Diary of Judith Brockenbrough McGuire: July 4, 1863

Our celebration of this day is more serious than in days gone by. Our military have no time for dress-parades and barbecues. The gentlemen could not get home yesterday evening; the trains were all used for carrying soldiers to the bridge on this railroad just above us, upon which the Yankees are making demonstrations. The morning papers report that General D. H. Hill had a skirmish near Timstall's Station on Thursday evening, and repulsed the enemy. Nothing from our armies in Pennsylvania or Vicksburg.

SOURCE: Judith W. McGuire, Diary of a Southern Refugee, During the War, p. 226-7

Diary of Judith Brockenbrough McGuire: July 4, 1863 – 11 p.m.

Heavy musketry to-night, for two hours, at the bridge above this place. It has ceased, and we hope that the enemy are driven back.

Mr. ––– came home this evening; the other gentlemen are absent. We are going to bed, feeling that we are in God's hands. The wires are cut between this and “The Junction,” and there is every indication that the Yankees are near. The telegraph operator has gone off, and great anxiety is felt about the village. There are no Government stores here of any sort; I trust that the Yankees know that, and will not think us worth the trouble of looking after.

SOURCE: Judith W. McGuire, Diary of a Southern Refugee, During the War, p. 227

Lieutenant Frances H. Wigfall to Louise Wigfall, July 18, 1863

camp Near Leetown,

Jefferson Co., Va., July 18,1863.

. . . I wrote a short note to Papa from near Funkstown on the other side of the river on the 9th inst., though I have very great doubts as to whether it ever reached you. The battery is in very bad condition as to horses and is out of ammunition. Two of the guns got some of the latter before we recrossed the river, leaving the other two without and I was left with them and have consequently been in the rear ever since the cavalry fight near Boonsboro', Md. on the 8th inst. All the guns are now in the same condition, but the Ordnance officer of the Division, Capt. John Esten Cooke, perhaps better known as Tristran Joyeuse, Gent., has sent to Staunton for ammunition and as Lt. Johnston has gone to Richmond I shall be done for the present with “Company Q.” I think that when we reached Westminster Md. on Genl. Stuart's expedition round the Yanks, I was a little the richest specimen of a Confederate officer that you, at all events, ever saw. My boots were utterly worn out. My pantaloons were all one big hole as the Irishman would say: my coat was like a beggar's — and my hat was actually falling to pieces, in addition to lacking its crown, which loss, allowed my hair, not cut, since sometime before leaving Culpeper, to protrude, and gave me a highly picturesque finish to my appearance. I fortunately there got a pair of boots, a pair of pantaloons and a hat which rendered my condition comparatively better. We left Union in Loudon Co., Va., on that expedition on the morning of the 24th of June — and reached the lines of our army at Gettysburg, Adams Co., Penn. late in the afternoon of the 2nd of July. During that time the harness was off the horses only twice. You should have seen the Dutch people in York Co. turning out with water and milk and bread and butter and “apple butter” for the “ragged rebels.”

I was quite surprised at the tone of feeling in that part of the State. In two or three instances I found people who seemed really glad to see us and at scores of houses they had refreshments at the door for the soldiers. The people generally seemed not to know exactly what to expect and I don't think would have been at all astonished if every building had been set on fire by us as we reached it, nor would a great many have been surprised if we had concluded the business by massacring the women and children!

I stopped at a house in Petersburg, Adams Co., Penn. and almost the first question addressed me by the daughter of the house, a girl of eighteen or twenty and a perfect Yankee, was whether our men would molest the women! I told her not, and she seemed to feel considerably reassured. It was this same girl who told me in all seriousness that she had heard and believed it, that the Southern women all wore revolvers. I suppose, of course, by this time you have seen from the papers who has been killed, wounded and captured and have very little doubt that you know more about these points than I do, myself, for beyond hearing the report that Genl. Lee's Headquarters are at Bunker Hill and that the Infantry are beyond Martinsburg and some little inkling of the position of portions of the Cavalry Division I am in the same condition as honest John Falstaff before he formed the acquaintance of Prince Hal, and “know nothing.”

