Diary of 1st Lieutenant Lemuel A. Abbott: Thursday, September 15, 1864

It was fair until 5 o'clock p. m. when it sprinkled slightly and prevented dress parade. We had battalion drill this forenoon and Company drill this afternoon. The Commissary came up this forenoon, too, with rations. We have received a large mail. All well at home. The Second Division of the Sixth Corps and a brigade of cavalry made a reconnoissance to-day toward Opequan Creek where the Vermont Brigade skirmishers located the enemy just beyond Opequan Creek with its line facing east, its right flank resting on the Berryville pike and its left on the Martinsburg pike with Winchester in its rear. Our armies are about six miles apart.

SOURCE: Lemuel Abijah Abbott, Personal Recollections and Civil War Diary, 1864, p. 148

Diary of Sergeant Major Luman Harris Tenney: February 19, 1863

Robertson came at 3 A. M. I got up and read Irving's “Life of Washington,” Vol. 2. Bob brought me a nice little box to keep my things in. After my work read most all day. In the evening wrote to Sarah Felton and Fannie Henderson. Talked with a little girl begging and with our washerwoman. Has a hard time.

SOURCE: Frances Andrews Tenney, War Diary Of Luman Harris Tenney, p. 57

Diary of Sergeant Major Luman Harris Tenney: February 20, 1863

Brought up the rations from town. Got another volume of Irving. Met Capt. when coming back. Expecting Sarah Jewell. Oberlin boys came back over their furloughs one day. In the evening read till late.

SOURCE: Frances Andrews Tenney, War Diary Of Luman Harris Tenney, p. 57

Diary of Sergeant Major Luman Harris Tenney: February 21, 1863

In the morning we issued rations for eight days. Then cleaned out and chopped wood. Thede came bringing a line from home. Seemed to have had a good time. Glad to see him again. He will be a great deal of company for me. Fannie Turner came.

SOURCE: Frances Andrews Tenney, War Diary Of Luman Harris Tenney, p. 57

Diary of Sergeant Major Luman Harris Tenney: February 22, 1863

Snowing in the morning and all day. Thede came over and stayed with us to breakfast, 10 A. M. During the day read 3rd volume of Irving. Stormed so I did not go to town. A year ago we had the little affair at Independence. Oh what a time in rain, snow and ice at Kansas City.

SOURCE: Frances Andrews Tenney, War Diary Of Luman Harris Tenney, p. 57

Diary of Sergeant Major Luman Harris Tenney: February 23, 1863

Cleared off pleasantly. Busy in morning getting memorandum receipts of the stores for the month. Afternoon rode to town and beat Melissa at a game of chess. F. gone. Had a good time. Spent the evening. M. and N. went to theatre to hear Macbeth.

SOURCE: Frances Andrews Tenney, War Diary Of Luman Harris Tenney, p. 57

Diary of Sergeant Major Luman Harris Tenney: February 24, 1863

The mail brought me three letters, one from Lucy, one from home and one from Fannie. All good and cheering. How much I prize my letters. Back and forth to Post Commissary. In the evening beat Capt. N. two games of chess. Read some. Finished 4th Vol. Thede looks well in “sojer” clothes.

SOURCE: Frances Andrews Tenney, War Diary Of Luman Harris Tenney, p. 57

Diary of 1st Lieutenant John S. Morgan: Thursday, June 22, 1865

Drilled co A. M. French artilery practice all day. Mirage

SOURCE: “Diary of John S. Morgan, Company G, 33rd Iowa Infantry,” Annals of Iowa, 3rd Series, Vol. 13, No. 8, April 1923, p. 606

Diary of 1st Lieutenant John S. Morgan: Friday, June 23, 1865

Drilled co. a. m. cooler today. One Regt of nigs come up Wednesday evening, go to Brownsville this P. M. At 2. P. M. detailed with 25 men for fatigue, wait 1 hour at the landing for wagons for lumber, during time ½ detail get drunk, hear 2 of 35th Wis to be shot at Bagdad tomorrow for stealing. At camp at 5. P. M. Genls Sheridan & Granger arrived at Bagdad.

