Diary of Private William S. White, April 21, 1862

To-day I have been in the Confederate service for one year, and the war seems scarcely begun. Those who entered the army thinking it was nothing more than a "Harper's Ferry" frolic, have been sadly disappointed, for the future is as dark as chaos, and none, save the Almighty, can see the end. My determination is fully made up to remain in the service as long as the war lasts.

The late order issued by the Secretary of War, causing all soldiers to remain in their present organizations, has caused some dissatisfaction in our camp. Yet it was absolutely necessary, for the prior acts of enlistment passed by the Confederate and State authorities have, instead of benefitting us, so mystified the matter that the above order must be enforced, or our army would be disbanded.

Every little Corporal was bent upon raising a company; Captains were hopefully looking forward to Colonelcies, and Colonels dreamed fondly of "three stars wreathed in gold.”

In one regiment, the Fourteenth Virginia, there were about twenty new companies in process of formation, and every man of them expected a commission. Then the old companies had to be kept up, and if all went well, the Confederacy would have at least three regiments instead of one. That would be a considerable gain, provided the three regiments were full, and commanded by competent officers. I much fear the result would be three inefficient regiments in the place of one fully organized and equipped.

This order of General Randolph, now Secretary of War, has dispelled all such bright dreams of promotion, and I hope it will be strictly carried out and cheerfully obeyed. Many changes have taken place since this day twelve months, and years of bloodshed must ensue before peace will be restored to our unhappy country.

Oh! may a just God be our protector and give success to our at present unsuccessful arms. Defeats and disasters have followed, each after the other, until some of our faint-hearted are drooping and doubtful of our final triumph. Though we may be defeated on the battle-field; though our cities and villages may be captured, burned and destroyed; though our entire land may be devastated, yet we will never be conquered. We may be forced to yield to preponderance of power, but the WILLING unity of the States is severed FOREVER.

To-day we leave our native soil to fight our battles for liberty in our sister State of North Carolina. Willingly do we go, for we are not fighting the battles of Virginia alone. The march was trying to the men, and our camp for the night was far from being comfortable.

SOURCE: William S. White, A Diary of the War; or What I Saw of It, p. 112-4

Diary of Private William S. White, April 22, 1862

Soon after sunrise we continued our march, and tonight we are some thirty miles from Suffolk. We are commanded by Brigadier-General Armistead.

SOURCE: William S. White, A Diary of the War; or What I Saw of It, p. 114

Diary of Private William S. White, April 23, 1862

What a beautiful day! How prone we are to note only the stormy days, whilst the days of beauty seem to be taken as belonging to us by right, and we fail to render thanks unto Him to whom praise is ever due.

All nature shines resplendent in the soft beauties of a spring-day morn; the noble oaks and stately elms are budding forth in all their spring-time loveliness, and the earth is with verdure clad; even the little chirping birds seem plumed with brighter colors than is their wont and are singing their songs of joy, bathed in the mellow morning's light.

Oh! war, horrid war, too soon your cannon's sound and bugle note may change this lovely scene.

We left camp early this morning to resume our march into the interior of North Carolina, but were ordered back to our camp of last night. We are now in Gates county, some eight or ten miles from the Virginia line.

SOURCE: William S. White, A Diary of the War; or What I Saw of It, p. 114

Diary of Private William S. White, April 25, 1862

Our forces here are the Fourteenth, Fifty-third and Fifty-seventh Virginia regiments, Louisiana Guard Artillery, Third Richmond Howitzers, and a company of Nansemond cavalry, all commanded by Major General Loring, who has seen some service in Western Virginia.

SOURCE: William S. White, A Diary of the War; or What I Saw of It, p. 114

Diary of Private William S. White, April 27, 1862

We leave Sandy Cross this morning for some point near Elizabeth City—cloudy and damp—we will have a disagreeable time. After remaining in marching order all day we were finally ordered to remain at our old camp.

SOURCE: William S. White, A Diary of the War; or What I Saw of It, p. 114

Diary of Private William S. White, May 2, 1862

Left Sandy Cross for Suffolk, and arrived here about sundown. Our forces expect to evacuate Norfolk in a few days, and I presume we will fall back towards Petersburg.

