The "long ears” are issued to the different companies to-day, and in every direction the men are seen trying the virtue of their steeds. As is characteristic of this animal, they prove stubborn and spring towards the “latter end,” and in consequence many of the soldiers are elevated. It is indeed amusing to see our donkeys lunge, jump, “thrust and develop.” We remarked to a soldier this evening that the mule was not the patient creature it seemed, who, feeling inclined to defend the mule, and who by the way was an observing soldier, replied that “his mule was so patient that it waited three hours to get a chance to kick him. But the Seventh being a conquering regiment, soon subdue the unruly ones. The virtue of each man's mule is now being freely discussed, each soldier claiming that his mule is a superior mule. All are anxious for a scout or a raid now; all are of the opinion that the Seventh on their steeds will present quite an imposing cavalcade; we are sure they will strike terror in rebeldom when Dick leads them forth. From the twenty-first to the twenty-eighth the regiment is principally engaged in breaking mules, &c., making preparations to respond quickly to the expected blast of the bugle.
Sunday, January 23, 2022
Diary of Private Daniel L. Ambrose: Sunday, June 21, 1863
Diary of Private Daniel L. Ambrose: Sunday, June 28, 1863
This morning companies F, G, H, I and K, mounted and equipped, under the command of Colonel Rowett leave Corinth. We move out on the Purdy road; our mules travel finely; at noon we halt and feed our mules out of a rebel wheat field, after which we pass on through Purdy. This town shows marks of change since we last passed through it. War's scourge has been felt here; some of the finest mansions have been laid in ruins, which is the legitimate vengeance of the loyal Tennessee cavalry. Passing on some miles farther, we are informed by our guide, Captain Aldridge, a loyal Tennesseean, that we are now two miles from Colonel Horton's, one of the guerrilla leaders of West Tennessee, and that in all probability he is now at home; therefore, Colonel Rowett, with an intent if possible to capture him, makes a disposition of the companies, directing them to file around in different directions and surround his house. The house is circumvented, but no Horton can be found. It is night now, and we go into camp on the plantation; a descent is made upon the corn pens, and also on the garden and chickens. These proceedings, of course, embitter the family against the soldiers. The old lady's ever ready weapon is soon plying; she talks bitterly, using the words "vandals," "ruffians,” and “black abolitionists,” freely. Finding that her invective tongue proves powerless, she gathers a hoe, attacks the men, and of course drives them from the yard ; then commences on the mules tied to the yard fence and after beating them awhile and seeing Colonel Rowett passing through the yard, she makes an assault upon him, attacking him simultaneously with her hoe and wrathful invectives. “You the leader of these vandals, clear out of my yard.” The affable Colonel soon succeeded in quieting her, and we believe he succeeded in persuading the old lady to give him his supper. After the camp fires had gone out, a company of volunteers, under the command of Captain Clark, of Company D, are sent out, and guided by Captain Aldridge, they visit every guerrilla house in the country and succeed in capturing a Captain from Bragg's army.
Friday, December 31, 2021
Diary of Sergeant David L. Day: August 1, 1864
I RECEIVE AN APPOINTMENT.
The ward next me on the left is a colored one, and contains from 60 to 80 men, according to recruits and drafts. Until recently they have been pretty much on their own hook, no one seeming to care for them. Some days ago Doctor Sadler asked me if I would take charge of them. I said I should like to do anything where I could be of any use.
He gave me my instructions and some blank reports, and set me up in business. My duties are to attend roll-calls, surgeon's calls, keep an account of arrivals, discharges, desertions, deaths, march them up to the kitchen three times a day for rations and make my report to him every morning. Entering on the discharge of my duties the first thing I did was to set them to work cleaning and fixing up their quarters, so they would be more comfortable.
A couple of hours' work showed a great improvement in the condition of things, and while it was being done it gave me a chance to find out who among them were the worst off and needed the most care and favors. A sick nigger is a curious institution and you can't tell so well about him as you can about a sick mule. He can put on the sickest look of anything I ever saw and appear as though he would die in seven minutes, but a nigger is never really sick but once, and is then sure to die. There is no more help for one than there is for a sick pig. I have three that are sick and I have no more faith in their getting well than I have that Gen. Lee will drive Gen. Grant from before Petersburg. Two of them are now unable to attend the surgeon's call in the morning and the other I expect will be in a few days. I have about 10 hobbling around with canes, spavined, ring-boned and foundered. The others are simply a little war-worn and tired.
The kitchen is about 30 rods from the camp, and when I march them up there there are so many lame ones they straggle the whole distance. Doctor Sadler called my attention to this and said he should like to see them march in little better order. I replied: “Surgeon, come out in the morning and see the parade; you will see them marching a 28 inch step and closed up to 18 inches from stem to stern.” He promised he would. The next morning at breakfast call I formed every one of those darkies that carried canes on the right, and the very lamest I put at the head of the column, and gave them a send-off. It was a comical show, they marched at the rate of about one mile an hour, and those in the rear kept calling out to those in advance : “Why don ye goo long dar! Hurry up dar; shan' get breakfas' fo' noon.” They kept closed up a good deal better than they kept the step as the rear crowded the advance to push them along. We were cheered along the route as almost everybody was out to see the fun. We marched in review before the doctor, and by the way he laughed and shook himself I thought he was well satisfied with the parade, at any rate he complimented me on my success when I carried in my morning report.
