Major-General Ulysses S. Grant: Special Orders, No. 143, May 28, 1863

SPECIAL ORDERS, No. 143.}

HDQRS. DEPT. OF THE TENNESSEE,        

In Field, near Vicksburg, Miss., May 28, 1863.

*          *          *          *          *          *          *          *          *          *

IV. Army corps commanders and commanders of detached forces before Vicksburg will picket all roads, respectively, in rear of their respective positions, by which their camps or the city of Vicksburg can be approached, and prohibit all persons coming into or going out of our lines without special authority from the corps of commanders of detached forces whose pickets they desire to pass or the authority of the general commanding, The pickets will be placed sufficiently far out as to prevent sunrise from any raid the enemy may attempt to make, and each commander will notify the others of the position of his pickets.

V. All that portion of the State of Louisiana now in the occupancy of the Army of the Tennessee will constitute the District of Northeastern Louisiana, and be commanded by Brig. Gen. J. C. Sullivan. During the absence of Brig. Gen. J. P. Hawkins, all troops of African descent in the District of Northeastern Louisiana will be under the immediate command of Col. Isaac F. Shepard.

*          *          *          *          *          *          *          *          *          *

By order of Maj. Gen. U.S. Grant:

[JNO. A. RAWLINS,]        

Assistant Adjutant-General.

SOURCE: The War of the Rebellion: A Compilation of the Official Records of the Union and Confederate Armies, Series I, Volume 24, Part 3 (Serial No. 38), p. 356-7

Captain Charles Wright Wills: March 29, 1863

Camp at Lagrange, Tenn., March 29, 1863.

All perfectly quiet except the regular picket firing every night which here exceeds anything I ever before met in my experience. ’Tis singular, too, for we have a large force of cavalry here and I should think the rascals would hardly dare to venture so near them. A few days since three guerrillas came up to one of our cavalry pickets, and while he was examining one of their passes the others watching their chance gobbled him. They at once retreated. The sergeant of the picket heard a little noise on the post and just got there in time to see the secesh disappear. He raised the alarm, and a party followed them on the run for 15 miles, rescued our man, killed three and captured four of the rascals, Yesterday some of Richardson's men displaced a rail on the track ten miles west of this place, and captured a train. They got away with their prisoners, but hadn't time to destroy the cars. ’Tisn't safe to go three miles from camp now, although 100 men can go 40 miles in any direction safely. Do you hear of any deserters returning under the President's proclamation? I hope to the Lord that my black sheep won't come back. A letter came for him to-day, and I opened it. ’Twas from his father advising him to get out of this “Abolishun” war as quickly as he could. His “Pa and Ma” are welcome to him. Generals Sullivan, Denver and Hamilton have all left this country within the last few days, for Vicksburg. General Smith commands our division now. We are now in the 2d Brigade, 1st Division, 16th Army Corps. The colonel of the 6th Iowa is the ranking officer in the brigade but he is now sick, so Colonel Wolcott of the 46th Ohio now runs. Two captains of the 46th Ohio, and myself have been constituted by Smith a “Board of Survey,” to appraise damages committed by our army in the property of loyal citizens here. I think he has just done it to get the citizens off his hands. Have no idea that they will ever be allowed anything for their losses. There were three bills, each over $2,500. sent in to us yesterday. I hope the general will allow us to drop the business this week; if he will not, however, we can be kept busy for almost any length of time. By Smith’s orders the reveille is sounded now at 4 o'clock a. m. and the men appear with arms and accoutrements, and form line of battle. This is to avoid any bad consequnces which follow a Rebel cavalry dash at daylight, if we should be found in our tents. I think 'tis an excellent policy to be always ready for the enemy, but I declare I dislike this early rising very much.

SOURCE: Charles Wright Wills, Army Life of an Illinois Soldier, p. 165-6

Captain Charles Wright Wills: March 5, 1863

Camp 103d Illinois Infantry, Jackson, Tenn.,

March 5, 1863.

