This has been a cold rainy day, as uncomfortable for the soldiers as could well be. It rained so hard that none of us went to church in the morning. Wife and the boys went in the afternoon. I have not been out, staid in the house reading.
SOURCE: Horatio
Nelson Taft, The
Diary of Horatio Nelson Taft, 1861-1865. Volume 1, January 1,1861-April 11,
1862, Library of Congress, Manuscript Division, Washington D. C.
It has been pleasant today after the thunder shower which we had last night. Got my months Salary today, bought me a new hat, wore my old one a year and a half. Paid Bills “too numerous to mention.” We know but little of what is going on relating to the War as nothing is allowed to be published in the papers but there must be a great Battle soon in Tennessee betwen Buel & Beauregard. It is thought that the “cord” is tightening round Richmond. We shall probably hear soon. The Ladies Fair of the 4[th] Pres[byterian] Ch[urch] commenced tonight. Julia did not get home till after 11.
SOURCE: Horatio
Nelson Taft, The
Diary of Horatio Nelson Taft, 1861-1865. Volume 1, January 1,1861-April 11,
1862, Library of Congress, Manuscript Division, Washington D. C.
Very warm day. At
work in office Dined with Gov Morgan of NY at Q House
SOURCE: The Diary of Orville Hickman Browning, Vol. 1, p. 408
Fine day—At work in
office. out at Cox's to tea. “Help me Cassius or I sink” received a long letter
from Hon David Davis, Thos A Marshall, N. B. Judd, E Peck1
& O. M. Hatch, entreating me in the most earnest terms to go, without
delay, to St Louis, and see Judge Bates, and try and prevail upon him to come
into Illinois, and assist us in the campaign. They want his influence to carry
the old whig Quincy element for Lincoln.2 Some of these same men had
blamed me for supporting Judge Bates for the Presidency and had asserted, in
the most emphatic terms, that he could not carry Illinois. I believed before
the convention, and believe now, that he would have carried the entire
Republican party, and the old whig party beside, and I think others are
beginning to suspect the same thing, and that we have made a mistake in the
selection of candidates.
1 Ebenezer Peck, 1805-1881. Born in Maine;
admitted to bar in Canada; member of Canadian Parliament; came to Chicago,
1835, being one of the founders of the Democratic party and one of its
supposedly unscrupulous politicians. Lincoln opposed him then, but by 1856 Peck
had become a Republican and he took part in the Republican convention at
Bloomington in that year. He was elected clerk of the Supreme Court in 1841 in
a meeting of five of the nine justices of the court. His election was supposed
to be part of a bargain regarding the passage of the act of 1841 reorganizing
the Supreme Court on Democratic lines. He was therefore known as the
"midnight clerk." President Lincoln appointed him to the United
States Court of Claims. Palmer, The Bench and Bar of Illinois,
1:76-77; 2: 627; Nicolay and Hay, Abraham Lincoln, 1:126127;
2: 28; Memoirs of Gustave Koerner, 2: 93.
2 This letter is in the files of the Illinois
State Historical Library at Springfield and reads as follows:
Springfield, Ills
May 21 1860
Dear
Browning—
There
must be no mistake about carrying Illinois—
Our
honor is pledged to it—
To
conduce to this end, it is apparent to a number of friends now here, that Judge
Edward Bates should be got to make speeches, at 4 or 5 prominent places in this
State, say Charleston Springfield, Jacksonville, Carlinville, or Alton, &
some place on Military Tract
Judge
Bates owes it to himself & the cause to make this sacrifice His appearance
& the man himself would be more effective, than a thousand speeches from
Eastern Orators—
—Mr
Bates, would emphatically settle the Fillmore element for us—
Your
friends think that if these speeches could be made all of them before the
Baltimore nomination—that they would be greatly—infinitely more effective—than
if made afterwards
Now is the
appointed time— In looking over the list of our friends, who should be sent to
Mr Bates to effect this end a number of your friends & Mr Lincoln's now
here, unitedly believe that you are that man—
The
undersigned therefore, earnestly & affectionatley urge you immediately to
visit Saint Louis & if possible secure the services of Mr Bates— We assure
you that you could not more effectually serve the cause—
We
beg of you to lay aside business & visit Saint Louis—for this purpose—
Write
to Mr Hatch the result of your mission—Knowing your interest in this cause, we
feel certain that you will not hesitate a moment, in endeavouring to accomplish
this very desirable object.
Mr
Blair of St Louis thinks it most important & if in St Louis will lend his
aid— Mr Blair has the matter at heart—
We
remain
Dear Sir
Your friends
David Davis
N. B. Judd
T. A. Marshall
Eb Peck.
