Diary of Major Joseph Stockton, May 27, 1863

Everything quiet. Visited the hospitals to see our wounded boys; some may get over it, but I fear many will die.

SOURCE: Joseph Stockton, War Diary (1862-5) of Brevet Brigadier General Joseph Stockton, p. 17

Diary of Major Joseph Stockton, May 28, 1863

Heavy cannonading all along the whole line. The Rebs reply but feebly; they will not have much chance to rest.

SOURCE: Joseph Stockton, War Diary (1862-5) of Brevet Brigadier General Joseph Stockton, p. 17

Diary of Major Joseph Stockton, May 29, 1863

Worked all night on a fort for Major Powell's Battery; as the position is too much exposed for work in day time, it has to be done at night.

SOURCE: Joseph Stockton, War Diary (1862-5) of Brevet Brigadier General Joseph Stockton, p. 17

Diary of Major Joseph Stockton, May 30, 1863

Tremendous cannonading early this morning. I have never heard anything to equal it. It seems to be Grant's tactics to keep the Rebs busy all the time. There must have been over a hundred guns firing at once.

SOURCE: Joseph Stockton, War Diary (1862-5) of Brevet Brigadier General Joseph Stockton, p. 17

Diary of Major Joseph Stockton, May 31, 1863

As corps officer of the day, I was up all night. Visited the different posts where men had been stationed as pickets. Made some suggestions to headquarters which were complied with.

SOURCE: Joseph Stockton, War Diary (1862-5) of Brevet Brigadier General Joseph Stockton, p. 17

Resolutions of the Virginia General Assembly on the Death of John Tyler, Saturday, January 18, 1862

The mournful intelligence of the decease of John Tyler, after a brief illness, has cast a gloom over this General Assembly. The sad news will spread throughout his native State with painful effect. It will be heard throughout the Southern Confederacy with deep and abiding sorrow. He has filled a large space in the history of his country. Heaven has blessed him with length of days, and his country with all her honors. He has secured, we believe, a blissful immortality.

For the page of history his fame is destined to occupy, it is proper briefly to recount the many offices he has filled. From youthful manhood to green old age he has served his country faithfully, as a member of the House of Delegates, where his ripening intellect displayed the promise of usefulness and attracted attention; as a member of the Executive Council, where his wholesome advice lent wisdom to authority; as the Governor of this Commonwealth, where his administrative powers gave efficacy to law, and his execution of the will of the people expressed by their representatives was rendered pleasant by kindness and courtesy; as a member of the first convention called to amend the State Constitution, in which body his ripened experience gave his counsel the force of wisdom and prudence; as a member of the House of Representatives of the United States, standing firm amid the rage of party spirit, and remaining true to principle and to right; as a Senator representing this State in the Senate of the United States, in which he shone conspicuous for his strict adherence to constitutional obligation and for his manly defense of the rights of the States and the honor of the country. As Vice-President of the United States, presiding over the deliberations of the Senate with dignity and impartiality, preserving the decorum of a body that then was a model for legislative assemblies; as President of the United States, when the national honor and reputation were acknowledged unimpeached and unimpaired in every land, and the powers of the earth looked up to the new government as an exemplar of morals and of power worthy of respect and imitation. He thus, step by step, ascended to the eminence from which he surveyed his country, peaceful and glorious, and calmly retired in dignity to a private station, happy in the contemplation of a bright career, happy in a refined and prosperous home, happy in the circle of family and friends.

His State called him again into her service. She was to be assembled in convention to resist oppression, and to withstand a galling tyranny against which her best men chafed. His services were invoked to aid in maintaining the high position she had heretofore occupied. He came from his retirement. He advised separation in peace, or war to vindicate her honor. He was again selected a commissioner to tender to the government at Washington the terms upon which Virginia would remain united with her former sisters. He was honored with the presidency of that Peace Conference. His manly appeals for justice were uttered and unheeded. He returned and recommended separation and independence. His advice was taken. It became necessary to form and establish another government for the new Confederacy. He was appointed by the Sovereign Convention of Virginia a member of the Provisional Congress. While occupying a conspicuous place in the eyes of the Confederacy, and the new government was assuming its permanent basis, he was elected by the people a member of the first House of Representatives of the Confederate States, with a fair promise still of usefulness, to stamp his wisdom upon the enduring monuments of a new national existence.

