Near Oxford. Bright
and sunny. The delightful weather succeeded in enticing most of the boys from
their well worn decks and cribbage boards, bringing them out in ball
playing, pitching quoits, etc. Tallied for an interesting game of base ball.
SOURCE: Jenkin Lloyd
Jones, An Artilleryman's Diary, pp. 19-20
Near Oxford. Weather
still warm. Several of the boys went to Oxford in the afternoon with Captain.
Returned with eight new horses, also with the report that the Rebs were in
possession of Holly Springs, with 5,000 cavalry. Had taken several prisoners,
one of whom was Colonel Murphy, 8th Wisconsin; fears also were entertained that
the paymasters had been captured with their capital.
SOURCE: Jenkin Lloyd
Jones, An Artilleryman's Diary, p. 20
Oxford. Reveille
earlier than usual; orders to hold in readiness to march, such orders being
anticipated. 7 A. M. the whole Division took up the line of march back toward
Oxford. Hitched up. The caisson fell in the train, but the pieces with the 59th
Indiana, Colonel Alexander, were left for a rear guard. The Division passed by
9 A. M. but as the train could not take all of the commissary stores and cotton
at headquarters, we had to lay there all day hitched up, waiting for the trains
to return from Oxford. They arrived at 4 P. M., loaded, and started back as
soon as possible. We were ordered to hitch up, as we could hear the drums beat
for roll call on the right of us; supposed to be Logan's Division. We fell in
rear of 59th about 8 P. M., leaving the place all quiet, the Rebs making slight
demonstrations upon the infantry during the day notwithstanding. Pushed
silently along towards Oxford, proceeded toward our old camping ground. Brought
into line by Lieutenant Clark on the right of the road in the flat. Captain
Dillon went up to the old camp. The caisson drivers being already on the start,
after pitching their tents and again striking, we passed up the hill again, on
the top of which, countermanded again, unhitched and left the horses at the
bottom. Laid down at 1 Α. Μ.
SOURCE: Jenkin Lloyd
Jones, An Artilleryman's Diary, p. 20
Oxford. Awakened by Sergeant Hamilton, while the
stars were yet bright, with orders to feed. I, unsatisfied with the short
sleep, again laid down till daylight, until the orders to water aroused me.
Hitched up, drank a cup of coffee, ate hard bread. The blankets were ordered
off the guns and put in the wagon. Expectations of a fight somewhere, but I
know not where.
The troops were
moving out all night.
Evening. At 9 A. M.
the troops that had been called out in the night returned to their old camp
with the intelligence that it was a false alarm of the enemy advancing upon
Oxford. 12 M. we unhitched, unharnessed and pitched our tents.
SOURCE: Jenkin Lloyd
Jones, An Artilleryman's Diary, pp. 20-1
Enroute. Struck our tents and took up the line of
march northwards at 8 A. M. Followed the same road as that which we came in on,
passed through Abbeville at noon, recrossed the Tallahatchie at night, coming
into camp on the same ground as on the 2nd inst. To-day we passed the 23rd
Wisconsin Regiment, many of the boys met old acquaintances; reported occupation
of Jackson, Tenn., by the enemy.
SOURCE: Jenkin Lloyd
Jones, An Artilleryman's Diary, p. 21
Lumpkin's Mill. A day of fasting to Quinby's Division, the
rations having run out yesterday and none having arrived. I ate parched corn
and drank coffee. Marched to Lumpkin's Mill, went into camp 1 P. M. Drew
rations in the evening. A heifer found.
SOURCE: Jenkin Lloyd
Jones, An Artilleryman's Diary, p. 21
Lumpkin's Mill. Christmas! Christmas! resounded through the
camp this morning; everyone turning the gay reminiscence of the past in their
minds and hoping again to enjoy. Laid quiet during the day. Ate a Christmas
dinner of dumplings and unleavened bread. The howitzers ordered to prepare to
march, going in charge of a provision train to Memphis. Troubled with bad cold.
SOURCE: Jenkin Lloyd
Jones, An Artilleryman's Diary, p. 21
Tallaloosa, Miss. Aroused early to prepare to march. High wind,
appearance of a storm. We were hitched up with the rest of the Battery by 7 A.
M., when it began to rain heavy. The howitzers, under charge of Lieutenant
Clark, with two Parrott guns of the Regulars, two howitzers of the 11th Ohio,
started out with four teams on the guns, two on the limbers of the caissons,
the hind wheels having been sent to Holly Springs the night before. We passed
on towards Memphis with the infantry of Quinby's Division paddling on the best
they could; marched on through very rough country till 4 P. M. Came into park
at Tallaloosa, a God and man forsaken place. Rained nearly all day. Supped on
confiscated chickens, geese and fresh pork.
