Diary of William Howard Russell: June 17, 1861

If it was any consolation to me that the very noisy and very turbulent warriors of last night were exceedingly sick, dejected, and crestfallen this morning, I had it to the full. Their cries for water were incessant to allay the internal fires caused by “forty-rod” and “sixty-rod,” as whiskey is called, which is supposed to kill people at those distances. Their officers had no control over them — and the only authority they seemed to respect was that of the " gentlemanly" conductor, whom they were accustomed to fear individually, as he is a great man in America and has much authority and power to make himself disagreeable if he likes.

The victory at Big or Little Bethel has greatly elated these men, and they think they can walk all over the Northern States. It was a relief to get out of the train for a few minutes at a station called Holly Springs, where the passengers breakfasted at a dirty table on most execrable coffee, corn bread, rancid butter, and very dubious meats, and the wild soldiers outside made the most of their time, as they had recovered from their temporary depression by this time, and got out on the tops of the carriages, over which they performed tumultuous dances to the music of their band, and the great admiration of the surrounding negrodom. Their demeanor is very unlike that of the unexcitable staid people of the North.

There were in the train some Texans who were going to Richmond to offer their services to Mr. Davis. They denounced Sam Houston as a traitor, but admitted there were some Unionists, or, as they termed them, Lincolnite skunks, in the State. The real object of their journey was, in my mind, to get assistance from the Southern Confederacy, to put down their enemies in Texas.

In order to conceal from the minds of the people that the government at Washington claims to be that of the United States, the press politicians and speakers divert their attention to the names of Lincoln, Seward, and other black republicans, and class the whole of the North together as the Abolitionists. They call the Federal levies “Lincoln's mercenaries” and “abolition hordes,” though their own troops are paid at the same rate as those of the United States, This is a common mode of procedure in revolutions and rebellions, and is not unfrequent in wars.

The enthusiasm for the Southern cause among all the people is most remarkable, — the sight of the flag waving from the carriage windows drew all the population of the hamlets and the workers in the field, black and white, to the side of the carriages to cheer for Jeff Davis and the Southern Confederacy, and to wave whatever they could lay hold of in the air. The country seems very poorly cultivated, the fields full of stumps of trees, and the plantation houses very indifferent. At every station more “soldiers,” as they are called, got in, till the smell and heat were suffocating.

These men were as fanciful in their names and dress as could be. In the train which preceded us there was a band of volunteers armed with rifled pistols and enormous bowie-knifes, who called themselves “The Toothpick Company.” They carried along with them a coffin, with a plate inscribed, “Abe Lincoln, died ——,” and declared they were “bound” to bring his body back in it, and that they did not intend to use muskets or rifles, but just go in with knife and six-shooter, and whip the Yankees straight away. How astonished they will be when the first round shot flies into them, or a cap-full of grape rattles about their bowie-knives.

At the station of Grand Junction, north of Holly Springs, which latter is 210 miles north of Jackson, several hundreds of our warrior friends were turned out in order to take the train north-westward for Richmond, Virginia. The 1st Company, seventy rank and file, consisted of Irishmen, armed with sporting rifles without bayonets. Five sixths of the 2d Company, who were armed with muskets, were of the same nationality. The 3d Company were all Americans. The 4th Company were almost all Irish. Some were in green, others were in gray, — the Americans who were in blue had not yet received their arms. When the word fix bayonets was given by the officer, a smart keen-looking man, there was an astonishishing hurry and tumult in the ranks.

“Now then, Sweeny, whar are yes dhriven me too? Is it out of the redjmint amongst the officers yer shovin' me?”

“Sullivan, don't ye hear we're to fix beenits?”

“Sarjent, jewel, wud yes ayse the shtrap of me baynit?”

“If ye prod me wid that agin, I'll let dayloite into ye.”

The officer, reading, “No. 23. James Phelan.”

No reply.

Officer again, “No. 23. James Phelan.”

Voice from the rank, “Shure, captain, and faix Phelan's gone; he wint at the last depôt.”

“No. 40. Miles Corrigan.”

Voice further on, “He's the worse for dhrink in the cars, yer honor, and says he'll shoot us if we touch him;” and so on.

But these fellows were, nevertheless, the material for fighting and for marching after proper drill and with good officers, even though there was too large a proportion of old men and young lads in the ranks. To judge from their dress these recruits came from the laboring and poorest classes of whites. The officers affected a French cut and bearing with indifferent success, and in the luggage vans there were three foolish young women with slop-dress imitation clothes of the Vivandière type, who, with dishevelled hair, dirty faces, and dusty hats and jackets, looked sad, sorry, and absurd. Their notions of propriety did not justify them in adopting straps, boots, and trousers, and the rest of the tawdry ill-made costume looked very bad indeed.

The train which still bore a large number of soldiers for the camp of Corinth, proceeded through dreary swamps, stunted forests, and clearings of the rudest kind at very long intervals. We had got out of the cotton district and were entering poorer soil, or land which, when cleared, was devoted to wheat and corn, and I was told that the crops ran from forty to sixty bushels to the acre. A more uninteresting country than this portion of the State of Mississippi I have never witnessed. There was some variety of scenery about Holly Springs where undulating ground covered with wood, diversified the aspect of the flat, but since that we have been travelling through mile after mile of insignificantly grown timber and swamps.

On approaching Memphis the line ascends towards the bluff of the Mississippi, and farms of a better appearance come in sight on the side of the rail; but after all I do not envy the fate of the man who, surrounded by slaves and shut out from the world, has to pass his life in this dismal region, be the crops never so good.

At a station where a stone pillar marks the limit between the sovereign State of Mississippi and that of Tennessee, there was a house two stories high, from the windows of which a number of negro girls and young men were staring on the passengers. Some of them smiled, laughed, and chatted, but the majority of them looked gloomy and sad enough. They were packed as close as they could, and I observed that at the door a very ruffianly looking fellow in a straw hat, long straight hair, flannel shirt, and slippers, was standing with his legs across and a heavy whip in his hand. One of the passengers walked over and chatted to him. They looked in and up at the negroes and laughed, and when the man came near the carriage in which I sat, a friend called out, “Whose are they, Sam?” “He's a dealer at Jackson, Mr. Smith. They're a prime lot of fine Virginny niggers as I've seen this long time, and he wants to realize, for the news looks so bad.”   

It was 1:40 P. M. when the train arrived at Memphis. I was speedily on my way to the Gayoso House, so called after an old Spanish ruler of the district, which is situated in the street on the bluff, which runs parallel with the course of the Mississippi. This resuscitated Egyptian city is a place of importance, and extends for several miles along the high bank of the river, though it does not run very far back. The streets are at right angles to the principal thoroughfares, which are parallel to the stream; and I by no means expected to see the lofty stores, warehouses, rows of shops, and handsome buildings on the broad esplanade along the river, and the extent and size of the edifices public and private in this city, which is one of the developments of trade and commerce created by the Mississippi. Memphis contains nearly 30,000 inhabitants, but many of them are foreigners, and there is a nomad draft into and out of the place, which abounds in haunts for Bohemians, drinking and dancing-saloons, and gaming-rooms. And this strange kaleidoscope of negroes and whites of the extremes of civilization in its American development, and of the semi-savage degraded by his contact with the white; of enormous steamers on the river, which bears equally the dug-out or canoe of the black fisherman; the rail, penetrating the inmost recesses of swamps, which on either side of it remain no doubt in the same state as they were centuries ago; the roll of heavily-laden wagons through the streets; the rattle of omnibuses and all the phenomena of active commercial life before our eyes, included in the same scope of vision which takes in at the other side of the Mississippi lands scarcely yet settled, though the march of empire has gone thousands of miles beyond them, amuses but perplexes the traveller in this new land.

