Rumors are
circulating that we are to be ordered away from here. I am glad of it as I like
to be kept active. Still this garrison duty is necessary as it gives us all
time to learn our business. There is nothing like practical experience; it is
the best school one can have. Marching orders have just come and we leave for
Columbus, Ky., in the morning.
SOURCE: Joseph Stockton,
War Diary (1862-5) of Brevet Brigadier
General Joseph Stockton, p. 2
COLUMBUS, KENTUCKY. Last Tuesday we received marching orders from
Paducah. Wednesday morning about 4 o'clock Co. A with some fifty sick men were
placed on board the steamer "Rob Roy," the balance of the regiment
being on the steamer "Diamond." Rained hard; of course, we were all
soaked. Fifteen miles below Paducah we got aground and stuck there until the
steamer "May Duke" came along and took us off. I pitied the poor sick
soldiers but could do nothing for them but let them see I was willing if I had
the power. We arrived at Cairo and were transferred again to the steamer
"Eugene," left Cairo about 9 o'clock and got here at 12. Left three
of Co. A in the hospital at Paducah. We are encamped on a bluff some two
hundred and fifty feet above the Mississippi river and overlooking the battle
ground of Belmont, General Grant's first battle. We are encamped on what was
the rebel drill grounds and right below us is the water battery. They have a
steam engine to pump water up on the bluff. Nelson Towner is stationed here, on
General Quimby's [sic] staff, which
makes it pleasant for me.
SOURCE: Joseph Stockton,
War Diary (1862-5) of Brevet Brigadier
General Joseph Stockton, p. 2
For the past ten
days there was nothing of particular interest. Quite a number of men are sick.
I was in the hospital today seeing my men and while there one of Co. C men was
dying. He was delirious and wanted his gun that he might take his place in the
ranks of his company. Poor fellow, before tomorrow's sun he will be marching
with that country's host that have already gone before. Some six or eight
others have already died but none as yet from my company. We came near having a
large fire the other day, but owing to the exertion of the guard under the
command of my 1st Lieutenant Randall, it was put out. He was complimented on
dress parade for his courage. Some days we are required to go to church which
is held by the men being drawn up in a square and our Chaplain Barnes
discourses in the center. As we have a number of good singers the music goes
off very well, but there is a great deal of opposition to church on the part of
the men, some being Catholics and one a Jew. In my company are two Germans who
are atheists so there is quite a mixture. On Sunday last, sixty of the men
marched down to the church in the city and took communion. Our camp life
promises to be tedious in some respects but we are kept busy in batallion and
company drills. Colonel Starring is very proficient in the formations.
SOURCE: Joseph Stockton,
War Diary (1862-5) of Brevet Brigadier
General Joseph Stockton, p. 2-3
Yesterday we had a
very large fire here. About 9 o'clock a fire broke out on the commissary boat
"Admiral." I was "officer of the day" and was just about to
be relieved by Captain Prior. I hastened to the boat but found her so enveloped
in smoke that it would be useless to attempt to save her. The fire soon
communicated to the store ship "Philadelphia" which had on board a
large lot of loaded shell and cartridges. They soon commenced to explode.
General Dodge, Post Commander, soon came along and ordered all hands to
commence moving boxes of shells and cartridges that were on shore. Soon the
shells on the boat commenced to burst and fly all about; several of the men were
knocked down. The danger was very great but most of the men stood it well. Both
boats were a total loss. The other day when I was "officer of the
day" I had charge of the prison in which were a number of rebel prisoners.
No one had a right to enter without a permit from the Provost Marshal, the
commanding officer of the post or myself. A sickly looking woman with a baby in
her arms, a little girl about five years old beside her, came to me and said
she had walked thirty miles to see her husband who had been confined two months
on charge of being a guerilla. Her wan and dejected appearance confirmed her
story and I escorted her to the sick ward where her husband was lying. The
moment she saw him she rushed to his cot, threw her arms around him, the little
thing climbed up on his bed, and such tears and exclamations of affection I
have never heard before. At the same time another prisoner who was confined for
the same offence and who was lying directly opposite, died. His friends crowded
around his cot and they gave way to their tears and sobs. I could not but turn
away and feel the hot tears trickling down my own cheek; there was not a dry
eye in that room. I was the only Union soldier present and the wife turned on
her knees toward me and begged that I would let her husband go home with her,
that he was dying then, as he certainly was. He, too, begged me for his life,
but I, of course, was powerless to act in the matter. The friends of the dead
man crowded around and begged that they might be permitted to send his body
home, which was granted. I was only too glad to get away from such a scene. I
have more than my share of such duty as there are only four captains able for
duty, all the rest being sick. Making the grand rounds at night, with an
orderly for a companion, is not so pleasant when you have to ride through a
dense wood for ten or twelve miles. It would be an easy thing for the Rebs to
pick me off and I wonder they don't do it. I had a present from home of a box
containing cake, preserves, etc., from several of my young lady friends. It was
most acceptable.