I received yesterday a double letter of the 23rd of June from you and Mama, the first since I left Rector's X Roads on the 18th of that month. Gen. Lee has issued an order curtailing all transportation except that for the Corps and General Reserve Ordnance trains. This is evidently getting ready for another move, but whether it is in order to cross the Potomac again or to fall back behind the Rappahannock, or merely to be in readiness for any movement of the enemy, is more than your correspondent is aware of.

SOURCE: Louise Wigfall Wright, A Southern Girl in ’61, p. 144-7

Diary of Sarah Morgan: August 5, 1862

About half-past nine, as we got up from the breakfast table, a guerrilla told us the ram Arkansas was lying a few miles below, on her way to cooperate with Breckinridge, whose advance guard had already driven the pickets into Baton Rouge. Then we all grew wild with excitement.

Such exclamations! such delight that the dreadful moment had at last arrived! And yet you could see each stop as we rejoiced, to offer up a prayer for the preservation of those who were risking their lives at that moment. Reason, and all else, was thrown aside, and we determined to participate in the danger, if there was any to be incurred. Mother threatened us with shot and shell and bloody murder, but the loud report of half a dozen cannon in slow succession only made us more determined to see the fun, so Lilly Nolan and Miss Walters got on horseback, and Phillie, Ginnie, Miriam, and I started off in the broiling sun, leaving word for the carriage to overtake us. When we once got in, the driver, being as crazy as we, fairly made his horses run along the road to catch a glimpse of our Ram. When, miles below, she came in sight, we could no longer remain in the carriage, but mounted the levee, and ran along on foot until we reached her, when we crossed to the outer levee, and there she lay at our feet.

And nothing in her after all! There lay a heavy, clumsy, rusty, ugly flatboat with a great square box in the centre, while great cannon put their noses out at the sides, and in front. The decks were crowded with men, rough and dirty, jabbering and hastily eating their breakfast. That was the great Arkansas! God bless and protect her, and the brave men she carries.

While there, a young man came up, and in answer to Phillie's inquiries about her father — who, having gone to town yesterday to report, being paroled, had written last night to say no passes were granted to leave town — the young fellow informed her so pleasantly that her father was a prisoner, held as hostage for Mr. Castle. Poor Phillie had to cry; so, to be still more agreeable, he told her, Yes, he had been sent to a boat lying at the landing, and ran the greatest risk, as the ram would probably sink the said boat in a few hours. How I hated the fool for his relish of evil tidings!

But never mind our wild expedition, or what came of it. Am I not patient! Ever since I commenced to write, the sound of a furious bombardment has been ringing in my ears; and beyond an occasional run to see the shells fly through the air (their white smoke, rather) I have not said a word of it. The girls have all crowded on the little balcony up here, towards town, and their shrieks of “There it goes!” “Listen!” “Look at them!” rise above the sound of the cannon, and occasionally draw me out, too. But I sit here listening, and wonder which report precedes the knocking down of our home; which shell is killing some one I know and love. Poor Tiche and Dophy! — where are they? And oh, I hope they did not leave my birdie Jimmy to die in his cage. I charged them to let him loose if they could not carry him. Dophy will be so frightened. I hope they are out of danger. Oh, my dear home! shall I ever see you again? And the Brunots! Oh, how I hope they are safe. These loud cannon make me heartsick, and yet I am so excited! How rapidly they answer each other! I am told the attack commenced at five this morning, and lasted three hours. Those girls are shouting that Baton Rouge must be on fire, from the volume of smoke in that direction. How they scream as the balls go up, to show it to each other. I think I'll take a look, too.

We are all going four or five miles through this warm sun to be nearer the scene of action. Any one might know there was no white man on the premises. There is the carriage! Oh, I am so seasick! What will I be before we get back?

