, and everything is ready for any emergency.

The Memphis Appeal of the 15th contains the following dispatch addressed to the Rebel Secretary of State:

CAMP MOORE, Louisiana,

May 13, 1862.

To Hon. J. P. Benjamin:

Gen. Butler on the 11th inst., took forcible possession of the office of the Consul of the Netherlands and searched the person of the Consul and took from him the key of the bank vault.  Butler also took possession of the offices of the French and Spanish Consulates, in the old Canal Bank, and placed a guard there.  The French Consulate went on board the steamer Milan, and had not returned up to Sunday morning.  It is said that the guard has been removed from the offices of the French and Spanish Consulates.  In the vault of the Canal Bank $800,000 had been transferred by the Citizens’ Bank to Hoper, banker of Amsterdam, to pay interest on bonds.  Butler also seized the Canal Bank and Smith’s banking house, and has issued an inflammatory proclamation to incite the poor against the rich, promising to distribute among the poor 1,000 hogsheads of beef and sugar.  He is recruiting in New Orleans. – The poor will soon be starved.  The enemy have sent a force up to Bennett’s Cave, which were marched through the swamp and destroyed the railroad bridge.

The Pittsburg Citizen of the 12th instant, says:

“The latest we can ascertain of the whereabouts of the Yankee gunboats, is that they are between Fort Adams and Bayou [Tonica], and are supposed to be in or about the Red River cut off.  The little freight steamer Whitman, which has made so many daring trips to and from New Orleans, has been captured by the Federal gunboat Calhoun.”

– Published in The Burlington Weekly Hawk-Eye, Burlington, Iowa, Saturday, May 24, 1862, p. 3

Cairo Budget

CAIRO, May 21. – The steamer Newton arrived from the Tennessee river this morning.  She brings no news of importance.

A large squad of expelled correspondents came down as passengers.  The others will follow immediately.

Memphis papers of the 17th, announce the arrival of the Federal fleet at Vicksburg.  It was moving up the river, and had been successful.  Ft. Adams is about 100 miles below Vicksburgh, and the presumption was that a fight had taken place there.

The news of the evacuation of Ft. Pillow, and the retreat of the Rebels to Randolph, is received here with every demonstration of delight.  The impression prevails that the defences of Randolph were constructed last summer and are very extensive and formidable, the armament having been replaced so hastily, the place will not long withstand the Federal assault.  Probably the move was only made as a step towards the final evacuation of the river.

OFF FT. PILLOW via CAIRO, May 21. – Specials say that it was made apparent yesterday that it was clearly evident that the enemy had evacuated Fort Pillow and fallen back on Fort Randolph, a strong fortification on the 3d Chickasaw bluff, 12 miles below their former position. 

Officers of the flotilla who went down the river yesterday, with a flag of truce, returned with the startling intelligence that neither troops nor gunboats were visible, and that Ft. Pillow and the river below, as far as the eye could reach, were deserted.  The flag of truce was sent down for the purpose of completing an exchange of prisoners, which was begun some time ago at Corinth.

Preparations were immediately entered into for a reconnaissance by the gunboats to the vicinity of the Fort.  Towards evening, however, a rebel craft made its appearance around Craighead point, with a flag of truce.  The steamer Kennett, having on board the rebels soldiers to be released, then went to meet her.  No explanation was offered, and although our own flag of truce was not answered in the morning, the prisoners were given up and the steamer returned.

Taking all the circumstances into consideration, there is not the least doubt but that the Rebels have evacuated Fort Pillow.

In their new position, they can maintain a more thorough defense, and be less exposed to the deadly fire of our mortars.  Ft. Randolph as the Rebels call it, or more properly Ft. Wright, consists of a succession of long earth works and batteries on the 2d Chickasaw bluff, 65 miles above Memphis, and just opposite the southern extremity of Island No. 34.  The fortifications were constructed early last autumn, but the guns were subsequently removed to Ft. Pillow.

It is expected that to-day, a reconnnoissance of our gunboats will be made, with a view of ascertaining the new position of the rebels.

CAIRO, May 22. – Two refugees from Corinth arrived to-day.  They state that there about 130,000 rebel troops at Corinth, - that Beauregard was there ten days ago.  They report a scarcity of provisions and forage.  There are no fortifications at Granada or Grand Junction.  [Recruits] raised by conscript act are reinforcing Beauregard.

Large numbers of Union citizens are making their way North, mostly on foot, suffering great privations.

The report of the evacuation of Fort Pillow has been confirmed, but the opinion is general among naval officials that the rebels retired to Ft. Randolph.  Their gunboat[s] have retired down the river.

No arrivals from Pittsburg Landing.