SOURCE: Joseph Stockton,
War Diary (1862-5) of Brevet Brigadier
General Joseph Stockton, p. 3
On the afternoon of
October 23rd we left Columbus by boat on an expedition, destination unknown until
we reached New Madrid, Missouri. The force consisted of Companies A, C, I and
H. under my command and two sections of Captain Rodgers' Battery, 2d Ill.
Artillery. At New Madrid we were joined by Captain Moore's Company of Cavalry
(2d Ill.), the whole being under command of Captain Rodgers. We arrived at New
Madrid in the morning, disembarked and at once proceeded on our march toward a
place called Clarkson where there was a lot of rebels encamped. It was a
beautiful day, the sun shone warm and pleasant. We marched about eighteen miles
and it being the first march for most of the men, they had blistered feet, but
they kept up well. We reached the beginning of the plank road that leads
through cypress swamps and through sunken lands which were caused by a great
earthquake years before. Although the day had been so pleasant yet it commenced
raining at night, and as we had to go without fires it got to be very cold;
toward morning it commenced snowing. We started at 2 o'clock a. m. To prevent
any noise they left the artillery horses behind and the infantry pulled the
guns with ropes while the cavalry led their horses alongside the road. Captain
Moore had sent some men forward who had captured the rebel picket, and who, not
dreaming of an enemy being so near, had gone into an old log house to keep
warm. To me it was a romantic scene; although a bright night the snow was
falling lightly, the bright barrels of the guns of the men shining; the
quietness of the scene only broken by the tread of the men, the rumbling of the
artillery wheels, the cracking of the broken wood caused by the cavalry horses
tramping on it; and the danger ahead, made it all most interesting. We reached
the town about daybreak and found the rebels asleep. The artillery was posted
on the hill commanding the town, while the infantry and cavalry were dispersed
so as to surround it. All at once the artillery opened on the barracks and soon
the most astonished set of Rebs you ever saw came tumbling out not knowing
which way to run. They mounted their horses without any bridles, nothing but
the halter, and soon came rushing toward the lane where I had my men posted. We
gave them a volley which brought them to a halt and surrender. The fun was soon
over and we commenced to gather up our prisoners, our Surgeon Powell doing what
he could for the wounded, and the men catching horses, we were soon on our
retreat. The artillery horses had been brought up and were hitched to the
artillery. I never saw such a cavalcade before—the artillery going ahead, one
of the cannons in a wagon, it having been dismounted by its carriage being
broken. A company of infantry mounted on horses and mules, then the prisoners
surrounded by a guard, then more mounted infantry and lastly, the cavalry.
Several houses had been set on fire and women were screaming and crying because
their husbands, brothers or sons were being taken away. We camped about ten
miles from Clarkson that night, reached New Madrid the next night and Columbus
the following day. An incident occurred at Clarkson that may not be to my
discredit to relate. In firing into the barracks of the rebels a number of
houses were struck by shells which frightened the women and children almost to
death. I saw a number of them running out of a house, the children in their
bare feet. I ordered my men to keep quiet and went to the women and told them I
would help them with their children and lifted a couple in my arms; the poor
things were frightened but I told them I would not hurt them; while doing this
the shell from our artillery was falling thick around us, but I could not see
women and children suffer without helping them.
SOURCE: Joseph Stockton,
War Diary (1862-5) of Brevet Brigadier
General Joseph Stockton, p. 3-4
Still in camp.
Battallion drill and guard duty the order of the day. Quite a number of men
sick in hospital. We are, as all new soldiers, anxious for active service. Men
want to be tried to see what they are made of.
SOURCE: Joseph Stockton,
War Diary (1862-5) of Brevet Brigadier
General Joseph Stockton, p. 4