You certainly should not complain of my neglect, in writing no more than once in ten days while we are quartered at such an intolerably stupid place as this, for there really have not been two incidents ocurred worthy of notice, since we pitched our tents on this ground. Never since I first entered the service have I passed two months in which there seems so little worth remembering Nothing but a dull round of picket, fatigue, and camp guard; no alarms and no enemy within a hundred or more miles of us, save “citizen guerrillas,” and they in no force sufficient to scare even a foraging party. In lieu of something real to talk of and speculate about, I give you the following items: There seems this morning to be some movement on foot, though I have not heard a word of the object which has raised such a commotion in our usually quiet military circles. I only know that all the mounted men stationed here have this morning started under command of Colonel Mizner, with an ammunition train and small provision ditto. Also hear that Dodge at Corinth and the command out at Trenton have set all their cavalry in motion. To make the case a little stronger I will add that one of Sullivan's aids galloped into camp half an hour since, and required at short notice the number of rounds of ammunition on hand. Well, I expect that Van Dorn or Morgan is on our side of the Tennessee again. It can't be more than that. I'd give a month's pay to get this regiment into a fight. Don't want it for myself particularly, but think it would do the regiment a great deal of good. The feeling is some better among the men, but there is still much room for improvement. Desertions are not so numerous, but one slips off occasionally. Colonels Kellogg and Babcock were both here a few nights ago. Both in good health, never saw them looking better Don't know that anything of importance was connected with their visit. My own health continues prime. I know that I don't fully appreciate the Lord's goodness to me in granting me such continued excellent health, but I assure you I do feel grateful to the Power that rules that matter, although I am tolerably regular in my habits and intemperate in none, yet I know I am very careless of myself and health in regard to dress, sleeping any and everywhere, etc. General Sullivan will visit our camp at 3 o'clock to-day to look into its sanitary conditions, and inspect our policing. The health of the regiment is much improved. Two months more and we will be veterans. Another of my boys, the second, died in General Hospital at this place yesterday. James Conyers, is his name. Formerly worked for Stipp.

SOURCE: Charles Wright Wills, Army Life of an Illinois Soldier, p. 158-60

Captain Charles Wright Wills: February 7, 1863

Camp 103d Illinois Infantry, Jackson, Tenn.,

February 7, '63.

There was a dose of medicine administered to the command in this district yesterday that will certainly be productive of good. I already feel that it has indued me with fresh vigor and really made me quite young again. “The sale or introduction of the Chicago Times in this district is hereby forbidden until further orders.” By order of Brig. Gen'l. J. C. Sullivan. That same d----d old skeesicks has been protecting secesh property here in the strictest manner, and I'd never thought it possible for him to do as good a thing. It will do an immensity of good to the army, and if the President will only suppress the paper and several others of the same stripe, and hang about 200 prominent copperhead scoundrels in the North, we may then hope that the army will once more be something like its former self. Just as true as there is a God, if I was provost marshal in Fulton County, with my company for a guard, I'd hang at least ten men whose names I have. I know I'd be wrong, and would have no right to do so, but the good I'd do the Union troops would amply repay me for getting my own neck stretched. You can't imagine how much harm those traitors are doing, not only with their papers, but they are writing letters to the boys which would discourage the most loyal of men, if they failed to demoralize them. I believe that about every enlisted man in our regiment has received one or more of these letters. My boys have shown me a number from their friends, all of which would help to make a man who relied on his friends for his ideas, discontented. I assure you that it is by no means the lightest portion of an officer's duties now, to counteract the effect of these letters. I know that I put in a great deal more of my time than I wish to, in talking patriotism at the boys and doing good, round, solid cursing at the home cowardly vipers, who are disgracing the genus, man, by their conduct. I have the satisfaction of knowing that expressing myself on the subject as I have, and Lieutenant Dorrance's talking the same way, have had a good effect on our men, for not only have we had no deserters, but the copperhead letters received in our company have been answered as patriots and soldiers should answer them.

SOURCE: Charles Wright Wills, Army Life of an Illinois Soldier, p. 153-4

Captain Charles Wright Wills: January 12, 1863

Camp 103d Illinois Infantry, Jackson, Tenn.,

January 12, 1863.