SOURCE: Sarah Morgan Dawson, A Confederate Girl's Diary, p. 144-7

Diary of Corporal Alexander G. Downing: Wednesday, November 30, 1864

Weather pleasant. We broke camp at 8 o'clock and covered only ten miles by the close of the whole day's march, when we went into bivouac on the banks of the Ogeechee river. We had a bad road, it being almost one continuous swamp. Now and then there was a small farm with a log hut occupied by a poor woman and children, all the men and larger boys being off with the army.¹ All is quiet in the front, but the rebels keep close on our rear. It is reported that General Wheeler with his cavalry is in our rear. The boys all declare that it's the safest place for him to be, just so he doesn't get too close. This is the sixteenth day out from Atlanta and we have been on the march part of the time both day and night. We have had but little fighting, but we have destroyed one thousand miles of railroad and burned millions of dollars' worth of other property. Camp in the swamps of Georgia.

Source: Alexander G. Downing, Edited by Olynthus B., Clark, Downing’s Civil War Diary, p. 233

Diary of Corporal Alexander G. Downing: Sunday, November 27, 1864

We started at 8 o'clock this morning, marched eight miles, and went into camp for the remainder of the day. On our march this forenoon our division, the Third, destroyed ten miles of the railroad east of the Oconee river. The Fifteenth Corps is off on our right about two miles, while the Fourteenth and the Twentieth with Kilpatrick's cavalry are off on the left, out toward Augusta, Georgia. All is quiet in front. This is a very fine country, thickly settled and with some very nice farms, though the soil is very sandy and there is considerable pine timber.

Source: Alexander G. Downing, Edited by Olynthus B., Clark, Downing’s Civil War Diary, p. 232

Diary of Corporal Alexander G. Downing: Monday, November 28, 1864

We started at 7 o'clock this morning, marched fifteen miles, and went into camp at 5 p. m. Our division took up the rear on our march today and we had good roads for marching, with the exception of a small swamp which lay in our path. This is a fine country and there is plenty of forage. All is quiet in front, the rebels retreating without puffing up a fight.¹

_______________

¹ Almost every day after leaving Atlanta large numbers of negroes, women, children and old men, came, some of them walking miles, to see the Yankees go by. The soldiers in the ranks would engage them in conversation and the odd remarks the negroes would make were often quite amusing. They were asked many questions, one as a joke, a favorite one with the boys, was asking the nice mulatto girls to marry them; the answer invariably would be in the affirmative. These incidents as well as others made a change, and broke the monotony of our long, weary marches. — A. G. D.

Source: Alexander G. Downing, Edited by Olynthus B., Clark, Downing’s Civil War Diary, p. 232

Diary of Corporal Alexander G. Downing: Tuesday, November 29, 1864

We left bivouac at 8 a. m. and marched twenty miles today, going into camp about dark. The Eleventh Iowa acted as rear guard. We had good roads, there being no hills. The country is very flat and heavily timbered and the soil is sandy, mixed with clay. We are on two-fifths rations now, but the country still affords additional rations, such as potatoes and pork. Our general direction is southeast on the west side of the Savannah and Macon railroad. All is quiet in front.

Source: Alexander G. Downing, Edited by Olynthus B., Clark, Downing’s Civil War Diary, p. 233

Samuel Breck Parkman.

SAMUEL BRECK PARKMAN, son of Samuel Breck Parkman, was born on the Sand-hills, near Augusta, Ga., the summer residence of his father, 1 November, 1836.

His father, a cotton merchant of Savannah, and for several years and at the time of his death president of the Marine Bank at Savannah, was, with his three eldest daughters and eldest son, lost in the steamer "Pulaski," between Savannah and New York, 14 June, 1838. Breck had been left, with two sisters, under the care of his maiden aunt, who ever after took the place of a loving mother to the little orphans.

When still very young he was brought to the North and placed at Mr. Maurice's school, at Sing Sing on the Hudson, where he continued till he went to Cambridge. He was tutored by Mr. Felton for a year before entering College. After graduating, he read law in Savannah, and was admitted to practice in due time. He became a member of the Georgia Historical Society, and soon after joined the Savannah troop of cavalry. In the summer of 1860, he was in Europe, and spent some time in Switzerland with Dyer, F. C. Ropes, and Sowdon; he returned in the fall, visited Boston, and there dined with some members of the Class.

In January, 1861, he married Nannie Beirne, youngest daughter of Oliver Beirne, of Western Virginia.