One day one of my fellows came to me for a pass to go fishing. He said he could catch as many bull-heads as would do us two for three days. I gave him a pass, but didn't see anything of him again for four days. When I asked him where he had been so long, he looked pretty sober for a minute or two, and then rolling around the whites of his eyes and showing his teeth, said: "Yah, yah, yah! ize no idee ize don gon so long; yah, yah, yah."
Tuesday, November 23, 2021
Official Reports of the Campaign in North Alabama and Middle Tennessee, November 14, 1864-January 23, 1865: No. 205. — Report of Maj. Thomas G. Williamson, Tenth Indiana Cavalry, of operations December 28, 1864-January 6, 1865.
LIEUTENANT: In accordance with orders received, I have the honor to make the following report of the part taken by the detachment of the Tenth Indiana Volunteer Cavalry under my command in the raid south of Decatur, Ala., from December 28, 1864, to January 6, 1865, inclusive, the detachment being at this time in a brigade, composed of Tenth Indiana, Second Tennessee, and Fifteenth Pennsylvania Cavalry, under the immediate command of Lieutenant-Colonel Prosser, Second Tennessee Cavalry:
On the 28th we marched from Decatur south on the Decatur and Courtland road, going into camp eight miles south of Decatur. On the 29th we overtook the rear of General Roddey's command, charging them for about six miles, capturing 30 prisoners, killing 2 and wounding 3 of the enemy. We went into camp two miles from Courtland, Ala. On the 30th of December we marched through Courtland to Leighton, on the Memphis and Charleston Railroad. Here we captured 3 prisoners. We camped at Leighton that night. On December 31 we marched toward Russellville, leaving La Grange to the left. Near Russellville we killed 1 man, captured 1 lieutenant and 6 men. We then marched on through Russellville, and at 8 p.m. we attacked Hood's pontoon train, consisting of eighty pontoons, also forty-five wagons loaded with cordage, equipments, forges, &c. We burned and destroyed the entire train and teams.
On January 1, 1865, we moved at daylight and marched on a trot all day, continued the march at night, and at 2 a.m., when we overtook and charged another wagon train, capturing and destroying the wagons by fire and killing the mules, about 500 in number, dismounted men taking some of the best mules to ride. The train consisted of about 125 wagons (this was Hood's supply train). On the 2d of January we marched back toward Decatur, Ala.., meeting no enemy this day, going over the mountain roads that I do not know the names of. On the 4th of January we overtook and attacked Colonel Russell, commanding the Fifth [Fourth] Alabama Cavalry, capturing his entire train, also about 30 prisoners, killing 3 of the enemy and wounding about 20; we also captured and burned General Roddey's headquarters papers. We lost here in this charge 1 killed and 1 wounded. Traveling all night, we stopped to rest at daylight, going into camp near Leighton. On the 5th we went to within twenty miles of Decatur, and on the 6th at sundown we arrived at Decatur. Our march was from Decatur to within thirty miles of Aberdeen, Miss., about three miles from the line.
In submitting this report I will respectfully call your attention to the conduct of Capts. William Mead and George R. Mitchell and their companies, D and H. They are deserving of great praise for the manner in which they conducted themselves during the entire raid.
Acting Assistant Adjutant-General.
Respectfully forwarded for the information of major-general commanding Cavalry Corps.
Major Williamson is the ranking officer present, the Lieutenant-Colonel Prosser mentioned being Major Prosser, of the Second Tennessee, now at Nashville, and Major Williamson's report is that of the expedition.
Friday, November 5, 2021
Lieutenant-Colonel John A. Rawlins: Special Orders No. 157, June 11, 1863
Special Orders No.
157.}
Lieut. Z. C. Bryan,
of the 27th Regt. Ohio Infty, Vols, will immediately break up the Contraband
Camp at Haine's Bluff, and move the old men, women and children to the most
valuable of the abandoned plantations within our lines, and put them to work
cultivating the Crops growing on said plantations. The able bodied negro men,
including both those who have enlisted in companies and those who have not
enlisted, will be reported to the Commanding officer of Haines Bluff—for work
on the defences of that place and when their services are no longer required
for that purpose, those not enlisted will be put out to labor on the
plantations, and those enlisted will be subject to such orders as their
Commanding Officers may receive from Dept. Headquarters. The Commanding
Officers of troops near any of the Plantations, that may be so occupied, will,
when necessary, furnish such guards as may be required to protect the occupants
of the same from the insults of stragglers and will afford every facility in
their power to enable Lieut. Bryan to carry out these instructions without
interference or molestation The Quartermasters Department will turn over to
Lieut. Bryan for use in tilling of said plantations such of the Captured mules
and horses it may have as are unfit for service in the army.