But it pleased the Almighty to check his career, and take him to himself. Such is the brief outline of the career of John Tyler. In private he was the perfect gentleman, the warm-hearted, affectionate, social, and delightful companion; it may be said of him, his kind hand ministered to the wants of the distressed.

Resolved, by the General Assembly, as the testimonial of a nation's sorrow for the death of a great and good man, that a joint committee of the Senate and House of Delegates be appointed to confer with a committee of the Congress of the Confederate States to make arrangements for his funeral and burial.

Resolved, That with the consent of his family his remains be deposited in Hollywood Cemetery, in the city of Richmond, near the remains of James Monroe, and that the Governor of this State be authorized to cause a suitable monument to be erected to his memory.

Resolved, That these resolutions be forthwith communicated by the Speaker of the House of Delegates to the Congress of the Confederate States, with a request that they concur therein.

SOURCE: Lyon Gardiner Tyler, The Letters and Times of the Tylers, Volume 2, pp. 673-4

Diary of Edward Bates, May 18, 1859

Went with Julia to Florissant,⁵² to vis[i]t Julian⁵³ and Sally.⁵⁴ Dined with them and returned in the evening. I never saw Sally so handsome — a good family reason for it — Julian is well and his professional prospects improving — They both seem very happy.

Note. Julian got his buggy broke today, by leaving his horse standing, unhitched, while he visited a patient. The carriage, he says, is not badly hurt, but I fear the horse may be spoiled.

_______________

⁵² Florissant, a town of St. Louis County, sixteen miles northwest of the city of St. Louis. Here Dr. Julian Bates lived. Here, too, was the family burying-ground where Bates's mother and sister were interred.

⁵³ Next to the eldest of Mr. Bates's living sons — a physician in Florissant. See supra, "Introduction."

⁵⁴ Julian's wife, formerly Sarah Woodson.

SOURCE: Howard K. Beale, Editor, Annual Report of The American Historical Association For The Year 1930, Vol. 4, The Diary Of Edward Bates, p. 15-6

Diary of Edward Bates, May 20, 1859

Note — Subscribed for the National Intelligencer For Julian, and pd. the bill for one year — $6.00 see receipt of Mr. James, the agent.

My letter to the New York Whig Com[mitt]ee., which has had such a run in the papers, and has been so variously criticised, gives occasion, every now and then, for tickling my vanity. A small instance occur[r]ed today, in the person of one Mr. Harding of Massts., — father in law to Dr. Oliphant — The old gentleman is stone deaf, but seeing me cross the street from my office to the French restaurant, expressed a strong desire to be introduced to me — He wanted to tell his friends when he went home, that he had shakened [sic] the hand that wrote that letter —

Dr. O[liphant] (who has never spoken to me since the Montesquou trial⁵⁵) followed me into the restaurant, and with much politeness and many apologies, requested me to go to his house (next door) and be introduced to Mr. H.[arding] saying that it would be a great gratification to the old gentleman — I went.

. . . ⁵⁶

_______________

⁵⁵ Gonsalve and Raymond de Montesquieu were two wealthy French youths tried for murders committed in cold blood in 1849 at Barnum's City Hotel. After two juries disagreed, the Governor pardoned Gonsalve, the gunman, on the ground of insanity, and Raymond because he had not participated in the shooting. The trial caused international excitement.

⁵⁶ Planting of Chinese sugar cane, water melons, lima beans, Yankee pumpkins.

SOURCE: Howard K. Beale, Editor, Annual Report of The American Historical Association For The Year 1930, Vol. 4, The Diary Of Edward Bates, p. 16

Diary of Edward Bates, May 21, 1859

Slavery in the District of Columbia.

It is strange to see how suddenly and totally men and parties do change their opinions upon even great constitutional questions, when they become party questions[.]

In Benton's Abridged Debates. Vol 9. p 415 (12 Feb: 1827) it appears that Mr. Barney⁵⁷ presented a petition of Citizens of Maryland, for the abolition of Slavery in the District, — and moved that it be printed &c.

Mr. McDuffie⁵⁸ opposed — He thought it impertenent [sic] in citizens of the States to meddle in the matter &c: It belonged exclusively to the people of the District &c [.] He considered Slavery a deplorable evil, and when the People of the District petitioned to get rid of it, he would be as ready as any man to grant their request &c.