He probably entered the service of the Confederate States as first (some say third) lieutenant in Read's Georgia Battery; and he was reported as such at the time of his death.¹ His sister, the wife of Professor W. P. Trowbridge, of New Haven, says, he was “below Richmond, under General Magruder, in infantry Company K, of MacLaws' Division. He was promoted, with the rest of the company, to a battery for meritorious conduct. From May to the latter part of August, he was around Richmond, under fire, but not in any fight, being in the reserve at Harper's Ferry and at Sharpsburg.” Elliott, in a letter to Brown, under date of 30 September, 1865, says, “Breck Parkman was killed at Sharpsburg, on the 17th of September, 1862. He was lieutenant in a Savannah battery, was riding in the rear of the battery, which was engaged at the time, when he was struck down by a small ball from a spherical case which exploded near it, entered the right shoulder, and passed through the heart. No one saw him fall; but he was found a moment after, dead. His remains were afterward taken up, and are now in the Beirne vault at Richmond.” A year or two after, his body was removed to Laurel Grove Cemetery, Savannah, where a monument marks his final resting-place.

After six years of widowhood, Mrs. Parkman married the Baron Emil von Ahlefeldt, of Schleswig Holstein. In April, 1882, the Baroness von Ahlefeldt was in New York, her first visit since 1872, accompanied by her husband. He died in June, 1882.

_______________

1 New Orleans (La.) "Delta," September, 1862. See also Brown's letter to the Class Secretary from Sharpsburg, Md., giving the testimony of a Confederate captain.

SOURCE: McKean Folsom and Francis Henry Brown, Report of the Class of 1857 in Harvard College: Prepared for the Twenty-fifth Anniversary of its Graduation, p. 96-7

Captain Charles Fessenden Morse, September 26, 1862

Maryland Heights, September 26, 1862.

In my last letter, I wrote that we had orders to march the next morning. Our whole corps was routed out before daylight; our division, under command of General Gordon, marched to Maryland Heights, our brigade occupying our old last year's camping ground. Green's division crossed the Potomac and now occupies London Heights, the other side of the Shenandoah. Sumner's corps is encamped on Bolivar Heights. I think at last we are going to have a little rest; I can't tell. Everything seems about as it did last year up here; we have as splendid views and fine sunsets as ever. We have been very busy making up our pay rolls for the last two days. They are now a month behind time; there is any quantity of other papers which have been accumulating for the last six weeks, which will keep us hard at work for a week at least.

One of the men of my company killed at Sharpsburgh, the other day, lived in Brookline, and had been out here only about six weeks; his name was Thomas Dillon, and he was a good, faithful fellow. He was buried by two men in my company who volunteered to do it. A letter came for him two days after his death, which I think, under the circumstances, was one of the most affecting things I ever read, and yet it is only one instance among thousands. I do not know of anything that has brought the horrors of the war more plainly before me than this letter. I have written to the father of Dillon, telling him of his son's death.

You remember, don't you, of my speaking of a young boy named Stephens, who was killed at Winchester; his brother was wounded at Cedar Mountain, and has since died; they were their poor father's and mother's only sons; it is one of the hardest cases I have known.

I have talked with a number of the rebel prisoners. You have no idea what innocent, inoffensive men most of them seem to be; a great many are mere boys; there are some old men, too, with humped backs. Scarcely any of them seem to have any idea of what they are fighting for, and they were almost all forced into the army. I talked with one -poor little fellow from Georgia who had received a severe wound; he could not have been more than sixteen years old. He said that all he wanted was to get into one of the hospitals at the North; that he had been abused and knocked around ever since he had been in the army, and that the first kind treatment he had received and the first kind words he had heard were from our men. He expected to be bayoneted as soon as we came up. The more I see of battle fields convinces me that instances of cruelty to the wounded are extremely rare, and that they are treated, almost universally, with kindness by the men of both sides. When we crossed the field, we drove the rebels from where their wounded were lying everywhere; but our men took the greatest pains not to touch them or hurt them in any way, although sometimes it was almost impossible to avoid it. And when we halted, the men gave almost every drop from their canteens to the poor rebels. The idea that a soldier could ever bring himself to bayoneting a wounded man, strikes me now as almost absurd; it may have been done during this war, but I don't believe it.