SOURCE: John Y. Simon, Editor, The Papers of Ulysses S. Grant, Volume 8, p. 318-9
Monday, August 2, 2021
Major Charles Wright Wills: May 1, 1865—4:30 p.m.
We are 35 miles from Raleigh to-night, which makes 24 miles to-day over
Tar river, which is here about 50 yards wide and runs through a fine rolling,
high country. The march was splendidly conducted, no straggling, and the peace
orders were faithfully lived up to. It seems like the early days of my
soldiering to see the citizens all at home, their horses and mules in the
stables, and gardens full of vegetables passed untouched. When a man can pass
an onion bed without going for them, and they did a number of them to-day, no
one need talk to me of total depravity. The soldier goes more on onions than
any other luxury. The citizens have all "war's over” news, and seem to
feel good over it. At three different places there were groups of very healthy
looking young ladies, well dressed, by the roadside, waving their handkerchiefs
at us, and one told the boys she wished them to come back after they were
mustered out, for "you have killed all our young men off.” The virtuous
indignation welled up in my bosom like a new strike of oil. I'll venture that
these same women coaxed their beaux off to the war, and now that “Yank” is
ahead, they shake their handkerchiefs at us and cry, “bully Yanks.” The devil
take them and he'll be sure to do it. You have heard of woodticks? The man who
don't catch his pint a day is in awful luck. They have a tick picking twice a
day in this country, regularly as eating. Saw a wild turnip in bloom to-day.
Saturday, May 8, 2021
Diary of Corporal David L. Day: May 25, 1863
THE BOYS' STORY.
For the past day or two I have been a good deal amused and interested
in hearing the boys relate their adventures at Dover and Gum swamps. Their
stories conflict a little, but as: near as I can make it out I fix up a little
story: To prepare little, we hold an outpost and signal station some twelve miles
up the railroad, it Bachellor's creek towards Kinston. This is garrisoned by
the 58th Pennsylvania, Col. Jones. He is one of those stirring, active,
restless sort of men, always finding out everything and getting interested in
it. Well, he had discovered an outpost of the enemy some ten or twelve miles in
his front and some six miles this side of Kinston, at a place called Gum swamp,
and garrisoned by a considerable force. Now it occurred to him that it would be
a capital joke to capture that post. So he comes down and shows his plans to
the general, asking permission and troops to carry them out. He knew just who
was there and how many; he had been around that swamp half a dozen times and
knew all about it. That suited the general; he patted Jones on the back, called
him a good fellow and told him to sail in, and he should have all the troops he
wanted.
On the afternoon of the 21st, the 25th, with two or three other
regiments, went aboard the cars for Bachellor's creek. Not feeling very well, I
was excused from going. Arriving at the creek, Col. Jones with his regiment
heads the column, and leads off into the woods. This was a night march, and
just here I will explain that always on the march, whether day or night, all
the officers that are mounted (and any of them can be who will take the trouble
to steal an old horse or mule), have a disagreeable habit of riding up and down
the column, opening it to the right and left, and those that have the least
business do the most riding: The boys have become so accustomed to jumping out
each side of the road on hearing Right, and Left, that this is about the first
thing they do on hearing almost any order. .
THEY SEE A GHOST OR SOMETHING.
Sometime towards midnight the boys heard the cry, "Right and Left,
double quick !” They made a jump, and just then what appeared to them like a
streak of greased lightning went down the line. They say it wasn't a horse or
man or anything they ever saw, and they are so filled with the marvelous and
supernatural that some of them actually think they saw some sort of phantom or
ghost. What they saw was probably a frightened deer or fox, but in the lone,
dark woods, and near the witching hour of midnight, with their nerves and
imaginations strained to their utmost tension, expecting that any moment,
almost anything might happen, it is not surprising that they could see ghosts,
phantoms and witches. But it is laughable to hear them tell it.
A COUNCIL OF WAR.
Soon after midnight they reached Core creek. Here they halted to rest
and concert their plans. It was agreed that Jones, with his regiment and the
27th Massachusetts should make a detour around and gain the rear of the enemy,
while the others were engaging their attention in front. When they heard him
thundering in the rear, they were to charge in, and bag the whole swag. The
plan was successfully carried out, so far as the charging in was concerned, but
as they charged in most of the enemy charged out on either flank and escaped.
They met with partial success, however, as they captured 165 prisoners, one
12-pounder gun, fifty horses and mules, and destroyed their camp and
earthworks. The conflict was not very severe, as they had only five or six men
slightly wounded. After having accomplished their object and sending off their
trophies, instead of immediately starting on their return march, they lingered
amid the scenes of their triumphs until late in the afternoon, when the enemy
in force, swooped down upon them, cutting them off from the railroad and with
shot and shell greatly accelerated their retreat.
THE RETREAT.
Late in the evening they reached Core creek, and being a little beyond
pursuit, halted to rest. But instead of forcing the march and reaching our
lines the same night, they crouched down and remained till morning. Then they
discovered the enemy on three sides of them, with an almost impenetrable swamp
on the other. This was Dover swamp, and as near as I can judge was similar to
the one we went through on Roanoke island, only of greater extent.