The evening was so exceedingly warm that I was glad to remain within the walls of my darkened bedroom. All the six hundred and odd guests whom the Gayoso House is said to accommodate were apparently in the passage at one time. At present it is the head-quarters of General Gideon J. Pillow, who is charged with the defences of the Tennessee side of the river, and commands a considerable body of troops around the city and in the works above. The house is consequently filled with men in uniform, belonging to the General's staff or the various regiments of Tennessee troops.

The Governors and the Legislatures of the States view with dislike every action on the part of Mr. Davis which tends to form the State troops into a national army. At first, indeed, the doctrine prevailed that troops could not be sent beyond the limits of the State in which they were raised — then it was argued that they ought not to be called upon to move outside their borders; and I have heard people in the South inveighing against the sloth and want of spirit of the Virginians, who allowed their State to be invaded without resisting the enemy. Such complaints were met by the remark that all the Northern States had combined to pour their troops into Virginia, and that her sister States ought in honor to protect her. Finally, the martial enthusiasm of the Southern regiments impelled them to press forward to the frontier, and by delicate management, and the perfect knowledge of his countrymen which Mr. Jefferson Davis possesses, he is now enabled to amalgamate in some sort the diverse individualities of his regiments into something like a national army.

On hearing of my arrival, General Pillow sent his aide-decamp to inform me that he was about starting in a steamer up the river, to make an inspection of the works and garrison at Fort Randolph and at other points where batteries had been erected to command the stream, supported by large levies of Tennesseans. The aide-de-camp conducted me to the General, whom I found in his bedroom, fitted up as an office, littered with plans and papers. Before the Mexican War General Pillow was a flourishing solicitor, connected in business with President Polk, and commanding so much influence that when the expedition was formed he received the nomination of brigadier-general of volunteers. He served with distinction and was severely wounded at the battle of Chapultepec and at the conclusion of the campaign he retired into civil life, and was engaged directing the work of his plantation till this great rebellion summoned him once more to the field.

Of course there is, and must be, always an inclination to deride these volunteer officers on the part of regular soldiers; and I was informed by one of the officers in attendance on the General that he had made himself ludicrously celebrated in Mexico for having undertaken to throw up a battery which, when completed, was found to face the wrong way, so that the guns were exposed to the enemy. General Pillow is a small, compact, clear-complexioned man, with short gray whiskers, cut in the English fashion, a quick eye, and a pompous manner of speech; and I had not been long in his company before I heard of Chapultepec and his wound, which causes him to limp a little in his walk, and gives him inconvenience in the saddle. He wore a round black hat, plain blue frock-coat, dark trousers, and brass spurs on his boots; but no sign of military rank. The General ordered carriages to the door, and we went to see the batteries on the bluff or front of the esplanade, which are intended to check any ship attempting to pass down the river from Cairo, where the Federals under General Prentiss have entrenched themselves, and are understood to meditate an expedition against the city. A parapet of cotton bales, covered with tarpaulin, has been erected close to the edge of the bank of earth, which rises to heights varying from 60 to 150 feet almost perpendicularly from the waters of the Mississippi, with zigzag roads running down through it to the landing-places. This parapet could offer no cover against vertical fire, and is so placed that well-directed shell into the bank below it would tumble it all into the water. The zigzag roads are barricaded with weak planks, which would be shivered to pieces by boat-guns; and the assaulting parties could easily mount through these covered ways to the rear of the parapet, and up to the very centre of the esplanade.

The blockade of the river at this point is complete; not a boat is permitted to pass either up or down. At the extremity of the esplanade, on an angle of the bank, an earthen battery, mounted with six heavy guns, has been thrown up, which has a fine command of the river; and the General informed me he intends to mount sixteen guns in addition, on a prolongation of the face of the same work.

The inspection over, we drove down a steep road to the water beneath, where the Ingomar, a large river steamer, now chartered for the service of the State of Tennessee, was lying to receive us. The vessel was crowded with troops — all volunteers, of course — about to join those in camp. Great as were their numbers, the proportion of the officers was inordinately large, and the rank of the greater number preposterously high. It seemed to me as if I was introduced to a battalion of colonels, and that I was not permitted to pierce to any lower strata of military rank. I counted seventeen colonels, and believe the number was not then exhausted.

General Clarke, of Mississippi, who had come over from the camp at Corinth, was on board, and I had the pleasure of making his acquaintance. He spoke with sense and firmness of the present troubles, and dealt with the political difficulties in a tone of moderation which bespoke a gentleman and a man of education and thought. He also had served in the Mexican war, and had the air and manner of a soldier. With all his quietness of tone, there was not the smallest disposition to be traced in his words to retire from the present contest, or to consent to a reunion with the United States under any circumstances whatever. Another general, of a very different type, was among our passengers, — a .dirty-faced, frightened-looking young man, of some twenty-three or twenty-four years of age, redolent of tobacco, his chin and shirt slavered by its foul juices, dressed in a green cutaway coat, white jean trousers, strapped under a pair of prunella slippers, in which he promenaded the deck in an Agag-like manner, which gave rise to a suspicion of bunions or corns. This strange figure was topped by a tremendous black felt sombrero, looped up at one side by a gilt eagle, in which was stuck a plume of ostrich feathers, and from the other side dangled a heavy gold tassel. This decrepit young warrior's name was Ruggles or Struggles, who came from Arkansas, where he passed, I was informed, for “quite a leading citizen.”

Our voyage as we steamed up the river afforded no novelty, nor any physical difference worthy of remark, to contrast it with the lower portions of the stream, except that upon our right-hand side, which is, in effect, the left bank, there are ranges of exceedingly high bluffs, some parallel with and others at right angles to the course of the stream. The river is of the same pea-soup color with the same masses of leaves, decaying vegetation, stumps of trees, forming small floating islands, or giant cotton-tree, pines, and balks of timber whirling down the current. Our progress was slow; nor did I regret the captain's caution, as there must have been fully nine hundred persons on board; and although there is but little danger of being snagged in the present condition of the river, we encountered now and then a trunk of a tree, which struck against the bows with force enough to make the vessel quiver from stem to stern. I was furnished with a small berth, to which I retired at midnight, just as the Ingomar was brought to at the Chickasaw Bluffs, above which lies Camp Randolph.

SOURCE: William Howard Russell, My Diary North and South, p. 302-8

Diary of Salmon P. Chase: Tuesday, September 30, 1862

The papers this morning confirm the news of Nelson's death. He died as the fool dieth. How sad! His early services to the Union cause in Kentucky — his generous and manly nature—his fine talents and great energy — compelled my admiration and esteem; while his cruelty and passion and tyranny, especially when excited by drink, often excited my indignation. Nothing from any quarter of much importance in a military point of view.

Genl. Garfield, at breakfast, related this: When Genl. Buell's army was on the march to Nashville, a regiment passed in front of the house of Genl. Pillow's brother, where was a spring of good water and a little stream issuing from it. As the soldiers quenched their thirst and filled their canteens and watered their horses at the stream, Pillow came out and cursed the men, forbidding them to take water and saying that if he were younger he would fight against the Yankees until the last man of them was killed or driven home. A Lieutenant commanding the Company then having expostulated with him without effect and finding the army likely to be delayed by his interference, directed him to be put under arrest, and sent him to the Colonel. It happened that this Colonel was an admirer of Miss Stevenson — a young lady of Nashville, a niece of Pillow and a violent Secessionist — and had been in the habit of sending the Regimental Band to serenade her with “Dixie” and the like, not playing any National airs. As soon as he understood who Pillow was, therefore, he discharged him from arrest and apologized for it; and at the same time arrested the young Lieutenant. Pillow returned to his house, mounted his horse and rode to Genl. Buell's Headquarters and complained that a slave of his had escaped and was somewhere in the army. Buell gave him leave to hunt for him and with this warrant he rode where he pleased. After fully satisfying himself he went on to Corinth and gave Beauregard a full account of Buell's force and rate of advance. This information led to an attack on Grant's division, which Beauregard hoped to destroy before Buell should come—and he almost succeeded in doing it.

