Major Thomas T. Eckert to Major-General George G. Meade, April 14, 1865

WASHINGTON, April 14, 1865.

General GEORGE G. MEADE:

The President was assassinated at Ford's Theater at 10.30 to-night and cannot live. The wound is a pistol-shot through the head. Secretary Seward and his son Frederick were also assassinated at their residence and are in a dangerous condition. General Grant has been telegraphed to at Philadelphia and returns to Washington at once.

THOS. T. ECKERT.

(Same to Generals Ord and Patrick.)

SOURCE: The War of the Rebellion: A Compilation of the Official Records of the Union and Confederate Armies, Series I, Volume 46, Part 3 (Serial No. 97), p. 745

Charles A. Dana to Brigadier-General Marsena R. Patrick, October 30, 1864

WASHINGTON, D.C., October 30, 1864.

Brig. Gen. M. R. PATRICK,

Provost-Marshal-General, City Point:

Various reports have reached this Department that you are co-operating with the election agents sent to the army by Governor Seymour, to the extent of showing them favors and furnishing them with facilities not warranted by the passes granted them by this Department and not accorded by you to the agents of the Union party. In view of these reports I am instructed by the Secretary of War to notify you that he expects from you careful and exact impartiality toward the representatives of the two parties; and also that, as the agents of Governor Seymour here and in Baltimore have been detected in the perpetration of gross frauds and forgeries for the purpose of causing the votes of soldiers to be counted in favor of Democratic candidates, when these soldiers intended to vote against such candidates, he expects you to exercise vigilance for the detection of all such crimes within your jurisdiction; and should it finally appear that such wrongs have been consummated, when due watchfulness on your part might have prevented them, you will be held responsible for the same.

C. A. DANA,

Assistant Secretary of War.

SOURCE: The War of the Rebellion: A Compilation of the Official Records of the Union and Confederate Armies, Series I, Volume 42, Part 3 (Serial No. 89), p. 435-6

Diary of John Beauchamp Jones: June 1, 1863

Nothing decisive from Vicksburg. It is said Northern papers have been received, of the 29th May, stating that their Gen. Grant had been killed, and Vicksburg (though at first prematurely announced) captured. We are not ready to believe the latter announcement.

Mr. Lyons has been beaten for Congress by Mr. Wickham.

It is said the brigade commanded by Gen. Barton, in the battle near Vicksburg, broke and ran twice. If that be so, and their conduct be imitated by other brigades, good-by to the Mississippi Valley!

Our people everywhere are alive to the expected raid of the enemy's cavalry, and are organizing the men of non-conscript age for defense.

One of our pickets whistled a horse, drinking in the Rappahannock, and belonging to Hooker's army, over to our side of the river. It was a very fine horse, and the Federal Gen. Patrick sent a flag demanding him, as he was not captured in battle. Our officer sent back word he would do so with pleasure, if the Yankees would send back the slaves and other property of the South not taken in battle. There it ended — but we shall probably soon have stirring news from that quarter.

The Baltimore American contains the proceedings of the City Council, justifying the arrest of Vallandigham.

SOURCE: John Beauchamp Jones, A Rebel War Clerk's Diary at the Confederate States Capital, Volume 1, p. 338

Diary of John Beauchamp Jones: November 21, 1862

It rained all night, which may extinguish Buniside's ardent fire. He cannot drag his wagons and artillery through the melting snow, and when it dries we may look for another rain.

The new Secretary is not yet in his seat. It is generally supposed he will accept.

President Davis hesitates to retaliate life for life in regard to the Missouri military executions.

Common shirting cotton, and Yankee calico, that used to sell at 12 cts. per yard, is now $1.75! What a temptation for the Northern manufacturers! What a rush of trade there would be if peace should occur suddenly! And what a party there would be in the South for peace (and unity with Northern Democrats) if the war were waged somewhat differently. The excesses of the Republicans compel our people to be almost a unit. This is all the better for us. Still, we are in quite a bad way now, God knows!

The passengers by the cars from Fredericksburg this morning report that Gen. Patrick (Federal) came over under a flag of truce, demanding the surrender of the town, which was refused by Gen. Lee, in compliance with the unanimous sentiments of the people. Gen. Patrick, it is stated, said if it were not surrendered by 9 A.M. to-day, it would be shelled.

Mr. Dargan, M. C, writes to the President from Mobile that the inhabitants of that city are in an awful condition. Meal is selling for $3.50 per bushel, and wood at $15 per cord, and that the people are afraid to bring supplies, apprehending that the government agents will seize them. The President (thanks to him!) has ordered that interference with domestic trade must not be permitted.

Mr. Seddon has taken his seat. He has, at least, a manly appearance — his predecessor was said to look like a m——y.

The President has ordered our generals in Missouri, if the Yankee accounts of the executions of our people be true, to execute the next ten Federal officers taken in that State.

The Enquirer, to-day, publishes Col. Baylor's order to execute the Indians in Arizona, coupled with Mr. Randolph's condemnation of the act. Who furnished this for publication?