There was only one choice, and that must be quickly accepted. Into the
swamp they plumged, with mud and water to their knees, and thick tangle brush
and briars higher than their heads. They could go only in single file, and
their progress was slow and tedious. Towards noon they were met by another
enemy; the water in their canteens had given out and they began to experience
an intolerable thirst. With a burning sun above them and scarcely a breath of
air, with all manner of insects, reptiles and creeping things around them,
their condition was indeed pitiable. Still they pressed forward, some of them
filtering the slimy, muddy water through their caps or handkerchiefs and
drinking it, but it served better as in emetic than for quenching thirst. About
2 p. m., they emerged from the swamp, and nearly dying from exhaustion, reached
our lines at Bachellor's creek. Here they had rest and refreshment, after which
they boarded the cars and arrived back to camp about night, tired, ragged,
covered with mud and completely played out. This was their Gum swamp excursion
as they tell it. After the boys had left for home, the enemy still hovered
around the vicinity of Col. Jones' camp, and in his impulsive way he went out to
meet them, and while skirmishing with them was shot dead. The enemy soon
afterwards retired. Col. Jones was a brave man but of rather rash judgement.
SOURCE: David L. Day, My Diary of Rambles with the 25th Mass. Volunteer Infantry, p. 91-3
Wednesday, March 17, 2021
Major Charles Wright Wills: February 14, 1865
EXPLANATORY Note. Until this time the 15th Army Corps had never had a Corps Badge, though the other corps commanders had long tried to induce General Logan to adopt one. Yielding at last to their solicitations he issued the following order:
The adoption of the cartridge box as the distinguishing badge of the 15th Corps is said to have originated in this way: Before the battle of Missionary Ridge a soldier in the 11th Army Corps asked an Irish soldier of the 15th Corps what the badge of his corps was.
“And phwat is that badge thing?” he asked.
Being told and having no badge to show in reply, he answered, slapping his cartridge box: “It's that, wid 40 rounds!”
_______________
Nearing Columbia, S. C., February 14, 1865.
Good road to-day. Fine rolling country. Sand with pine wood and scrub oak. Saw the wagoners use their locks to-day for the first time since we crossed the Oconee, in Georgia. Logan's escort got after some Johnnie foragers to-day and captured four wagons and 50 or 60 horses and mules. The Rebels are shooting from the other side of the river and there was a lot in front of us when we stopped here. Lee is said to be in front with 40,000 men. It seems to be the opinion that we will have a fight. Can probably tell better to-morrow night. Rain all p. m., and still quite cold. Wear overcoats all the time.
Tuesday, February 23, 2021
Diary of John Beauchamp Jones: March 18, 1864
Bright and warmer, but windy.
Letters received at the department to-day, from Georgia, show than only one-eighth of the capacity of the railroads have been used for the subsistence of the army. The rogues among the multitude of quartermasters have made fortunes themselves, and almost ruined the country. It appears that there is abundance of grain and meat in the country, if it were only equally distributed among the consumers. It is to be hoped the rogues will now be excluded from the railroads.
The belief prevails that Gen. Lee's army is in motion. It may be a feint, to prevent reinforcements from being sent to Grant.
My daughter's cat is staggering to-day, for want of animal food. Sometimes I fancy I stagger myself. We do not average two ounces of meat daily; and some do not get any for several days together. Meal is $50 per bushel. I saw adamantine candles sell at auction to-day (box) at $10 per pound; tallow, $6.50. Bacon brought $7.75 per pound by the 100 pounds.
My good friend Dr. Powell and his family were absent from the farm near the city during the late raid. The enemy carried off several of his finest horses and mules, and consumed much of his supplies of food, etc., but utterly failed to induce any of his negroes to leave the place—and he has many. One of the female servants, when the enemy approached, ran into the house and secured all the silver, concealing it in her own house, and keeping it safely for her mistress.
SOURCE: John Beauchamp Jones, A Rebel War Clerk's Diary at the Confederate States Capital, Volume 2, p. 173-4
Diary of John Beauchamp Jones: March 19, 1864
Warmer, calm and cloudy.
I saw a large turkey to-day in market (wild), for which $100 was demanded.
I saw Dr. Powell to-day. He says the Federals asked his servants where the master and mistress had gone? and they were told that they had been called to Petersburg to see a sick daughter. They then asked where the spoons were, and were told none were in the house. They asked if there was not a watch, and the servant said her master wore it. They then demanded where the money was kept, and were told it was always kept in bank. They made the servants open drawers, press, etc.; and when they discovered some pans of milk, they took them up and drank out of them with eagerness. They took nothing from the house, destroyed nothing, and the doctor deems himself fortunate. They left him two horses and eight mules.
SOURCE: John Beauchamp Jones, A Rebel War Clerk's Diary at the Confederate States Capital, Volume 2, p. 174
Monday, January 25, 2021
Diary of Corporal David L. Day: November 12, 1862
THE TARBORO MARCH.