At Department received a note from Seward, with memorandum by Stuart, Acting British Minister, of conversations with Seward about cotton. From this memorandum, it appears that Butler's order of August, authorizing free purchases even from Slidell, and Grant's order annulling Sherman's prohibition of payments in Gold, were, if not motived by Seward, fully approved by him and made the basis of assurances that no hindrance to purchase and payment on cotton for rebels would be interposed by this government. Afterwards, or about the time of these orders, Seward proposed the same policy of substantially unrestricted purchase for money, to me; and I was at first, in view of the importance of a supply of cotton, inclined to adopt it; but reflection and information from Special Agents in the Mississippi Valley changed my views. The subject was also brought up in Cabinet, and Seward proposed liberty to purchase 500,000 bales. Stanton and I opposed this, and the President sided with us and the subject was dropped. I then proposed to frame Regulations for trade to and from Insurrectionary Districts, in which was included prohibitions of payments in gold.

To this prohibition Stuart now objects as in contravention to Seward's assurances connected with Butler's and Grant's orders.

After considering the whole subject, I addressed a letter to Seward declining to change the existing Regulation as to payments in gold.

Received letter from himself, stating difficulty between himself and Agent Gallagher as to Confiscation. — Mellen thinking that antecedents of cotton, as to liability to confiscation in prior hands and notice to present holders, should not be investigated; Gallagher contra. Wrote Mellen that his view is approved — thinking this may relieve Seward.

SOURCE: Annual Report of the American Historical Association for the Year 1902, Vol. 2, p. 98-100

Diary of John Beauchamp Jones: November 9, 1861

Gen. Winder and all his police and Plug Ugly gang have their friends or agents, whom they continually desire to send to Maryland. And often there comes a request from Gen. Huger, at Norfolk, for passports to be granted certain parties to go out under flag of truce. I suppose he can send whom he pleases.

We have news of a bloody battle in the West, at Belmont. Gen. Pillow and Bishop Polk defeated the enemy, it is said, killing and wounding 1000. Our loss, some 500.

Port Royal, on the coast of South Carolina, has been taken by the enemy's fleet. We had no casemated batteries. Here the Yankees will intrench themselves, and cannot be dislodged. They will take negroes and cotton, and menace both Savannah and Charleston.

SOURCE: John Beauchamp Jones, A Rebel War Clerk's Diary at the Confederate States Capital, Volume 1, p. 91

Diary of John Beauchamp Jones: September 12, 1861

Gen. Pillow has advanced, and occupied Columbus, Ky. He was ordered, by telegraph, to abandon the town and return to his former position. Then the order was countermanded, and he remains. The authorities have learned that the enemy occupies Paducah.

SOURCE: John Beauchamp Jones, A Rebel War Clerk's Diary at the Confederate States Capital, Volume 1, p. 79

Diary of Mary Boykin Chesnut: March 12, 1862

In the naval battle the other day we had twenty-five guns in all. The enemy had fifty-four in the Cumberland, forty-four in the St. Lawrence, besides a fleet of gunboats, filled with rifled cannon. Why not? They can have as many as they please. “No pent-up Utica contracts their powers”; the whole boundless world being theirs to recruit in. Ours is only this one little spot of ground — the blockade, or stockade, which hems us in with only the sky open to us, and for all that, how tender-footed and cautious they are as they draw near.

An anonymous letter purports to answer Colonel Chesnut's address to South Carolinians now in the army of the Potomac. The man says, “All that bosh is no good.” He knows lots of people whose fathers were notorious Tories in our war for independence and made fortunes by selling their country. Their sons have the best places, and they are cowards and traitors still. Names are given, of course.

Floyd and Pillow¹ are suspended from their commands because of Fort Donelson. The people of Tennessee demand a like fate for Albert Sidney Johnston. They say he is stupid. Can human folly go further than this Tennessee madness?

I did Mrs. Blank a kindness. I told the women when her name came up that she was childless now, but that she had lost three children. I hated to leave her all alone. Women have such a contempt for a childless wife. Now, they will be all sympathy and goodness. I took away her “reproach among women.”

_______________

¹ John [B.] Floyd, who had been Governor of Virginia from 1850 to 1853, became Secretary of War in 1857 He was first in command at Fort Donelson. Gideon J. Pillow had been a Major-General of volunteers in the Mexican War and was second in command at Fort Donelson. He and Floyd escaped from the Fort when it was invested by Grant, leaving General Buckner to make the surrender.

SOURCE: Mary Boykin Chesnut, Edited by Isabella D. Martin and Myrta Lockett Avary, A Diary From Dixie, p. 140

Diary of John Beauchamp Jones: June 21, 1861

A large, well-proportioned gentleman with florid complexion and intellectual face, who has been whispering with Col. Bledsoe several times during the last week, attracted my attention to-day. And when he retired Colonel B. informed me it was Bishop Polk, a classmate of his and the President's at West Point. He had just been appointed a major-general, and assigned to duty in the West, where he would rank Gen. Pillow, who was exceedingly unpopular in Adjutant-Gen. Cooper's office. I presume this arose solely from mistrust of his military abilities; for he had certainly manifested much enthusiasm in the cause, and was constantly urging the propriety of aggressive movements with his command. All his purposed advances were countermanded. The policy of the government is to be economical of the men. We have but a limited, the enemy an inexhaustible number.

SOURCE: John Beauchamp Jones, A Rebel War Clerk's Diary at the Confederate States Capital, Volume 1, p. 53-4

Major General William T. Sherman to Ellen Ewing Sherman, April 22, 1865

RALEIGH, N. C., April 22, 1865.

I wrote you a hasty letter by Major Hitchcock and promised to write more at length as soon as matters settled away somewhat. I am now living in the Palace¹ and the Army lies around about the city on beautiful rolling hills of clear ground with plenty of water, and a budding spring. We await a reply from Washington which finishes all the war by one process or forces us to push the fragments of the Confederate Army to the wall.

Hitchcock should be back the day after to-morrow and then I will know. I can start in pursuit of Johnston — who is about Greensboro, on short notice; but I would prefer not to follow him back to Georgia. A pursuing army cannot travel as fast as a fleeing one in its own country. Your letters have come to me in driblets and mine will miss you, as all from Goldsboro were directed to South Bend.

I also sent you then the Columbia flag and a Revolutionary seal for your fair. I have the circulars and have sent them out to parties to collect trophies for you, but it is embarrasing for me to engage in the business, as trophies of all lands belong to Government, and I ought not to be privy to their conversion. Others do it, I know, but it shows the rapid decline in honesty of our people. Pillow, in the Mexican War, tried to send home as trophies a brass gun and other things such as swords and lances, and it was paraded all over the land as evidence of his dishonesty. . . .

