Left Nashville on foot to join my company and regiment again. Came twenty-three miles through rain, and the roads being very muddy, we encamped for the night in a cedar house, used by our videttes or dispatch carriers; a march of 23 miles.
SOURCE: Adam S. Johnston, The Soldier Boy's Diary Book, pp. 26-7
4 Oc we ware on dress
parade in the mud & rain 2½ Oc Brother Oiler Chaplain of the 21st Mo Inft
preached to us text 1st psalm Capt Morton exorted he is of the Mo Inft night H D
Morrison preached text take the whole armour Hare exorted & we had a
speaking & it was a glorious time.
SOURCE: Edgar R.
Harlan, Currator, Annals of Iowa, 3rd Series, Vol. 15, No. 2,
October 1925, p. 98
A light frost in the
morning & our Co was in it all night guns in hand & no blankets with us
& no rebels came to let us try our guns or grit and it was luckey for them.
I am now sleepy, have slept none since thursday night it is at least 65 hours
since I slept & I believe I could go 24 more. I took dinner with G N Udell
of Centerville, Appanoose Co Iowa at his Boarding house in the citty of Memphis
with the family of the Seargent of the 17 Reg Iowa Vol afternoon we rambled
through the citty viewed A Jackson's monument in Center of Court Square &
seen the work of traytor hands the defacing of his words that ware cut in his
monument (The Federal union must be preserved)
SOURCE: Edgar R.
Harlan, Currator, Annals of Iowa, 3rd Series, Vol. 15, No. 2,
October 1925, p. 101
Weather severely hot
as it has been learned that a break by the prisoners is planned, and warns them
for three weeks. A supply of sumach buds must have arrived and are given out
freely to be steeped and drank for scurvy. A sergeant belonging to a work squad
outside was shot by a guard, wounding him in the arm and hip and wounding
another man, He took hold of the guard's gun. Some on parole get too intimate
with Rebels; value principles less than extra rations. That such men have to be
shot to remind them that they are dealing with traitors does not so much
matter. While washing my shirt at the creek this afternoon the centry [sic] fired, the shot whizzing by my head
as I stooped, striking in the bank and spattering mud in the faces of four of
us. Lots of shooting has been done by guards for over a week and several men
have been killed and wounded. Limbs are amputated at the hospital for slight
injuries, The arm of one of our men hit by a sentry a few days ago was promptly
sawed off. Another tunnel found; dogs are seeking a trail. New forts are
plainly to be seen. Negroes work all night. Reported fighting at Atlanta and
that some of our forces are expected at Macon.
SOURCE: John Worrell
Northrop, Chronicles from the Diary of a War Prisoner in Andersonville
and Other Military Prisons of the South in 1864, pp. 92-3
Very blustery. Debate on anticipation and possession.
SOURCE: Lewis C. Paxson, Diary of Lewis C. Paxson: Stockton, N.J., 1862-1865, p. 11
21 below zero and windy.
SOURCE: Lewis C. Paxson, Diary of Lewis C. Paxson: Stockton, N.J., 1862-1865, p. 11
20 below zero. I wrote to sister Letitia.
SOURCE: Lewis C. Paxson, Diary of Lewis C. Paxson: Stockton, N.J., 1862-1865, p. 11
Feel some better and did my office business. Made out a new roster for February. Very blustery, snowy, a howling, blustering storm.
SOURCE: Lewis C. Paxson, Diary of Lewis C. Paxson: Stockton, N.J., 1862-1865, p. 11
72d Ill. detailed as
rear guard. A large train of supplies and ammunition going out to the armies in
advance. Roads terribly dusty and weather exceedingly hot. Met hundreds of
"contrabands" going into Grand Gulf. No one can imagine the
picturesque and comic appearance of the negroes, all ages, shapes and sizes.
All seemed happy at the idea of being free, but what is to become of them the
men can be made soldiers, but women and children must suffer. Encamped in a
beautiful grove; not having tents, we bivouacked in the open air.