SOURCE: William S. White, A Diary of the War; or What I Saw of It, p. 114

Diary of Private William S. White, May 8, 1862

Our troops are rapidly evacuating Norfolk, and as all of them pass through Suffolk, we are, as a matter of course, in a high state of excitement. It goes hard with our troops to see such places as Yorktown and Norfolk given up without a struggle, but we have every confidence in our leaders, and hope for the best.

To-day we completed the reörganization of our company—our officers now being

Edgar F. Moseley, Captain.

Benjamin H. Smith, Senior First Lieutenant.

Henry C. Carter, Junior First Lieutenant.

James S. Utz, Second Lieutenant.

First Lieutenant, John M. West, declined to serve, and sent in his resignation, making an appropriate speech. We part with him with regret, for no kinder heart than his ever beat within the breast of man.

To-day our "right section," under the command of Lieutenant Smith, left for Zuni station on the Norfolk and Petersburg railroad. We will leave in a day or so.

SOURCE: William S. White, A Diary of the War; or What I Saw of It, p. 114-5

Diary of Private William S. White, May 10, 1862

Our horses have been harnessed for twenty-four hours, and we are impatiently awaiting orders to leave Suffolk. The troops from Norfolk have all passed through en route for Petersburg, and the Federals have taken possession of the city.

Heavy cannonading was heard about daybreak this morning in the direction of Norfolk. We have just heard of the destruction of the Merrimac (Virginia)—what a terrible blow to our cause.

Richmond now is in a most precarious situation, for the Virginia was our only safeguard, and now she is lost to us. However, our battery at Drewry's Bluff may hold out if not, farewell to Richmond. Perhaps we were obliged to blow up the Virginia, as she was built for deep water alone.

SOURCE: William S. White, A Diary of the War; or What I Saw of It, p. 115

Diary of Private William S. White, May 11, 1862

Armistead's Brigade, including the "left section" of my company, with the Louisiana Guard Artillery, drew up in line of battle a mile below Suffolk, on the Norfolk and Petersburg railroad, where we camped for the night, first destroying the railroad.

SOURCE: William S. White, A Diary of the War; or What I Saw of It, p. 115

Diary of Private William S. White, May 12, 1862

Left Suffolk this morning en route for Petersburg—passed through Nansemond county and camped in Isle of Wight—roads very dusty, and weather extremely hot.

SOURCE: William S. White, A Diary of the War; or What I Saw of It, p. 115

Diary of Private William S. White, May 13, 1862

Passed through Southampton and camped near the Sussex line—nice bacon, and plenty of it at twenty cents per pound—Confederate money. We are marching slowly, and will reach Petersburg to-morrow night.

SOURCE: William S. White, A Diary of the War; or What I Saw of It, p. 115-6

Diary of Private William S. White, May 16, 1862

Reached Petersburg yesterday. The people of Southampton and Sussex showed us every attention in their power—may they be rewarded for their many acts of kindness done to our wearied troops. To-day is set apart by our President as a day of "fasting, humiliation and prayer"—prayer for our struggling Confederacy—prayer for success. And whilst we are

seated around our soldiers' home there comes wafted on the soft spring breezes chime notes from the steeple of St. Paul's, musically swelling forth Jehovah's praise, and seeming to bid us be of good cheer.

Ah! bells, ring out glad notes now, ere long you will toll for sons who will come back to you never again!

SOURCE: William S. White, A Diary of the War; or What I Saw of It, p. 116

Diary of Private William S. White, May 31, 1862

We arrived in Richmond day before yesterday and were welcomed by some of our friends in a manner most delightful to us. We reached the city weary, hot and dusty, and upon crossing Mayo's Bridge we found at Mayo's Warehouse, prepared by our friend Jessee T. Hutcheson, a most splendid collation of both solids and liquids. We are camping on Williams's farm, a short distance below Richmond. The sound of battle has again commenced—regiment after regiment moves swiftly along the road, eager to meet the enemy. Our troops are in splendid condition and confident of success.