It is rumored that Fredericksburg is in flames, shelled by the enemy. We will know how true this is before night.

SOURCE: John Beauchamp Jones, A Rebel War Clerk's Diary at the Confederate States Capital, Volume 1, p. 194-5

Lieutenant-Colonel Theodore Lyman to Elizabeth Russell Lyman, February 22, 1864

Headquarters Army Of Potomac

February 22, '64

General Meade is in excellent spirits and cracks a great many jokes and tells stories. You can't tell how different he is when he has no movement on his mind, for then he is like a firework, always going bang at someone, and nobody ever knows who is going to catch it next, but all stand in a semi-terrified state. There is something sardonic in his natural disposition, which is an excellent thing in a commander; it makes people skip round so. General Humphreys is quite the contrary. He is most easy to get on with, for everybody; but, practically, he is just as hard as the Commander, for he has a tremendous temper, a great idea of military duty, and is very particular. When he does get wrathy, he sets his teeth and lets go a torrent of adjectives that must rather astonish those not used to little outbursts. There came down with the General (who returned yesterday from Washington) a Mr. Kennedy, Chief of the Census Bureau, a very intelligent man, full of figures. He can tell you how many people have pug noses in Newton Centre, and any other little thing you want. There was a bill passed in the House of Reps to raise 100,000 negro troops, from the free colored men of the North. When the bill came before the Senate, Mr. Kennedy sent in word that there were less than 50,000 colored men who were free and capable of bearing arms in the whole North, which rather squelched the bill! He says that the free negroes South increase hardly at all; while those in the North even decrease; but the slaves increase more than any other class. So I think it will be best to free the whole lot of them and then they will sort of fade out.

There are perfect shoals of women-kind now in the army — a good many, of course, in Culpeper, where they can live in houses. The rest of them must live a sort of Bedouin life. The only one I have seen of late is Mrs. Captain Commissary Coxe, for behold we had a service al fresco, near General Patrick's tent. There was Mr. Rockwell as clergyman, quite a good preacher, and very ready to speak, nevertheless not too long in his remarks. I marched over with a camp-stool very solemnly. There were quite a collection of officers from the Headquarters, also a company of cavalry, which was marched down dismounted and stood meekly near by; for this cavalry belongs to General Patrick, and the General is pious, and so his men have to be meek and lowly. Likewise came some of the red-legs, or Zouaves, or 114th Pennsylvania, who finally had an air of men who had gone to a theatre and did not take an interest in the play. There too were some ladies, who were accommodated with a tent open in front, so as to allow them to see and hear. The band of the Zouaves sang the hymns and were quite musical. . . . To-night is a great ball of the 2d Corps. The General has gone to it; also General Humphreys. None of the Staff were invited, save George Meade, to the huge indignation of the said Staff and my great amusement.

SOURCE: George R. Agassiz, Editor, Meade’s Headquarters, 1863-1865: Letters of Colonel Theodore Lyman from the Wilderness to Appomattox, p. 73-5

Edwin M. Stanton to Major General George B. McClellan, March 13, 1862

WAR DEPARTMENT, Washington, March 13, 1862.

Maj. Gen. GEORGE B. MCCLELLAN:

General Patrick was nominated upon your request several days ago. I took the nomination myself to the President, and saw it signed by him, and will go to the Senate to-morrow to urge the confirmation. Any others you may designate will receive the like attention. Nothing you can ask of me or this Department will be spared to aid you in every particular.

EDWIN M. STANTON,

Secretary of War.

SOURCE: The War of the Rebellion: A Compilation of the Official Records of the Union and Confederate Armies, Series I, Volume 5 (Serial No. 5), p. 752

Brigadier General George G. Meade to Margaretta Sergeant Meade, May 14, 1862

CAMP OPPOSITE FREDERICKSBURG, May 14, 1862.

Last Sunday the enemy, who have some force in our front on the other side of the river, advanced to our picket line, I suppose to see what we were doing. They were well received by a portion of General Patrick's brigade, stationed on the other side, and driven back, with the loss of one officer and twelve men. One of the generals in front of us is named Field, whom perhaps you may remember as being stationed at West Point. He was a large man and distinguished for sporting an immense shirt collar, a la Byron. He was married to quite a pretty little woman, whose sister, Miss Mason, was staying with them. This Miss Mason afterwards married Lieutenant Collins, of the Topogs. (your relative). Their mother, Mrs. Mason, is now at Fredericksburg, but her daughters are with their husbands, Field, a general in our front, and Collins, an Engineer, who has gone to Brazil. General Ricketts has joined, having been assigned to one of the brigades of the new division we are to have. He has a staff of Philadelphians — one of Julia Fisher's sons, John Williams, young Richards (son of Benj. W.) and I believe others. Colonel Lyles's¹ regiment is in his brigade, and I believe he has other Pennsylvania troops.

I hear the reaction in favor of McClellan since he has had some men killed is very great, and that even Greeley² has begun to praise him. Poor Mac, if he is in this strait, he is in a pretty bad way! Greeley's enmity he might stand, but his friendship will kill him. I am afraid Richmond will be taken before we get there.