On the morning of Oct. 30, Major Pickett, with six companies (the other four being on picket up the Trent road), left Newbern, embarking on the steamer Highlander for Washington on the Pamlico river. Here we joined Gen. Foster's expedition for a raid up the country. The force consisted of the 17th, 23d, 24th and 25th Massachusetts and 10th Connecticut regiments of three years' troops, and the 3d, 5th and 44th Massachusetts regiments of nine months' troops, with five batteries of the 3d New York artillery, Capt. Belgers' Rhode Island battery and seven companies of the 3d New York cavalry, besides a heavy wagon and ambulance train.
On Sunday morning Nov. 2, the expedition left Washington for a march across the country to the Roanoke river. The 23d and 25th were detailed as guard over the wagon and ambulance train. We marched through a poor and sparsely populated section of country without interruption or anything to create excitement, until about the middle of the afternoon, when we heard firing on the advance. They had reached a swamp of considerable width, with a small creek running across and overflowing the road for quite a distance. At this point two regiments of the enemy disputed the passage of the swamp, and a brisk infantry and artillery fire commenced, which lasted with short intervals for an hour or more, when the cavalry and two batteries charged the enemy beat a precipitate retreat, greatly accelerated [sic] by shells from the batteries. Our loss was small, not over a dozen killed and wounded, and most of these were from the 44th Massachusetts, which behaved nobly.
During this skirmish the wagon train made slow progress, advancing a short distance and then halting. It was late in the evening when we reached the swamp. All the troops were on the other side, but we got orders to halt where we night. The mules were fed and we made a supper of cold meat, hardtack and coffee, after which we lay down by the side of the fence to sleep.
MULES IN A MUDHOLE.
Next morning the mule teams commenced the passage of the swamp and mudhole. Hearing a great noise and shouting, I went down to see what was up. I mounted the rude foot bridge at the side, improvised for the benefit of pedestrians, and walked along until I was near the middle of the mudhole and where the creek crossed the road. Here was a file of men on each side of the road, armed with hoop-poles and standing in mud and water from six inches to three feet deep. When a team was driven in, it received all necessary encouragement from the hoop-poles and strong lungs of the men while running the gauntlet. If the pilot was skilful and kept on the corduroy, the passage would be made before the mules would get discouraged. Sometimes the mules would get off the corduroy, but if the wagon kept on, the mules would manage to flounder back and go on. After a spell a careless driver ran his wagon off the corduroy and down it went to the axle. Here was a pretty fix. The mules couldn't haul it out and no other team could get by. It was decided to unload the wagon, so the mules could pull it out. The load, consisting of beef and hardtack, was dumped into the creek, but the mules knew nothing of this arrangement, they only knew they were hopelessly stuck, and when they were appealed to haul out the wagon, they obstinately refused; bracing out their forelegs and sticking their ears straight up in the air, they seemed to proclaim themselves a fixture. No amount of swearing and belaboring them with hoop-poles had the slightest effect. Capt. Schenck, who was standing by watching the fun, told them he would hitch on one of his teams and haul them out. The captain had a battery of 20-pounder Napoleon guns, with teams of eight heavy horses. He ordered in one of the teams and told them to bitch on to the mules, and when all was ready, he would give the order. When all was ready, the captain yelled, “Forward, march!” The horses, understanding the order, stepped smartly off; while the mules, not understanding it, did not keep step with the horses, but standing there braced out, the heels of three or four of them went up in the air, and they came down on their heads; in this way, sometimes under water and sometimes out, kicking and floundering, trying to regain their feet, they were dragged out through the mudhole, to the great delight and amusement of the captain and all other spectators.
This place is known as Rawls' Mills creek, and that a grateful posterity may better understand the situation, I quote from Longfellow or some other fellow:
Then the muels strove and tuggedUp the hillsides steep and rugged,
Till they came unto a mudhole;
This was nary a common puddle,
One it was without a bottom,
Into which the muels, rot 'em,
Got so very far deluded,
Nothing but their ears protruded,
Picturing in a situation
Uncle Abe's administration.
DARKIES AND MULES.
All the teams across, the march was resumed through a much better country, and we reached Williamston on the Roanoke river, about noon. Our teams are four horse and six mule teams. Some of the male teams are driven by darkies, who sit on the nigh hind mule and pilot the craft by means of a single line running to the leaders, called a jerk line. With this line and their peculiar mule dialect, they handle the team admirably. Darkies and mules work together naturally; they understand each other perfectly and have the same dialect. Take a mule team that a white man can do nothing with, and let a darky come along and speak to them; in a minute they are entirely different animals and as docile as a kitten. They seem to have a love for him and are perfectly cognizant of all his actions and movements. If a darky while driving falls asleep, the mules know it in a minute and will stop. The leaders will face about and commence tangling themselves up in the chains and gearing of the next pair, and that will go on until some one hits the nigger on his head with a pine knot or lamp of clay, waking him up. Ile will give the line a few jerks and call out to the mules in their language, and they will untangle themselves, straighten out and go on as though nothing had happened. Niggers and mules are a great institution.
