Diary of Private Adam S. Johnston, October 1, 1862

Left Louisville camp and marched to South Fork, and encamped for the night, making a march of 20 miles.

SOURCE: Adam S. Johnston, The Soldier Boy's Diary Book, p. 22

Diary of Private Adam S. Johnston, October 2, 1862

Left South Fork camp, marched to Taylorsville, and went three miles out on picket the same night, making a march of 23 miles.

SOURCE: Adam S. Johnston, The Soldier Boy's Diary Book, p. 22

Diary of Private Adam S. Johnston, October 4, 1862

Left Taylorsville camp, remaining the 3d on picket and marched the 4th to Bloomington, and encamped for the night, making a march of 10 miles.

SOURCE: Adam S. Johnston, The Soldier Boy's Diary Book, p. 22

Diary of Private Adam S. Johnston, October 6, 1862

Left Bloomington and marched over Chaplin creek on the hill the same day, having remained in the above mentioned camp two days, and encamped for the night, making a march of 11 miles.

SOURCE: Adam S. Johnston, The Soldier Boy's Diary Book, p. 22

Diary of Private Adam S. Johnston, October 7, 1862

Left Chaplin creek camp and marched to McMinnville, Ky., the same day, and encamped for the night, making a march of 15 miles.

SOURCE: Adam S. Johnston, The Soldier Boy's Diary Book, p. 22

Diary of Private Adam S. Johnston, October 8, 1862

Left McMinnville camp in the morning, the colonel telling us, ''Boys, you have longed to meet the enemy on the battle-field, and you will have a chance to-day, or do without water, as the enemy holds the spring that we will have to encamp at." The shout went up from every son of Uncle Sam's family, ,, [sic]     A fight and water we will have." The cannons were already booming, and had been all night, so at fifteen minutes past two o'clock we became engaged, and in one hour and three-quarters we lost two hundred and eleven men out of our regiment (the 79th Pa. Vol. Infantry). We went into the fight with forty-three men in our company (D) and came out with eighteen, having had twenty-five wounded and killed; two killed dead and two dying the next day. I myself was unfortunate enough to be shot through the left leg, about two inches below the knee, the ball glancing off the bone and passing through and out at the fleshy part or calf of the leg, injuring the muscle so that I was unfit for fight, and was sent to the rear after the fifteenth fire. This is my first and last wound received in the battle of Chaplin Hill or Chaplin Heights, so called, and fought on the 8th day of October. 1862. in Boyle county, Ky. Making a march of 8 miles.

SOURCE: Adam S. Johnston, The Soldier Boy's Diary Book, pp. 22-3

Diary of Private Adam S. Johnston, October 9, 1862

Was hauled from off the battle-ground in an ambulance wagon at half past two in the morning. for fear of the enemy opening fire on our hospital or old house in which we remained all night from the day of the fight; having our batteries planted close by, if another engagement would ensue, they would draw the enemy's fire on our building. So we, four in number, were hauled five miles this morning to Antioch church, Boyle county, and thrown out in a pile like wood, for they had been removing wounded off the battle-ground all night until the church was perfectly filled, and under every shade tree nigh at hand. I rolled over and over, as I was so disabled that I could not walk, until I got to a fence, and with loss of blood and pain and fatigue, became sleepy in a short time after being left in this condition, I went to sleep and slept until after the sun was up, and on awaking I found myself completely tight against the above mentioned fence, on account of another wounded soldier dying while I was asleep, with his feet tight down the hill against me and his head up the hill, the ground being somewhat rolling, I called to a citizen close by, that had come to see the wounded soldiers, to come to me and remove the dead man, that I might help myself up by the fence. He removed the person, and throwed a blanket over the body to protect it until better attended to. I lay for six days out under a white oak tree, with my wound dressed once. Making a march of 5 miles.

SOURCE: Adam S. Johnston, The Soldier Boy's Diary Book, pp. 23-4

Diary of Private Adam S. Johnston, October 15, 1862

Left or was taken from Antioch church to Perryville to a hospital fitted up for our reception. The first time away from my regiment and company from the time I left for the seat of war, or the first roll call missed, or stacking of arms, or march missed for over a year; and was well cared for in this hospital by the surgeon in charge of us wounded Union soldiers. We were well supplied with food calculated to suit our weak and delicate appetites, from the Union citizens, women and men, of Boyle county, and got along as well as could be expected for the time of our stay in this hospital, remaining eight days in it. Making a march of 6 miles.

SOURCE: Adam S. Johnston, The Soldier Boy's Diary Book, p. 24

Diary of Private Adam S. Johnston, October 23, 1862

Left Pcrryville. Orders came for us to be removed to Lebanon hospital; so the same day we were shipped aboard our army wagon train and arrived in Lebanon about 4 o'clock in the evening, and were happily received and met by our General Starkweather, who came to see us for the first time from the front, and sympathized with us for our wounds, and thanked us kindly for our good behavior in the battle. This will show that we remained in the hospital above mentioned eight days, and in this one four days. Making a march of 20 miles.