The present armies should all be mustered out and the Regular Army increased to 100,000 men and these would suffice to maintain and enforce order at the South. There is great danger of the Confederate armies breaking up into guerillas, and that is what I most fear. Such men as Wade Hampton, Forrest, Wirt Adams, etc., never will work and nothing is left for them but death or highway robbery. They will not work and their negroes are all gone, their plantations destroyed, etc. I will be glad if I can open a way for them abroad. Davis, Breckenridge, etc., will go abroad or get killed in pursuit. My terms do not embrace them but apply solely to the Confederate armies. All not in regular muster rolls will be outlaws. The people of Raleigh are quiet and submissive enough, and also the North Carolinians are subjugated, but the young men, after they get over the effects of recent disasters and wake up to the realization that nothing is left them but to work, will be sure to stir up trouble, but I hope we can soon fix them off. Raleigh is a very old city with a large stone Capitol and governor's mansion called the Palace, now occupied by me and staff. They are distant about half a mile apart with a street connecting, somewhat in the nature of Washington. This street is the business street and some very handsome houses and gardens make up the town. It is full of fine people who were secesh but now are willing to encourage the visits of handsome young men. I find here the family of Mr. Badger who was with your father in Taylor's Cabinet.² He is paralyzed so as to be hardly able to walk and sits all day. He has his mind and is glad to have visitors. I have called twice. Though a moderate man he voted to go out and actually drafted one of the resolutions of Secession. His wife must be much younger than he and is a lively, interesting lady, chuck full of Washington. She was dying for some news, and Harper's Magazine. I could tell you much that might interest you, but will now merely say that if Mr. Johnson will ratify the terms I will leave Schofield here to complete the business, will start five corps for the Potomac, to march, and in person will go to Charleston and Savannah to give some necessary orders, and then go to the Potomac to receive the troops as they arrive. I may bring you and the children there to see the last final Grand Review of my Army before disbanding it. That is the dream and is possible. It will take all May to march and June to muster out and pay so that the 4th of July may witness a perfect peace. My new sphere will I suppose be down the Mississippi. How would Memphis suit you as a home? The Mississippi valley is my hobby, and if I remain in the Army there is the place Grant will put me; Memphis or Nashville. But I am counting the chickens before they are hatched and must wait to see this thing out. When the war ends our labors begin, for we must organize the permanent army for the future. . . .

__________

¹ Sherman occupied the Governor's mansion at Raleigh.

² Thomas Ewing was a member both of Harrison's and of Taylor's Cabinet. It was in Harrison's Cabinet that George E. Badger was at the same time Secretary of the Navy.

SOURCES: M. A. DeWolfe Howe, Editor, Home Letters of General Sherman, p. 345-8.  A full copy of this letter can be found in the William T Sherman Family papers (SHR), University of Notre Dame Archives (UNDA), Notre Dame, IN 46556, Folder CSHR 2/23 

Ft. Warren Jones

Our city was honored yesterday with another visit from this man.  He is on his return home from a pilgrimage to the southern part of the State.  His object, we presume to be the re-organization of the Democratic party on the Vallandigham platform.  We believe George W. Jones to be a traitor from the crown of his head to the sole of his foot, and that if his letter to Jeff. Davis had not been intercepted, and his plans frustrated, he would be as closely identified with the South at this moment as Floyd, Wise, or Pillow.  Will not some of his friends here, who claim loyalty for this man, try and remove the stench of treason that arises from his infamous letter to Jeff. Davis, and clings to him like the poisoned shirt of Nessus? – Until that be done, let no man say there is a drop of loyal blood in the veins of George W. Jones.

– Published in The Davenport Daily Gazette, Davenport, Iowa, Friday Morning, May 16, 1862, p. 1

Ulysses S. Grant to Jesse Root Grant, May 6, 1861

Camp Yates, near Springfield,

May 6th. 1861.

Dear Father:

Your second letter, dated the first of May has just come to hand. I commenced writing you a letter three or four days ago but was interrupted so often that I did not finish it. I wrote one to Mary which no doubt was duly received, but do not remember whether it answers your questions or not.

At the time our first Galena company was raised I did not feel at liberty to engage in hot haste, but took an active interest in drilling them, and imparting all the instruction I could, and at the request of the members of the company, and of Mr. Washburn, I came here for the purpose of assisting for a short time in camp, and of offering, if necessary, my services for the war. The next two days after my arrival it was rainy and muddy so that the troops could not drill and I concluded to go home. Governor Yates heard it and requested me to remain. Since that I have been acting in that capacity, and for the last few days have been in command of this camp. The last of the six regiments called for from this State, will probably leave by tomorrow, or the day following, and then I shall be relieved from this command.

The Legislature of this State provided for the raising of eleven additional regiments and a battalion of artillery; a portion of these the Governor will appoint me to muster into the service of the State, when I presume my services may end. I might have obtained the colonelcy of a regiment possibly, but I was perfectly sickened at the political wire-pulling for all these commissions, and would not engage in it. I shall be in no ways backward in offering my services when and where they are required, but I feel that I have done more now than I could do serving as a captain under a green colonel, and if this thing continues they will want more men at a later day.

There have been fully 30,000 more volunteers who have offered their services, than can be accepted under the present call, without including the call made by the State; but I can go back to Galena and drill the three or four companies there, and render them efficient for any future call. My own opinion is that this war will be but of short duration. The Administration has acted most prudently and sagaciously so far in not bringing on a conflict before it had its forces fully marshalled.  When they do strike, our thoroughly loyal states will be fully protected, and a few decisive victories in some of the southern ports will send the secession army howling, and the leaders in the rebellion will flee the country. All the states will then be loyal for a generation to come. Negroes will depreciate so rapidly in value that nobody will want to own them, and their masters will be the loudest in their declamation against the institution from a political and economic point of view. The negro will never disturb this country again. The worst that is to be apprehended from him is now: he may revolt and cause more destruction than any Northern man, except it be the ultra-abolitionist, wants to see. A Northern army may be required in the next ninety days to go South to suppress a negro insurrection. As much as the South have vilified the North, that army would go on such a mission and with the purest motives.

I have just received a letter from Julia. All are well. Julia takes a very sensible view of our present difficulties. She would be sorry to have me go, but thinks the circumstances may warrant it and will not throw a single obstacle in the way.

There is no doubt but the valiant Pillow has been planning an attack on Cairo; but as he will learn that that point is well garrisoned and that they have their ditch on the outside, filled with water, he will probably desist. As, however, he would find it necessary to receive a wound, on the first discharge of firearms, he would not be a formidable enemy. I do not say he would shoot himself, ah no! I am not so uncharitable as many who served under him in Mexico. I think, however, he might report himself wounded on the receipt of a very slight scratch, received hastily in any way, and might irritate the sore until he convinced himself that he had been wounded by the enemy.

Tell Simpson that I hope he will be able to visit us this summer. I should like very much to have him stay with us and I want him to make my house his home.

Remember me to all.

ULYSSES.

SOURCE: Jesse Grant Cramer, Editor, Letters of Ulysses S. Grant to His Father and His Youngest Sister, 1857-78, p. 34-7

Fort Donelson: Historical Marker

C. S. A.

FORT DONELSON

The Confederate defenses consisted of this fort, two water batteries, and the line of rifle pits enclosing these and the town of Dover.  The garrison of the fort proper consisted of the

30th Tennessee, Colonel John W. Head

49th Tennessee, Colonel James E. Bailey

50th Tennessee, Colonel Cyrus A. Sugg

This force was organized by General Pillow upon his arrival on February 9, 1862, as a brigade under Colonel Head.

On February 12, Colonel Head’s regiment was ordered to a position in the outer defenses and the immediate command of the fort passed to Colonel Bailey.  The artillery armament of this fort consisted of one 8-inch Howitzer and two 9-pounder guns under Lieutenant P. K. Stankiewicz.