Our wounded at Cedar Mountain were treated with the greatest kindness by the rebels; they gave them plenty of water and built shelters to protect them from the sun in many cases. This making out the Southerners to be a lot of cut throats is perfect nonsense; their leaders give a great many harsh orders, but the soldiers are not responsible for them.

I wonder if R. knows that his class-mate and friend, Breck Parkman, was killed at the battle of Sharpsburgh, the other day. He was on some general's staff and was probably killed by the fire of our brigade. Charley Horton saw a rebel surgeon who told him of it.

I believe that we are in quite a permanent camp now. It must be so, I think, for the whole army has endured a hard campaign of six months and must have rest; neither men nor horses can hold out forever. Then we have our recruits to make soldiers of, and the new regiments need any amount of drill. But there is another thing also true, that we have only got two months more in which any work can be done before we go into winter quarters.

The best news that we have heard lately is that Harry Russell is at liberty and exchanged; we hope soon to have him back here with us. There is no one I feel more pity for than Major Savage; we heard that he had lost a leg and would probably lose one arm; I don't believe he can live through it. He is one of the finest men I ever knew; nothing coarse or rough about him. He had a very delicate constitution, but was so plucky that he would do his work when a great many in his situation would have been on the sick list. He was one of my intimate friends, and had been particularly so during the last few months before Cedar Mountain.

Captain Quincy is at last heard from, it seems, badly wounded and a prisoner at Staunton. I doubt whether he or Major Savage ever will rejoin the regiment again to do duty with it; if that is the case, Captain Cogswell will become Lieutenant-Colonel, and Mudge will be Major. I shall be third Captain and shall have the colors. No one in our regiment can complain that he has not had promotion enough to satisfy him during the last few months. You will be pleased, I think, to know that a few of us have now got a first-rate “mess” in working order. It consists of Bob Shaw, Lieutenants Oakey, John Fox, Tom Fox, Abbott and myself. We have a really good cook, who can make good coffee, cook eggs in any way very nicely, and also make pies and puddings; to roast and broil or stew is child's play to him, and although our cooking materials are of the most limited description, we have not, since we have been this side of the Potomac, had a poor meal.

We found it, in our last campaign, to be an unmistakable fact, that a horse couldn't stand as much marching as a man; it got to be a common remark among the men on our march from Culpepper here, as we passed the dead or dying animals which had been abandoned, “There, we've killed one more horse; bring on some fresh ones, we're good for a few more yet.”

SOURCE: Charles Fessenden Morse, Letters Written During the Civil War, 1861-1865, p. 90

Major Wilder Dwight: Monday Morning, October 21, 1861

Willard's Hotel, October 21, 1861,

Monday Morning.

Your letter which spoke of William's bilious fever alarmed my fraternity to such a degree that I got into the saddle Saturday afternoon and found myself here at evening. Yesterday morning I drove out to camp, and found Colonel Dwight prancing about his camp on horseback, and his regiment at their morning inspection. I took a good look at the Colonel's regiment, and was delighted with it. The Colonel's fever had left him. I had a pleasant day yesterday visiting the fortifications near William's camp. I go back to Darnestown immediately.

This country needs a government. Every visit I make to Washington makes me feel hopeless. Nothing is done. Not half enough doing.

SOURCE: Elizabeth Amelia Dwight, Editor, Life and Letters of Wilder Dwight: Lieut.-Col. Second Mass. Inf. Vols., p. 118

Edwin M. Stanton to Major-General John A. Dix, April 23, 1861

Washington, April 23,1861.

Dear Sir, — This will be handed you by Mr. Andrews, with whom you are acquainted. He will inform you of the state of affairs here: they are desperate beyond any conception.

If there be any remedy — any shadow of hope to preserve this government from utter and absolute extinction — it must come from New York without delay.

Yours truly,

Edwin M. Stanton.

Hon. John A. Dix.