SOURCE: Adam S. Johnston, The Soldier Boy's Diary Book, pp. 24-5

Diary of Private Adam S. Johnston, October 27, 1862

Left Lebanon hospital, or was ordered to be sent to Louisville No. 12 hospital, and arrived there the same evening, and was conveyed to the hospital and well cared for. Making a march of 84 miles.

SOURCE: Adam S. Johnston, The Soldier Boy's Diary Book, p. 25

Diary of Private Adam S. Johnston, November 6, 1862

Left Louisville, and was sent by orders to New Albany, Indiana, hospital No. 6, and a nice place too and well cared for, remaining nine days in this hospital, and making a march of 4 miles.

SOURCE: Adam S. Johnston, The Soldier Boy's Diary Book, p. 25

Daniel Webster to Richard M. Blatchford, May 1851

[May.] Albany, Tuesday evening, six o'clock.

MY DEAR SIR,—I arrived here at four o'clock, received your letter, and have dispatched the Boston papers.

I have also written to Washington to provide for the matter there, until I see you. In tantis laboribus magnis, in quibus sesemens mea penitus agitat, rerum non sum oblitus parvorum.¹

I hope this is pretty good Latin; if not, it is at least good English, to say that I am always, with most sincere regard, your obliged friend and obedient servant,

DAN'L WEBSTER.

_______________

¹ Translation: Amid such great labors, in which my mind is deeply troubled, I have not forgotten the small things.

SOURCE: Fletcher Webster, Editor, The Private Correspondence of Daniel Webster, Vol. 2, p. 438

Daniel Webster to Edward Curtis, Tuesday, two o’clock, 1851

Tuesday, two o’clock, 1851

My Dear Sir,—

*          *          *          *          *          *          *          *          *          *

I am glad you think me right in keeping away from New York for the present. I am resolved not to commit either the Government or myself, in any degree, to the extravagant expесtations entertained in regard to what may be done.

When may we look for you? Fletcher left us this morning. Mr. Ashmun has been here for a day, and leaves to-morrow morning. We long to see you and Mrs. Curtis.

You perceive the Kossuth movement was checked a little, in the House of Representatives, yesterday. Probably it will go on to-day.

For two hours I have been reading the Report of the United States officers, who have returned from Utah. I never read so disgusting and terrific accounts of human depravity, and enormities. Governor Young has more than thirty wives! All the money sent to him for territorial purposes, he has given to the Mormon Church! But these things are not the beginning of the story of abominations.

Yours ever,

D. W.

SOURCE: Fletcher Webster, Editor, The Private Correspondence of Daniel Webster, Vol. 2, p. 439

Daniel Webster to Richard M. Blatchford, May 2, 1851

Washington, May 2, 1851.

MY DEAR SIR,—I was rejoiced to receive your letter yesterday, signifying that your health was better. We shall look out for Ellen till she comes.

It is very cold weather. The mercury this morning was as low as 35°, at five o'clock. I fear for the fruit-trees. At present, I am busy with Mexico, Nicaragua, and Costa Rica.

My wagon is a treasure. Morning or evening I get a drive in it, every day. If it had not been so cold, I was to have driven down to the Seines to-day, to witness for an hour or two, the drafts of rock fish, shad, sturgeon, &c., &c. As it is, I shall keep over the fire.

Yours truly,

DAN'L WEBSTER.

SOURCE: Fletcher Webster, Editor, The Private Correspondence of Daniel Webster, Vol. 2, pp. 439-40

Daniel Webster to Richard M. Blatchford, May 4, 1851—8 a.m.

Washington, May 4, 1851, eight A. M.

MY DEAR SIR,—We have a great change in the weather, the mercury being now twenty-five degrees higher than yesterday morning at the same hour. The wind is south, and not unlikely to bring rain. There were frosts in various places in this neighborhood on the nights of the 2d and the 3d; but I think we shall now have summer upon us.

I am steadily engaged in my official duties, and make progress in some things which require despatch. There are but few people here, and it is a good time for work.

I have given up my professional engagements, both in New York and Boston. This has been done at a great sacrifice, three thousand dollars at least, but I felt it to be my duty. For the next two or three months I may calculate on good health, after which my annual visitation of "hay fever," or "catarrh," may render me incapable of doing much of any thing for the residue of the summer. I feel, therefore, that I owe it to my place, and to my duties, to let nothing interfere for the present with close attention to public affairs.