The Main line of resistance consisted of the line of trenches which extend from Hickman Creek over a distance of approximately two miles along the crest of the hills and envelop the town of Dover.  At some points in front of the intrenchments felled trees formed an abatis and presented a difficult obstacle in the path of the attacker.

Spirit of the Rebel Press

CAIRO, April 1.

F. B. Wilkie, of the New York Times, who accompanied the expedition to Union City, returned this evening with copies of the Memphis Appeal of the 27th, and the Charleston Mercury of the 22d, from which we condense the following intelligence:

President Davis, in secret session, had advised the Confederate Congress, that the prisoners released by the Yankee Government upon parole be absolved from their oath and allowed to take part in the approaching struggle for independence.  He urged it as a retaliation for the infamous and reckless breach of faith exhibited by Lincoln in the exchange of prisoners.

Attempts are being made to raise troops by conscription.  Editors and compositors are not to be enrolled, except for local duty.

The New Orleans Delta of the 26th, referring to the gallantry exhibited by Capt. Rucker in the defense of the battery at Island No. 10, says that one single battery has thus far sustained the brunt of the bombardment, repulsing the Federal gunboats and sending one of them back to Cairo crippled, for repairs.

The Appeal says the recent reverses on the Confederate army are nerving them with new faith and confidence in the hope and that it entertains no doubt of ultimate success.  Also that Gens. Van Dorn and Jeff Thompson are concentrating large forces at Pocahontas, Arkansas, preparatory to an attack upon the Federals at New Madrid, and that Gen. Pope will be compelled to evacuate.

No damage had been done to Island No. 10 up to Wednesday, but the Confederates had sunk two Federal gunboats.

The works at Fort Pillow were completed.  General Pope was building flatboats at New Madrid to transport his troops across the river to the Tennessee shore.

In Mississippi planters were piling up their cotton for fire and fagot.  Gen. Pillow has gone to Richmond.

A dispatch from New Orleans, dated March 26th states that the Confederate steamer Vanderbilt had foundered at sea with all on board.  The Appeal is issued on a half sheet.

The Mercury, in view of the scarcity of lead, suggests that linings of tea chests be melted and run into bullets.

The ladies of Charleston are contributing jewels, silver spoons, watches, and money to build a gunboat to be called the “Ladies Gunboat.”

The Mercury and Appeal contain extensive extracts from Northern papers, but no important military news.

The Conestoga arrived from Island No. 10 this evening, and reports no change in affairs there.  The mortars fire every half hour eliciting no response.

A rebel mail captured yesterday at Union City, contains letters from the Confederate troops at the Island representing the forces there as disheartened and dispirited.  There is nothing from Gen. Grant’s column.  The river is falling.

Today forty or fifty rebel soldiers came into Hickman and gave up their arms, and desired to return allegiance and join the federal army.

They were a portion of those who escaped from Union City yesterday.  They report that large numbers of rebel troops are also disposed to yield.

– Published in the Burlington Weekly Hawk-Eye, Burlington, Iowa, Saturday, April 12, 1862, p. 4

From Dixie

CHICAGO, March 25. – The Tribune’s Special from Cairo says that a gentleman just from Memphis brings the following information:

Memphis is in a state of agitation and terror.  The Fair grounds are for a camp, every one capable of bearing arms being impressed into the service.  Men are even dragged from their beds.

The proclamation of the Mayor in regard to burning the city has no influence.  The majority of the Aldermen, in connection with the leading military officers, decided at a meeting held a fortnight ago, to burn the city when they evacuate in spite of the mayor.

There are no fortifications at Memphis.  The news of the battle of Pea Ridge caused great depression.  Federal gunboats expected daily. – Two hundred and five Union prisoners in the city, who are made victims of much abuse at the hands of the guards.  One of them was shot at for looking out of a window.  Three gun boats are on the way at Memphis, but it will take a long time to finish.

At Randolph only four guns are mounted, but at Ft. Pillow, however, there is a strong fortification, mounting 25 sixty-fours and thirty-twos.  There are about 7000 troops there.  At Union City there are only 450 troops.

Gens. Beauregard, Cheatham, Polk and Clark went to Corinth, Mississippi, a fortnight ago. – The rebels have a force of 38,000 men there and expect to make a stand either at Corinth or below.  It was the general impression that this battle would be the decisive one of the campaign, and that the fortunes of the South would hang upon its result.

At Memphis and other large points, even at New Orleans, considerable Union feeling prevails.  Southern papers do not represent the feelings of the mass of people.  They as well as everything else are under control of politicians and the military.

At New Orleans thirteen gunboats are on the ways to be plated with railroad iron.

Fort Pike represented to be in our possession was only a temporary structure mounting only three or four guns.

The report that the South is well supplied with provisions is absurd; they have not stock enough on hand to last three months.  Clothing, shoes, &c., are all very difficult to obtain.  No confidence is felt in southern currency, southern politicians or southern military leaders.  Jeff. Davis was universally denounced as incompetent.  Floyd is everywhere considered an arrant knave.

Mr[s]. Buckner had arrived at Memphis.  She complained of not being allowed to go further north than Cairo.  In the parlor of the Gaiso House she attracted the universal attention by her bitter denunciation of Pillow and Floyd.  The former is reported to have said that he would shoot Floyd whenever he met him.

It was the general opinion at Memphis that no stand would be made at Island No. 10, but that a battle would be risked at Fort Pillow. – At the latter place, however, retreat is cut off by land, as the country in the rear is inundated and swampy.

A detachment from Jeff Thompson’s band under the command of rebel Kithen made a demonstration in the vicinity of Bloomfield, Stoddard Co., Missouri, (about 12 miles north of the Cairo & Fulton Railroad) and succeeded in arresting two ladies residing there – the wife of Lieutenant McCall of Powell’s battery and Mrs. D. Basfort, of Bloomfield.  The ladies have been taken to Commerce Island, seventy miles below Bloomfield, near Arkansas, where Jeff’s camp is located.

Col. Michael Foley, of the 18th Illinois, who was wounded at Benton Barracks, arrived to-day en route for Pittsburg.

– Published in The Burlington Weekly Hawk-Eye, Burlington, Iowa, Saturday, March 29, 1862, p. 4

The Fall of Lexington – Why Mulligan was not Re-enforced – Fremont Vindicated

We make the following extract from the speech of Hon. Schuyler Colfax, in defense of Gen. Fremont, delivered on Friday last.  It is but an extract, but sufficient to justify to the General with the honest and patriotic people.  The speech was made in reply to the attack of F. P. Blair:

I come now to the fall of Lexington.  I happened to be in St. Louis on the 14th of September, and found the whole city excited with the news that had just reached there, that Price was marching upon the gallant defender of the town of Lexington, and when my friend speaks about the Home Guard it appears to me that Colonel Mulligan didn’t bear very high testimony to their gallantry then.  But I saw Lieutenant Governor Hall and he told me that Price was marching toward Lexington with fifteen thousand men, and that Fremont ought to send out a column to intercept him.  I asked him how many men Fremont had, and he said he thought he had twenty thousand.  I thought if he had that number he certainly could send out some, and I went to General Fremont, full of zeal for the re-enforcement of Mulligan, and told him what Lieutenant Governor Hall had said, and that if he had twenty thousand men some ought to be sent out. – He said: “I will tell you, confidentially, what I would not have known in the streets of St. Louis for my life.  They have got the opinion that I have twenty thousand men here.  I will show you what I really have got.”  He rang his bell, and his secretary came and brought the muster roll for that day, and by that muster roll he had in St. Louis and within seven miles round about, less than eight thousand men, and only two of them full regiments.  It was a beggarly array of an army, and it was all needed to defend that city at that time.  But I asked him if he could not spare some of these?  Sir, the tears stood in his eyes, as he handed me two telegraphic dispatches he had that day received from Washington.  I will read them, that you may see how little was at his command to re-enforce Mulligan.  Mr. Colfax then read the dispatches, ordering him to send five thousand armed infantry to Washington, and continued: I have shown you that he had the men, but no guns; and when he bought guns, the necessity for which was imperious, he was denounced from one end of this country to the other because they were not Springfield rifles of the best quality.  You must send five thousand well armed infantry to Washington at once, and this draft on him was to be replaced by troops from Kansas, or wherever he could best gather them.  I asked him, “What can you do (and my heart sank within me as I asked the question) here with an inferior force, and your best forces sent away to Washington?”  Said he, “Washington must have my troops, though Missouri fall, and I fall myself.”  After I heard that I would have been a traitor to my convictions if I did not stand up to defend this man, who was willing to sacrifice himself to defend the imperiled capital of the country.