Williamston is a pretty little town of about 1200 or 1500 inhabitants, nearly all of whom wad left, leaving it to the tender mercies of an army; of course what was left lying around loose was gobbled up. When the wagon train marched through, the boys were frying the chickens and pigs in the streets, and probably the houses and stores contributed to their wants. The train halted just outside the town till about 4 p. m., when we again resumed the march, going up the Hamilton road.
We went up this road about ten miles, and bivouacked in a large field of corn about 10 p. m. This afforded abundant forage for our horses and mules, also good beds and fires for ourselves. This day's march was through a fine section of country and without opposition. A great quantity of corn was yet unharvested and a few barnsful [sic] of harvested corn which we found was set on fire, as being the best and quickest way to market it.
PLANTATION DANCE.
Soon after we got into camp, a few darkies were seen lurking around, not knowing exactly whether it would do to come too near. But their fears were soon dispelled by a few darkies who were with us, telling them “de Yankees are our frien’s,” and to come right along. They soon began to flock into camp, and in a little while a hundred or more had come in. After the boys had their suppers, large fires were kindled, around which 200 or 300 of the boys formed a ring and getting thirty or forty of these darkies, men and women, inside, set them to dancing. They were free then and seemed anxious to do anything to please the boys and keep on good terms with them. Three or four of them would pat the time and the rest would dance. They seemed to enjoy the fun as much as the spectators. Here was a genuine plantation dance in costume; men and women were dressed in well-worn garments of gunny cloth or Kentucky jeans, with enormous brogan, shoes of russet leather, some of them looking as though they had a whole tannery on their feet. Some of the old were a little lame and would try to get rid of dancing by saying they didn't know how, but the boys would tell them they did and that they must go in. It was great sport to watch the anties they cut up trying to dance. The next morning this field of corn comprising nearly or quite fifty acres, was nicely harvested. I don't think ten bushels could have been saved from it.
RAINBOW BLUFF.
On the march at sunrise; just before noon we came out of the woods into an open country and in full view of the famous Rainbow bluff of which we had heard so much. The batteries were soon in position and skirmishers were sent out to examine the situation. After a time word came back that no enemy was near, the batteries limbered up and the march resumed. We were soon on the bluff, which was well fortified on the river and east sides but quite defenseless in the rear; it would have been an easy matter to have shelled out an enemy had there been one there. Here we found our gunboat fleet which had come up and was going to keep us company higher up the river. After destroying these works we moved on, reaching the little town of Hamilton about 2 p. m., and halted just outside. Here we were to stop three or four hours for rest and dinner.
A PRIVATE DINNER PARTY.
I suggested to Doctor Ben that it would be a good plan to forage our dinner; to this he assented and said if I could find some sweet potatoes he would finish the chicken or pig. We started out, going up town; here we separated, each one to obtain his share of the dinner and then meet again on the corner. I was not long in finding a garden in which grew the potatoes; making a break in the fence I soon filled my haversack, and returning to the corner, waited for the doctor. Great was my surprise to soon see him coming down the street with a hen dangling by the legs, and in charge of an officer of the guard, going in the direction of the general's headquarters, on the veranda of which he and his staff were sitting. Being an interested party, I thought I would attend the conference. The officer preferred his charges, and Capt. Dan, the provost marshal, commenced the trial. He did not seem to get very much interested in it, and the doctor was getting along nicely with it, until the general began a cross examination by asking him if he had not heard the order in regard to foraging? The doctor admitted that he had. “How then does it happen that you do not observe it?” This was a pretty close question and I began to tremble for him, but he proved equal to the emergency; after waiting a moment he looked up and said, “General, this rebellion has got to be crushed if it takes every hen in North Carolina.” A smile lit up the face of the general, who asked, "Where is your regiment?" “Just beyond here, sir.” “Go to it, my boy, and get your dinner and be ready to march in a couple of hours or so.
We started, congratulating each other over the fortunate turn affairs had taken. We had a good dinner, and were well rested when the order came to march, about 6 p. m.
BURNING OF HAMILTON.
This was a small town about half as large as Williamston, and like all other southern towns I have seen was built all in a heap. The inhabitants all left on our approach, and exhibited a bad feeling by cutting their well ropes and filling the wells with rubbish. This so incensed the boys that on leaving they set the town on fire, and we marched away by the light of it. A tramp of five or six miles up the Weldon road brought us to a plantation on which was a big cornfield. Into this we filed and put up for the night. Here again was forage for the team and cavalry horses and material for beds and fires. Our force of darkies was greatly augmented, they came in by hundreds, and after we had our supper the plantation dance was in order.
THE GUNBOATS THUNDERING UP THE RIVER.
The gunboats had come up the river, and were now working their way towards Halifax, causing, I presume, the people of that town a terrible fright. They would fire an occasional shot as an advance notice of their coming, and on the still night air the boom of the big guns far up the river was wafted back to our camp.
NOT SEEKING A FIGHT.
They were expecting us at Halifax and Weldon and were making preparations to receive us, but the general was not up in that part of the country looking for a tight. A battle up there would have been without results to us, unless it was the loss of men.