It was but a few years afterwards that leading partizans thought it necessary to change the doctrine, so clearly announced by Mr. McD.[uffie] in both particulars — 1st. They now deny that the Existence of Slavery in the District ought to depend upon the wishes of the people there — and 2d. They deny the Power of Congress to abolish it. —

In the Territories

Formerly, nobody questioned the Power of Congress, but it was considered a matter of expediency only; and consequently it was disputed on grounds of policy only — Now, the Southern Democracy is in such a strait, that it is driven to the most revolting absurdities : But that is alway [s] so when men are resolved to maintain a known wrong against a known right — They insist that the Constitution, proprio vigore, carries slavery into the Territories — According to this new light, the constitution (which most of that party affect to consider only a League between the States) is the local law in the Territories. Slavery being carried into the Territories by the constitution, of Course Congress has no power to expel it, and cannot delegate the power to the Territorial Legislature, nor to the People — and the people themselves have no such power — And so, there is no power on Earth to abolish slavery in the Territories!!

The argumentum ad absurdum used to be thought a sufficient refutation— not so now. Junius⁵⁹ was half right in saying that "When a man is determined to believe, the very absurdity of his doctrine confirms his faith."

The constitution, I suppose, is the Law of the States which made it and exist in Union by it; and is not law [sic] the Law of the Territories, which are subject acquests; And yet, according [to] these learned Thebans, it carries slavery into the Territories, where it is not law, but does not carry it into Pennsylvania and Massachusetts, where it is law!

Those who hold that belief may well say — "Credo quia impossible est."⁶⁰

_______________

⁵⁷ John Barney, Federalist congressman from Maryland, 1825-1829.

⁵⁸ George McDuffle of South Carolina: anti-Jackson Democratic congressman, 1821-1834; governor, 1834-1836 ; U. S. senator, 1842-1846.

⁵⁹ Infra, May 25, 1865, note 25.

⁶⁰ Bates does not seem to have quoted accurately. St. Augustine in his Confessions VI. 5. (7) said " Credo quia absurdum est," and Tertullian in Be Come Christi (Chap. V, part II) said, "Certum est quia impossibile est." But then Bates seldom did quote exactly.

SOURCE: Howard K. Beale, Editor, Annual Report of The American Historical Association For The Year 1930, Vol. 4, The Diary Of Edward Bates, pp. 16-7

Diary of Edward Bates, May 24, 1859

To day, Sarah Bates, by one single deed, set free all her remaining slaves — being 32 in number. The deed was proven in Court, by John. S. McCune and Edward Bates, two of the subscribing witnesses — the witness being C. Woodson Bates.⁶¹

She has long wished to accomplish this end but was never quite ready to do it till now.

In her late severe sickness, the though[t] of leaving her slaves to be held as property and to serve strangers after he[r] death, seemed to give her great distress. She talked of it painfully, sleeping and waking.

Having executed the deed, and then fulfilled her long-cherished wish, she seemed relieved of a burden, and greatly cheered and lightened.

The negro[e]s are very good-looking generally, and are worth at least $20,000.

_______________

⁶¹ Mr. Bates's youngest son. See supra, " Introduction."

SOURCE: Howard K. Beale, Editor, Annual Report of The American Historical Association For The Year 1930, Vol. 4, The Diary Of Edward Bates, pp. 17-8

Diary of Edward Bates, May 25, 1859

"A fool with a majority on his side, is the greatest tyrant in the world." — 2. Carlisle's [sic'] Fred[eric]k the Great, p 50[.]

SOURCE: Howard K. Beale, Editor, Annual Report of The American Historical Association For The Year 1930, Vol. 4, The Diary Of Edward Bates, p. 18

Diary of Edward Bates, May 27, 1859

The N. York Commercial advertiser of May 23d. contains a very complimentary notice of my letter to the Whig Committee,⁶² and extracts the part of it against the rage for foreign acquisition — heading it, Bates versus Fillibusterism [sic]. Such a compliment from such a paper goes for something.

