Wednesday, July 22, 2015

Documents, Letters & Speeches: January 1 - to June 30, 1862


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Colonel Charles Russell Lowell to Josephine Shaw Lowell, Sunday, October 10, 1864 – 12 p.m.

Near Strasburg, Monday, Oct. 10.

It's just noon, and we have gone into camp for the day in a lovely green field with plenty of forage, and lots of rails to burn, — and I've just had a bath, soaped from head to heel. It's still cold (frost and ice this A. M. and I had to lie out with nothing but my overcoat) and I have two or three slight colds in the head, — but it's splendid October and very exhilarating.

Enos found Sergeant Wakefield's horse yesterday and I rode him all day, and he didn't get hit, though his saddle did, and our Brigade chased two Rebel brigades more than ten miles, and took a battle-flag and four guns and caissons and wagons, &c., &c, so my disinclination for “fight” yesterday morning was a presentiment that came to naught.1

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I've said (to the Doctor and others) again and again that, if I was taken, I didn't want any special exchange, and wanted that understood, and I guess that's the way you feel too, in spite of your “concluding” that you did approve of special exchanges. It would be very hard, but I don't believe that I should be ill there, or should suffer even my share, and you would know just what the risk was. There's not one chance in a great many, however, that I shall be taken, — that's consoling.
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1 Sheridan, who witnessed the spectacle from a hill, thus describes the Battle of Tom's Brook, nicknamed “Woodstock Races”: —

“Oct. 9th. About 7 in the morning, Custer's division encountered Rosser himself with three brigades, and while the stirring sounds of the resulting artillery duel were reverberating through the valley, Merritt moved briskly to the front, and fell upon Generals Lomax and Johnson on the Valley pike. . . . The two divisions moved forward together, under Torbert's direction. . . . The engagement soon became general across the Valley, both- sides fighting mainly mounted. For about two hours the contending lines struggled with each other along Tom's Brook, the charges and countercharges at many points being plainly visible from . . . Round Top, where I had my headquarters. The open country permitting a sabre fight, both sides seemed bent on using that arm. In the centre, the Confederates maintained their position with much stubbornness, . . . but at last they began to give way on both flanks, and, as these receded, Merritt and Custer went at the wavering ranks in a charge along their whole front. The result was a general smash-up of the entire Confederate line, the retreat quickly degenerating into a rout. . . . For twenty-six miles this wild stampede kept up, with our troopers close to the enemy's heels.”

In a report to General Grant next day, Sheridan wrote: —

“The number of prisoners captured will be about 330. The enemy, after being charged by our gallant cavalry, were broken, and ran. They were followed by our men on the jump twenty-six miles, through Mount Jackson and across the North Fork of the Shenandoah.”

And on the 11th of October he wrote again, from Cedar Creek: —

“I have seen no signs of the enemy since the brilliant engagement of the 9th instant. It was a square cavalry fight, in which the enemy was routed beyond my power to describe. He lost everything carried on wheels, except one piece of artillery; and when last seen, it was passing over Rude's Hill, near New Market, on the keen run, twenty-six miles from the battlefield, to which point the pursuit was kept up.”

General Torbert, in his report, spoke of this cavalry fight and victory as “the most decisive the country has ever witnessed. Brigadier-Generals Merritt and Custer, and Colonels Lowell and Pennington, commanding brigades, particularly distinguished themselves; in fact, no men could have rendered more valuable services and deserve higher honour from the hands of 'the Government. My losses will not exceed 60 killed and wounded, which is astonishing, compared with the results.”

General Early, who had not failed in courage or persistency, reported to Lee his new defeat: —

“This is very distressing to me, and God knows I have done all in my power to avert the disasters which have befallen this command; but the fact is, that the enemy's cavalry is so much superior to ours, both in numbers and equipment, and the country is so favourable to the operations of cavalry, that it is impossible for ours to compete with his. Lomax's cavalry is armed entirely with rifles, and has no sabres; and the consequence is, that they cannot fight on horseback, and, in this open country, they cannot successfully fight on foot against large bodies of cavalry: besides, the command has been demoralized all the time. It would be better if they could be all put in the infantry; but, if that were tried, I am afraid they would all run off.”

The Southerners, as a rule, did not believe in the sabre. Mosby ridicules it; and, indeed, for his kind of work, the revolver and carbine sufficed. But in the Valley, the furious combined rush of horses ridden by men, with three feet of bright steel, at close quarters, seems often to have been very effective.