He was up there simply looking over the country, picking up a few horses and mules and helping the planters do their harvesting. The general, not caring to go where they were expecting him, the next morning turned his course across the country towards Tarboro, a town on the Tar river, some twenty miles west, hoping to reach there before the enemy could concentrate their forces against him.
A RICH COUNTRY.
This day's march was through a rich and fertile section of country, abounding in large, rich plantations, affording plenty of luxuries for the boys and a great many horses and mules for the use of the army. The contrabands flocked in droves to our standard, and were very useful in carrying our blankets, filling canteens, foraging chickens and pigs, toting rails for the fires, and in many other ways. We harvested a large field of corn at noon and burned several barnfuls during the day, reaching camp late in the evening, some five or six miles from Tarboro. A heavy northeast rain storm set in during the night, and we could hear the cars running, bringing troops into Tarboro. Scouting parties were sent out to reconnoitre the enemy's force and position, and reported they were in force and fortified between us and the town. As the general’s errand up through this part of the country was more for observation than fight, he thought with his small force of infantry (and a part of that new troops) and with a cumbersome wagon train, he had better act on the defensive, and early the next morning ordered a retreat.
THE RETREAT.
The morning was dark and dreary. With a heavy northeast rain storm blowing, the enemy in force in front of us and expecting an attack on or rear, when the retreat commenced our prospects were anything but flattering. Quietly the order was given for the wagons to start and make the time as short as possible back some eight miles to an old church and cross roads, past which we had come the day before, and there await further orders. Three companies of cavalry preceded us as an advance guard. The road was very muddy and the traveling hard, but that made no difference; the teams were urged forward and the boys exhibited remarkable enterprise in getting over the road. I thought I had never seen our boys more interested in anything than they were in this. Not even applejack nor all the luxuries that lay scattered along their pathway had any charms for them. Their whole souls seemed centered on the old church, and they were thorough[h]ly absorbed in their efforts to reach it. I don't believe they ever took half so much interest before in going to a church. The old church and cross roads were reached before noon, and we anxiously awaited the arrival of the general. Not hearing any firing in the rear we concluded they were lying for us at some other point, if they were intending an attack on us. The cavalry informed us that the bridge across the creek out in the swamp, over which we crossed the day before, was taken up and things looked as though somebody might be waiting for us on the other side. The troops were now coming up, and a couple of batteries dashed past us, down the road into the swamp. The general soon came up and seemed quite pleased that he had gained this point without opposition, and thought there would be no further trouble.
The commander is a practical engineer, and can map with his eye the country as he passes through it, picking out the strong and weak positions, moving his troops in this or the other direction, holding such roads and positions as he thinks will give him an advantage, and when a movement is ordered, it is entered on by his troops with full confidence of success. Two roads branched from the one we were on, one taking a north-easterly direction, the other a north-westerly. Up these roads the cavalry were sent. to make a reconnoissance. The pioneer corps was ordered down to the creek, over which the bridge had been taken up, and commenced felling trees as though they intended to rebuild it. After an hour's ride, the cavalry returned and reported everything all right. A part of the infantry and artillery now took the advance, going up the north-easterly road, followed by the wagon train, while the balance of the troops brought up the rear. While this was going on, the sharp ring of the axes could be heard out in the swamp as though that was the intended route, but after the column had got well under way, the pioneers abandoned their job and followed along. The route lay through an open country, easy of defence, and if anybody was waiting for us on the other side of the swamp (as we have since learned there was), they got nicely fooled. About night we reached the site where two days before stood the town of Hamilton. Nothing remained but a few scattered rookeries on the outskirts occupied by negroes. There was, however, one small two story building standing a little apart from the others, which was saved, and into this went company B, taking the up-stairs tenement, while the lower one was occupied by a company of the 5th Massachusetts. The night was cold and stormy, snowing quite heavily, and the little army was obliged to stand it or find shelter as best they could. I reckon the boys who set the fires bitterly repented of their acts, as they must have suffered much, and a good many of them were worn down and sick from the long march.
By morning the storm had abated, but there were about two inches of soft snow or slush, and some of the boys were barefoot, having worn out their shoes, and a good many were nearly or quite sick. The surgeons looked over their regiments, sending the sick and bare-footed aboard the gunboats for Plymouth, for which place the troops were bound.
The order of exercises for today was a march back to Williamston, which I very much regretted not being able to do, as I rather enjoy these rambles through the country and feel disappointed when I cannot go, but I had been a little under the weather for a clay or two, and was sent with the others aboard the little gunboat Hetzel, where we were greatly sympathized with by the marines, who seemed to think we had had a pretty hard time of it, and who showed us every favor and indulgence that lay in their power. The boats steamed slowly down the river, keeping along with the army, and arriving at Plymouth on the afternoon of the 10th, having made a two weeks' excursion.
THE RESULT.