There never was a time, I think, in which our foreign relations were more quiet. There seems no disturbing breath on the surface. All the diplomatic gentlemen here are amicably disposed, and our intercourse is quite agreeable. I think Mr. Hülsemann is the most satisfied and happy of them all.

An hour hence I receive my mail, and then go to church, always expecting a good sermon from Dr. Butler.

By the way, if you would see something in the prophetic books of Scripture, remarkably applicable to our days, turn to the second chapter of Nahum, and the fourth verse.

Yours, always truly,

DAN'L WEBSTER.

P. S. For something to remind you of telegraphic wires, see Job, xxxviii. 35.

SOURCE: Fletcher Webster, Editor, The Private Correspondence of Daniel Webster, Vol. 2, p. 441

Daniel Webster to Richard M. Blatchford, Monday, May 5, 1851—7 a.m.

Monday morning, seven o'clock, May 5, 1851.

MY DEAR SIR,—I was happy to find a short letter from you in my mail yesterday. As to the "especially special" letter to me from New York, I shall receive it with great gratitude and sincere respect, but I hope it will not be of a character to call me away immediately from my engagements here.

I shall look for you with hope and confidence, on Saturday morning, and trust you will bring some friend with you. There are two or three things I want to say to you, by word of mouth.

It is again wet and rainy, and the glass down to 40°, as disagreeable a morning as you would wish to see.

Yours, truly always,

DAN'L WEBSTER.

SOURCE: Fletcher Webster, Editor, The Private Correspondence of Daniel Webster, Vol. 2, p. 442

Daniel Webster to Edward Everett, Monday, May 6, 1851

Washington, May 6, 1851.

MY DEAR SIR,—I think of dedicating each volume to some friend. Would that look like affectation? Public men and scholars will be remembered by their works. Private friendships are forgotten. It has occurred to me, that I would dedicate the second volume to Isaac P. Davis, as a memorial of an uninterrupted friendship of forty years. What should you think of it? I have mentioned it to no one.

D. W.

SOURCE: Fletcher Webster, Editor, The Private Correspondence of Daniel Webster, Vol. 2, p. 442

Daniel Webster to Peter Harvey, Friday, May 9, 1851—7 a.m.

Washington, Friday morning, seven o'clock, May 9, 1851.

MY DEAR SIR,—I hope to meet some Boston friends in New York on Tuesday. Mr. Edward Curtis will be there, as well as others, and it may be a good time to confer. My own stay will be short, as we leave early the next morning. But I hope you, and whoever comes with you, may be able to stay a day or two. My letter to you expresses pretty much what I have to say on the subject. What remains must be left to friends.

Yours, truly,

DAN’L WEBSTER.

P. S. Of course, if any thing be attempted, Mr. Choate must be our standard-bearer.

SOURCE: Fletcher Webster, Editor, The Private Correspondence of Daniel Webster, Vol. 2, p. 443

Daniel Webster to Richard M. Blatchford, Sunday, May 11, 1851—1 p.m.

[May 11, 1851,] Sunday, one o'clock.

MY DEAR SIR,—I thank you for your letter from Philadelphia. I am well, and leave to-morrow morning, at six o'clock. I dread the journey awfully.

I see four elements of distress in it: 1. Heat. 2. Crowds. 3. Limestone water. 4. The necessity of speech-making.

This last is not the least, for I have exhausted my opinions and my thoughts, my illustrations and my imaginations; all that remains in my mind is as "dry as a remainder biscuit, after a voyage."

Your notion that no evil can come from this jaunt, cheers me; but still I feel a caving in at the prospect before me. But never mind. If I should not be remarkably foolish, nor remarkably unlucky, I shall not spoil all the past.

Yours,

D. W.

SOURCE: Fletcher Webster, Editor, The Private Correspondence of Daniel Webster, Vol. 2, p. 443

Daniel Webster to Caroline White Webster, May 20, 1851—9 p.m.

Buffalo, May 20, 1851, nine o'clock, P. M.

MY DEAR CAROLINE,—I am detained here, unavoidably, for two or three days beyond my expectation.

Fletcher has had his trunk packed, two or three times, for his departure for home, but when the time came, I did not feel that I could part with him. I have nobody else with me, and though well at present, I should be alarmed if I should get sick.

To-night he has got all things in readiness for going early in the morning; but I do not believe I should sleep an hour, under the consciousness that he was to leave in the morning. I must, my dear child, detain him a day or two longer, and you must try to forgive me for it. I have no travelling friend; no servant, or attendant, that I am acquainted with; and if Fletcher should go, I should feel absolutely desolate.

I have telegraphed to New York for somebody to meet me, and the moment I see a reliable and familiar face, I will give your husband my blessing, and let him depart.

Your affectionate father,

DAN'L WEBSTER.

SOURCE: Fletcher Webster, Editor, The Private Correspondence of Daniel Webster, Vol. 2, p. 444