SOURCE: Edward Waldo Emerson, Life and Letters of Charles Russell Lowell, p. 355-6, 470-2
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Major-General John Sedgwick to his Sister, June 3, 1863

June 3, 1863.
My dear sister:

I have not heard from you for several days, and as I have had nothing particular to write, have not written. I received last night a long letter from Cousin Catherine from Boston. Her letter was very kind, full of expressions of love to you and our dear father. She said that you had written her, that I was fearful an effort was being made to throw the blame of the failure on my corps. I believe that was the first intention, and so wrote you, but the feeling was too strong against such an effort: every one sees that our corps has not only done its whole duty, but has really achieved the only success obtained. I wrote you that my old division were about to present me a horse, equipments, sword, etc. The horse has arrived, and is the finest in the whole army; some of the other things are now on exhibition in Philadelphia, and some they sent to Paris for. The presentation will come off about the 10th instant.

We cannot move at present, unless Lee forces us by some demonstration towards Maryland. Our troops are in fine condition, and all we want is to have our regiments filled up. There is no earnestness at the North. Governors only think about sending new regiments, and the number of appointments it will give them.

With much love,
I am, very affectionately,
J. S.

SOURCE: George William Curtis, Correspondence of John Sedgwick, Major-General, Volume 2, p. 130-1
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Diary of Lieutenant-Colonel Rutherford B. Hayes: Sunday, January 12, 1862

Very warm, threatening rain all day. Three of our men died yesterday and today — two of them just recruited. Good letter from Dr. Joe. Bothered about our not going to Kentucky and such nonsense, but full of interesting particulars about the boys and family.

SOURCE: Charles Richard Williams, editor, Diary and Letters of Rutherford Birchard Hayes, Volume 2, p. 183
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Francis Lieber to Senator Charles Sumner, May 8, 1864

New York, May 8, 1864.

While the great battle is deciding, or when it may just have been decided, I, who must “stand and wait,” will say this one word to you: that since I wrote last I have read Goldwin Smith's letter to a Whig member of the Southern Independence Association. You have doubtless received a copy, but you may not have had time to read it; I write, therefore, to beg you to take a copy to the President and beg him to read it, — to find time for reading it. I believe that so honest and, almost throughout, so sound a paper, by an Englishman, against the manifesto of the Southern Independence Association, should be read by the chief magistrate of our commonwealth, even at this anxious period, when his time must be occupied with the highest aflairs. The last two thirds of this small publication are peculiarly straightforward for an Oxford professor. I heartily wish I knew some way of having our acknowledgment expressed to that manly advocate of ours.

I observe that you have brought in your bill, which may be designated as the Anti-Jackson-rotation measure. I wish you joy for having made the first step. I dare say you will not carry it this time, but possibly you remember what I said on perseverance in my “Political Ethics,” and of the history of nearly all great or searching measures, such as the Reform Bill, or the Catholic Emancipation. A beginning must be made, and it is always a great gain when first a principle has been boldly pronounced, if that principle pricks one of the most cherished and widely favored traditions or modes of action. I recollect how John Quincy Adams was fiercely attacked by the Democrats because one postmaster had been removed. It was just when I first landed here; and I remember, too, how we were shocked when President Jackson announced his rotation doctrine. Your measure involves great difficulties. ...

SOURCE: Thomas Sergeant Perry, Editor, The Life and Letters of Francis Lieber, p. 345
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Diary of John Beauchamp Jones: November 26, 1861

The enemy occupy Tybee Island, and threaten Savannah. Vice-President Stephens was in my office to-day, and he too deprecates the passage of so many people to the North, who, from the admission of the journals there, give them information of the condition of our defenses. He thinks our affairs are not now in a prosperous condition, and has serious apprehensions for the fate of Savannah.

SOURCE: John Beauchamp Jones, A Rebel War Clerk's Diary at the Confederate States Capital, Volume 1, p. 95
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Diary of John Beauchamp Jones: November 27, 1861

Saw President Tyler to-day. He augurs the worst effects from the policy of permitting almost unrestricted intercourse with the enemy's country in time of war.

SOURCE: John Beauchamp Jones, A Rebel War Clerk's Diary at the Confederate States Capital, Volume 1, p. 95
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Diary of John Beauchamp Jones: November 28, 1861

Nothing of importance to-day. There will be no such quiet time after this year.

SOURCE: John Beauchamp Jones, A Rebel War Clerk's Diary at the Confederate States Capital, Volume 1, p. 95
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Diary of John Beauchamp Jones: November 29, 1861

Gen. Sydney Johnston has command of the army in Tennessee and Kentucky. I wish it were only as strong as the wily enemy is in the habit of representing it!

SOURCE: John Beauchamp Jones, A Rebel War Clerk's Diary at the Confederate States Capital, Volume 1, p. 95
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