O. M. Hatch
SOURCE: The Diary of Orville Hickman Browning, Vol. 1, pp. 408-10
There must be no
mistake about carrying Illinois—
Our honor is pledged
to it—
To conduce to this
end, it is apparent to a number of friends now here, that Judge Edward Bates
should be got to make speeches, at 4 or 5 prominent places in this State, say
Charleston Springfield, Jacksonville, Carlinville, or Alton, & some place
on Military Tract
Judge Bates owes it
to himself & the cause to make this sacrifice His appearance & the man
himself would be more effective, than a thousand speeches from Eastern Orators—
—Mr Bates, would
emphatically settle the Fillmore element for us—
Your friends think
that if these speeches could be made all of them before the Baltimore
nomination—that they would be greatly—infinitely more effective—than if made
afterwards
Now is the appointed time— In looking over the
list of our friends, who should be sent to Mr Bates to effect this end a number
of your friends & Mr Lincoln's now here, unitedly believe that you are that
man—
The undersigned
therefore, earnestly & affectionatley urge you immediately to visit Saint
Louis & if possible secure the services of Mr Bates— We assure you that you
could not more effectually serve the cause—
We beg of you to lay
aside business & visit Saint Louis—for this purpose—
Write to Mr Hatch
the result of your mission—Knowing your interest in this cause, we feel certain
that you will not hesitate a moment, in endeavouring to accomplish this very
desirable object.
Mr Blair of St Louis
thinks it most important & if in St Louis will lend his aid— Mr Blair has
the matter at heart—
We remain
Dear Sir
Your friends
SOURCE: The Diary of Orville Hickman Browning, Vol. 1, pp. 409-10
Quincy & St Louis. At 11 O'clock A. M. took passage on Steamer Hannibal City for St Louis, on a political mission to Judge Bates
SOURCE: The Diary of Orville Hickman Browning, Vol. 1, p. 410
St. Louis Reached St Louis at 6 A. M. went to Planters House and had short interview with Gov Morgan of New York. Also met Judge Bates & Mr Gibson there, and made an appointment with the Judge to meet him at his office at 11 O'clock. I then had a long talk with Gibson in the parlor of the Planters House, and at 11 he and I met at Judge Bates' office. The Judge had just recvd and read my letter of Tuesday—I exhibited to him the letter I had received from Springfield, and made an urgent appeal to him to come into Illinois, and make a few speeches. Whilst I was engaged in urging such considerations as I thought would be most effectual in prevailing with him, Mr Goodrich,1 one of the Massachusetts delegates to the Chicago Convention, came in and united with me in the appeal I was making. But our efforts were unavailing. Judge Bates very emphatically declined to take the stump, saying that such a thing as one who had been before the convention as a candidate for nomination for the presidency taking the stump was unprecedented that he thought it would be in very bad taste, and incompatible with the dignity of his character & position, and that he must respectfully decline to do so that his situation was peculiar that he had been thought of as a candidate for the Presidency not because he was a member of the Republican party, but because he was a man outside of the Republican party harmonizing with it in political sentiments, and because it was supposed, therefore, that he could bring outside strength to the support of the party—that the platform, in the main expressed his sentiments, but there were some things in it unnecessary and untrue, which did not meet his approval, and mentioned particularly the clauses relating to the power of Congress over slavery in the territories, and the naturalization laws—that he felt no emotion of chagrin, or regret at not getting the nomination—that he entertained the highest regard for Mr Lincoln, appreciated and admired his character, and should rejoice at his success over any democrat who could be nominated, but that he must take a little time to deliberate as to the course proper to be when pursued by him, and that when he had reflected and matured his opinions he would write me fully upon the subject. I met Sam Glover and had a short conversation with him.2 He thought Judge Bates ought to write me a letter for publication endorsing Lincoln's nomination, but he would not advise him, as he was a man of great intellect who thought, and acted for himself, and he had never known him make a mistake especially in a matter of taste and propriety
1 Probably John Z. Goodrich, born 1801. Elector on Harrison ticket, 1840; representative in 32d and 33d congresses; collector of customs at Boston, 1861-1865.
2 Among the Browning letters in the Illinois Historical Library at Springfield is one from Sam T. Glover to Browning, dated St. Louis, June 13, 1860. This letter deals with the attitude of Mr. Bates. After stating that he (Mr. Glover) had recently identified himself with the Republican party, and felt considerable concern as to Bates's course, he writes of a call which he made upon Mr. Bates in order to elicit some statement as to his position. The letter continues:
"He then took out of his desk and read to me a most happy well considered eloquent letter . . . defining his own position as not a republican but as a whig & one who is from principle obliged to vote with that party as the conservative party of the country. He shows up the negro democracy in their native colors— He turns the other end of the Telescope on Bell & Everet and shows how small they really are He does justice to Lincoln & Hamlin & spurns the idea that any little feeling of personal pique can influence his conduct.
