Diary of Brigadier-General William F. Bartlett: Monday, August 15, 1864

Slept well last night. Better this morning. My bowels are more quiet and give me less pain. Doctor got bottle “blueberry wine” yesterday, $20.00; poor stuff, some stimulant. Read prayer-book with more interest than I ever felt before. The change was very sudden. Saturday night was the worst night I ever had, yet Sunday morning I sat up and seemed to feel better. Took calomel and opium pills and whiteoak-bark solution. I can hardly account for the change. Mouth not so awfully dry as it has been. God is very merciful and has heard my prayers.

SOURCE: Francis Winthrop Palfrey, Memoir of William Francis Bartlett, p. 126

Diary of John Beauchamp Jones: December 19, 1862

Gen. Burnside acknowledges a loss of upwards of 5000, which is good evidence here that his loss was not less than 15,000. The Washington papers congratulate themselves on the escape of their army, and say it might have been easily captured by Lee. They propose, now, going into winter quarters.

We have nothing further from North Carolina or Mississippi. Gen. Banks's expedition had passed Hilton Head.

A Mr. Bunch, British Consul, has written an impudent letter to the department, alleging that an Irishman, unnaturalized, is forcibly detained in one of our camps. He says his letters have not been answered, which was great discourtesy, and he means to inform Lord John Russell of it. This letter was replied to in rather scathing terms, as the Irishman had enlisted and then deserted. Besides, we are out of humor with England now, and court a French alliance.

The President was at Chattanooga on the 15th instant; and writes the Secretary that he has made some eight appointments of brigadiers, and promotions to major-generals. Major-Gen. Buckner is assigned to command at Mobile.

We are straightened for envelopes, and have taken to turning those we receive. This is economy; something new in the South. My family dines four or five times a week on liver and rice. We cannot afford anything better; others do not live so well.

Custis and I were vaccinated to-day, with the rest of the officers of the department.

The Northern papers now want the Federal army to go into winter quarters. This was, confessedly, to be the final effort to take Richmond. It failed. Many of the people regard the disaster of Burnside as the harbinger of peace.

An officer from the field informs me that all our generals were sadly disappointed, when it was discovered that Burnside had fled. They wanted one more blow at him, and he would have been completely destroyed.

SOURCE: John Beauchamp Jones, A Rebel War Clerk's Diary at the Confederate States Capital, Volume 1, p. 217-8

Diary of Sergeant George G. Smith: July 5, 1863

Major Bullin shot by a drunken soldier by the name of Scot, who was sent to New Orleans, tried by a court marshal and hung.

SOURCE: Abstracted from George G. Smith, Leaves from a Soldier's Diary, p. 85

Diary of 2nd Lieutenant Lemuel A. Abbott: Sunday, June 5, 1864

It rained nearly all the forenoon, but the skirmishers didn't seem to mind it, but kept on fighting. It was cloudy and sultry all this afternoon, but there was no rain. The enemy tried to assault about dark last night, but gave it up as our artillery had an enfilading fire on them. There was a very heavy rolling musketry fire on our distant right about midnight, but I don't know the reason of it. The enemy tried to carry our left flank about dark by storm, but failed. The roll of artillery and musketry fire was appalling for about a half hour, and the slaughter must have been great. Golly! this is stubborn fighting again! I'm proud of both armies. I wonder what the Johnnies think of us as fighters now? I'm sure they fight hard enough for me.

SOURCE: Lemuel Abijah Abbott, Personal Recollections and Civil War Diary, 1864, p. 76

Diary of Luman Harris Tenney: Saturday, September 27, 1862

Up bright and early and on our way by sunrise. Marched till about noon, then halted and took a lunch. Found some good peaches and apples. Col. Small, Chief of Commissary of this dep't, passed us in a four-horse rig. Met Capt. Welch and command just before entering Sarcoxie. Seemed good to see the 2nd and 9th boys again. Found all excitement on account of an expected attack — up from 1 A. M. Troops moved to good position for defence. John Devlin missed at Greenfield. Received a note from Melissa. Visited among the boys and accomplished little. Took supper with Capt. Welch and Nettleton. Wier's Brigade arrived in the night.

SOURCE: Frances Andrews Tenney, War Diary Of Luman Harris Tenney, p. 34

Diary of 1st Sergeant John S. Morgan: Tuesday, January 17, 1865

Warm & pleasant. Genl Inspection by Capt Barnes A. A. I. G. 1st Div at 2 P. M. Sharman removed to Officers Hospital

SOURCE: “Diary of John S. Morgan, Company G, 33rd Iowa Infantry,” Annals of Iowa, 3rd Series, Vol. 13, No. 8, April 1923, p. 571

Diary of John Hay: May 5, 1861

Which he did.