The Desoto, from the flotilla, arrived this morning, but brings no additional news of importance.  A flag of truce came up from the rebel fleet yesterday morning, and returned and came up again in the afternoon, but the object of the mission was not ascertained.

The opinion still prevails that Fort Pillow has been evacuated, although nothing definite has been divulged to determine facts.

Twenty two refugees from Corinth arrived this morning – one of them left the Rebel camp last Wednesday.  He reports that Gen. Beauregard was still in command, and had about 130,000 men, of whom 30,000 are held in reserve, under command of Breckinridge.

The rebels are suffering greatly from sickness.  An average of 600 being sent from camp over the Memphis and Charleston road daily, of whom, many die on the passage.

Houses in towns along the Railroad are used as hospitals.

The army is greatly demoralized; the terms of enlistment of many regiments expiring daily, but the men are forced to remain under the conscript act.  Beauregard is continually among his troops, making speeches and using ever effort to encourage his troops.  The troops are subsisting on half rations slat beef of miserable quality is issued once a week.

Price, Van Dorn, Brag, Polk and Cheatham command division in front of rifle pits around Corinth, around all approaches to the Mobil and Ohio Railroad, and are 13 miles long.

The rebels are making extraordinary efforts to procure guns of which they acknowledge they have but poor supply.

Beauregard’s headquarters are in the rear near Corinth.

All cavalry that have been scouring the country north of Corinth, have been dismounted, except 700 stationed at Trenton on the Mobil and Ohio railroad, which is a depot for forage, of which there is a great scarcity.

It is reported that 60 Federal prisoners, taken at Dresden by Clay King’s gang, were released on parole by Beauregard, after being confined at Jackson, Mississippi.

Major Lovell’s army is reported to have arrived at Corinth.

– Published in The Burlington Weekly Hawk-Eye, Burlington, Iowa, Saturday, May 24, 1862, p. 3

News From Below

ADVANCE OF THE REBEL FLEET

CAIRO, May 5. – A refugee from Vicksburgh, Mississippi passed through here to-day, enroute for St. Louis.  He brings news of importance, having left Memphis on Sunday.

Memphis papers of that morning published a dispatch announcing the occupation of Baton Rouge by the Federal forces, and the passage up the river of the Federal gunboats.  The largest vessels of the fleet were left behind at N. Orleans, which city is nearly deserted.

Butler’s army had landed and were occupying the city.

An immense amount of cotton in warehouses was discovered and seized.

The Union citizens had held a public rejoicing, at which hundreds crowded together and indulged in the most enthusiastic demonstrations of joy.

On the passage of the gunboats up the river, but little resistance was made to them, there being no earthworks to contest the way, until the fleet arrived at Baton Rouge.  Here, as my informant says, were stationed a few rebel soldiers most of whom were lately enrolled according the provisions of the Conscription act.  These, however, fled before the fleet made its appearance.

The United States Arsenal and Barracks were recovered at this point, and the old flag waves over the Union property in Louisiana.

The Southern papers are very meager of news respecting the passage of the gunboat fleet up the river.  Most of their articles being made up of verbose exhortations addressed to the people to defend the Mississippi valley from the enemy though little could be ascertained from the newspapers.

The citizens of Vicksburgh, Natchez, and other places along the river, were fleeing in great numbers to Memphis, which place is in a fever of excitement.

A citizen of Natchez told my informant that a strong force of Mississippi troops were garrisoning Fort Davis, which is located on Ellis Cliffs, nearly twenty five miles below Natchez.

These cliffs form a high ridge on the East bank of the Mississippi commencing 20 miles below Natchez and extending for several miles along the river.  It was thought at Memphis that the fortifications along this ridge would be for a serious impediment to the passage of the Yankee fleet.  Great alarm was felt and many were leaving for the interior.

With regard to the progress already made by the Federal fleet, the publication of such news has been restrained but it was reported by persons arriving from below that the gunboats of the enemy had arrived at Fort Adams which they had passed without resistance and were near Fort Davis.

At Vicksburgh, a fortification which has been in progress of erection for the last two weeks was very nearly completed.  Guns of heavy caliber have been sent from Memphis and are to be mounted on these works.

The rebel fleet from new Orleans had arrived at Memphis and was dispatched to the immediate relief of the fleet off Fort Pillow.

A large number of rebel steamers had taken refuge up White River.

All rolling stock had been concentrated at Memphis in readiness to take away the citizens in case the Federal fleet shall make their appearance.

The cities and towns of the Mississippi valley are plunged into the greatest terror by the unexpected capture of New Orleans.  Great indignation is felt towards Gen. Lovell, whom they accuse of cowardice and imbecility.

– Published in The Burlington Weekly Hawk-Eye, Burlington, Iowa, Saturday, May 10, 1862, p. 4