I reckon the landed nobility up the country through which we traveled will never care to see another excursion of the same kind. They probably by this time begin to think that war is not so pretty a pastime, and the Confederate commissariat can mourn the loss of many thousand bushels of corn. We made a desolation of the country through which we passed, and that proud aristocracy can now look over their desolate fields, and in vain call the roll of their slaves; can sit down and make a nice calculation of how much better off they are under their Confederacy than they would have been had they remained loyal to the old flag. We cleaned up pretty much everything there was, bringing back with us upwards of 1000 negroes and several hundred horses and mules.
Coming down the river we ran past what appeared to be a large cotton plantation, when some 40 or 50 negroes came running down to the shore and begged to be taken aboard. They were the most forlorn and wretched looking beings I had ever seen; their clothing was little else than rags, scarcely covering their nakedness. Some of them followed us nearly a mile down the river, begging piteously to be taken aboard. I pitied the poor creatures, but was powerless to help them, and the thought occurred to me that if God cares for all his creatures, he surely must have forgotten these.
SOURCE: David L. Day, My Diary of Rambles with the 25th Mass. Volunteer Infantry, p. 69-76
Tuesday, December 1, 2020
Captain Charles Wright Wills: December 6, 1864
Monday, November 2, 2020
Diary of 5th Sergeant Osborn H. Oldroyd: June 17, 1863
I was detailed to the charge of a squad of men to guard rebel prisoners in the corral at Logan's headquarters. They were not hard to guard, for they think themselves in pretty good hands, and surely they seem to get better grub here than in their own lines. Some of them are deserters, and upon such I look with contempt. I am ready to share my rations with an honest prisoner, but have no use for a man who enlists in a cause, and then deserts his comrades when they get into a tight place.
If what they say is true, the garrison over there is already familiar with mule meat and scanty meal rations. If they have had to eat mules such as we have killed in the trenches, I pity them, for they are on a tough job. Several cows which I suppose had served families there with milk, we had to kill for browsing too close to our lines.
I am pretty well convinced Pemberton would not hold out much longer but for the help he expects from Johnston. If that, however, is all the hope they have, they might as well surrender at once, for if Johnston should come, he can not do them any good.
A ball struck a little drummer boy a while ago, and he limped off, whimpering: “I wouldn't care a darn, but my other leg has been shot already.” Some of the boys went to his assistance, and then they had to hurry towards the hospital, for the rebels got range of them and began firing quite briskly.
I was quite amused to see one of the prisoners brought in today, eating his supper. We gave him all he could eat, and that was no small amount. But he was certainly a very hungry man, and if he is a fair sample of those remaining in Vicksburg, Uncle Sam's commissary will have to endure quite a burden, for after the surrender, no doubt, Grant will have to feed them all.
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* This projectile, as shown in No. 1, is composed of a cast-iron body. The expanding portion is a papier-mache wad, which being forced onto the cone, is expanded into the rifling of the bore. On issuing from the bore, the wad is blown to pieces, leaving the projectile entirely unincumbered in its flight through the air (No. 2.)
SOURCE: Osborn Hamiline Oldroyd, A Soldier's Story of the Siege of Vicksburg, p. 55-6
Sunday, November 1, 2020
Captain Charles Wright Wills: December 5, 1864
Sunday, October 11, 2020
Diary of John Beauchamp Jones: Sunday, February 7, 1864
The tocsin is sounding at 9 A.M. It appears that Gen. Butler is marching up the Peninsula (I have not heard the estimated number of his army) toward Richmond. But, being in the Secretary's room for a moment, I heard him say to Gen. Elzey that the “local defense men” must be relied on to defend Richmond. These men are mainly clerks and employees of the departments, who have just been insulted by the government, being informed that no increased compensation will be allowed them because they are able to bear arms. In other words, they must famish for subsistence, and their families with them, because they happen to be of fighting age, and have been patriotic enough to volunteer for the defense of the government, and have drilled, and paraded, and marched, until they are pronounced good soldiers. Under these circumstances, the Secretary of War says they must be relied upon to defend the government. In my opinion, many of them are not reliable. Why were they appointed contrary to law? Who is to blame but the Secretaries themselves? Ah! but the Secretaries had pets and relatives of fighting age they must provide for; and these, although not dependent on their salaries, will get the increased compensation, and will also be exempted from aiding in the defense of the city—at least such has been the practice heretofore. These things being known to the proscribed local troops (clerks, etc.), I repeat my doubts of their reliability at any critical moment.
We have good news from the Rappahannock. It is said Gen. Rosser yesterday captured several hundred prisoners, 1200 beeves, 350 mules, wagons of stores, etc. etc.
Nevertheless, there is some uneasiness felt in the city, there being nearly 12,000 prisoners here, and all the veteran troops of Gen. Elzey's division are being sent to North Carolina.
SOURCE: John Beauchamp Jones, A Rebel War Clerk's Diary at the Confederate States Capital, Volume 2, p. 144-5
Monday, August 24, 2020
Captain Charles Wright Wills: November 17, 1864 — 12 a.m.
Thursday, July 16, 2020
Diary of 5th Sergeant Osborn H. Oldroyd: May 31, 1863
Saturday, July 4, 2020
Diary of 5th Sergeant Osborn H. Oldroyd: May 24, 1863
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