SOURCES: Clara B. Hay, Letters of John Hay and Extracts from Diary, Volume 1, p. 30; Tyler Dennett, Editor, Lincoln and the Civil War in the Diaries and Letters of John Hay, p. 18;

Diary of Lieutenant-Colonel Rutherford B. Hayes: Monday, May 12, 1862

Camp at north of East River near line between Giles and Mercer Counties, eleven miles from Giles Courthouse. — We moved here to a strong position. The whole brigade as now organized is with us. This is the First Brigade of the Army of the District of Kanawha — General Cox. It consists of [the] Twelfth, Twenty-third, and Thirtieth Ohio Regiments, McMullen's Battery (two brass six-pounders and four howitzers), and four companies [of] Paxton's or Bowles' Second Virginia Cavalry; with Captain Gilmore's Cavalry for the present. Brigade commanded by Colonel Scammon.

Colonel White of [the] Twelfth a clever gentleman. Lieutenant-Colonel Hines, ditto, but a great talker and a great memory for persons and places.

Fine weather since Sunday the 4th. Out of grub, out of mess furniture. Rumors of the defeat of Milroy and of overwhelming forces threatening us. Great news by telegraph: The capture of Norfolk, blowing up the Merrimac, and the like! Corinth being abandoned. York peninsula falling into McClellan's hands. If all that this indicates comes to pass, the Rebellion is, indeed, on its last legs.

SOURCE: Charles Richard Williams, editor, Diary and Letters of Rutherford Birchard Hayes, Volume 2, p. 268

Major Wilder Dwight to Elizabeth White Dwight, September 17, 1862

near Sharpsburg, September 17, 1862. On the field.

Dear Mother, — It is a misty, moisty morning; we are engaging the enemy, and are drawn up in support of Hooker, who is now banging away most briskly. I write in the saddle, to send you my love, and to say that I am very well so far.

SOURCE: Elizabeth Amelia Dwight, Editor, Life and Letters of Wilder Dwight: Lieut.-Col. Second Mass. Inf. Vols., p. 292

Diary of Brigadier-General William F. Bartlett: Sunday, August 14, 1864

Felt a little better after sat up this A. M.; have got a prayer-book, great comfort in it; have been reading it all the morning. Seventieth Psalm, fourteenth day lesson. It is well they do not know how miserable I am. Have been taking comfort from this book all day; have been praying for forgiveness and help. I feel a little better to-day. God is very merciful. I shall never forget this day. I believe I shall be a better man if I live. I wonder if Agnes thought of me as she read the service this morning. Better all through the day.

SOURCE: Francis Winthrop Palfrey, Memoir of William Francis Bartlett, p. 125-6

Diary of John Beauchamp Jones: December 18, 1862

We have more accounts of the battle of Fredericksburg now in our possession. Our loss in killed and wounded will probably be more than the estimate in the official report, while Federal prisoners report theirs at 20,000. This may be over the mark, but the Examiner's correspondent at Fredericksburg puts down their loss at 10,000. The Northern papers of the 14th inst. (while they supposed the battle still undecided) express the hope that Burnside will fight his last man and fire his last cartridge on that field, rather than not succeed in destroying Lee's army! Lee's army, after our victory, is mostly uninjured. The loss it sustained was not a “flea-bite.”

The enemy, in their ignominous flight on Saturday night, left their dead propped up as sentinels and pickets, besides 3000 on the plain.

Accounts from North Carolina indicate the repulse of the enemy, though they have burnt some of the railroad bridges. We shall hear more anon. Reinforcements are flying to the scene of action.

SOURCE: John Beauchamp Jones, A Rebel War Clerk's Diary at the Confederate States Capital, Volume 1, p. 216-7

Diary of Sergeant George G. Smith: July 1, 1863

Reports of the enemy in great force (18,000). Expect an attact every hour. Trees nearly all removed in range of the fort. Bags of sand placed on the parapets leaving loop holes for guns and otherwise strengthing the fort.

SOURCE: Abstracted from George G. Smith, Leaves from a Soldier's Diary, p. 85

Diary of 2nd Lieutenant Lemuel A. Abbott: Saturday, June 4, 1864

The enemy made two unsuccessful assaults last night. Reinforcements are arriving rapidly. The rain yesterday and this afternoon has greatly cooled the air. There has been considerable cannonading on both sides and heavy skirmishing all day. The lines of battle in our immediate front are only about eight hundred yards apart and the skirmish lines are very near each other. The One Hundred and Sixth New York Volunteer Infantry, our favorite fighting companion as a regiment, are digging another line of rifle pits in our front for the pickets. I got a letter from Captain H. R. Steele this afternoon. General Grant issued an order to-day for the army to act on the defensive. Good!

SOURCE: Lemuel Abijah Abbott, Personal Recollections and Civil War Diary, 1864, p. 75-6

Diary of Luman Harris Tenney: Friday, September 26, 1862

Renewed our march at sunrise after breakfast. Our course lay mostly through the woods, a little over rough prairie. After 25 miles march, reached Mt. Vernon at 4 P. M. Gen Brown's command here mostly Mo. troops, one Arkansas regiment. Made requisition and drew corn. Pretty little town. Took supper with teamsters. Sold my old overcoat to Noah Long for $4, to be paid pay day. News came from Sarcoxie about a fight. Gen. Salomon. Good prospects ahead for a fight. Order to muster out staff has come.