SOURCE: Morgan Dix, Memoirs of John Adams Dix, Volume 2, p. 13

Circular of the Union Defence Committee of the City of New York, April 24, 1861.

Union Defence Committee of the City of New York,

No. 30 Pine Street, April 24, 1861.

Sir, — At a meeting of the citizens of New York, held on Saturday, 20th instant, a committee was appointed to represent the citizens in the collection of funds, and the transaction of such other business in aid of the movements of the government as the public interests might require.

The undersigned have been appointed a Committee of Correspondence, in behalf of the General Committee constituted at the public meeting, and take leave respectfully to say that they will be happy to receive any communications of information, advice, or suggestion on the subject of the present state of public affairs, and to convey any information which they possess or may receive that will advance the public interests.

With this view they subjoin a copy of the organization of the Union Defence Committee and the address of each member of the Committee of Correspondence, and beg that any subject of interest may be communicated, either by mail or by telegraph, to any member of the General Committee, and they promise immediate attention thereto.

They beg to be advised of the organization of any similar committees of citizens with which they may put themselves in communication.

With great respect, your obedient servants,

Hamilton Fish,	Committee of Correspondence
William M. Evarts,
Edwards Pierrepont,
James T. Brady,
John J. Cisco,

N.B. — The Committee has rooms at No. 30 Pine Street, open all day; and at Fifth Avenue Hotel, open in the evening.

Committee.

JOHN A. DIX,	MOSES TAYLOR,
MOSES H. GRINNELL,	EDWARDS PIERREPONT,
ROYAL PHELPS,	RICHARD M. BLATCHFORD,
WILLIAM E. DODGE,	ALEXANDER T. STEWART
GREENE C. BRONSON,	HAMILTON FISH,
WILLIAM M. EVARTS,	SAMUEL SLOAN,
JOHN J. CISCO,	JOHN JACOB ASTOR,
JAMES T. BRADY.	WM. F. HAVEMEYER,
SIMEON DRAPER,	CHARLES H. RUSSELL,
JAMES S. WADSWORTH,	RUDOLPH A. WITTHAUS,
ISAAC BELL,	CHARLES H. MARSHALL,
JAMES BOORMAN,	PROSPER M. WETMORE,
ABIEL A. LOW,	ROBERT H. McCURDY
THEODORE DEHON,	AUGUSTUS C. RICHARDS

Ex-officio.

FERNANDO WOOD, Mayor,	HENRY W. GENET, President of Board of Aldermen.
ROBERT T. HAWS, Comptroller,	MORGAN JONES, President of Board of Councilmen.

President. 

JOHN A. DIX.

Vice-President. 

SIMEON DRAPER.

Secretary. 

WILLIAM M. EVARTS.

Treasurer. 

THEODORE DEHON.

Executive Committee.

SIMEON DRAPER, Chairman,	PROSPER M. WETMORE,
JAMES S. WADSWORTH,	JOHN J. ASTOR,
MOSES H. GRINNELL,	AUGUSTUS C. RICHARDS,
ISAAC BELL,	RICHARD M. BLATCHFORD,
SAMUEL SLOAN,	CHARLES H. MARSHALL.

                                                                                               

Committee on Finance.

CHAS. H. RUSSELL, Chairman,	THEODORE DEHON,		ABIEL A. LOW.
MOSES TAYLOR,		JAMES BOORMAN.

Committee of Collections and Subscriptions.

A. T. STEWART, Chairman,	WM. E. DODGE,	ROBT. H. McCURDY,
WM. F. HAVEMEYER,	ROYAL PHELPS,	R. A. WITTHAUS

Committee of Correspondence and Publications.

HAMILTON FISH, Chairman, No. 134 E. Seventeenth Street,

WM. M. EVARTS, No. 2 Hanover St.,

E. PIERREPONT, No. 16 Wall St.,

JAS. T. BRADY, No. 111 Broadway,

JOHN J. CISCO, No. 52 Wall Street.

SOURCE: Morgan Dix, Memoirs of John Adams Dix, Volume 2, p. 11-12

Major-General John Sedgwick to Senator Edwin Denison Morgan, April 20, 1864

Headquarters 6th Corps,

April 20, 1864.