SOURCE: Joseph
Stockton, War Diary (1862-5) of Brevet Brigadier General Joseph
Stockton, p. 14
Weather warm and
roads dusty. Marched over the battlefield of Port Gibson, where McPherson
cleaned the rebels out most effectually. Twenty-two miles today.
SOURCE: Joseph
Stockton, War Diary (1862-5) of Brevet Brigadier General Joseph
Stockton, p. 14
Roads terribly dusty
and weather hot. Marched quick time; water scarce, rations reduced, consisting
of two pieces of hard tack and half rations of coffee a day since leaving Grand
Gulf. Sherman's corps got ahead of us. Reached our long-looked-for destination
at last, the rear of Vicksburg. We arrived about dusk a mile outside of the
rebel fortifications. Sherman's corps marched to the right of the Jackson Road,
the one on which we entered, their right extending to the Mississippi River
(north of Vicksburg), McPherson's corps coming next, and Ransom's brigade being
in the front. took position on Sherman's left, and McClernand's corps coming in
on another road took position on McPherson's left, and at last we had the
rebels hemmed in Vicksburg, the goal of our hopes for months past, the object
of so many hard marches, the rebel stronghold in the West, the only point that
kept the Mississippi River from being free to the North. The 72d Ill. was
thrown out as advance guard that night and myself as officer of the guard.
Although completely worn out I did not dare to sleep, but kept moving from
point to point all night. At one time a party of cavalry came riding along the
road on which I had posted some men, and although dressed in our uniform my men
would not let them pass until they had sent for me. I recognized one of the
officers and permitted them to go through. A large fire was burning in
Vicksburg, but we could not discover what it was. We knew there would be bloody
work for the morrow, as we would have to assault their works to get into
Vicksburg.
SOURCE: Joseph
Stockton, War Diary (1862-5) of Brevet Brigadier General Joseph
Stockton, p. 15
A day long to be
remembered by those who participated in the events I now write about. We all
knew we were to assault the rebel works, and that there would be bloody work.
The day was a beautiful one, but very warm. We got breakfast early, and shortly
word came that the assault would be made at two o'clock promptly, but that we
would move at ten o'clock to take our positions. The ground had been
reconnoitered as best it could by General Ransom and the field officers of the
brigade the night previous. Early in the morning General Ransom and staff took
seats near our quarters, where we had a good position, to see the rebel works.
We talked and chatted, and Colonel Wright had a splendid field glass, and
Ransom remarked jocosely: "Colonel, if you are killed I want you to leave
that glass to me." "All right," said he, but I remarked:
"Stop, Colonel, you forget you left that to your boy when you made your
will at Memphis." "That is so," replied Wright. Poor fellow, a
few hours afterwards he was carried off the field badly wounded. I climbed a
large tree to get as good a view as possible, and reported to Ransom that they
had no interior works but a single line of fortification. When 10 o'clock came
we fell into line and the regiment counted; we numbered four hundred men. At
the word "forward" we started in two ranks down the ravine and
commenced to climb up the ascent on the other side, Company A in the advance.
It was hard work climbing over and under the trees that the Rebs had cut down
to impede our advance. We got within thirty yards of their works, creeping on
our hands and knees, when four of Company Co A were shot, two killed in
instantly. Corporal Nelson and Private Harding, and Corporal Heberlin and
Private Kassill mortally wounded; both died at night—four as good men as ever
drew breath. We were ordered to change our position, and in doing so a
lieutenant left his sword near the spot where the men were killed. I climbed up
and got it for him and sent it to him with my compliments; got into our new
position and waited for the word. Generals Giles A Smith and Ransom and other
officers got together in the ravine and arranged their watches and how they
should start. At last, at two o'clock promptly, the word came to
"go." Up we started and rushed ahead with a yell, and were greeted
with a most wondrous volley. Our colors were planted about fifteen feet from
the ditch, but we could not go forward, the fire was too severe, men could not
live; we laid down and only the wounded fell back, while shot and shell from
the right and left and our own batteries in the rear, whose shell fell short,
did terrific work. Men fell "like leaves in wintry weather." Colonel
Wright was carried off the field terribly wounded, Colonel Starring
incapacitated by a sunstroke, when the command of the regiment fell upon
myself. General Ransom tried to have us go forward, but we could not do it. At
last he gave the word to get back into the ravine, which we did, marching off
as quietly as on dress parade, carrying the wounded with us, but leaving the
dead. We reformed and then waited for further command, as we expected to make
another charge, but thank heaven, orders came only to move up to our former position
and hold the ground, which we did, and remained until midnight, when we were
ordered back to our camp. What a night! Such a night I never spent before.