SOURCE: Frances Andrews Tenney, War Diary Of Luman Harris Tenney, p. 34

Diary of 1st Sergeant John S. Morgan: Monday, January 16, 1865

Splendid weather. Lt Sharman quite ill and in our qtrs. Reported (?) Shelby on the Ark river above here. I. N. Ritner dies in Hosp. Battalain drill P. M.

SOURCE: “Diary of John S. Morgan, Company G, 33rd Iowa Infantry,” Annals of Iowa, 3rd Series, Vol. 13, No. 8, April 1923, p. 571

Diary of John Hay: May 4, 1861

The Maryland disunionists — that branch of them represented by Bob McLane called to-day upon the President. . . . They roared as gently as 'twere any nightingale. The only point they particularly desired to press was that there was no special necessity at present existing for the armed occupation of Maryland. . . . They also implored the President not to act in any spirit of revenge for the murdered soldiers. The President coolly replied that he never acted from any such impulse; and, as to their other views, he should take them into consideration, and should decline giving them any answer at present.

Gen'l Scott gave orders to Gen'l Butler to occupy the Relay House as soon as practicable, and Butler instantly replied that he should hold divine service with his command there to-morrow (Sunday).

SOURCES: Clara B. Hay, Letters of John Hay and Extracts from Diary, Volume 1, p. 30; Tyler Dennett, Editor, Lincoln and the Civil War in the Diaries and Letters of John Hay, p. 18;

Lieutenant-Colonel Rutherford B. Hayes to Lucy Webb Hayes, May 12, 1862

12th, A. M. — Since writing the foregoing, we have got information which leads me to think it was probably well we were not reinforced. There would not have been enough to hold the position we had against so great a force as the enemy brought against us. You see we were twenty miles from their railroad, and only six to twelve hours from their great armies. . . .

Mrs. Hayes.

SOURCE: Charles Richard Williams, editor, Diary and Letters of Rutherford Birchard Hayes, Volume 2, p. 267-8

Major Wilder Dwight: September 11, 1862

WASHINGTON, D.C., September 11, 1862

I am here now two days getting arms for our recruits. All is reported quiet beyond Rockville, and I do not return till to-morrow.

Charley is spoken of as having shown gallantry and conduct. His career is an honorable one.

SOURCE: Elizabeth Amelia Dwight, Editor, Life and Letters of Wilder Dwight: Lieut.-Col. Second Mass. Inf. Vols., p. 288

Diary of Brigadier-General William F. Bartlett: Saturday, August 13, 1864

Worse and weaker to-day. No surgeon, no medicine, no food suitable. I shall not write much more in this book. I hope it will reach home. Letter from Amory at Columbia. Patrick McHugh, Co. E., One-hundredth Illinois, has promised to take it. Nothing from General Young.

[The following entry appears to belong to this time. It is pencilled on a fly-leaf of his pocket diary, without a date: —]

It is hard to die here without a single friend, not even an officer of our army, to hold my hand and take my last words. I hardly dare trust to my body or anything else getting home.

SOURCE: Francis Winthrop Palfrey, Memoir of William Francis Bartlett, p. 125

Diary of John Beauchamp Jones: December 17, 1862

A dispatch from Gen. G. W. Smith, last night, says we have repulsed the enemy from Kinston, N. C., but a dispatch this morning says a cavalry force has cut the railroad near Goldsborough, broken down the wires, and burnt the bridge. We had no letters from beyond that point this morning.

Last night large quantities of ammunition and some more regiments were sent to North Carolina. This is done because Richmond is relieved by the defeat and retreat of Burnside. But suppose it should not be relieved, and a force should be sent suddenly up the. James and York Rivers?

We have not a word from Fredericksburg, and it is probable Burnside's batteries still command the town. Lee is content and has no idea of crossing the river.

There are two notable rumors in the streets: first, that we have gained a great battle in Tennessee; and, second, that the government at Washington has arrested John Van Buren and many other Democratic leaders in the North, which has resulted in a riot, wherein 1000 have fallen, making the gutters in New York run with blood!

Gen. Lee's official report says our loss in the battle of the 13th in killed and wounded did not exceed 1200, whereas our papers said 2050 wounded have already been brought to this city.

Well, our government must have spies at Washington as an offset to Federal spies here among Gen. Winder's policemen; for we knew exactly when the enemy would begin operations in North Carolina, and ordered the cotton east of the Weldon Railroad to be burnt on the 16th inst., yesterday, and yesterday the road was cut by the enemy. I have not heard of the cotton being burnt — and I don't believe it was destroyed. Nor do I believe Gen. Smith knew that Burnside would be defeated in time to send troops from here to North Carolina.

Elwood Fisher died recently in Georgia, and his pen, so highly prized by the South for its able vindication of her rights, was forgotten by the politicians who have power in the Confederate Government. All Mr. Memminger would offer him was a lowest class clerkship. He died of a broken heart. He was more deserving, but less fortunate, than Mr. M.

It was Mr. Memminger, it seems, who refused to contribute anything to supply the soldiers with shoes, and the press is indignant. They say he is not only not a native South Carolinian, but Hessian born.

SOURCE: John Beauchamp Jones, A Rebel War Clerk's Diary at the Confederate States Capital, Volume 1, p. 215-6