SOURCE: Jenkin Lloyd
Jones, An Artilleryman's Diary, pp. 21-2
Byhalia, Miss. Rained nearly all day. Hitched up in the
morning. The other sections took the road, but as we were to be the rear guard,
and the roads were so bad that teams could not all come on for some time, we
again unharnessed, laid in a good supply of disloyal pork and beef and a few
rebel chickens. 3 P. M. again hitched up and fell in the rear of the train. It
had cleared up and the roads considerably improved. We were enabled to travel
at very good time. Travelled till 10 P. M. Came into camp at Byhalia, Marshall
County, Miss., having travelled about ten miles on a most beautiful evening. A
woman drew a pistol on one of our boys, driving him from the yard.
SOURCE: Jenkin Lloyd
Jones, An Artilleryman's Diary, p. 22
Near Memphis, Tenn. Slept out-doors. Awoke at 5 A. M. A beautiful
morning. Byhalia, unlike Tallaloosa, was a bright and lively little village, with
a large school house, church, lodge room, with a scientific laboratory, out of
which the boys jay-hawked numerous books, writing utensils, etc. etc. Picked up
two horses and two mules. The owner of the horses came and pleaded hard, but
could receive no other satisfaction than a receipt from Lieutenant Clark. He
was reported to be a rank Secesh, as well as everybody else.
We started with the
1st Brigade in rear of the train at 9 A. M. Twenty-eight miles from Memphis,
passed a house where a woman stood in the yard, bravely holding the Stars and
Stripes in her hand (to protect her chickens I suppose). Marched along quietly;
nothing of importance save the appropriation of considerable molasses along the
road until half an hour of sundown when a small party of guerrillas dashed up
in our rear, discharging some fifteen or twenty pieces, then legging it before
their fire could be returned. We halted, the cannoneers sprang to their posts,
got their equipments, when the 48th Indiana formed their line. But it was all
over with. They were gone, and we started on.
Two of the balls
took effect, wounding two boys of the 48th Indiana in the arms. An assistant
adjutant general and surgeon [who] had wandered a little from the train, were
taken also by a few of Jackson's cavalry, divested of their accoutrements and
horses, then paroled.
7 P. M. Drew up
three-fourths of an hour to feed our horses, then started on, travelled till 10
P. M. Came into camp seven miles from Memphis.
SOURCE: Jenkin Lloyd
Jones, An Artilleryman's Diary, pp. 22-3
Memphis. We passed into Memphis as fast as the
necessary detentions would permit, through a very beautiful country and
handsome buildings. Passed through the town at about sundown, came into park
alongside of the other sections on the south of the town. Watered our horses at
the wharves about one and one half miles north, passing through the town.
Memphis presented a more lively appearance than I expected under the present
circumstances.
SOURCE: Jenkin Lloyd
Jones, An Artilleryman's Diary, p. 23
Memphis. Awakened by the morning gun at the fort; fell
in for roll call, Sergeant Hamilton acting orderly. Saw a Memphis Bulletin of
the 30th, the first newspaper since that bearing the date of the 12th. Watered
my horses, then rode into the fort with Colburn. Met Milton Campbell of the
23rd Wisconsin Regiment. The Regiment had gone down the river, leaving
twenty-nine convalescents behind. The boys were furnished with a pass to go to
town, others taking leg bail, by night. Several heavy heads. Drew six days'
rations.
SOURCE: Jenkin Lloyd
Jones, An Artilleryman's Diary, p. 23
Germantown, Tenn. The train took up the line of march back. Our
Section being in the center started at 9 A. M., passing through town up Main
Street. It was an amusing sight, nearly two-thirds of the soldiers were drunk,
having run Memphis as they pleased almost for the last twenty-four hours. We
followed the Memphis and Charleston R. R. Came into park at Germantown at dark,
having travelled fifteen miles. Partook of a soldier's supper, made our bed
neath the starry canopy of heaven, and laid down, ending the year as we began
it, by sleeping. Thus endeth the year 1862.
SOURCE: Jenkin Lloyd
Jones, An Artilleryman's Diary, p. 23-4
I visited Washington
to-day, through such rain and such mud, as no civilized country, save this, can
sustain, and preserve its character for purity. Am back to-night. On my return,
I find on my table the following:
"General
Order No. 11.
"HEADQUARTERS, &C.
"When
the time arrives for the troops of this Brigade to move, the following
will be the allowance of the means of transportation:
"Five
wagons to the companies of a Regiment (two wagons to each company); one wagon
to the Regimental Hospital.
"Each
wagon will carry the forage for its horses. The sixty rounds of reserved
ammunition will be carried in extra wagons. In the company, wagons will be
carried rations for two or three days, company mess equipage, and officers'
baggage, which will in no case exceed the amount by regulations for baggage in
the field. The forage for horses of regimental and field officers will have to
be carried in their wagons. This notice is given so that soldiers and officers
may be aware, that all property not above mentioned, to be preserved, had
better be removed, for if the troops march, it is probable the first notice given
will be the presence of wagons for loading,
“By order of Brig. Gen. ———.”