SOURCE: “Diary of John S. Morgan, Company G, 33rd Iowa Infantry,” Annals of Iowa, 3rd Series, Vol. 13, No. 8, April 1923, p. 606

Diary of 1st Lieutenant John S. Morgan: Saturday, June 24, 1865

To Bagdad a. m. for provision for mess, most of streets foot deep in water, return 11. A. M. attend Off’s call. Col sends communication from Capt Lacy, that the 33d would go home, orders would be issued immediately & to prepare the enc papers for muster out, go to Bagdad P. M. with nearly all the offs of Regt return at dark, parade this eve & two offs in the line. Genls Sheridan Steele Weitzel & Granger, pass up river for Brownville per steamer Heroine, (of Mobile), We await Genl Steeles return for transportation. The British ship Wolvernie fired a national salute at daybreak this morning in honor of the aniversity of the Queens Coronation, 2 Brigades of Nigs moved up to White Ranch last night

SOURCE: “Diary of John S. Morgan, Company G, 33rd Iowa Infantry,” Annals of Iowa, 3rd Series, Vol. 13, No. 8, April 1923, p. 606

Diary of 1st Lieutenant John S. Morgan: Saturday, June 24, 1865

In camp all day. Weather very warm. Juluis Peters joins co.

SOURCE: “Diary of John S. Morgan, Company G, 33rd Iowa Infantry,” Annals of Iowa, 3rd Series, Vol. 13, No. 8, April 1923, p. 606

Diary of 1st Lieutenant John S. Morgan: Sunday, June 25, 1865

In camp all day. Weather very warm. Juluis Peters joins co.

SOURCE: “Diary of John S. Morgan, Company G, 33rd Iowa Infantry,” Annals of Iowa, 3rd Series, Vol. 13, No. 8, April 1923, p. 606

Major Robert Anderson to Brigadier-General Pierre G. T. Beauregard, April 11, 1861

FORT SUMTER, S. C., April 11, 1861.

GENERAL: I have the honor to acknowledge the receipt of your communication demanding the evacuation of this fort, and to say, in reply thereto, that it is a demand with which I regret that my sense of honor, and of my obligations to my Government, prevent my compliance. Thanking you for the fair, manly, and courteous terms proposed, and for the high compliment paid me,

I am, general, very respectfully, your obedient servant,

 ROBERT ANDERSON,

Major, First Artillery, Commanding.

Brig. Gen. BEAUREGARD,

Commanding Provisional Army.

SOURCE:  Samuel Wylie Crawford, The Genesis of the Civil War: The Story of Sumter, 1860-1861, p. 423; The War of the Rebellion: A Compilation of the Official Records of the Union and Confederate Armies, Series I, Volume 1 (Serial No. 1), p. 13. 

John Brown to James H. Lane, September 30, 1857

Tabor, Fremont County, Iowa, Sept. 30, 1857.

General James H. Lane.

My Dear Sir, — Your favor from Falls City by Mr. Jamison is just received; also fifty dollars sent by him, which I also return by same hand, as I find it will be next to impossible in my poor state of health to go through on such very short notice, four days only remaining to get ready, load up, and go through. I think, considering all the uncertainties of the case, want of teams, etc., that I should do wrong to set out. I am disappointed in the extreme.

Very respectfully your friend,

John Brown.

SOURCE: Franklin B. Sanborn, The Life and Letters of John Brown, p. 402

Diary of Gideon Welles: Wednesday, May 20, 1863

Admiral Lee has been here for two or three days consulting in regard to Wilmington. The blockade of Cape Fear is difficult and gives infinite trouble, but the War Department has manifested no desire to relieve us and prevent that means of Rebel communication. To-day we had a long conference. Lee has seen General Totten, and the conclusion is that the army must capture the place, assisted by the Navy, which will cover the landing. The practice of relying upon the Navy to do the principal fighting when forts or batteries are to be taken has had a bad effect in some respects and is vitiating the army.