About dusk there was quite a panic, but fortunately it was checked. The stench
was horrible. Many of the men from being completely worn out fell asleep, but I
could not close my eyes. None knew but what the Rebs might sally out, but they
were only too glad, I guess, to stay where they were, having repulsed us. I
cannot go into the details of the charge, but it was horrible, bloody work. Our
loss in twenty minutes was one hundred and ten killed and wounded. Such was the
22d of May, 1863.
SOURCE: Joseph
Stockton, War Diary (1862-5) of Brevet Brigadier General Joseph
Stockton, p. 16
To-night, half an
hour ago, received a dispatch from the top of Cheat, which reads as follows:
All
back. Made a very interesting reconnoissance. Killed a large number of the
enemy. Very small loss on our side.
J. J. REYNOLDS,
Brigadier-General.
Why, when the battle
was progressing so advantageously for our side, did they not go on? This, then,
is the result of the grand demonstration on the other side of the mountain.
McDougal's company
returned, and report the enemy fallen back.
The frost has
touched the foliage, and the mountain peaks look like mammoth bouquets; green, red,
yellow, and every modification of these colors appear mingled in every possible
fanciful and tasteful way.
Another dispatch has
just come from the top of Cheat, written, I doubt not, after the Indianians had
returned to camp and drawn their whisky ration. It sounds bigger than the
first. I copy it:
Found
the rebels drawn up in line of battle one mile outside of their fortifications,
drove them back to their intrenchments, and continued the fight four hours. Ten
of our men wounded and ten killed. Two or three hundred of the enemy killed.
If it be true that
so many of the rebels were killed, it is probable, that two thousand at least
were wounded; and when three hundred are killed and two thousand wounded, out
of an army of twelve or fifteen hundred men, the business is done up very
thoroughly. The dispatch which went to Richmond to-night, I have no doubt,
stated that "the Federals attacked in great force, outnumbering us two or
three to one, and after a terrific engagement, lasting five hours, they
were repulsed at all points with great slaughter. Our loss one killed and five
wounded. Federal loss, five hundred killed and twenty-five hundred
wounded." Thus are victories won and histories made. Verily the pen is
mightier than the sword.
SOURCE: John
Beatty, The Citizen-soldier: Or, Memoirs of a Volunteer, pp. 72-4
The Third and Sixth
Ohio, with Loomis' battery, left camp at half-past three in the afternoon, and
took the Huntersville turnpike for Big Springs, where Lee's army has been
encamped for some months. At nine o'clock we reached Logan's Mill, where the
column halted for the night. It had rained heavily for some hours, and was
still raining. The boys went into camp thoroughly wet, and very hungry and
tired; but they soon had a hundred fires kindled, and, gathering around these, prepared
and ate supper.
I never looked upon
a wilder or more interesting scene. The valley is blazing with camp-fires; the
men flit around them like shadows. Now some indomitable spirit, determined that
neither rain nor weather shall get him down, strikes up:
Oh!
say, can you see by the dawn's early light,
What
so proudly we hailed at the twilight's last gleaming,
Whose
broad stripes and bright stars, through the perilous fight,
O'er
the ramparts we watched were so gallantly streaming?