Now that begins to
look like business, and if our General means to put us in the way of doing
something if it will only not prove another counterfeit cry of "wolf"—we
shall be pleased. Gen. McClellan has already grown several inches in the
estimation of those whose confidence began to get shaky. I do not like that
expression of "for if the troops march." It looks a little wolfy. But
I shall try to think it means "go in."
SOURCE: Alfred L.
Castleman, The Army of the Potomac. Behind the Scenes. A Diary of
Unwritten History; From the Organization of the Army, by General George B.
McClellan, to the close of the Campaign in Virginia about the First Day
January, 1863, pp. 75-6
I confess to myself
to-night, that deeply as I am interested in the cause for which we fight the
question of government against anarchy—what I have witnessed today has cooled
much of the enthusiasm with which I entered the service of this government,
which I find so tardy in doing justice to those who are fighting for its preservation:
This is a stormy day in mid-winter. Whilst going my rounds of camp to see what
was needed for the health and comfort of the men, I passed the guard house of
the regiment, and stepped in to see the condition of things. I there found
soldiers—formerly my neighbors—sons of my friends, imprisoned in a pen where
pigs could not have lived a fortnight without scalding the hair off them, (this
is not figurative language) and in which these men had been kept for three
months, awaiting the decision of a court martial which had tried them for some
trivial offence, the extremest penalty of which would have amounted to some
three to six days' confinement! at all events, under the extremest limit of the
law, its punishment could not have exceeded in severity a sentence of three
days' imprisonment in this vile hole of filth and water! Yes, they had been
tried, and for three months had been kept, not only in this vile hole, but
under indignity and disgrace, awaiting the convenience of gentlemanly officers,
to send them word whether they were honorably acquitted, or that they must be
imprisoned for two or three days. When these men, who, perhaps, have never been
guilty of offence besides being suspected of it, are released from this
disgraceful punishment, will they not feel indignant at hearing the justice of
their government questioned, and be ready to rush to arms again to defend it?
If scenes like this are necessary to the preservation of a government for my
protection, then in God's name let me be untrammelled by
conventional forms, and left dependent on my own powers for my protection. I
assumed a prerogative; I pronounced most of these men sick, and ordered them
sent to my hospital. They will hardly be pronounced well before the gentlemanly
members of the court get ready to inform them of their sentence.
From this last scene
I passed on to look up a party of our Regiment, who had been detailed to guard
the General's Headquarters. I found them; and, my God! what a sight! Around the
house occupied by the General was a large ditch, some five feet deep, and some
ten or twelve feet wide, dug as the commencement of a fort. In this ditch, over
which a few evergreen boughs had been thrown as a covering, stood a well
dressed Lieutenant, (from my own county) with a squad of soldiers guarding the
General's house—the Lieutenant trying to infuse into the men a little warmth of
patriotic feeling, whilst the winter torrents poured through the evergreen
branches, and their whole frames shook with cold in this sentry house,
charitably built for them by orders of the General, who at that moment was
being joyful over his wine, and with his friends!! And is this the REPUBLIC,
the government of equality for which I am fighting? If we were men,
this would be pitiable, but we are only soldiers, volunteer soldiers at that;
and what right have we to be cold, when our services are wanted for the comfort
of a General? But these are only thoughts; should I write or speak
them, it would amount to shameful insubordination, and I should be
disgracefully dismissed from the service of the country which tolerates it. I
am too honorable a man to permit myself to be disgraced, even for the privilege
of uttering a truth. I therefore decline to say, or even to write, what I have
seen.
This afternoon I
received an order to be ready to move at a moment's notice, and to give no more
certificates for furloughs, as the applications would not be entertained. I
have lost faith in the idea that the authorities have the slightest intention
to move. They have seen our impatience to do something, and this order is a
mere dumb-watch thrown us children to amuse us with the old promised hope that
"when it gets a little older it will keep time."
SOURCE: Alfred L.
Castleman, The Army of the Potomac. Behind the Scenes. A Diary of
Unwritten History; From the Organization of the Army, by General George B.
McClellan, to the close of the Campaign in Virginia about the First Day
January, 1863, pp. 76-9
The whole atmosphere
to-night vibrates with the sounds of preparation to advance. The new Secretary
of War says "advance." We are getting daily dispatches from Gen.
McClellan, asking, "Are you ready?" I have no faith We have received
too many dumb-watches, which "will run when they get older."
SOURCE: Alfred L.
Castleman, The Army of the Potomac. Behind the Scenes. A Diary of
Unwritten History; From the Organization of the Army, by General George B.