Your letters are beginning to come through with more regularity and on decidedly better time. Have received your date of December 30, although the last was dated November 16th, and was the first you wrote after we left Peoria. You bewailed our being sent south of Cairo, which I think very ungenerous in you. Well, you'll probably be suited in our present location, which is the only consolation I have in being sent so far rearward. There are some slight hopes though, that we may be sent to Vicksburg, which will ripen into a distant probability (nothing more I'm afraid) if the news of our repulse there be true. We're encamped in the suburbs of this delightful little town, but so strict are the orders of the general (Sullivan) that, as far as seeing the town or making purchases therein are concerned, we might as well be camped on Pike's Peak. All right, Mr. Sullivan, have your own way. He is by all odds the most like a soldier of all the garrison commandants I have been under. Will wager that you will never hear of his being surprised. The news from Holly Springs is that the last house in the town was burned night before last. Pretty rough, but I say, amen. Its pretty well understood in this army now that burning Rebel property is not much of a crime. I for one will never engage in it, until orders are issued making it duty, and then I think I can enjoy it as much as any of them. If any part of this army is ever called home to quell those Illinois tories, orders to burn and destroy will not be necessary. Since I have seen the proceedings of that traitorous legislature, I begin to understand why these loyal Tennesseans and Alabamians are so much more bitter against traitors than we are. It would make your blood run cold to hear the men in this army, without regard to party, curse those traitors. There is a gay time in prospect for those chaps. Don't think I am much out of the way in saying that Merrick, Jem Allen, Dick Richardson, and the editors of the Chicago Times would be hung if caught within the lines of many Illinois regiments in this army. There are many officers who, while they doubt our ability to subjugate (that is the question) the South, would take an active part in ending the man who would propose to give the thing up. I come pretty near belonging to that party, though I think that if we can't accomplish the whole end desired, we can confine the Rebels to Virginia (Eastern), the Carolinas, Georgia and Florida. Alabama, I believe, we can hold if we get Mississippi. Boats which left Vicksburg on the 6th inst. reported it taken, but it must be a mistake, as it has not been confirmed. I think it was wicked to put that brave old 8th Missouri and 4th Iowa into the front of the battle, after they had suffered so severely at Donaldson, Shiloh, Farmington, etc., but ever since Shiloh it seems that the old soldiers have had the front all the time. 'Tis reported that when Grant moves again, he will leave all the new regiments as railroad and property guards, and move with the old army. The last night I stayed in Holly Springs, Mrs. Stricklin invited in some young ladies to help entertain the colonel, Lieutenant Nickolet and myself. They beat all the secesh I have seen yet. One of them played all the secesh pieces she knew, and when I asked her to play “John Brown,” she swelled up so with wrath, that I was strongly tempted to propose tying my suspenders around her to save hooks and eyes. One of them asked me if I did not think the Southerners the most polite, refined and agreeable people I had ever met. It took me twenty minutes before I could finish blushing for her lack of modesty, and then I was so dead beat that I could only take up the word refined, and tell her how much I admired their beautiful use of language. I instanced, “what do you'uns all come down here to fight we'uns for,” “I recon we war thar,” which you'll hear from the best of them. That first quotation as they speak it is the funniest sentence imaginable. I got into a row with every one I talked with, but finally, was fool enough to escort one home. Rumor (almost official) says to-night that we go to Memphis to-morrow, or soon, and thence to Vicksburg. Congratulate us on our good luck. This regiment will never be satisfied without a fight. They run in in our pickets once and awhile here, and I believe two were killed (pickets) yesterday, but guess there is no chance for a fight. The 18th Illinois Infantry is being mounted.

SOURCE: Charles Wright Wills, Army Life of an Illinois Soldier, p. 145-7

Diary of Corporal Charles H. Lynch: June 22, 1864

In camp late last night after a long hard march. A good night's rest. The ground for a bed and the sky for a covering. Sadly in need of rations. On the march pass the ruins of many army wagons being burned up to prevent them falling into the hands of the enemy. Many horses and mules are giving out, drop for the lack of feed and rest. It is hard pulling those wagons over these rough mountain roads. All horses and mules that cannot be driven or led are shot to prevent the enemy from getting them, as all they need is rest and feed for most of them. War is a cruel thing. I wish it was over.