If my letter does no other good, I hope it will embolden some men, both North and South, to speak out boldly against the system of aggression and plunder, whose feelings are right, but have heretofore been too timid to denounce it. The truculent impudence of certain buccaneers in the South seems to have taken the start of public opinion, and silenced the opposition of the timid and the peaceful.

I see by the Nat:[ional] Intelligencer of May 24. that there is established in Baltimore (and the 1st. No. actually issued) a Weekly Periodical called "The American Cavalier" which professes to be — "A Military Journal, devoted to the extension of American Civilization."

The Cavalier declares that it will "place its feet upon [on] the broad platform of the [‘]Monroe doctrine[’] and will maintain that the Government of the U[nited] States is the only legal arbiter of the destiny of American nationalities." (!)

Sir Knight (the Editor of the Cavalier) stimulated by the prospect of universal expansion, talks grandiloquently thus — "This nation is the Empire of the People, and as such we shall advocate its extension until 1 [sic] every foot of land on the continent (wonder if he means to leave out the Islands? — Perhaps, as he is a cavalier, he'll go only where [he] can ride) owns only our flag as the National emblem, and that flag the ["]Stars and stripes["] — Aye, we say, add star to star until our Republican constellation is a very sun of light[,] throwing its genial rays into into [sic] the humblest home of the poor man, in the most distant part of the earth[!] — <what! outside the "Continent!"> Let not the virgin soil of America be polluted by oppression— [ ;] <Can he mean to abolish slavery?> Let it not be the continued seat of war and bloodshed; <No more fighting then I hope> let the great people <and why not the little ones too> rise up as one man and command peace and love to be enthroned as the presiding genii of this new world."⁶³

There is a good deal more of that sort of nonsense —

"And then he pierc'd his bloody-boiling breast, with blameful — bloody blade!"

It is perhaps fortunate that such political charlatans do commonly disclose the dangerous absurdity of their projects, by the stupid folly of their language.

The paper, observe, is to be military — All this spread of 'American Civilization' is to be done by martial law. Buchanan wants to take military possession of Mexico; and Douglas wants a seabound Republic !

The Louisville Journal of May 26 — sent me by some one — contains a long article, written with ability (I guess by Judge Nicholas⁶⁴) with a view to organize a general Opposition Party. He argues that the only way to beat the Democrats effectively is for the Republican party to abandon its separate organization, and unite its elements with the general opposition. He thinks that the Abolitionists proper, will not go with the Republicans, any how, and that the Republicans, altho' very strong, are not more numerous than the other elements of opposition ; and that standing alone, they are, like the Democrats, sectional — But, fused with the other elements, and thus taking the character of the general opposition, the party would become essentially national, and would easily put down the sham Democracy.

I read in the papers that a Company is formally organized down South, to increase the African labor of the Country — i. e. import slaves — and that DeBow⁶⁵ is a head man of it.

This is said to be the result of the deliberations⁶⁶ of the "Southern Commercial Convention"⁶⁷ at its late session in Mississippi — Vicksburg.

Are these men mad, that they organize in open defiance of the law, avowedly to carry on a felonious traf [f]ic, and for an object, tho' not distinctly avowed yet not concealed, — to dissolve the Union, by cutting off the slave states, or at least the cotton states ?

Again — are these men fools ? Do they flatter themselves with the foolish thought that we of the upper Mississippi will ever submit to have the mouth of our River held by a foreign power, whether friend or foe? Do they not know that that is a fighting question, and not fit to be debated? The people of the upper Miss[issip]pi. will make their commerce flow to the Gulf as freely as their waters. If friendly suasion fail, then war: If common warfare will not suffice, they will cut the dikes, at every high flood, and drown out the Delta!⁶⁸

[Marginal Note.] June 4. I see by the papers, that since the adjournment of the Southern convention, there has been a great antislave-trade meeting held at Vicksburg — called to order by Foote⁶⁹ and presided over by Judge Sharkey⁷⁰ — which denounced all that the Convention had done about the slave trade.

_______________

⁶² Supra, 1-9.

⁶³ Mr. Bates has quoted inaccurately. The punctuation and capitalization are changed, and with the exception of "legal " and “Empire of the People" the italics are Mr. Bates's.

⁶⁴ Samuel S. Nicholas: judge of the Kentucky Court of Appeals, 1831-1837; author in 1857 of a series of essays on Constitutional Law.

