Following the American Civil War Sesquicentennial with day by day writings of the time, currently 1863.

Monday, December 5, 2011

Thursday, 5th—No news of importance. There are troops from all of the western states here in camp and working together in harmony.

5th.—It is now six days since I resumed the charge of the hygiene of the camp. My first work was to have my tent struck and removed from the ground, that the spot on which it stood might be thoroughly sunned and cleaned. I then had the whole sprinkled with disinfectants. Have daily visited every tent since, to see that it was ventilated, by having the bottoms turned up for an hour or two, and that it was well cleaned. The result has been most striking. The sick list has already, in only six days, decreased fifty in number, though the seeds of typhus, sown some time since, still sprout, and occasionally give us serious trouble. Another trouble is off of my hands to-day. I have got a settlement with our Quartermaster, the first I have been able to get since the organization of the regiment. On settlement, I find my hospital fund to amount to one hundred and forty dollars. This sum, above the regular rations, will buy all the comforts my sick need, and will relieve the Sanitary Commission and our friends at home from the expense and trouble of providing those things for us. Nor will this be only temporary, for I find that I can, by good economy, after providing well for all the wants of the sick, still have a surplus of from fifteen to fifty dollars a month, to spare to general hospitals, or to the new regiments who have been less fortunate in providing a fund for this purpose.

Courts Martial.

Dec. 5. Courts martial seems to be a prominent feature in camp affairs just at present, and almost every night at dress parade the charges and specifications are read against some unlucky wight. The burden of the song seems to be too drunk to perform the duties of a soldier; but as this is a camp of instruction, I presume these courts are really more for practice than anything else.

THURSDAY 5

This has been a very pleasant day, bright & not cold. The nerves of the old ladies have been greatly tried today by the constant firing across the River. It has been almost incessant. But it was all practice. I have been putting down Carpet and quite weary. Our dining room is now quite comfortable with a good Coal Stove. Lieut McFarlan called this evening. Everything seems to be quiet. No news from any quarter of importance, to bed at 11 o’clock.

______

The three diary manuscript volumes, Washington during the Civil War: The Diary of Horatio Nelson Taft, 1861-1865, are available online at The Library of  Congress.

Thursday Evening, December 5.

My dear Girls: This will be a little Sunday greeting to you, probably, as I write it merely to give you my love, and your address to Mr. Charles Johnson of Norwich. He is now here spending the evening, and, as usual, very entertaining. He leaves to-morrow for Washington. He goes to secure, if possible, a paymaster’s position in one of the Connecticut regiments, and has Governor Buckingham, Mr. Foster and others interested for him. Jane has told him that perhaps you can “pull the wires” for him in some quarters! I fear we are beginning to feel proud of you, as we hear your praises sounded in various quarters, and read paragraphs in the papers of your doings. At the wedding last night, Mrs. Colby told me all she had heard from your French widow nurse, who, it seems, has told her all about your visits to the hospital, etc., and what a “sunbeam” Georgy is, and how much comfort you have both been to her, and to all the other nurses. . . . The largest box yet, stands all nailed up and marked, ready for the express, in the front hall, and when Mr. Johnson said he was going on and would take anything for us, we told him we had a small parcel which he probably saw as he came in; the poor man looked aghast at the idea! . . . How very pleasant Mr. Hopkins is, but I think he must have been quizzing you in his very flattering remark about me. I do not like this in him. You poor, dear, little girls! I wish I could place a tray before you every day or two with something relishing. A large dish has come up to-night of jumbles, which I should like to empty on your table. . . . Charley has just come in from drill, with his new military overcoat, which is quite becoming. . . . Many kisses and lots of love.

DECEMBER 5TH.—The account of the Drainsville massacre was furnished me by an officer of the 6th S. C. Regiment, which suffered severely. The newspaper accounts of the occurrence, upon which, perhaps, the history of this war will be founded, give a different version of the matter. And hence, although not so designed at first, this Diary will furnish more authentic data of many of the events of the war than the grave histories that will be written. Still, I do not aspire to be the Froissart of these interesting times: but intend merely to furnish my children, and such others as may read them, with reliable chronicles of the events passing under my own observation.

Fayetteville, Virginia, Thursday, December 5. — Another bright, warm day; the afternoon was like spring. Held the first meeting of regimental officers in the adjutant’s office last evening. Went over guard duty in the “Regulations.” I learned something and think the others did.

Today a foolish young countryman came in with apples, pies and bread, [and] tobacco. Undertook to sell apples at ten cents per dozen, pies twenty cents. The soldiers got mad and robbed the apple cart in the streets. I got mad; paid the F. F. V. five dollars out of my own pocket; got Colonel Eckley to do likewise; had the colonel informed and the thing suitably noticed.