He telegraphed to Washington that he was preparing to obey the order received, and I doubt not it made his heart bleed, knowing the strait Mulligan was in.  Then he telegraphed to Gov. Morton and Gov. Denison for more troops and the answer he received was that they had received orders to send all their troops East.  So there his reliance failed.  My friend says that it cannot be shown that he moved any of his men until after Lexington had fallen.  Lexington fell on Friday, the 22d of September.  I well remember the day.  Here are dispatches to Gen. Pope on the 16th of September, and dispatches from Gen. Sturgis to Col. Davis, hurrying the men.  The wires were hot with orders hurrying the men to re-enforce Mulligan.  Pope telegraphed on the 17th of September that his troops would be there day after to-morrow, which would have been two days before Lexington surrendered, and Sturgis thought he should be there on Thursday.  Col. Mulligan told me himself that if Sturgis had appeared on the opposite side of the river he though Price would have retired.  Thus from three sources Fremont sent on troops to re-enforce Mulligan, but he failed to do it because the elements seemed to be against him, and not because he did not seek to do so in every possible way that he could send succor to him.  At this very time there were all the different posts in Missouri to be held; his three months’ men were rapidly retiring, and his best men sent to Washington, Price, with fifteen thousand me, marching to Lexington; McCullough threatening Rolla, Hardee threatening Ironton, and Polk and Pillow at Columbus; and all over the State where organized bands of rebels – about eighty thousand men – threatening him, and he with an inadequate force to meet them.  And while thus struggling, from every side were launched against him the poisoned arrows of hate and partisan enmity; and while Fremont was out hunting the enemies of his country, somebody was in St. Louis hunting up witnesses against him, and giving ex parte testimony taken there; and while he was facing the foe, endeavoring to secure victory, a synopsis of the testimony was sent upon the wires all over the country, so that the public mind should be poisoned against, and his overthrow might be easier.  I think, in the name of humanity – if there is no such word as justice – they should at least have sent him this evidence after he came back to his post; but to this very hour the committee have not sent him this testimony at all.

– Published in The Burlington Weekly Hawk-Eye, Burlington, Iowa, Saturday, March 29, 1862, p. 4

Gen. Pillow’s voice is still for War

ST. LOUIS., March 7. – Memphis papers of the 26th, say Gen. Pillow, in response to the urgent call on him, made an interesting and eloquent speech last night explaining the circumstances of the battle of Fort Donelson and the cause of the capitulation.  He made an urgent appeal to Tennesseans to rush to arms if they would sustain their renown gained on the battle field. – He said the present was full of gloom, but the future was cheerful, and if our armies will only fight as gallantly as did the dauntless spirits who were overwhelmed at Donelson, Southern Independence will be accepted as certainly as he then addressed the audience.

– Published in The Burlington Weekly Hawk-Eye, Burlington, Iowa, Saturday, March 15, 1862, p. 4

Matters Settled, So Far

After the great disasters with which the war opened there was a very general and natural disposition at the North to attribute superior skill to the rebel commanders, if not better fighting qualities to the rank and file of their armies.  And they were not at all modest in arrogating to themselves the largest military superiority in every respect.  The boast that one southern man was equal to any half-dozen Yankees was not mere brag; the southerners believed it, and it was this noting that gave them such confidence of easy success in the rebellion.  The war has corrected these errors of opinion.  The rebels no longer talk of the superiority of their generals, or the more soldierly qualities of their men.  Indeed, they are very free to depreciate some of their ablest commanders and to disparage the courage of their soldiers, since the recent unexpected defeats.

It needs no great amount of military science to see that in the matter of strategy the southern leaders have been completely out-generaled.  Napoleon’s three conditions of success – to keep our forces united, to leave no weak point unguarded, and to seize with rapidity on important points – have been admirably adhered to on our side, while the enemy has been most thoroughly misled as to the general plan of the campaign, and has been compelled by superior strategy to abandon his most important and best fortified positions.  We may search the records of the most brilliant campaigns for a more admirable military movement than that up the Tennessee and Cumberland rivers, by which the evacuation of Bowling Green, Nashville and Columbus by the rebel armies was compelled, simply by the reduction of the forts on these two rivers.  And it was a genuine surprise to the rebel leaders, notwithstanding their general success in ferreting out the plans of the government.  They believed their western line impregnable, and the whole country looked to see it broken only by direct assault upon their strongholds.  With such an astounding record of defeats and retreats in a single month, it is not strange that the southern people begin to distrust the alleged superiority of their military commanders.

Their conceit as to the better fighting qualities of their men has collapsed with equal suddenness.  Indeed the fighting at Bull Run and Ball’s Bluff had opened their eyes with astonishment as to the courage of northern soldiers. – Fort Henry, Fort Donelson and Roanoke Island have settled that matter, and the secession papers now concede that we are at least their equals in courage and endurance.  It is true that at Fort Donelson some desperate fighting was done by the rebels, but it was in the attempt to break through our lines and escape, under the inspiration of Pillow’s lie that if they were captured they would all be hung or shot.  At Roanoke Island the rebels did not fight well; they trusted wholly to the protection of their entrenchments, and when these were assaulted they fled as far as they could and then surrendered.  The southern papers justly reproach Wise’s army with cowardice.  But it has been true every where that the rebels have relied on their strong positions and defences rather than on the courage of their men, and when driven from their strongholds they have nowhere yet made a stand and encountered the Yankees in a fair and open fight.

Another boast of the Southerners has been that their armies were composed of gentlemen, and they really seemed to think themselves degraded by fighting with the “northern mudsills.”  We have seen something lately of the material of the rebel armies, and we find the officers vastly inferior to our own in intelligence and gentlemanly qualities, and the common soldiers for the most part ignorant and degraded to an extent scarcely conceivable at the north. – Thanks to our common schools, such ignorance and brutality as is general among the rebel rank and file is impossible in the free states.  In this ignorance lies the strength of the rebellion.  The conspirators have found these untaught men easy dupes; they have believed the false stories told them of the evil designs of the General Government and the Northern people, and their astonishment at the kind and generous treatment they have received as prisoners is manifestly sincere.  The correction of the false prejudices of the Southern people by the presence of our invading armies is one of the most important gains of the campaign, because it destroys they animus of the rebellion, so far as the Southern people are concerned, and prepares the way for a radical restoration of the Union.  It is impossible that they shall not forever discard the leaders who have deceived them to their hurt, just as soon as they come to understand the true state of the case.  But the fact that the rebellion is a fraud on the part of the leaders and delusion on the part of the Southern people does by no means preclude the necessity of fighting the thing out.  On the contrary, that is the only way to reach the evil and correct it.  It is impossible to undeceive the people of the South by any other process than the defeat and destruction of the rebel armies and the re-establishment of the authority of the government in every State.  Successful fighting will dissipate all error and prejudices and settle all vexed questions.  Talk about amnesty, conciliation, compromise, or any indirect method of adjustment, is only a waste of time and strength. – The thing is to be fought through; the disease is too radical to be cured in any other way, and when the last rebel army is dispersed, and the last rebel conspirator hung or banished, it will be time enough to take up the political problems growing out of the rebellion – and then we shall probably find that the war itself has solved the most difficult and important of them. – {Springfield Republican.