⁶⁵ James D. B. De Bow: economist; short-time editor of the Southern Quarterly Review published at Charleston, South Carolina; editor of the Commercial Review of the South and Southeast (later De Bow's Review) which he founded in New Orleans in 1846 ; superintendent of the U. S. Census under President Pierce ; and a leader in the Southern Commercial Conventions.

⁶⁶ May 9-13, 1859. On May 10, L. W. Spratt of South Carolina, Isaac N. Davis of Mississippi, and John Humphreys of Mississippi introduced resolutions urging a reopening of the African slave-trade, and Humphreys, G. V. Moody of Mississippi, and J. D. B. De Bow of Louisiana made speeches supporting them. On May 12, the Convention voted 40—19 for repeal of all laws prohibiting the importation of African negroes. A committee on the "legality and expediency" of the slave-trade was appointed to report to a later convention.

⁶⁷ This was one of a series of "commercial conventions" of the 1850's in which Southerners sought to analyze their economic and commercial ills and find remedies that would enable them once more to overtake the North in economic development.

⁶⁸ The Northwest's need of a free outlet through the lower Mississippi to the sea had always played an important role in national history. The South thought that this factor would force the Northwest to follow it in secession. The editor, however, decided (in a detailed study made of Southern Illinois in 1860-1861) that railroad building of the 1850's had made at least that portion of the Northwest which lies east of the Mississippi equally dependent by .1861 upon rail connections with the Northwest, and that this importance of both outlets actually forced a strongly pro-Southern Southern Illinois to defend the Union, since preservation of the Union was the only way to maintain both the river and the rail outlets. Mr. Bates's comment throws interesting light upon this same influence of the Mississippi upon Missouri unionist sentiment.

⁶⁹ Henry S. Foote of Mississippi: Unionist U. S. senator, 1847-1852; governor of Mississippi, 1852-1854 ; opponent of states' rights and secession. He later moved to Memphis. Tennessee. As a member of the lower house of the Confederate Congress, he criticized Davis severely. When Lincoln's peace proposals were rejected, he resigned and was imprisoned by the Confederacy, but finally was allowed to remove to Union territory.

⁷⁰ William L. Sharkey of Mississippi: elective chief justice of the Court of Errors and Appeals, 1832-1850 ; president of the Southern Convention at Nashville in 1850; provisional governor of Mississippi under the Johnsonian restoration of 1865.

SOURCE: Howard K. Beale, Editor, Annual Report of The American Historical Association For The Year 1930, Vol. 4, The Diary Of Edward Bates, pp. 18-20

Diary of Lieutenant-Colonel John Beatty, October 2, 1861

Our camp is almost deserted. The tents of eight regiments dot the valley; but those of two regiments and half only are occupied. The Hoosiers have all gone to Cheat mountain summit. They propose to steal upon the enemy during the night, take him by surprise, and thrash him thoroughly. I pray they may be successful, for since Rich mountain our army has done nothing worthy of a paragraph. Rosecrans' affair at Carnifex was a barren thing; certainly no battle and no victory, and the operations in this vicinity have at no time risen to the dignity of a skirmish.

Captain McDougal, with nearly one hundred men and three days' provisions, started up the valley this morning, with instructions to go in sight of the enemy, the object being to lead the latter to suppose the advance guard of our army is before him. By this device it is expected to keep the enemy in our front from going to the assistance of the rebels now threatening Kimball.

SOURCE: John Beatty, The Citizen-soldier: Or, Memoirs of a Volunteer, p. 72

Diary of Lieutenant-Colonel John Beatty, October 3, 1861

To-night, half an hour ago, received a dispatch from the top of Cheat, which reads as follows:

All back. Made a very interesting reconnoissance. Killed a large number of the enemy. Very small loss on our side.

 

J. J. REYNOLDS,                 

Brigadier-General.

Why, when the battle was progressing so advantageously for our side, did they not go on? This, then, is the result of the grand demonstration on the other side of the mountain.

McDougal's company returned, and report the enemy fallen back.

The frost has touched the foliage, and the mountain peaks look like mammoth bouquets; green, red, yellow, and every modification of these colors appear mingled in every possible fanciful and tasteful way.