I have not seen the death of Huger³ positively announced in the papers; all I have seen was that he was badly wounded. But he does not seem to have been made prisoner.

__________

¹ Peter Lyles, colonel 90th Regt., Pa. Vols.

² Horace Greeley, editor New York Tribune.

³ Thomas B. Huger, brother-in-law of General Meade, in the Confederate army.

SOURCE: George Meade, The Life and Letters of George Gordon Meade, Vol. 1, p. 266

From Washington

WASHINGTON, March 5.

Lieut. Col. Emery, of the 6^th cavalry, and Cols. [Quinby] and Patrick, of N. Y. have been nominated for Brigadier Generals.

Gen. Lander will be buried from Rev. Dr. Hull’s church, under military escort.  His body guard will be a company of sharpshooters from his native city, Salem, Mass., who have been with him since the fight at Edward’s Ferry.  Half of the pall bearers are to be civilians, Gen. Lander not having cherished special love for the regular army.  The body arrived this morning, attended by a large number of his officers and men.  It has been already embalmed and will be sent to Salem after the funeral.

Philadelphia and New York merchants have petitioned Congress for a resumption of letter and newspaper mail to Panama. – A bill will be introduced soon, restoring the old mail.  At present there will be no mail communication with Central America, the steamship company positively refusing to convey letters or newspapers without the authority of Congress.

The testimony of returned prisoners captured in July, at Falling Water, before the conduct of the war committee, tends to show that with more energy Patterson might have caught Johnston before Bull Run.

The residence of the French minister, M. Mercier, at Georgetown, was burned last night.  Loss $15,000.  The furniture might have been saved by the provost guard, but the Frenchman locked them out, while seeking to extinguish the flames by buckets of water.  All the furniture but a few pieces was thus destroyed.

Col. Jas. H. Spear, of one of the Tennessee regiments organized at Camp Dick Robinson, Ky., was confirmed as Brigadier General to-day.

Andy Johnson, Maynard and Etheridge leave for Nashville to-morrow.  The former is commissioned to form a provisional government.  He will call a State convention which will dispose of Gov. Harris and all his rebel associates in the old State government, and form a new loyal government. – All of these gentlemen hope soon to rejoin their families.

In executive session of the Senate to-day, a resolution was introduced, expressing the sense of the Senate, that no more appointment of Generals should be made, except as reward for gallantry on the field of battle.

Gen. Lander will be buried to-morrow.  The pall bearers are Senators Sumner and Gens. McClellan, Marcy and Williams, and Col. Key, with an escort of artillery, cavalry and infantry.

The Senate amended the military bill to-day so as to repeal the act giving the President power to appoint additional Aids de Camp, thinking 49 enough for Gen. McClellan.  Another bill, recently introduced, giving the president the power to appoint Assistant Adjutant Generals ad libitum will hardly pass.

The bill fixing naval salaries, reported by Senator Sherman was not introduced with the approbation of the committee, but merely to get it before the Senate, the understanding being that it shall not be taken up till the pay of Congress and the army has been reduced.

The House and Senate amendment to the appropriation bill giving but two mileages to members.

The order under our treaty with New Granada which the joint committee sitting here has extended six months, is designed to give a hundred claims pending on the 10^th of May which would otherwise cease, another chance to be passed upon.

Gen. Blenker has been three times before the military committee.  There are some discrepancies between his testimony there and before Van Wyck’s committee.  His case, with other doubtful ones, will be passed on to-morrow by the Senate, which will have a long executive session.

Mr. Browning has the floor on the confiscation bill.  A speech betwixt and between is expected.

Gen. Andy Johnson and Representatives Maynard and Ethridge leave for Tennessee to-morrow.  Gen. Johnson, immediately upon his arrival at Nashville, will call upon the loyal people of the State to elect delegates to a convention to be charged with the duty of declaring vacant the places of Gov. Harris, and his rebel associates, and electing new officers, and sitting a loyal State Government on its feet.

Gen. Spear, of Tennessee was confirmed Brigadier General to-day.

The post Master General complained to-day by letter to the post office committees of both Houses, of the refusal of Com. Vanderbilt to carry the South American mails, and some Northern Railroads to contract to carry the mails.  He recommends that legislation be adopted to relieve the Government from the dictation of railroad and steamboat proprietors.

Special to Post.

A tax upon cotton will be agreed to in the House as an amendment to the tax bill, when that measure comes up for consideration.  The bill is not yet printed.

The finance committee of the Senate has struck out the House appropriation of fifteen million dollars for the construction of gunboats, but the naval committee is urging its restoration.

Senator Johnson leaves Washington to-day for Tennessee.  He has not yet accepted his appointment as Brigadier General.

Information has reached the navy department of the capture of the schooner Lizzie Weston, with a large cargo of 290 bales of cotton, by the gunboat Itasca.  The captured vessel sailed from Apalachicola, Fla., for Havana and a market.

– Published in The Davenport Daily Gazette, Davenport, Iowa, Friday Morning, March 7, 1862, p. 1