– Published in The Burlington Weekly Hawk-Eye, Burlington, Iowa, Saturday, March 15, 1862, p. 2

Rumors in Nashville -- Rebel Credulity -- Brave Officers and Toadies

Correspondence of the Cincinnati Gazette

Nashville, Tenn., March 6.

The sympathizers with treason in this vicinity are consoling themselves with the idea that the retreat of the rebel generals and their forces was designed as a strategic movement, for the purpose of getting Gen. Buell on the south side of the Cumberland, so that whenever they desired so to do, they could easily gobble up him and his entire army.

Whether the men who profess to believe this are sincere or not, it is certain that this is only one of the many absurdities with which they daily undertake to console themselves or to deceive the ignorant.

And the nonsense which they circulate has not merely reference to the operations of our troops in portions of the country distant from here, but to what is transpiring in the immediate vicinity of Nashville.

As examples, let me record a few of the rumors which I heard in a single day.  I was crossing the river in a steamboat yesterday morning, when my attention was  attracted to a conversation which was going on between a Lieutenant of our army and a fat, bluffy gentleman, who, himself a bitter Secessionist, was performing the role of a Union man intensely alarmed for the safety of the Federal Army.

“I know your troops are brave,” said he to the Lieutenant, “but bravery has no chance against desperation, and the men in the Southern army are becoming very desperate, indeed.”

“Do you mean,” replied the Lieutenant, “that they so despair of their cause that they will always run, and thus give no opportunity to our brave boys to engage them?  Against such desperation I admit that bravery is of little avail.”

“Yes,” said the concealed Secesher, “they are in retreat now, but when they do make a stand, I know what sort of men they are, and I very much fear the result.”

“I know what sort of men they are, too,” rejoined the Lieutenant; “they are just the sort that attempted to stand against us at Mill Springs, and fled like frightened sheep at the first charge of the bayonet.”

“Well, well,” said they hypocrite, “you mustn’t count too much upon the battle of Mill Springs.  I am sure no one wishes better success to your cause than I; but we all perfectly understand, down here, that the reason why you gained that fight was that Gen. Crittenden was drunk, and after the death of Zollicoffer, was unable to command the army.”

“Then answered the Lieutenant, “the desperate courage of the rebel soldiers must be of little avail, if it can be turned into arrant cowardice by the drunkenness of one man.”

This seemed rather to puzzle the pretender; but when the Lieutenant proceeded to ask him if Gen. Tilghman was drunk at Fort Henry, and if Pillow, Floyd, et al., were drunk at Fort Donelson, he was unable longer to hid his cloven foot, and spitefully declared: “You’ll see how they thing will turn out!  Only last night there were seventy two of your pickets killed, and two pieces of your cannon taken by a small party of cavalry, not more than twenty in number!”

At this a loud [hoarse] laugh broke from a number of Union soldiers, who had gathered round, and so hearty was it, that even the Secession sympathizers in the crowd were constrained to join in, although they would fain have believed that the old rebel’s story was true.

The Lieutenant said not another word, but after bestowing one smile of contempt and scorn upon the unveiled traitor, rose up calmly and went away.  I should like very much to give you his name, but no one on board seemed to know it.  One thing I considered certain – that in his case, the emblems of military authority had been placed upon the solders of the right man.

And this reminds us of another instance of deserved rebuke to a secessionist, but one of our officers.

A very haughty looking scion of aristocracy stepped up to a group standing not far from the City Hotel.  A captain of one of the Ohio regiments was in the company, and was just re[marking that he considered the rebellion pretty] well played out.  “And isn’t it possible,” said the gent, who had come up a minute previous, “is it possible that you expect to crush the Southern people by force of arms?”

“Did you ever know of such a movement being put down by the bayonet?”

“O, yes! we had an instance in our country, when the whisky insurrection, in Pennsylvania was suppressed, during the administration of Washington.”

“You don’t pretend to compare this ware with the whiskey insurrection in Pennsylvania?” said the nabob, with much apparent horror.

“Not in all respects,” replied the Captain, “for I consider this rebellion, stirred up by the devilish passions of a few disappointed politicians in the South, as infinitely more abominable than any outbreak which could be excited by bad whiskey, in Pennsylvania, or elsewhere.”

An old veteran, a resident of Nashville, who was listening, grasped the Captain by the hand: “God bless you!” said he, “that’s right! Don’t hesitate to tell them the truth.”  The secesh gent suddenly remembered, as the saying is, an engagement an another part of the town.

I record these instances of manly bearing with the more pleasure, because I have seen some disgusting exhibitions of toadyism on the part of certain officers in our army, toward the advocates of this wicked and bloody treason. – It exists generally in a latent form, but is pretty certain to show itself in the supporter of disloyalty happens to live in an elegant mansion, to have a hundred or so “niggers” around him and to sport a gold headed cane.

– Published in The Burlington Weekly Hawk-Eye, Burlington, Iowa, Saturday, March 15, 1862, p. 2

Up the Cumberland

The voyage up the river from Ft. Donelson to this place yesterday afternoon was quite a pleasant one.  The river just now is boasting of unwanted proportions, inundating all the bottoms, and – in some cases, compelling the inmates of the farm houses along the river banks to flee for safety to the neighboring heights. – In some instances a solitary hog, cow or other domestic quadruped, left behind on a stray yard or two of dry land, beside some deserted house, would present a most mournfully ludicrous picture of unwarrantable desertion, and would gaze at the passing steamers with an earnestness be speaking little or none of the nonchalance of the man of old who is reputed to have had as little faith in the extent of “the shower” as of the efficiency of the Ark.  I fear that some of them have had to swim for [it ere] this.  There are no villages along the river in the thirty five or forty miles intervening, between Donelson and Clarksville.  Farm houses, however, are frequent, interspersed here and there with mills and foundries, which, in days gone by, were of considerable importance hereabouts.  One of these iron mills (Cumberland Iron Works) twelve miles above Dover, has been of great aid to the rebels and, judging from the smouldering ruins now only left, must have been of no little magnitude.  It was burned by order of Commodore Foote the day of the surrender of Donelson. – The private residence of the proprietor, and the smaller dwellings of the workmen, which were left unharmed, are very neat structures, and in all the glory of their white paint, looked very pretty in the afternoon sunshine.  Many of the farm houses, too, are quite fine residences with well built barns and out houses, bespeaking of good farms and prosperous owners.  From some of these houses the Federal flag was waving.  From others a piece of white cloth was visible, and from still others, no insignia at all was displayed, but the closed windows and doors, and apparent absence of all white people about the premises, told, plainly enough the sentiments of the owners thereof.  Not a few, however, waved a cheerful welcome to the passing troops, and it was easy to see that the re-appearance of the old flag was the cause of no little gratification.  At one point where towards night we stopped to “wood up,” the owner of a flour mill adjoining claimed to be a good Union man, and spoke most touchingly of the sad state to which the country had been brought by the interruption of all business.  A present of a hat full of coffee, a luxury which he said he had not seen for six months, rendered him one of the happiest mortals I have recently seen.