In conversation, while on the march, with Captain Meigs, Engineer Corps, he thought we ought to break up the gang of guerillas following in the rear. Asked us boys if we were ready to fight them, the answer was yes. Many are dropping out by the roadside, too weak and used up. Reported we march from ten to thirty-five miles a day. Clothing and shoes giving out. Very little forage can be found in these mountains and valleys. Our route takes us over the Potts Mountains, very high. Our suffering is intense, as many are barefooted.

Just at dark we reach the town of New Castle and go into camp for the night.

Thankful that we are to get a night's rest. Two of our company found a bag of flour. It was portioned out to each member. Mixed with water we had pan-cakes (toe-jam). We have plenty of coffee, no sugar. A little coffee goes a good ways. Some of our boys stole a bag of coffee from General Sullivan's headquarters. He was our division commander. Of course it could not be found, as it found its way in many haversacks.

SOURCE: Charles H. Lynch, The Civil War Diary, 1862-1865, of Charles H. Lynch 18th Conn. Vol's, p. 83-4

From Winchester

WINCHESTER, Va., March 25.

It is currently reported to-night that Gen. Banks has overtaken and destroyed 200 of Jackson’s wagons.

Latest from Strasburg says that Gens. Banks and Shields are there, and Jackson is in sight.  A battle is expected to-day, and preparations are being made to strengthen our forces.

On Saturday at 2 o’clock p.m. the enemy showed themselves, a mile and a half from Winchester.  The enemy consisted of 500 of Ashby’s cavalry, and two guns.  They drove in our pickets, and then skirmished with the Michigan cavalry and a portion of the Indiana 1^st.

Gen. Shields brought up his forces, and fired a few rounds of shell, driving them back, taking several prisoners.  General Shields was wounded in the army by the first fire of the enemy.

Jackson had been informed by the inhabitants that the town was deserted by the Union troops, and he advanced to retake it.

Gen. Shield’s forces slept on their arms Saturday night.  Sunday morning at sunrise, Jackson being reinforced attacked Gen. Shields near Kearnstown.

The enemy’s forces consisted of 500 of Ashby’s cavalry, 500 infantry, and 9 pieces of artillery, with a reserve of 18 pieces of artillery.  The fight was kept up till noon, when a charge was made by the Ohio infantry.  The 1^st Mich. And 1^st VA cavalry on their right, drove them back half a mile, when the enemy got their guns again in position in a dense wood, flanked by infantry, and drove us back.  A short artillery engagement ensued, when Gen. Shields ordered Col. Tyler to turn their flank which was executed by our troops but with considerable loss, the enemy being protected by the stone ledge.  The 84^th Penn. And the 13^th Ind. charged their centre, and the fight became general.

Col. Murray, of the 84^th Penna., was killed.  The enemy retired slowly, bringing their guns to bear at every opportunity.  Our men rushed forward with yells, when a panic ensued among the enemy.

Our troops followed and drove them till dark, capturing 3 guns, 3 caissons, muskets, equipments, &c., innumerable.  Our troops bivouacked on the field.

Gen. Williams’ 1^st Brigade, Col. Donelly of the 28^th N. Y., commanding, reinforced Gen. Shields.

Gen. Banks, who was on the way to Washington, Sunday returned and assumed command.  Meantime, Gen. Shields’ division pursued the enemy beyond Newton, shelling them the whole way.

Jackson’s men, were perfectly demoralized and beyond control.  They threw overboard the dead and wounded to lighten the wagons.

It is noticeable that nearly all the Confederates wounded were shot in the head or breast, testifying to the superiority of our marksmen.

The losses on our side were chiefly Pennsylvania, Ohio and Indiana troops.  These who conveyed the false intelligence to Gen. Jackson, causing this disaster to the rebels, have a heavy weight of guilt to shoulder.  It was evidently known to many in the town that Jackson was approaching, from the holiday attire and buoyancy of spirits among men and women here.  Gen. Shields’ command being secreted from observation, on the east side of the town, lead the informants to believe that all our troops were evacuating, and that Jackson could enter unmolested.  Good judges say that the enemy’s loss is over 200 killed and 500 wounded, and 300 prisoners, including an aid to Jackson.  Our loss is about 65 killed and 125 wounded.