Drilled after parade in a few simple movements; got along tolerably.

December 5.—The Navy Department at Washington received despatches from Capt. Palmer, commanding the U. S. steamer Iroquois, in which he stated that the Government at Martinique refused to give the Sumter coals, but allowed her to come to St. Pierre, where she obtained a supply from English merchants. Capt. Palmer said the officers of the Sumter were treated with great courtesy at Martinique. He stated also that he had a correspondence with the governor relative to belligerent rights, the result of which was that the Iroquois was obliged to anchor one marine league from shore while the Sumter was in port. The citizens generally were in favor of the Sumter, and the authorities threw every obstacle in Capt. Palmer’s way to prevent his making a prize of her. Owing to the distance which the Iroquois was obliged to keep from the shore, and to the fact that the bay is fifteen miles wide, the Sumter was enabled to escape, The Iroquois followed on her track, but to no purpose, and the chase was abandoned.— (Doc. 214.)

—The Louisville Journal of this day contains the following: “On the 22d ult., a party of Home Guards from Edmondson and Grayson Counties, numbering one hundred men, advanced across Green River and took possession of the town of Brownsville, Ky., (which is on the south side of that stream, and within Buckner’s lines,) and hoisted the Federal flag, which had been taken down a short time before by the rebels. The Guards sent out their pickets in the direction of the rebel encampment, whose pickets extended within three miles of town. The Unionists remained in peaceable possession long enough to dine and refresh themselves, when their pickets came in and gave notice of the approach of about two hundred rebel cavalry and infantry, with two pieces of artillery, commanded by Brig.-Gen. T. C. Hindman, of Arkansas. The Home Guards then proceeded cautiously to the river. Crossing at their leisure, they had ample time to select their position on the north side, which was above and below the ferry, where they were sheltered by heavy timber, the embankments forming fine fortifications for the undisciplined Green River hunters. The enemy opened a heavy fire with their cannon and muskets, which was promptly responded to by our brave boys, who were armed with muskets and hunting rifles. The engagement continued for two hours and a half, during which time there was a constant fire kept up by both parties. As night approached the rebels retreated with a loss of three killed and five wounded, the Home Guards sustaining no injury.”

—In the United States Senate at Washington, a petition was presented by Charles Sumner, from the citizens of Haverhill, Mass., praying that the slaves of rebels might be liberated unconditionally, and the slaves of Union men on fair remuneration being made.

Mr. Trumbull, of Illinois, also introduced his bill for confiscating the property of rebels and giving freedom to their slaves. It provided for the absolute and complete forfeiture forever to the United States of every species of property, real and personal, wherever situated within the United States, belonging to persons beyond the jurisdiction of the United States, or beyond the reach of civil process, who had, or should in any way, take up arms against the United States, or in any wise aid or abet the rebellion —making their slaves free as a consequence.

—At one o’clock to-night, the Thirteenth Massachusetts regiment, under command of Col. Leonard, was called out to make a midnight foray into Virginia. Companies A and B crossed the Potomac in a scow. They had strict orders not to make a noise. After several incidents, such as are common to such expeditions, they marched on and drove the rebels from Hancock to Bath, Va., and then drove them from the place last named without firing a single shot. They reached Berkley Springs, Va., about daylight, and stopped long enough to take a bath in the sulphur spring, and then returned, having taken eleven hundred bushels of corn, several cart-loads of potatoes, turnips, cabbages, &o., which were destined for the use of the rebels.—Boston Transcript, Dec. 12.

—This morning, before daylight, Commander Rodgers left Tybee Roads, Ga,, with three United States gunboats, and proceeded to Warsaw Island, Ga., the rebel fort upon which was found to be entirely deserted. It consisted of an enclosed octagonal work, with platforms for eight guns on the water faces. The guns had been removed and the magazine blown up. Another battery, however, still in possession of the rebels, was discovered about three miles up on the Wilmington River, (a creek,) which runs parallel with the Savannah River, leading up from the rear of Little Tybee. The highest point to which Commander Rodgers penetrated was eight miles from Warsaw Bar and ten miles from Savannah, Ga.—(Doc. 215.)

—The reports of the Secretaries of War and the Navy show that the Government of the United States had in service for the suppression of the rebellion, six hundred and eighty-two thousand nine hundred and seventy-one men, all of whom had volunteered. They were divided as follows: Volunteer militia, six hundred and forty thousand six hundred and thirty-seven; Regular army, twenty thousand three hundred and thirty-four; Seamen and marines, twenty-two thousand.