"The letter is truly a great one. It is as solid as iron and brilliant as jaspar. I urged him to publish it immediately He did not give me a satisfactory answer . . .
"Can you come here If not can you not write to Mr B a strong letter urging him not to postpone longer his promise to send the letter"
The letter referred to was addressed to Browning and was published in the St. Louis Democrat of June 19, 1860, and widely copied. See entry for June 19, 1860, post, 416-417 n. 3.
SOURCE: The Diary of Orville Hickman Browning, Vol. 1, pp. 410-2
Quincy. Arrived at home about 2 p. m. Very hot day. At Dr Warrens to tea with some other company. All vegetation is perishing for want of rain. Have had very little since last fall, and none at all since a light shower in April.
SOURCE: The Diary of Orville Hickman Browning, Vol. 1, p. 412
Continues very warm and dry. At work in office. Just at night had a pleasant little shower — about enough to lay the dust. Mrs Pearson of California & Mrs DeKraft to tea with us.
SOURCE: The Diary of Orville Hickman Browning, Vol. 1, p. 412
Very pleasant day. Took some medicine last night, and not out to Church this morning, but went in the P. M.
Getting ready to go to Carthage tomorrow to attend Court
SOURCE: The Diary of Orville Hickman Browning, Vol. 1, p. 412
Carthage. At 5 O'clock this morning took the cars for Plymouth on my way to Hancock Court. At Plymouth Wheat, Grimshaw, myself and some others took the stage and arrived at Carthage between 11. & 12 O'clock — Stopped at Artois Hamiltons and attended Court in afternoon — Sprinkled a little this P. M. and very warm
SOURCE: The Diary of Orville Hickman Browning, Vol. 1, p. 412
Attending Court. Cool this morning — Cloudy and very windy day, and by night quite cool enough to make fire comfortable
SOURCE: The Diary of Orville Hickman Browning, Vol. 1, p. 412
Cold, cloudy day, looking and feeling very much as if it was going to snow — Fire in my room at night Attending Court
SOURCE: The Diary of Orville Hickman Browning, Vol. 1, p. 413
Cloudy, cold day, but cleared off, and became more pleasant in the afternoon
There was a large Republican ratification meeting held here to day, which was addressed by Mr Grimshaw and myself in the afternoon, he speaking a half hour, and I an hour and a half. The Court house was packed to its utmost capacity, and then not half the crowd was in. There were a large number of ladies present.
There seems to be a great deal of enthusiasm among the people, and every thing now indicates an ardent and successful campaign.
SOURCE: The Diary of Orville Hickman Browning, Vol. 1, p. 413
Yanks brought up three or four thousand to E. and shelled our Boys for some time.
SOURCE: Ephraim Shelby Dodd, Diary of Ephraim Shelby Dodd: Member of Company D Terry's Texas Rangers, p. 11
Went out beyond Maj. Winn's, brought his family and negroes out, skirmished with the Yankees for some time, nothing serious.
SOURCE: Ephraim Shelby Dodd, Diary of Ephraim Shelby Dodd: Member of Company D Terry's Texas Rangers, p. 11
I went out piruting this evening, came back to Camp and went in to Dr. Moore's, sit till bed time. Miss Nannie made some music for me; the evening passed pleasantly.
SOURCE: Ephraim Shelby Dodd, Diary of Ephraim Shelby Dodd: Member of Company D Terry's Texas Rangers, p. 11
The Grand race between Wharton and Harrison came off this morning. All the Regiment that wished to went out. I remained in Camp. I and Reuben S. went over and got dinner at Mrs. Blanton's. Came back and the Regiment was getting ready to leave. I and Lonnie Logan came on to town and stopped at Dr. Moore's. Miss Nannie made some music for us. We bade them goodbye and overtook the Regiment. After we got to Camp, I took John Rector's horse and went up to Mr. Stewart's; found Dan at home. I took supper and staid all night; got some provisions fixed up and left before day. Came down to Camp and started soon after up country.
SOURCE: Ephraim Shelby Dodd, Diary of Ephraim Shelby Dodd: Member of Company D Terry's Texas Rangers, p. 11
I came by Dan's and got my clothing, overtook the command at town. Came up to Fairfield, crossed Bell Buckle Creek, went three or four miles and camped.
SOURCE: Ephraim Shelby Dodd, Diary of Ephraim Shelby Dodd: Member of Company D Terry's Texas Rangers, p. 11
Came up near Jacksboro and camped.
SOURCE: Ephraim Shelby Dodd, Diary of Ephraim Shelby Dodd: Member of Company D Terry's Texas Rangers, p. 11