Another dispatch has just come from the top of Cheat, written, I doubt not, after the Indianians had returned to camp and drawn their whisky ration. It sounds bigger than the first. I copy it:

Found the rebels drawn up in line of battle one mile outside of their fortifications, drove them back to their intrenchments, and continued the fight four hours. Ten of our men wounded and ten killed. Two or three hundred of the enemy killed.

If it be true that so many of the rebels were killed, it is probable, that two thousand at least were wounded; and when three hundred are killed and two thousand wounded, out of an army of twelve or fifteen hundred men, the business is done up very thoroughly. The dispatch which went to Richmond to-night, I have no doubt, stated that "the Federals attacked in great force, outnumbering us two or three to one, and after a terrific engagement, lasting five hours, they were repulsed at all points with great slaughter. Our loss one killed and five wounded. Federal loss, five hundred killed and twenty-five hundred wounded." Thus are victories won and histories made. Verily the pen is mightier than the sword.

SOURCE: John Beatty, The Citizen-soldier: Or, Memoirs of a Volunteer, pp. 72-4

Diary of Lieutenant-Colonel John Beatty, October 4, 1861

The Indianians have been returning from the summit all day, straggling along in squads of from three to a full company.

The men are tired, and the camp is quiet as a house. Six thousand are sleeping away a small portion of their three weary years of military service. This TIME stretches out before them, a broad, unknown, and extra-hazardous sea, with promise of some smooth sailing, but many days and nights of heavy winds and waves, in which some—how many!— will be carried down.

Their thoughts have now forced the sentinel lines, leaped the mountains, jumped the rivers, hastened home, and are lingering about the old fireside, looking in at the cupboard, and hovering over faces and places that have been growing dearer to them every day for the last five months. Old-fashioned places, tame and uninteresting then, but now how loved! And as for the faces, they are those of mothers, wives, and sweethearts, around which are entwined the tenderest of memories. But at daybreak, when reveille is sounded, these wanderers must come trooping back again in time for "hard-tack" and double quick.

SOURCE: John Beatty, The Citizen-soldier: Or, Memoirs of a Volunteer, p. 74

Diary of Lieutenant-Colonel John Beatty, October 5, 1861

Some of the Indiana regiments are utterly beyond discipline. The men are good, stout, hearty, intelligent fellows, and will make excellent soldiers; but they have now no regard for their officers, and, as a rule, do as they please. They came straggling back yesterday from the top of Cheat unofficered, and in the most unsoldierly manner. As one of these stray Indianians was coming into camp, he saw a snake in the river and cocked his gun. He was near the quarters of the Sixth Ohio, and many men were on the opposite side of the stream, among them a lieutenant, who called to the Indianian and begged him for God's sake not to fire; but the latter, unmindful of what was said, blazed away. The ball, striking the water, glanced and hit the lieutenant in the breast, killing him almost instantly.

SOURCE: John Beatty, The Citizen-soldier: Or, Memoirs of a Volunteer, p. 75

Diary of Lieutenant-Colonel John Beatty, October 6, 1861

The Third and Sixth Ohio, with Loomis' battery, left camp at half-past three in the afternoon, and took the Huntersville turnpike for Big Springs, where Lee's army has been encamped for some months. At nine o'clock we reached Logan's Mill, where the column halted for the night. It had rained heavily for some hours, and was still raining. The boys went into camp thoroughly wet, and very hungry and tired; but they soon had a hundred fires kindled, and, gathering around these, prepared and ate supper.

I never looked upon a wilder or more interesting scene. The valley is blazing with camp-fires; the men flit around them like shadows. Now some indomitable spirit, determined that neither rain nor weather shall get him down, strikes up:

Oh! say, can you see by the dawn's early light,

What so proudly we hailed at the twilight's last gleaming,

Whose broad stripes and bright stars, through the perilous fight,

O'er the ramparts we watched were so gallantly streaming?

A hundred voices join in, and the very mountains, which loom up in the fire-light like great walls, whose tops are lost in the darkness, resound with a rude melody befiting so wild a night and so wild a scene. But the songs are not all patriotic. Love and fun make contribution also, and a voice, which may be that of the invincible Irishman, Corporal Casey, sings:

’T was a windy night, about two o'clock in the morning,

 An Irish lad, so tight, all the wind and weather scorning,

 At Judy Callaghan's door, sitting upon the paling,

 His love tale he did pour, and this is part of his wailing:

 Only say you'll be mistress Brallaghan;

 Don't say nay, charming Judy Callaghan.