Clarksville, from which I now write, has a population of 5,000 or 6,000, and before the war was wont to be considered one of the most flourishing business points in the State.  With a goodly number of fine business blocks, and not a few elegant private residences, it would be considered a pleasant town in any part of the country.  With stores closed and houses deserted it has now, however, a very Sunday like aspect.  It would seem though, that hardly so many of the citizens as would be supposed from a glance at the apparently deserted residences, have left the place.  Not a few within the last day or two have been noticed, badger like, taking a survey of the surroundings from their hiding places, and discovering that our troops were neither vandals nor any other species of barbarians, have concluded to show themselves.  This afternoon I have noticed even many of the gentler portion of the population sunning themselves on the porticos, and gazing with no little interest upon the federal passers by.

The place was formally occupied by our troops several days since, the enemy having deserted it two or three days before or, in other words, as soon as they could get out of it after the reception of the news of the surrender.  The evacuation of the town, according to all accounts, was a most sudden as well as ludicrous operation.  On Saturday the people of the place and the two or three regiments garrisoned here, received intelligence that the Yankees were rapidly being whipped back to their Northern homes, and a general jollification was at once indulged in.  But, alas, there’s many a slip between the cup and the lip.  They had hardly begun to feel the effect of their carousal, when, lo! and behold who should appear upon the scene but the brilliant heroes, Floyd and Pillow, with some items of information which hardly confirmed their previous veracious accounts of the evening before.  There was then mounting in hot haste sure enough.  The Lincoln gunboats which according to the yesterday’s accounts had all been sunk or crippled, were supposed to be in immediate proximity, and but few of the doughty champions of the South thought it best to stand upon the order of their going.  An Alabama regiment stationed here chartered a steamboat fortunately lying near by, and went at once.  A colonel of a Tennessee regiment gave orders to his men who occupied the fortifications below the city to prepare to march, and upon visiting the fort an hour afterwards found only eighteen of his men left to accompany him.  The rest of them stealing horses, mules and every description of conveyance attainable, were already in full pursuit of their Alabama brethren in arms.  I need not state that Pillow and Floyd did not either tarry long in Jericho, but pressed on with the speediest of them.  It had only been about a week before that both of these distinguished rebels, together with Buckner, had passed through Clarksville, and had received not a little lionizing.  Both Pillow and Floyd had been called on to make speeches, and responded in the most bloodthirsty of efforts making glad the hearts of all rebeldom hereabouts by the promise of a speedy extermination of each and every Lincolnite who had dared to pollute their soil.  Referring to the surrender of Fort Henry by Gen. Tilghman, Pillow said, with peculiar grammatical elegance of the South – But, gentlemen, I never did surrender, and so help me God, never will surrender.  Me, and Gen. Buckner and Gen. Floyd and our gallant troops, are now going down there, and we will sweep every Yankee son of them back to their frozen homes.  (Great applause and hurrahs for Pillow).  General Floyd also presented himself and made equally brilliant promises.  General Buckner, who alone of the unworthy trio said nothing, was the only one who stuck to his troops, and included himself in the “ungenerous and unchivalrous” terms which Gen. Grant saw fit to impose upon him.  I need not add that upon their return, neither Floyd nor Pillow stopped to favor the good people of Clarksville with any further promises of Yankee extermination and I doubt very much whether they would have taken much stock in his promises, even if he had.

– Published in The Burlington Weekly Hawk-Eye, Burlington, Iowa, Saturday, March 8, 1862, p. 3

The Great Surrender

The rebel military policy set out to make this a war of earthworks, for which the face of the country and their unlimited command of slave labor, aided by the slave driving propensities of most of our army officers, gave them great advantages, but even the strongest natural positions and most formidable fortifications will not answer without some fighting qualities and the rebels are diggers in the earth to no purpose, if when their long labored fortifications are invested the first and only object is to escape from them, and in case that is stopped to surrender everything that could not sneak off the night before the great attack.

It is very well for us that the rebels should expend months of labor in fortifying a position naturally of great strength and should gather their arms, munitions, provisions and a large army merely to fall into our hands as soon as it was found that it would take actual fighting to hold the position any longer, but we have to admire the military genius on the other side which  results in this.  It is a novel system of warfare which fortifies most formidably when no enemy is near, only to surrender as soon as he appears.  It was thus that the traditional raccoon came down to Capt. Scott, but the raccoon had not fortified himself six months in advance to resist Capt. Scott, and gathered there his tribe and their subsistence and hoisted the black flag, and talked loudly about giving no quarter, merely to let all fall into Capt. Scott’s hands before he should shoot.

Fort Donelson will stand out in American history as the great surrender, and Pillow, Floyd and Buckner as the treat surrenderers.  We doubt if anything can be found even in the Chinese wars equal to it.  Brave fighting was done the day before, and with this and the great advantage the rebels had in the nature of the ground, our brave troops suffered severely, but this fighting Buckner now says, was done in an attempt to break through our lines and escape.  Then so far as the Generalship was concerned the fighting was brought on more by the panic of flight than by any courageous determination for defense, our troops suffered severely and conquered.  The rebel troops were driven back to their works but when the day ended, the rebels were in full occupation of their main fortifications.  Only a point in their outer line of breastwork had been taken by our troops.

Here in a bastioned fortification constructed with great care and labor, they had forty eight field pieces and seventeen siege guns.  Our gun boats had been crippled and compelled to fall back.  Their number is not reliably ascertained for it is now known that the whole of the night previous to the surrender was occupied in ferrying troops across the river to escape.  Our force which has been greatly overestimated has been stated by authority in Congress as not over twenty eight thousand and it is probably that the rebel force was not much if any, inferior in number, and they had that advantage of entrenchments which military men estimate as making one man equal to five assailants especially of inexperienced troops.

If this fortification was intended for any military purpose, the time had just arrived to use it.  The fighting had been done entirely outside of it on the line of outer breastwork. – Great fortifications and great gatherings of munitions and troops in them are, according to the current idea of war intended for resisting an attack.  The main fortification had not been attacked.  But in the sortie to break our lines and escape the rebel generals say the quality of our troops and their hearts failed them.  An army of over twenty thousand men in formidable entrenchments, with every appliance of war, was taken with a panic and its generals thought of nothing but the flight of those who could escape by the river in the night, and the surrender of the rest, rather than meet the assault upon their works by our troops.  The earthworks were strong, but the hearts of the Generals became as water.

We have had a notable panic in the field during this war, but there was a panic of a greater army inside a fortification.  Bull Run is repeated with new scenery and with the addition of entrenchments and siege guns.  All that night Floyd and Pillow were transferring their troops over the river, and arms and munitions were thrown into the river, and the next morning Buckner hastened to surrender unconditionally over fourteen thousand men, and a fort which, with the same courage as their assailants they could have maintained against two or three times their number.  He had not even the heart to make a show of fight for terms of surrender as prisoners of war, but came down at once, giving up his troops to the criminal penalties of rebellion if our Government chooses to execute them.

The role of cowardice has been played to the top of its beat.  Fortifications are a farce with such generalship in the defenders.  A white feather would be much more appropriate for Gen. Buckner than the sword which, by the excessive generosity and bad taste of our officers he is permitted to have now dangling at his side.  Slaves are powerful aid in war but if Pillow, Floyd and Buckner are average rebel generals, the slaves had better be employed to defend the fortifications as well as to build them.  For the sake of the reputation of the country when reunited, we hope that Pillow, Floyd and Buckner are not specimens of the courage of the Southern Generals. – {Cincinnati Gazette.

– Published in The Burlington Weekly Hawk-Eye, Burlington, Iowa, Saturday, March 8, 1862, p. 3