Diary of Gideon Welles: Tuesday, May 30, 1865

[W]e proceeded up the Savannah River, and, on reaching the city, were provided with carriages to examine it and the environs. Savannah has suffered less from war than Charleston, and, though stricken, has the appearance of vitality if not of vigor.

We drove out to Bonaventura, the former possession of Tatnall, which has been converted into a cemetery. The place has an indescribable beauty, I may say grandeur, impressing me beyond any rural place I have visited. Long rows of venerable live oaks, the splendid and valuable tree of the South, festooned with moss, opened up beautiful vistas and drives. The place I can never forget.

I called on General Grover, in company with Admiral Dahlgren, and had half an hour's interesting conversation on the condition of affairs in Georgia and the South generally. General Birge of Connecticut called on us at the boat, where we also met Samuel Cooley of Hartford, an old and familiar acquaintance.

Mrs. Jefferson Davis was at the Pulaski House. She had accompanied her husband to Fortress Monroe, and been ordered South when he was committed to the Fortress. The vessel in which she came had been in sight of ours a considerable portion of the day before we reached Charleston, and was in that harbor when we arrived there, but left and arrived here before us.

We took our departure on the afternoon of Tuesday and passed down Thunderbolt Inlet to Wassaw Sound, going over the ground where the Weehawken captured the Atlanta. This Southern coast is a singular network of interior navigable waters interlacing each other, of which we knew very little before this Civil War. The naval men seemed to be better informed as regards the coast of Europe than their own country.

The sun had set when we reached Savannah River, and it was dark when we left. Most of the company were importunate to visit Havana, but I thought it not best, and the steamer therefore turned homeward.

SOURCE: Gideon Welles, Diary of Gideon Welles, Secretary of the Navy Under Lincoln and Johnson, Vol. 2: April 1, 1864 — December 31, 1866, p. 313-4

Special Dispatch to the Republican, February 9, 1862

FORT HENRY, February 9.

Preparations go forward rapidly.

Gen. Grant and Staff, with Colonels McPHERSON and WEBSTER, are now out reconnoitering.

This morning a mound just outside the fort here was opened and nineteen bodies found buried within.  They were mutilated by shot, and had been killed during the bombardment.  This makes the total rebel loss twenty-five.

It will be remembered that the Secession officers denied having any more men killed than the few found lying within the fort—still more were probably killed and secretly buried.

The weather is pleasant and the roads becoming more passable.  River rising rapidly.

Several regiments have just arrived from St. Louis; among others the Forty-third Illinois and  BIRGER’S [sic] Sharpshooters.

SOURCE:  “Special Dispatch to the Republican,” The Missouri Republican, St. Louis, Missouri, Tuesday Morning, February 11, 1862, p. 3.

Officers of the Thirteenth Connecticut Infantry

Connecticut Infantry Volunteers

New Haven, Conn., March 17, 1862

FIEI.D AND STAFF.

Colonel — Henry W. Birge, of Norwich.

Lieut. Colonel — Alexander Warner, of Woodstock.

Major — Richard E. Holcomb, of East Granby.

Adjutant — William M. Grosvenor, of New Haven.

Quartermaster — Joseph B. Bromley, of Norwich.

Surgeon — Benjamin N. Commings, of New Britain.

Assistant Surgeon — George Clary, of Hartford.

State Surgeon — Nathaniel P. Fisher, of Norwich.

Chaplain — Rev. Chas C Salter, of New Haven.

NON COMMISIONED STAFF.

Sergeant Major — George W. Whittlesey, of Norwich.

Quartermaster Sergeant — Andrew T. Johnson, of Montville.

Com. Sergeant — G. Tracy.

Hospital Steward — William Bishop.

Drum Major — Joseph Hadley, of New London.

LINE OFFICERS.

Co. A, (New Britain, 101 men) Capt. Henry I. Bidwell, 1st Lieut. John E. Woodruff, 2d Lieut, Chas. H. Cornwall.

Co. B. (Sharp Shooters, 108 men) Capt. Apollos Comstock, 1st Lieut. William E. Bradley, 2d Lieut. William C. Beecher.