On Sunday morning the rebels received reinforcements under Gen. Garrett, amounting to 500 men.  The Union forces did not exceed 1000 men, and with the exception of about 500 were of Gen. Shields’ division exclusively.  At half past one the enemy made a feint on our left, commanded by acting Brig. Gen. Sullivan, opening a heavy fire of artillery, while the real attack was directed against our right, with the object of flanking Gen. Kimball’s command on the right, where the heaviest fighting was done.  The enemy were strongly posted in the woods and behind a stone wall, and the rebel artillery was posted on an eminence on both sides of their left wing.

Our whole artillery force was engaged consisting of four batteries of 24 pieces in all.  The conflict raged furiously till 3 P. M. – The fighting being done chiefly by the artillery and musketry, at a range of not more than 300 or 400 yards, and often much less.

The rebel infantry opposite our right now engaged from the woods and attempted to capture Dowe’s battery by a charge.  The first effort was nearly successful, but the heavy discharge of grape compelled them to retire in confusion.  A second and weaker attempt likewise failed, and the enemy fell back with heavy loss, behind the stone parapet.

Gen. Taylor now ordered his brigade to charge the enemy’s batteries on the left, and a most deadly encounter followed, twice our men reeled under the storm, but in the third effort they routed the rebels with tremendous slaughter.

Our loss in these struggles was heavy. – Out of 300 men in the 84^th Penn., 26 were killed and 83 wounded.  Many officers were killed and wounded.  The 5^th and 8^th Ohio shared the glory and the losses with the 84^th Penn.

The enemy’s killed and wounded strewed the ground in profusion, and their left wing was totally broken, and their center wavering.  On their side the 4^th and 5^th Va. Regiments suffered most; the former was terribly decimated.

Attempts to rally the right wing failed, and to add to the confusion, the Irish battalion of 150 men, when brought forward and ordered to fire upon the Union troops refused, and a rebel regiment immediately drove this gallant little band forward, but could not compel them to fire upon us. – Forty corpses of the 150 afterwards strewed the field.

Meanwhile, the rebels gave way on the left and center, with a loss of 70 killed and wounded, and 236 prisoners.  Besides these, about 160 muskets were taken and many other valuable trophies.  Our loss does not exceed 100 killed and 300 wounded.

– Published in The Davenport Daily Gazette, Davenport, Iowa, Thursday Morning, March 27, 1862, p. 2

Enlargement of the Illinois Canal

WASHINGTON, April 28. – Mr. Arnold, from the Committee on Roads and Canals, reported in favor of the bill for the enlargement of the Illinois and Michigan canal. The report states that the work has been more than half completed by the State of Illinois. She having expended thereon over six millions. The canal has been in operation since 1848, and now yields an annual revenue of about 2,000,000 dollars. This will be greatly increased by the enlargement of the Illinois river as proposed. The State of Illinois offers this canal and its revenue to the United States on condition that the Congress will provide the means of enlarging it, so as to pass gunboats from the Lakes to the Mississippi. – This will place us on equality with Great Britain, that power being able by her canals to pass by war vessels from the Ocean to the lakes.

The report, in view of the fact, that by the treaty of the United States is prohibited from building or maintaining armed vessels on the Lakes, urges the necessity and importance of the immediate enlargement of this canal by which the gunboat fleet in the Mississippi could be passed through to the lakes. Had this medium of communication been open at the beginning of the rebellion, the 1200 vessels and 15,000 sailors now shut up on the lakes would have been at the disposal of the Government. The saving to the Treasury during the past year would have been vastly more than the cost of the complete work.

The committee believe its income will more than pay the interest on its cost, and ultimately pay the entire investment.

The Senate Executive Session to-day, confirmed a large number of military nominations including the following named to be Brigadier Generals of Volunteers:

Col. Max Weber, 8th New York, Thomas P. Crittenden, of Illinois, Col. Wm. H. Benton, Jeremiah C. Sullivan, James C. Neator, and P. A. Hackleman, of Indiana.

The bill reported by Mr. Colfax, from the P. O. Committee, provides that all persons carrying the U. S. mails, shall enter into a contract with the Post Office Department, and if they disagree as to the price, it shall be referred to the Committee on Claims.

– Published in The Burlington Weekly Hawk-Eye, Burlington, Iowa, Saturday May 3, 1862, p. 4