SOURCE: William S. White, A Diary of the War; or What I Saw of It, p. 116

Reverend William Alvin Bartlett to Daniel S. Dickinson, September 22, 1856

STRATFORD-ON-AVON, September 22, 1856.

DEAR SIR—I have just visited the birth-place and the tomb of Shakespeare, and knowing somewhat of your appreciation of his genius, I avail myself of a little leisure to enclose you a leaf from the old churchyard, and a plate or two, I procured in the room of his birth. The engravings may give you too favorable an idea of the appearance of the house, it being very much dilapidated. The mud walls within are literally carved with autographs-among which I noticed Sir Walter Scott's upon a pane of glass. Lucien Bonaparte left the following record of his visit in 1810:

"The eye of genius glistens to admire

How memory hails the sound of Shakespeare's lyre;

One tear I'll shed, to form a crystal shrine,

For all that's grand, immortal, and divine."

The effigy of Shakespeare in the chancel of the church, which is said to have been made from a cast of his features taken after death, is very different from the usual pictures of him. The tendency has been by artists to represent the physical as perfect as the intellectual man, whereas his face was not regularly formed, according to this bust. The right cheek is much fuller than the left, with a very prominent upper lip, and a double chin, and, on the whole, fleshy and more English in its appearance; as if he were not a stranger to the virtues of good ale. The old church with its rural surroundings, the Avon laving its southern extremity, and its associations, formed a most delightful retreat.

I have thus far had a very prosperous journey, and hope to reach London in a few days. Be pleased to remember me kindly to Mrs. Dickinson, Mrs. Courtney, and Miss Mary.

Yours, very respectfully,

W. A. BARTLETT.

SOURCE: John R. Dickinson, Editor, Speeches, Correspondence, Etc., of the Late Daniel S. Dickinson of New York, Vol. 2, p. 495-6

Reverdy Johnson to Daniel S. Dickinson, September 27, 1856

BALTIMORE, September 27, 1856.

MY DEAR GOVERNOR—You and I are, I am glad to know, this time together politically, as we ever have been socially. The Republicans are claiming the vote of your State in so boasting a way that I doubt it. Tell me, and as soon as you can, what you and other friends think will be her vote. Fillmorites are sure of this State, as they say, but I am getting to be pretty confident it will be for Buchanan.

Truly, your friend,

REVERDY JOHNSON.

SOURCE: John R. Dickinson, Editor, Speeches, Correspondence, Etc., of the Late Daniel S. Dickinson of New York, Vol. 2, p. 496

Diary of Private John J. Wyeth, January 21, 1863

Last night our neighbors "D" gave the affair of the season, the occasion being marred only by the lack of ladies, which was in part supplied by several of the boys dressing up in clothes borrowed from the colored ladies down town.

The following card explains itself:—

GRAND BALL.

SIR,

The pleasure of your company, with ladies, is respectfully solicited at a Grand Ball to be held in the Grand Parlor of the Fifth Avenue Hotel (No. 4 New Berne), on Tuesday Evening, January 20th, 1863.

The management beg leave to state that nothing will be left undone on their part to make it the party of the season.

MANAGERS.
C. H. Demeritt.	W. Howard.	J. E. Leighton.
ORDER OF DANCES.
1.	Sicillian Circle	March to Tarboro.
2.	Quadrille	New England Guard.
3.	Polka Quadrille	Kinston Galop
4.	Quadrille	Yankee Doodle.
Waltz, Polka, Redowa, Scottische.
5.	Quadrille	Bloody 44th Quickstep.
6.	Les Lanciers	Connecticut 10th March.
7.	Quadrille	Lee’s March.
8.	Contra (Virginia Reel)	Rebel’s Last Skedaddle.

_______________

I cannot write much of a description of this affair, except to say it was enjoyable, and the hall crowded. A cousin of mine, in the 39th Ill. Infantry, is on a visit from Norfolk, and of course we had to go to the dance. Soon after entering, as we stood looking on, I placed my hand on the shoulder of the man in front, and, slightly leaning upon him, remarked, "A gay sight!" "Yes, it is," in a voice perfectly recognizable. I turned my head to be sure of what I had been doing, begged his pardon, and changed base instantly, carrying Ned to the farthest possible limit of the hall. It was Col. Lee I had been so familiar with, and all the time I was conspiring to break a rule, in having a man sleep in camp who did not belong there, although this was an extra occasion; and I suppose more than one mess had an extra member that night.