A hundred voices
join in, and the very mountains, which loom up in the fire-light like great
walls, whose tops are lost in the darkness, resound with a rude melody befiting
so wild a night and so wild a scene. But the songs are not all patriotic. Love
and fun make contribution also, and a voice, which may be that of the
invincible Irishman, Corporal Casey, sings:
’T
was a windy night, about two o'clock in the morning,
An Irish lad, so tight, all the wind and
weather scorning,
At Judy Callaghan's door, sitting upon the
paling,
His love tale he did pour, and this is part of
his wailing:
Only say you'll be mistress Brallaghan;
Don't say nay, charming Judy Callaghan.
A score of voices
pick up the chorus, and the hills and mountains seem to join in the Corporal's
appeal to the charming Judy:
Only
say you'll be mistress Brallaghan;
Don't
say nay, charming Judy Callaghan.
Lieutenant Root is
in command of Loomis' battery. Just before reaching Logan's one of his
provision wagons tumbled down a precipice, severely injuring three men and
breaking the wagon in pieces.
SOURCE: John
Beatty, The Citizen-soldier: Or, Memoirs of a Volunteer, pp. 75-7
Left Logan's mill
before the sun was up. The rain continues, and the mud is deep. At eleven
o'clock we reached what is known as Marshall's store, near which, until
recently, the enemy had a pretty large camp. Halted at the place half an hour,
and then moved four miles further on, where we found the roads impassable for
our artillery and transportation.
Learning that the
enemy had abandoned Big Springs and fallen back to Huntersville, the soldiers
were permitted to break ranks, while Colonel Marrow and Major Keifer, with a
company of cavalry, rode forward to the Springs. Colonel Nick Anderson,
Adjutant Mitchell and I followed. We found on the road evidence of the recent
presence of a very large force. Quite a number of wagons had been left behind.
Many tents had been ripped, cut to pieces, or burned, so as to render them
worthless. A large number of beef hides were strung along the road. One wagon,
loaded with muskets, had been destroyed. All of which showed, simply, that
before the rebels abandoned the place the roads had become so bad that they
could not carry off their baggage.
The object of the
expedition being now accomplished, we started back at three o'clock in the
afternoon, and encamped for the night at Marshall's store.
SOURCE: John
Beatty, The Citizen-soldier: Or, Memoirs of a Volunteer, p. 77
The day has been
clear. The mountains, decorated by the artistic fingers of Jack Frost, loom up in
the sunshine like magnificent, highly-colored, and beautiful pictures.
The night is grand.
The moon, a crescent, now rests for a moment on the highest peak of the Cheat,
and by its light suggests, rather than reveals, the outline of hill, valley,
cove and mountain.
The boys are wide
awake and merry. The fair weather has put new spirit in them all, and possibly the
presence of the paymaster has contributed somewhat to the good feeling which
prevails.
Hark! This from the
company quarters:
Her
golden hair in ringlets fair;
Her
eyes like diamonds shining;
Her
slender waist, her carriage chaste,
Left
me, poor soul, a pining.
But
let the night be e'er so dark,
Or
e'er so wet and rainy,
I
will return safe back again
To
the girl I left behind me.
From another
quarter, in the rich brogue of the Celt, we have:
Did
you hear of the widow Malone,
Ohone!
Who
lived in the town of Athlone,
Alone?
Oh!
she melted the hearts
Of
the swains in those parts;
So
lovely the widow Malone,
Ohone!
So
lovely the widow Malone.
SOURCE: John
Beatty, The Citizen-soldier: Or, Memoirs of a Volunteer, pp. 78-9
It is after tattoo.
Parson Strong's prayer meeting has been dismissed an hour, and the camp is as
quiet as if deserted. The day has been a duplicate of yesterday, cold and
windy. To-night the moon is sailing through a wilderness of clouds, now
breaking out and throwing a mellow light over valley and mountain, then
plunging into obscurity, and leaving all in thick darkness.
