Diary of Private John J. Wyeth, March 30, 1863

SIEGE AT WASHINGTON.

It has rained nearly all this week, and until yesterday we have been loafing, trying to kill time. Last night our company was on picket again up the road towards Tarboro, coming in this morning about six o'clock. They had a most miserable time. Twitchell was sent to the hospital sick. A few of us were on guard here, so escaped picket duty.

Gen. Foster arrived here this morning, and by noon Companies A and G, under command of Capt. J. M. Richardson of "A," with one howitzer, were tramping across the bridge towards New Berne on a scout. Those who could went to the water's edge to watch them. They were soon in action, meeting a force of rebels who handled them severely. Finding quite a strong force protected by breastworks, they were ordered back, to give the "Louisiana" a chance to shell the woods. Capt. Richardson of "A" was wounded twice in the left arm.

They left Sergt. Hobart, Corp. Lawrence, and John Leonard of "G," who were taken prisoners. The rebels closed on them and carried them off. Several others were struck, but none seriously hurt. About every man at the head of the column was hit. Capt. Richardson was heard to say, "It is rough to go through what I have (five or six battles) without a scratch, and get hurt in this affair."

SOURCE: John Jasper Wyeth, Leaves from a Diary Written While Serving in Co. E, 44 Mass. Dep’t of North Carolina from September 1862 to June 1863, p. 44

Daniel Webster to Millard Fillmore, September 28, 1851

(EXTRACT.)

Marshfield, September 28, 1851.

MY DEAR SIR, — I heard with great pleasure of your arrival at Washington in safety and good health. I am sure your recollections of your visit to the Bostonians must be pleasant, as you gave them all much pleasure. It is a long time since they have seen among them a Whig President; I do not hear any thing but satisfaction from any quarter.

As soon as you left Boston, I went to the country, and stayed two or three days with Mr. Haven. I was far from being well, and one day quite sick. Sometimes the force of the catarrh seems pretty much broken, and then it returns attacking the head, eyes, nose, &c., with great violence. I think it is approaching its last stage, which is the asthmatic stage. Some of our friends who are subjects of the complaint, and who have short necks, dread this. I do not fear much from this, although in this stage I feel its influence more or less on the chest. Meantime, between the catarrh and the Harrisburg diarrhea, I am a good deal reduced. This cannot be denied, though I am not quite so sick, as the newspapers represent me sometimes.

The weather is now bad, and I am obliged to keep house; but it does me good to be out in fair weather. In such a day as this, a northeast rain-storm pouring, I cough a little, and am as hoarse as a frog.

But enough of myself.

Yours truly,

DAN'L WEBSTER.

SOURCE: Fletcher Webster, Editor, The Private Correspondence of Daniel Webster, Vol. 2, pp. 474-5

Diary of 2nd Lieutenant Benjamin F. Pearson, January 16, 1863

Freezing in the shade Icesicles to our cabbin eves 18 inches to 2 ft long the ponds of water covered with thin ice, forenoon snowing moderately & afternoon occasionally spitting snow I am suffering with pane in my back the snow is from 6 to 8 inches deep with a perfect slush of mud & watter under it

SOURCE: Edgar R. Harlan, Currator, Annals of Iowa, 3rd Series, Vol. 15, No. 2, October 1925, p. 105

Diary of 2nd Lieutenant Benjamin F. Pearson, January 17, 1863

Ice on the ponds in Helena is barely sufficient to beare up a man & some are sliding & occasionally one breaks in & gets wet, some to the waste & there is a good time of the lookers on to chear, by noon it was thawing so that none went on it afternoon I received two letters bearing me the sad noose of the deep affliction of my Dear son Amandus he has been sick for several weeks & now inflamation of the brain & the letter states the Doctors say he only has one chance out of eleven to recover, Oh how my hart is smitten. Oh that God would spare my precious boy & grant us all the privilege of again enjoying our family alter together.

SOURCE: Edgar R. Harlan, Currator, Annals of Iowa, 3rd Series, Vol. 15, No. 2, October 1925, p. 105

Diary of 2nd Lieutenant Benjamin F. Pearson, Sunday, January 18, 1863

Morning a fiew boys ventured on the ice some broke in. the day was mild & the snow melted fast, & the mud is in great abundance, at 2½ Oc I attended meeting in a log chapple without floor seats or pulpit save the ground there was a doore up and 2 holes for windows & a hole in the clapboard roof for a stove pipe but no stove or pipe there Our Chaplain preached & called on me & I closed after him text Come & let us reason together &c I am afflicted with paine in my back

SOURCE: Edgar R. Harlan, Currator, Annals of Iowa, 3rd Series, Vol. 15, No. 2, October 1925, p. 105

Diary of 2nd Lieutenant Benjamin F. Pearson, January 19, 1863

My back is yet suffering I fear it is rheumatism Our Capt TM Fee has gone out with a squad of men on picket his first adventure here

SOURCE: Edgar R. Harlan, Currator, Annals of Iowa, 3rd Series, Vol. 15, No. 2, October 1925, p. 105

Diary of 2nd Lieutenant Benjamin F. Pearson, January 20, 1863

My back is not much better Evening Capt TM Fee & 1 took a little tramp, & visited the fine former residence of the Rebble Brig Genl JC Tappan it is a verry elegantly finished two story frame building. the furniture is elegant & there remains the remnant of an extensive library I discovered on the book the Orderly had marked me unable for duty without my knowledge I had him stop it I have been marked four days the first and only time since I enlisted