Admiral Du Pont sends forward charges against Chief Engineer Stimers, who, on his passage from Charleston to New York after the late demonstration, expressed an opinion that Sumter might have been passed or taken. Du Pont requested Stimers to be sent to Port Royal for trial. Every officer under Du Pont has expressed a different opinion from Stimers and they would constitute the court. It is a strange request, and it would be quite as strange were I to comply with it. I would not trust Stimers, or any one whom Du Pont wished to make a victim, in his power. If not a little deranged, D. is a shrewd and selfish man. I think he is morbidly diseased. Drayton expresses this opinion. His conduct and influence have been unfortunate in many respects on his subordinates. Instead of sending Stimers to Port Royal to be sacrificed, I will order a court of inquiry at New York, where the facts may be elicited without prejudice or partiality. The alleged offense hardly justifies an inquiry in form, but nothing less will satisfy Du Pont, who wants a victim. More than this, he wants to lay his failure at Charleston on the ironclads, and with such a court as he would organize, and such witnesses as he has already trained, he would procure both Stimers and vessels to be condemned. It would be best for the ends of truth and justice to have an inquiry away from all partisanship, and from all unfair influences and management.

SOURCE: Gideon Welles, Diary of Gideon Welles, Secretary of the Navy Under Lincoln and Johnson, Vol. 1: 1861 – March 30, 1864, p. 306-7

Diary of John Hay: January 27, 1864

The Atlantic arrived this morning from the North vice the Arago transferred to New Orleans, and brought my books and my whiskey.

I am happy — modifiedly, as a worm must be.

SOURCES: Clara B. Hay, Letters of John Hay and Extracts from Diary, Volume 1, p. 158.

Diary of Lieutenant-Colonel Rutherford B. Hayes: Tuesday, August 12, 1862

I sent this morning to J. C. Dunlevy, Lebanon, the following dispatch: “I am glad to hear that the Seventy-ninth is likely to be promptly filled without drafting. If so I shall join it as soon as leave can be obtained.” So I am committed!

A fine rain this P. M. — A most gorgeous picture was presented by the sky and clouds and the beautiful hills surrounding, as I sat looking at our dress parade.

SOURCE: Charles Richard Williams, editor, Diary and Letters of Rutherford Birchard Hayes, Volume 2, p. 325-6

Diary of 1st Sergeant John L. Ransom: March 1, 1864

Working along towards Spring slowly. A dead calm after the raid scare. We much prefer the open air imprisonment to confinement. Have considerable trouble with the thieves which disgrace the name of union soldier. Are the most contemptible rascals in existence. Often walk up to a man and coolly take his food and proceed to eat it before the owner. If the victim resists then a fight is the consequence, and the poor man not only loses his food but gets licked as well.

SOURCE: John L. Ransom, Andersonville Diary, p. 37

Diary of John Beauchamp Jones: March 26, 1863

We have dispatches (unofficial) from the West, stating that one of the enemy's gun-boats has been sunk in attempting to pass Vicksburg, and another badly injured. Also that an engagement has occurred on the Yazoo, the enemy having several gun-boats sunk, the rest being driven back.

It snowed a little this morning, and is now clear and cold.

Mr. Seddon is vexed at the unpopularity of the recent impressments by his order. It was an odious measure, because it did not go far enough and take all, distributing enough among the people to crush the extortioners.

SOURCE: John Beauchamp Jones, A Rebel War Clerk's Diary at the Confederate States Capital, Volume 1, p. 279-80

Diary of 1st Lieutenant Lemuel A. Abbott: Wednesday, September 14, 1864

Rather a gloomy day. It rained hard from 9 o'clock a. m. until about noon. Lieutenants Davis, Welch and Wheeler have gone on picket with a hundred men from our regiment. There was Company drill this afternoon. It rained so this forenoon that battalion drill was suspended; rained hard this evening, too. Election returns from Maine this evening show that State to be strongly Republican.

SOURCE: Lemuel Abijah Abbott, Personal Recollections and Civil War Diary, 1864, p. 148