Major Keifer,
Adjutant Mitchell, and Private Jerroloaman have been stretching their legs
before my fireplace all the evening. The Adjutant being hopelessly in love,
naturally enough gave the conversation a sentimental turn, and our thoughts
have been wandering among the rosy years when our hearts throbbed under the
gleam of one bright particular star (I mean one each), and our souls alternated
between hope and fear, happiness and despair. Three of us, however, have some
experience in wedded life, and the gallant Adjutant is reasonably confident
that he will obtain further knowledge on the subject if this cruel war ever
comes to an end and his sweetheart survives.
SOURCE: John
Beatty, The Citizen-soldier: Or, Memoirs of a Volunteer, pp. 81-2
1 John Sherman was then, at the age of fourteen, junior rodman in an engineer corps, engaged in the improvement of the Muskingham River, Ohio. Particulars of his life will follow in introducing his letters.
SOURCE: Rachel Sherman Thorndike, Editor, The Sherman Letters: Correspondence Between General and Senator Sherman from 1837 to 1891, pp. 2-3
I acknowledged the receipt of your last in my letter to mother, since which time I have been waiting in hopes that something might turn up to write you about; but although the river has opened, and is alive with steamboats and sloops, still West Point appears as dull as ever; in fact, the only visitors we have had so far have been tailors, shoemakers, etc., etc., who prowl about us, knowing our inexperience and the necessity we are under of getting a full supply of clothing at their prices. The snow has entirely disappeared, and for the past three weeks the weather has been beautiful, and reminds me very much of sugar-making times at home, and I have no doubt, if your weather has been as fine as ours here, your farmers have not been idle in their camps. An evening at old Mr. Buchanan's or Wilson's sugar-camp would be great.
I presume the idea of your studying law has been decided upon by Mr. Reese and Taylor, so that it would be rather impertinent for me to object in the least; but for my part, it would be my last choice. Everybody studies law nowadays, and to be a lawyer without being exceedingly eminent — which it is to be hoped you will be some day — is not a sufficient equivalent for their risks and immense study and labor. However, if you decide upon anything, you should immediately commence to carry it into execution. As to me, I am already provided for. As soon as I graduate I am entitled by law to a commission in the army, and from my standing in the class to a choice of corps. To be stationed in the east or west, to be in the artillery, infantry, or dragoons, depends entirely on my choice. This choice will be, unless war breaks out with England, the Fifth Regiment of Infantry, because it is stationed on the northwest frontier, a country which I have always felt a strong inclination to see; and if it meets my ideas, formed from descriptions of travellers and officers, it must be the finest spot on this continent. Also it is probable that the Indians will break out again, in which case I should have an opportunity of seeing some active service. Should war, however, be the consequence of this Maine difficulty, I should prefer the artillery, for the reason that it is stationed east of the mountains, which would be the seat of war, and it is an arm of service which I would prefer in a war against a civilized people. But as there is scarce a possibility of this, I have concluded to go to the west, and have accordingly ordered an infantry uniform. Whether I remain in the army for life or not is doubtful; but one thing is certain, — that I will never study another profession. Should I resign, it would be to turn farmer, if ever I can raise enough to buy a good farm in Iowa. If I can spare money when I am at the city of New York, I intend to get one of Colt's patent rifles to shoot ten times in succession as fast as you can cock and pull the trigger. They cost from $40 to $60, more than, I fear, I can spare. I have been very well indeed all winter.
We have had a rain
and the hard ground made the softest kind of mud. It sticks to our feet and
clothes, and everybody is cross and crabbed. The sun came out, however, and our
spirits began to rise as the mud dried up. There was preaching and prayer
meeting both to-day.
Our chaplain's
courage is something wonderful and many of us attend the services out of
respect to him when we had much rather lie and rest our aching bones. The
captain of the Arago sent word he will be along to-night on his way to New York
and would stop for letters. He will find some, judging from the writing that
has been going on.
SOURCE:
Lawrence Van Alstyne, Diary of an Enlisted Man, p. 77
