We have the authority of the New Orleans Delta for saying that the Douglas movement lately attempted in that city, for its influence upon the State and the South was a sorry fizzle. At the close of the dreary ceremonies, three rousing cheers were given for John Slidell and the seceding delegations, when the meeting adjourned.
The Cincinnati Commercial calls attention to the fact that in all the balloting at Charleston, Mr. Douglas received but 11 1-2 votes from the entire Southern States, and to the other and next important fact that had the balloting continued until doomsday, he would have received no more. This will be only funeral consolation to the boasting friends of the Little Giant; but the truth of history must be vindicated.
SOURCE: “Douglas In The South,” The Press and Tribune, Chicago, Illinois, Monday, May 14, 1860, p. 2, col. 2
The stupid absurdity of the professed Union savers, who met at Baltimore the other day to nominate a candidate for President, and another for Vice President, upon a single plan—the Constitution and the Union—will be apparent to the dullest dunce, when he remembers that every man in this country, save only a few ultra Abolitionists of the North and a handful of intense fanatics in the South, can endorse the platform which the Booby Brookeses laid down; because all political parties in the United States are loud in their devotions to the Constitution and the Union, and the vaunts the ultraists of either extreme in this matter, pass for just as much as the outcry of the National Constitutional Union Old Line Whigs and Know Nothings, who ventilated their patriotism at Baltimore. Whenever the Republicans declare their sentiments they will exalt the Constitution and the Union. The seceders from the Charleston Convention will do the same thing; and the Douglasites will follow the example. Here, then, we shall have four parties in the field, with the Constitution and the Union as a basis of each. Wherein the Baltimoreans are entitled to any preferences over either, we have not the wit to see. That in shirking the responsibility of declaring themselves upon the living issues of the day, they exhibit a degree of cowardice which breeds distrust of the purity of their intentions, all can well understand.
We struck tents yesterday morning and marched into Memphis, bivouacked on the wharf until dark and then embarked on board the steamer "Platte Valley." We will not leave until the whole division (Quimby's), has embarked. Our destination is Lake Providence. Fortunately we are the only regiment on board and are comfortably fixed. Was assigned to my duties as major. Our steamer went five miles below Memphis for wood. River very high and overflowing the country in many places. Raining hard every few days. Marching will be difficult.
SOURCE: Joseph Stockton, War Diary (1862-5) of Brevet Brigadier General Joseph Stockton, p. 9
On board transport "Platte Valley." We left Memphis on the 3rd as we supposed for Lake Providence, but when we got within twenty-five miles of that place orders came for us to disembark at General Woodfall's plantation and march through the country to Red River. After we had disembarked and taken everything off the boats, General Quimby and staff, together with the brigade commander, went out to reconnoiter the country and found it all under water and overflowed; they tried several directions, and some of the staff rode some miles from the river, but found it impossible to march more than a mile or so. We are encamped in a graveyard and my bunk is a flat tombstone; the men sleep on top of the graves to keep them out of the water. The division is encamped along the levee, as it is the only place that is dry. The whole division remained in camp on the plantation while General Quimby went down to Lake Providence for further orders. He returned on the night of the 6th with orders to re-embark on board the same transport and steam up the river for Helena. I understand that our destination from Helena is to go through the Yazoo Pass from the Mississippi to the Yazoo River, then down the river to the rear of Vicksburg and try to cut the railroad leading from Jackson to Vicksburg. Our pilots say it is impossible and impracticable, but we are bound to try. The Yazoo is considered one of the most sickly regions in the South. Its name signifies "River of Death," but I trust the high state of water may relieve it of its unhealthy propensities and spare us our men. We were glad we had not to undertake our march, as it would have resulted in using our men for no purpose, as progress would have been next to impossible. I rode out myself to see what the country was like and got mired several times. Once I thought I should have to abandon my horse, but after hard work he succeeded in extricating himself. Had he not been so powerful I fear he would have had to succumb. On Sunday, the 8th, we had religious service on board the transport in the cabin; there was a general attendance. Captain Whittle of G Company is the leading spirit with the chaplain in all religious services. He is a brave, good man.
SOURCE: Joseph Stockton, War Diary (1862-5) of Brevet Brigadier General Joseph Stockton, p. 9
Disembarked on a sandy ridge and pitched our tents. River very high and swift. Miserable place for a camp, surrounded on all sides by water.
SOURCE: Joseph Stockton, War Diary (1862-5) of Brevet Brigadier General Joseph Stockton, p. 9
The past few days have been attended with some excitement in various ways. In the first place, there has been a "revival" among the division, the different regimental chaplains being interested in it, particularly an Indiana chaplain, who is a regular camp-meeting Methodist and understands his business. Quite number have participated and I sincerely trust with good results. The men had quite a hunt for a large eagle that flew over our camp, but it was soon lost to sight. We embarked on board the transport "Empire City," Captain Hazlitt. The boat is terribly crowded, our own regiment and part of the 11th Ohio Battery on board. There was a disturbance on board by the latter attempting to take possession of the boat, but it was soon quieted. Last night one of the battery was drowned by falling off the boat as he was carrying a bag of grain on board. Poor fellow, he could not be saved; the current of the river was too swift. We are now on our way for the Yazoo Pass and now as far as Moon Lake.
SOURCE: Joseph Stockton, War Diary (1862-5) of Brevet Brigadier General Joseph Stockton, p. 9-10
We have had a wearisome trip through the bayou, it being very narrow and almost at right angles the whole distance; the trees overhang the boat and limbs sweep the deck; the boat's guards are smashed, while the troops are constantly forced to lie down on the deck to keep from being swept off. All enjoy it and think it fun, but the novelty will soon wear off. Officers are comfortably quartered in the cabin; several Pittsburgh acquaintances are officers of the boat.