A score of voices pick up the chorus, and the hills and mountains seem to join in the Corporal's appeal to the charming Judy:

Only say you'll be mistress Brallaghan;

Don't say nay, charming Judy Callaghan.

Lieutenant Root is in command of Loomis' battery. Just before reaching Logan's one of his provision wagons tumbled down a precipice, severely injuring three men and breaking the wagon in pieces.

SOURCE: John Beatty, The Citizen-soldier: Or, Memoirs of a Volunteer, pp. 75-7

Diary of Lieutenant-Colonel John Beatty, October 7, 1861

Left Logan's mill before the sun was up. The rain continues, and the mud is deep. At eleven o'clock we reached what is known as Marshall's store, near which, until recently, the enemy had a pretty large camp. Halted at the place half an hour, and then moved four miles further on, where we found the roads impassable for our artillery and transportation.

Learning that the enemy had abandoned Big Springs and fallen back to Huntersville, the soldiers were permitted to break ranks, while Colonel Marrow and Major Keifer, with a company of cavalry, rode forward to the Springs. Colonel Nick Anderson, Adjutant Mitchell and I followed. We found on the road evidence of the recent presence of a very large force. Quite a number of wagons had been left behind. Many tents had been ripped, cut to pieces, or burned, so as to render them worthless. A large number of beef hides were strung along the road. One wagon, loaded with muskets, had been destroyed. All of which showed, simply, that before the rebels abandoned the place the roads had become so bad that they could not carry off their baggage.

The object of the expedition being now accomplished, we started back at three o'clock in the afternoon, and encamped for the night at Marshall's store.

SOURCE: John Beatty, The Citizen-soldier: Or, Memoirs of a Volunteer, p. 77

Diary of Lieutenant-Colonel John Beatty, October 8, 1861

Resumed the march early, found the river waist high, and current swift; but the men all got over safely, and we reached camp at one o'clock.

The Third has been assigned to a new brigade, to be commanded by Brigadier-General Dumont, of Indiana.

The paymaster has come at last.

Willis, my new servant, is a colored gentleman of much experience and varied accomplishments. He has been a barber on a Mississippi river steamboat, and a daguerreian artist. He knows much of the South, and manipulates a fiddle with wonderful skill. He is enlivening the hours now with his violin.

Oblivious to rain, mud, and the monotony of the camp, my thoughts are carried by the music to other and pleasanter scenes; to the cottage home, to wife and children, to a time still further away when we had no children, when we were making the preliminary arrangements for starting in the world together, when her cheeks were ruddier than now, when wealth and fame and happiness seemed lying just before me, ready to be gathered in, and farther away still, to a gentle, blue-eyed mother—now long gone—teaching her child to lisp his first simple prayer.

SOURCE: John Beatty, The Citizen-soldier: Or, Memoirs of a Volunteer, pp. 77-8

Diary of Lieutenant-Colonel John Beatty, October 9, 1861

The day has been clear. The mountains, decorated by the artistic fingers of Jack Frost, loom up in the sunshine like magnificent, highly-colored, and beautiful pictures.

The night is grand. The moon, a crescent, now rests for a moment on the highest peak of the Cheat, and by its light suggests, rather than reveals, the outline of hill, valley, cove and mountain.

The boys are wide awake and merry. The fair weather has put new spirit in them all, and possibly the presence of the paymaster has contributed somewhat to the good feeling which prevails.

Hark! This from the company quarters:

Her golden hair in ringlets fair;

Her eyes like diamonds shining;

Her slender waist, her carriage chaste,

Left me, poor soul, a pining.

But let the night be e'er so dark,

Or e'er so wet and rainy,

I will return safe back again

To the girl I left behind me.

From another quarter, in the rich brogue of the Celt, we have:

Did you hear of the widow Malone,

Ohone!

Who lived in the town of Athlone,

Alone?

Oh! she melted the hearts

Of the swains in those parts;

So lovely the widow Malone,

Ohone!

So lovely the widow Malone.

SOURCE: John Beatty, The Citizen-soldier: Or, Memoirs of a Volunteer, pp. 78-9