Co. C, (Litchfield, 98 men) Capt. Charles D. Blinn, 1st Lieut. Isaac F. Nettleton, 2d Lieut. Charles C. Tibbetts.

Co. D, (Litchfield and New Haven, 87 men)  Capt. Cyrus E. Prindle, 1st Lieut. Perry Averill 2d Lieut. Joseph H. Meredith.

Co. E. (Hartford and Tolland, 93 men) Capt. Eugene Tisdale, 1st Lieut E. Emmons Graves, 2d Lieut. William P. Miner.

Co. F. (Norwich and Hartford, 90 men) Capt. James J. McCord, 1st Lieut. Charles J. Fuller, 2d Lieut. John C Abbott.

Co. G, (Windham, 102 men) Capt. Sylvester G. Gilbert, 1st Lieut. Dennison H. Finlay, 2d Lieut. Joseph S. A. Baker.

Co. H, (New Haven, 87 men) Capt. Homer B. Sprague, 1st Lieut. Jonah F. Clark, 2d Lieut. Julius Tobias.

Co. I, (New London and Litchfield, 100 men) Capt. Henry L. Schleiter, 1st Lieut. Frank Wells, 2d Lieut. Joseph Strickland.

Co. K, (New Haven, 80 men) Capt. Alfred Mitchell, 1st Lieut. Jared D. Thompson, 2d Lieut. William F. Norman.

Total number, 969.

SOURCE: Abstracted from George G. Smith, Leaves from a Soldier's Diary, p. 145-6

Diary of 2nd Lieutenant George G. Smith: April 23, 1864

On the march at six a. m. Rebels had crossed Caney river at the ford and taken possession of three high hills on the opposite bank, and planted a battery of six guns on the highest one, next to the ford, and our artillery were unable to dislodge them. So a force of infantry, one regiment of which was the First Louisiana, were ordered to move up the river, about two miles, cross over and threaten their left flank and rear. After crossing we passed through a deep swamp. On the first hill we saw nothing of the enemy until we came to the foot, where there was a wide field. We found the enemy here in force. A regiment of Zouaves from New York city charged on them and they retreated up the second hill followed by the pu[r]suing regements. Between this hill and the third one next the ford there was a narrow field through which ran a stream of water crossed by a bridge. General Birge ordered a company of mounted infantry, belonging to the thirteenth Connecticut Volunteers commanded by Lieutenant Mesner to cross the bridge and ride through the field and then followed with the Second brigade marching by the flank; the First Louisiana on the right. A short distance beyond the bridge to the left was a shallow ravine. As soon as the First Louisiana was across and filed to the left, toward the ravine, the rebels opened a destructive fire of grape and musketry into Lieutenent Mesner's company, and the First Louisiana from the opposite hill. The company of mounted infantry was literally cut to pieces, and Lieutenant Mesner was pierced with three bullets, and died soon after. The First Louisiana fell back into the ravine. General Birge came riding back, hatless, and ordered the men to lie down in the ravine. Captain Felton and myself, did not obey orders: we wanted to see what was going on, and the writer of this came very near paying the penalty for his curiosity with his life. There was a small hickory sapling about as large as ones arm, standing about three feet in front of us. A bullet struck it, about breast high, penetrating it about half way through, i stood just in line and had it not been for that sapling, these pages never would have been written. The Second and Third brigades were soon on the move, charging up the steep hill, but the birds had flown. A messenger came stating that the troops were crossing the ford, and we marched round the base of the hill to it, and encamped on the bank of the river. I have been told by those that were fighting by the ford, that they drove the enemy from the hill: but I always thought the Second and Third brigade, creeping around on their left flank, and threatening their line of retreat, had something to do with it: for their position above the ford and plain below, was so far above them that artilery must have been entirely ineffective, and musketry could not reach them: so that a flank movement was the only remedy as I believe. We lost one hundred and fifty in killed and wounded. The First Louisiana had six wounded, none killed.

SOURCE: Abstracted from George G. Smith, Leaves from a Soldier's Diary, p. 100-3