SOURCE: Joseph Stockton, War Diary (1862-5) of Brevet Brigadier General Joseph Stockton, p. 10
Made about three miles today; the transports of the whole division are close together, and at times have to help pull each other around the bends in the bayou. The patience of pilots and engineers is sorely tried. It is certainly a tortuous way, and was it not that the country is pretty well overflowed the Rebs could harass us terribly, while we could do them but little harm.
SOURCE: Joseph Stockton, War Diary (1862-5) of Brevet Brigadier General Joseph Stockton, p. 10
Made one mile today; nothing of interest occurred.
SOURCE: Joseph Stockton, War Diary (1862-5) of Brevet Brigadier General Joseph Stockton, p. 10
Reached the Coldwater River today and disembarked the troops for the purpose of cleaning the boat and giving the men an opportunity of cleaning themselves and washing their clothes. I had quite an adventure:—Got our horses off to exercise them a little, and while riding along the bank of the river I wanted to give my horse a drink; the water came over the banks, but I did not know it, and the horse having more sense than I had hesitated about going deeper in the water than he was, but I gave him the spur, and over he went into the river. We went down, but came up again, and I turned his head for the shore and tried to make him mount the bank, but it was too steep. I threw the reins over his head, threw myself off and swam ashore. I then tried to get him up on shore, but he could not get a foothold. I thought he would drown, when General Quimby came along in a yawl, and by his assistance and with ropes I got him out. It was a narrow escape for both, as the water was very swift and we were liable to get entangled in the brush.
SOURCE: Joseph Stockton, War Diary (1862-5) of Brevet Brigadier General Joseph Stockton, p. 10
The regiment bivouacked on shore that night and the men all seem better for it this morning. As the river is much wider, we made about twenty miles today, which we considered good running. Passed several very fine plantations. Stopped at one last night, and the darkies told us where there was a lot of meat and sugar about two miles from the river, hid in the woods. Although it was raining I took about a hundred men, and guided by the darkies found, as they had said, lots of nice hams and shoulders. We helped ourselves to all we could and destroyed the rest. When we returned we passed the owner's house, and I never heard a man curse as he did at what were in the morning his slaves, but now free men. We took the darkies off with us, as the man would have killed them. There was wailing and gnashing of teeth when we left, and I feel assured that that man joined the rebel army, if he was not already in it, after we left. We passed today one of those scenes I dislike to see. A woman and children standing by the ruins of their burned home; one of the transports had been fired into from this place and the troops stopped and burned the house.
SOURCE: Joseph Stockton, War Diary (1862-5) of Brevet Brigadier General Joseph Stockton, p. 10
Reached the Tallahatchie today; navigation much better.
SOURCE: Joseph Stockton, War Diary (1862-5) of Brevet Brigadier General Joseph Stockton, p. 10
Still on board transport, which laid up at night, not knowing what we might run into.
SOURCE: Joseph Stockton, War Diary (1862-5) of Brevet Brigadier General Joseph Stockton, p. 10
Reached as far as we can go today, our progress being stopped by a large rebel fortification called Fort Pemberton, which is about two miles off. We disembarked and were assigned camping ground by General Sanborn, our brigade commander. It is on a clearing—our tents are pitched among decayed pine trees, which have been girdled for the purpose of clearing the ground.
SOURCE: Joseph Stockton, War Diary (1862-5) of Brevet Brigadier General Joseph Stockton, p. 10
Busy all day fixing our camp. Skirmishing going on all day. It is a busy day, as artillery, transportation and troops are arriving and disembarking.
SOURCE: Joseph Stockton, War Diary (1862-5) of Brevet Brigadier General Joseph Stockton, p. 11
Went out today and visited the pickets. Riding through the woods is fearful on both man and beast, as the gnats and mosquitoes are terrible, particularly on the horse. Firing going on all day with the rebel pickets—could see them distinctly.
SOURCE: Joseph Stockton, War Diary (1862-5) of Brevet Brigadier General Joseph Stockton, p. 11
72d Illinois and 48th Indiana went out on a reconnoitering expedition; found two rebel batteries on the bank of the river; exchanged a few rounds from our artillery with them and then withdrew.
SOURCE: Joseph Stockton, War Diary (1862-5) of Brevet Brigadier General Joseph Stockton, p. 11
The mornings are lovely here. When it is cool and pleasant hundreds of birds are singing in every direction; mocking birds seem to be in great number, while once in a while you will see a bald-headed eagle soaring aloft and sailing beautifully through the clear air; but there is enough that is disagreeable to offset the beauties of the morning; the mosquitoes, gnats, flies, insects and reptiles are in abundance; snakes a common thing. At night it is almost impossible to sleep; we have had to grease our horses to keep them from being stung to death. Colonel Wright lost his beautiful horse, one he was very much attached to, by that cause. Last night we had a fearful storm of wind, which played havoc with the old trees and branches. They were blown about in every direction and our lives were in constant danger from falling branches and trunks of trees. In Ross's Division, just adjoining ours, there were five men killed by trees falling on them. I have never passed through a more trying or frightful scene. There was no chance of getting away, for one place was as bad as another. The rain poured in torrents, so we were in a bad plight.
SOURCE: Joseph Stockton, War Diary (1862-5) of Brevet Brigadier General Joseph Stockton, p. 11
Weather cold and wet.
SOURCE: Joseph Stockton, War Diary (1862-5) of Brevet Brigadier General Joseph Stockton, p. 11