The Honourable E. D. Morgan,

U. S. Senate.

Sir:

Understanding that some objection has been made to the confirmation of the appointment of Brigadier-General Alexander Shaler of this corps, I take the liberty of addressing you upon the subject for the purpose of soliciting your good offices in his behalf. There is not a more gallant soldier in the Army of the Potomac than General Shaler, and as a brigade commander he has at all times given perfect satisfaction to his superiors. He has commanded a brigade for a year past, serving at all times with distinction. In the successful assault on the heights of Fredericksburg, in May last, and in the seven battles which occurred on that and the succeeding day, General Shaler conducted himself with marked gallantry, contributing in no small degree to the brilliant success achieved on that occasion by the corps with which he is connected. He has certainly earned the position of Brigadier-General by his service on the field. His eminent fitness for the place is of itself a good and sufficient reason for his confirmation. It would be very difficult to replace him by as good a man. To lose him at this time from the command of his brigade would be a serious loss to the service. I would consider it a favour if you would render such assistance as you can consistently in securing the confirmation of his appointment.

Very respectfully,

Your obedient servant,

John Sedgwick,

Major-General.

SOURCE: George William Curtis, Correspondence of John Sedgwick, Major-General, Volume 2, p. 180-1

Lieutenant-Colonel Rutherford B. Hayes to Lucy Webb Hayes, Friday Morning, February 14, 1862

Delaware, February 14, 1862. Friday morning.

Dearest Lucy: — I reached here last night. Mother, Mrs. Wasson, and Sophia, all well and happy. Old Delaware is gone; the bright new town is an improvement on the old.

Snow deep, winter come again. Old times come up to me — Sister Fanny and I trudging down to the tanyard with our little basket after kindling. All strange; you are Sister Fanny to me now, dearest.

I go to Fremont this evening. Mother sends love, Write to her. Love to all.

Affectionately,

R.

Mrs. Hayes.

SOURCE: Charles Richard Williams, editor, Diary and Letters of Rutherford Birchard Hayes, Volume 2, p. 199

Lieutenant-Colonel Rutherford B. Hayes to Sardis Birchard, February 18, 1862

Cincinnati, February 18, 1862.

Dear Uncle: — It will be agreeable to Lucy to go to Fremont with the family as soon as you wish. She proposes to take all of our furniture that may be wanted there — to store the rest, and to rent the house — thus in effect moving to Fremont until the war is ended. This or any other plan you prefer will suit. Our furniture will be enough for all purposes — unless you wish to show off in some one room or something of that sort.

All well here. The great victory is a crusher.

Sincerely,

R. B. Hayes.

S. BIRCHARD

SOURCE: Charles Richard Williams, editor, Diary and Letters of Rutherford Birchard Hayes, Volume 2, p. 199

Diary of John Beauchamp Jones: February 3, 1862

We have intelligence of the sailing of an expedition from Cairo for the reduction of Fort Henry on the Tennessee River.

SOURCE: John Beauchamp Jones, A Rebel War Clerk's Diary at the Confederate States Capital, Volume 1, p. 108

Diary of John Beauchamp Jones: February 4, 1862

Burnside has entered the Sound at Hatteras with his fleet of gun-boats and transports. The work will soon begin.

SOURCE: John Beauchamp Jones, A Rebel War Clerk's Diary at the Confederate States Capital, Volume 1, p. 108

Diary of John Beauchamp Jones: February 5, 1862

I am sorry to hear that Gen. Wise is quite ill. But, on his back, as on his feet, he will direct operations, and the enemy will be punished whenever he comes in reach of him.

SOURCE: John Beauchamp Jones, A Rebel War Clerk's Diary at the Confederate States Capital, Volume 1, p. 109

Diary of John Beauchamp Jones: February 6, 1862

The President is preparing his Inaugural Message for the 22d, when he is to begin his new administration of six years. He is to read it from the Washington Monument in Capitol Square.

SOURCE: John Beauchamp Jones, A Rebel War Clerk's Diary at the Confederate States Capital, Volume 1, p. 109