SOURCE: Edgar R. Harlan, Currator, Annals of Iowa, 3rd Series, Vol. 15, No. 2, October 1925, pp. 105-6

Diary of 2nd Lieutenant Benjamin F. Pearson, January 27, 1863

I am suffering with pain in my back, I dobed some on our cabbin & visited Genl Washburns Head Quarters in the Rebble Brig Genl Tappans house

SOURCE: Edgar R. Harlan, Currator, Annals of Iowa, 3rd Series, Vol. 15, No. 2, October 1925, p. 106

Diary of 2nd Lieutenant Benjamin F. Pearson, January 28, 1863

Morning cold the mud froze so it bears a man up, The Cavilry took a skout yesterday afternoon & about 200 of them went out to a Rebble ball at Lagrange 15 miles west of Helena, they took 5 Rebbles Soldiers & spies in our uniform & 8 Citizens & some of them ran when the cavelry rode up, & John Westenberger from near Centerville Iowa who is in the 3rd Iowa Cavelry dismounted & ran after them hallowing halt but they did not heed & he shot down a Reb Capt Gib or Gibbs he died in a few minutes. Westenberger tended me¹ when I built Wadlingtons house at Centerville. I finished pointing up our cabbin I feel very unwell my bones all ache & my back is verry painfull.

_______________

¹ The writer was a brick and stone mason by trade.

SOURCE: Edgar R. Harlan, Currator, Annals of Iowa, 3rd Series, Vol. 15, No. 2, October 1925, pp. 106-7

Diary of 2nd Lieutenant Benjamin F. Pearson, January 30, 1863

I am suffering with pains in all my bones & am indifference to moving when seated We drilled some in bayonet exersize, the volts; passades &c Our Major Woodward was unfortunate his servent Frank a white man road his fine horse to town & in jumping a ditch the horse broke his leg & they had to shoot him, the Major is quite sick & they have not yet let him know it

SOURCE: Edgar R. Harlan, Currator, Annals of Iowa, 3rd Series, Vol. 15, No. 2, October 1925, p. 107

Diary of Lieutenant-Colonel John Beatty, January 25, 1862

We are not studying so much as we were. The General's grasp has relaxed, and he does not hold us with a tight reign and stiff bit any longer.

There is a great deal of sickness among the troops; many cases of colds, rheumatism, and fever, resulting from exposure. Passing through the company quarters of our regiment at midnight, I was alarmed by the constant and heavy coughing of the men. I fear the winter will send many more to the grave than the bullets of the enemy, for a year to come.

SOURCE: John Beatty, The Citizen-soldier: Or, Memoirs of a Volunteer, p. 97

Diary of 5th Sergeant Lawrence Van Alstyne, February 20, 1863

Captain Bostwick came to see me to-day. Two men died last night, one in the hospital and the other in his tent. I don't feel as well to-day.

SOURCE:  Lawrence Van Alstyne, Diary of an Enlisted Man, p. 88

Diary of 5th Sergeant Lawrence Van Alstyne, February 21, 1863

Think I am really better to-day. If I keep on I'll soon be out of this and with the boys again. But they all come in to see the sick as often as they can and so we keep track of each other.

SOURCE:  Lawrence Van Alstyne, Diary of an Enlisted Man, p. 88

Diary of 5th Sergeant Lawrence Van Alstyne, Wednesday, March 4, 1863

I have been very sick. This is the first time I have felt able to make a mark with a pencil. I was taken in the night, after the day I thought myself so much better. Was taken out in the tent, from which I judge I have had fever.

SOURCE:  Lawrence Van Alstyne, Diary of an Enlisted Man, p. 89

Diary of 5th Sergeant Lawrence Van Alstyne, March 10, 1863

Don't feel quite so smart as I did. This getting well is slow business.

SOURCE:  Lawrence Van Alstyne, Diary of an Enlisted Man, p. 89

Diary of 5th Sergeant Lawrence Van Alstyne, March 14, 1863

Not feeling so good these last few days.

SOURCE:  Lawrence Van Alstyne, Diary of an Enlisted Man, p. 90

Diary of 5th Sergeant Lawrence Van Alstyne, March 16, 1863

Ben Crowther is awful sick. He is a fine fellow and we hate to lose him. He is of better stuff than the average of us. I wish I could kill his nurse, for he has him tied down to the bed and stands laughing at his efforts to get loose. But it is the only way to keep him in one place, for he is out of his head. Talks to his wife as if she was right by his side.

SOURCE:  Lawrence Van Alstyne, Diary of an Enlisted Man, p. 90

Diary of 5th Sergeant Lawrence Van Alstyne, March 18, 1863

Too much excitement yesterday and I feel like two weeks ago. The doctor says I will have these setbacks though and it is only a part of the process of getting well. A man named Kipp died to-day. I don't know how many die out in the tent.

SOURCE:  Lawrence Van Alstyne, Diary of an Enlisted Man, p. 91

Diary of 5th Sergeant Lawrence Van Alstyne, March 20, 1863

Orderly Holmes is very sick. His discharge is under his pillow (or knapsack). He lies in a room next to this and I can hear him talk, giving orders to the company as if he were well.

SOURCE:  Lawrence Van Alstyne, Diary of an Enlisted Man, p. 91

Diary of 5th Sergeant Lawrence Van Alstyne, March 27, 1863

Have been downstairs. My legs just made out to get me there and back. Will they ever get strong again? But I am getting there, slow but sure, as I can see by looking back only a short time.

SOURCE:  Lawrence Van Alstyne, Diary of an Enlisted Man, p. 92