SOURCE: John Jasper Wyeth, Leaves from a Diary Written While Serving in Co. E, 44 Mass. Dep’t of North Carolina from September 1862 to June 1863, p. 33-4

Diary of Private John J. Wyeth, January 22, 1863

The rain is continuous: over a week now of steady weather, and nothing but inside drills, under Lieut. Newell, who is always trying, and generally succeeds, to "PUT IN MORE SNAP, MEN!" interspersed with bayonet drills on our own hook, and occasionally, when it holds up for a few hours, Col. Lee stretches our legs with a drill outside.

At dress parade lately the order was read directing the following victories to be inscribed upon the flags of the regiments, batteries, &c., which were on the Goldsboro expedition:

KINSTON, DECEMBER 14, 1862.

WHITEHALL, DECEMBER 16, 1862.

GOLDSBORO, DECEMBER 17, 1862.

On account of the resignation of Captains Lombard and Reynolds, the rank of Capt. Richardson is advanced, he becoming third. Consequently "E" is color company, a position not only of honor to the captain and his men, but in some positions in which we may be placed it means dangerous work. We hope we may carry them well, and when we give them up either to some other company or when we are disbanded, it will be with the same pride that we take them now.

Several of the company are a little under the weather, but no fever cases yet. We have been fortunate, while other companies are having quite a number of sick men.

SOURCE: John Jasper Wyeth, Leaves from a Diary Written While Serving in Co. E, 44 Mass. Dep’t of North Carolina from September 1862 to June 1863, p. 34

Diary of Private John J. Wyeth, January 25, 1863

As we proposed having a dance soon after "D," and there are such strong rumors of movements of troops floating about camp, we made up our minds not to lose our chance, and had it last night. Those who attended were highly gratified. The notices, posted on the different barrack-doors, read as follows:

BAL-MASQUE.

 

A grand Regimental Bal-Masque will be held to-night, January 24th, at the Barracks of Company E. None admitted except commissioned officers and those en costume.

There was a full house, notwithstanding the restrictions, and we had a fine time. Several were dressed as ladies, and made passably good-looking ones, Miss Rawson, of Boston, and Miss Emerson, of Waltham, carrying off the honors. Most of our officers called upon us, bringing a few of the 10th Conn.

SOURCE: John Jasper Wyeth, Leaves from a Diary Written While Serving in Co. E, 44 Mass. Dep’t of North Carolina from September 1862 to June 1863, p. 35

Diary of Private John J. Wyeth, January 28, 1863

Another spell of weather. It has rained constantly for two days, with no intermission. Some of the regiments have been moved. The 24th Mass., 10th Conn., and 5th R. I., have gone; but we still stay behind, probably intended for some sort of a tramp. Lieut. Cumston goes on this expedition, and may see some tall fighting at Charleston while we are doing police and camp. guard duty! But as he is of "E," we will take the credit of Charleston, and put it on our pipes beside the rest. We gave him six rousing cheers, and a handshake as he went by the barracks to join his command.

Several Boston gentlemen have been here, some stopping with our officers, among them Mr. J. G. Russell, father of Geo. Russell, of our company,—but they have all moved down town, and we hear that when some of them undertook to leave for Boston, Col. Messinger, the Provost Marshal, would not let them start, on account of the movement of troops.

SOURCE: John Jasper Wyeth, Leaves from a Diary Written While Serving in Co. E, 44 Mass. Dep’t of North Carolina from September 1862 to June 1863, p. 35

All Republicans from Indiana . . .

. . . (except the delegates), are requested to meet at the Court House to-morrow morning, at 7 ½ o’clock. By order of an adjourned meeting.

E. Locks, Sec.

SOURCE: “All Republicans from Indiana,” The Press and Tribune, Chicago, Illinois, Wednesday, May 16, 1860, p. 4, col. 5