McClellan, to the close of the Campaign in Virginia about the First Day
January, 1863, p. 79
Expectation is still
on the strain. How long it has been kept up! But no order to move, and I doubt
whether we get any soon. Indeed, I think now that we should not move. 'Tis too
late. The roads are excessively bad, and for a long time we have been having an
almost continuous storm of freezing rain and snow. An army could not lie out
over night in this terrible weather, and be in condition next day to fight
against those who had slept in good quarters and been well fed. The time has
passed to move. But why are we not ordered to winter quarters? There seems to
me to be great recklessness of the soldiers' health and comfort in this army.
There is wrong somewhere.
A sad case has just
passed under my notice. Three days ago, as I was busily engaged in attending to
hospital duties, I entrusted, necessarily, the light sickness of quarters to
others. As I passed out just after morning call, I heard one of my nurses say
to a man, "You look sick; why do you not come to hospital, where we can
take care of you?" "That is what I came for, but the doctor says I am
not sick, and has returned me to duty." I passed on, but
notwithstanding that there is scarcely a day that some "shirk" who is
pretending to be sick to avoid duty, is not treated thus, that voice rang sadly
in my ears. In ten minutes I returned, and inquired after the man. The drums
had beaten to duty, and he was on parade. I followed to parade ground,
found him endeavoring to do his duty, on a "double-quick." I took him
from the ranks, examined him, and sent him to hospital. Before they got him to
bed he was delirious. He has just died. 'Twas a case of typhoid fever, of which
he had been sick for two days before I saw him. I ask of army Surgeons, Had you
not better excuse ten "seeds" who are worthless, even when in rank,
than sacrifice one good man like this, who believes he is not sick, because you tell him
he is not?
SOURCE: Alfred L.
Castleman, The Army of the Potomac. Behind the Scenes. A Diary of
Unwritten History; From the Organization of the Army, by General George B.
McClellan, to the close of the Campaign in Virginia about the First Day
January, 1863, pp. 79-80
To-day I was admitted
as a witness to the arcana of a field Court Martial, and of all the ridiculous
farces in the name of justice, to excite mirth, indignation, pity, and disgust,
commend me to a field Court Martial. I will not spoil the ludicrous impression
left on my mind, by any attempt to describe the scenes I witnessed to-day. The
grey goose has yet to be hatched which can furnish the pen capable of even
approximating it. Oh, talent of Barnum! How does it happen that in all your
searches after the wonderful and the curious, you have overlooked that
nondescript of wonders, a field Court Martial? Strike quickly on this hint, and
there is a fortune ahead.
SOURCE: Alfred L.
Castleman, The Army of the Potomac. Behind the Scenes. A Diary of
Unwritten History; From the Organization of the Army, by General George B.
McClellan, to the close of the Campaign in Virginia about the First Day
January, 1863, p. 80
* My quarters are
now, an old farm house with one room, with an immense rough stone chimney, and
a flag-stone hearth.
SOURCE: Alfred L.
Castleman, The Army of the Potomac. Behind the Scenes. A Diary of
Unwritten History; From the Organization of the Army, by General George B.
McClellan, to the close of the Campaign in Virginia about the First Day
January, 1863, pp. 80-1
MY DEAR SIR, — I
hope you did not think the two queries which I put to Mrs. Mann imposed any
necessity on you to write an answer; though I am so glad to hear from you, that
I might be tempted to use means a little irregular for that end.
I sent the question
about Gen. Scott's supposititious policy because I think justice to
be the highest policy. I know you think so too. It being my belief that Scott
is an anti-war man and an anti-annexation man, I think it wrong, or rather it
would be very wrong in me, to intimate the contrary. Besides, the tendency of
all such statements is to put the two Presidential candidates, Scott and
Pierce, upon the same ground; whereas I think their principles, desires, and
purposes are very diverse. I know there is little if any difference in the
platforms; but there may be all the difference there is between life and death
in two pilots, though both profess to steer by the same chart. One may wreck
you, while the other may get you safely into port.
A strong effort is
made, by men who care more for democracy than for antislavery, to make it out
that freedom has more to hope from the success of Pierce than from that of
Scott; but this I believe to be a great mistake, and I do not think the
argument ingenuous.
As to the amount of
the Free-soil vote, it must be remembered, that, in 1848, New York alone gave
one hundred and twenty thousand votes for Van Buren. Now, if she gives fifty
thousand, I shall be agreeably disappointed.
Our loss of Rantoul
is very great. I am also struck with exceeding sadness, because this is the
second blow that our cause has received. Taylor's death let in the whole pack
of slavery bloodhounds, and they have wantoned in their power ever since. Will
not Rantoul's death unleash another pack? I fear so. Nothing but my faith in
God saves me from despair; for just now I can hardly "walk by sight."
H. M.
SOURCE: Mary Tyler
Peabody Mann, Life of Horace Mann, pp. 373-4
