DECEMBER 30TH.—Some of our officers on furlough complain of the dullness of the war. The second year will be different.
December 2011
On the tenth of December the colonel received a letter from the adjutant general of the state, stating that I had been appointed first lieutenant and adjutant of the regiment and would be commissioned as such just as soon as he would furnish the date of Fiske’s appointment as assistant adjutant general of volunteers. I feel very proud of this appointment, and of the colonel’s good opinion. It is only about three months since I joined the regiment, unknown to every officer in it, and now enjoy the distinction of holding the most sought for subaltern position in it.
What a delightful prospect ahead, to think of riding, instead of marching. My feet are not good enough for tramping, and after every march I have been partially disabled; from this time hence, I hope to ride, but as we have not been paid yet, I shall have to wait awhile before I can buy a horse; in the meantime McKibben, our good natured quartermaster, is furnishing me with an animal that requires infinite skill to ride; he is a constitutional kicker, and don’t like any one on his back, so I have the opportunity of exercising an animal that requires a good deal of skill to manage, all of which will be useful to me I hope.
On Christmas day the camp was en fete; in the morning, we had a full dress review and inspection; and were then dismissed for the day, only the guard being on duty. Most of the officers went to Alexandria; the others dispersed amongst their friends in other commands, every one in search of amusement. I remained in camp to dinner, and had a very good one, with enough of liquid refreshment to properly digest it. In the afternoon, the major and I rode out towards Edsals Hill, some five miles distance on the railroad, where our division picket line was established; up to this time our regiment had not been on picket duty, and were eager to get out to the front, to have a possible glimpse of the enemy; it is now under orders for this duty, for a tour of four days, and so we rode out to examine the ground beforehand. The road was bad, and the country desolate and impoverished, but the ride did us good, and we returned to camp in the best of spirits.
The following morning the regiment turned out, six hundred strong, fully equipped, blankets rolled, and supplied with forty rounds of ammunition, and four days’ cooked rations; marching immediately after breakfast for the picket line, Parisen in command. I rode for the first time at the head of the regiment, and found it a very great improvement to trudging on foot. When we arrived on the ground the regiment formed in line, and details were made for reserves and picket post when we proceeded to relieve the withdrawing regiment, which was drawn up in line to receive us; taking our instructions from the old guard, we soon prepared the details, and I was ordered to go out and relieve the pickets, which proved most fascinating; for the first time, we formed the fringe of the army, and were to be its eyes and ears. All in front of us was an unknown region, with rare opportunities for adventure, and the men as well as officers, seemed delighted at the change; after relieving all the posts, drawing a plan, and marking the picket posts down on it, I returned to the reserve headquarters, meeting on the way the major, at an old log house, chatting away with an old woman and a pretty young girl. They told us all about the country; that the Johnnies picketed the same position, some time ago; visited them every day asking similar questions, and equally interested in getting news of our doings; they were reticent, and did not tell us anything of consequence, but the girl enjoyed being talked to and we were nothing loth to accommodate her. Notwithstanding it rained the first day and night very heavily, we managed to keep moderately dry; the men in little brush shelters, packed so closely, and stood up at such an acute angle that the rain ran down, without going through. We used a dilapidated old log cabin for headquarters, which, as it had a large fire place, was quite comfortable. In the evening, all hands sat around the blazing fire, told stories, and smoked our pipes; later on, arranging our saddles for pillows on the floor, we lay down, and slept tolerably well; being on grand guard duty, of course we did not take off our clothes, or arms, and on this account did not sleep very soundly. The following morning we started on a scouting expedition as far as Burk’s Station. We got together all the officers and men we could mount, with two full companies of infantry, under La Valley; the weather had become clear, cold, and bright, and we started about ten o’clock, in fine form, the officers riding ahead, pretty well deployed, the infantry following, along the railroad track; we had a glorious gallop, keeping our eyes open for the sight of a gray back. When we approached a house we completely encircled it, cocked our pistols, and rode up together; then two or three dismounted, and went in whilst the others kept watch; in this way we visited every house within our line of march, in order to satisfy ourselves there was no one there belonging to the other side; our interviews with the feminine housekeepers, who were not the least afraid, were sometimes very amusing; they had no hesitation in pitching into us, and calling us all sorts of hard names, but we took it good naturedly, and quite enjoyed their frankness; they told us, among other things, that the rebels frequently came out on just such expeditions as we were on and with similar objects in view, and some of them, were good enough to wish we might meet them and get captured. In fact we wanted to meet some of them, and have a little skirmish, but went quite up to the station without meeting any one whatever. There we found a couple of large houses, and a deserted camp of log huts, accomodations for a brigade. While looking over these splendidly built huts, we got a glimpse of the rebels pickets, several men and a couple of small fires being in sight. The men were greatly pleased at seeing a real enemy, but did not molest them. In one of the large houses we found a very old, blind gentleman, and two young women, his daughters; he mistook us for rebels, and made himself very agreeable, bringing out milk and pies, and inviting us to help ourselves. By the time his good things were despatched, La Valley with his blue coated infantry came up, and gave us away. The old man was greatly chagrined, but did not say anything. After quite a stay to rest the men and horses, we bid our host good bye, promising to call again soon. Leaving La Valley to return by the road, we put spurs to our horses, and enjoyed a magnificent gallop across the country, reaching the picket reserve on Edson Hill about dusk, much pleased with our first experience of scouting. At the end of the four days, we were in turn relieved, and marched back to camp.
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Note: This part of the “diary” is more of a recollection than a day by day diary. I am splitting it up for posting on Daily Observations from the Civil War at what appear to be appropriate points; these may differ somewhat from actual historical records.
December 30.—The Richmond Examiner of this date has the following on “Yankee worship”: We had thought that we were incapable of being taken by surprise by any new act of indulgence or deference toward Yankees by a government that entreats them here to enjoy the fats of offices and contracts, or by a public which has not forgotten its old standard of “society,” as measured in the amount of court and dirty toadyism they might be permitted to pay to Northern notabilities. But we were mistaken. We are intensely and altogether surprised at the latest event of Yankee impatience and Richmond servility. We are surprised to learn that a certain Yankee, Dr. King, from Newport, Rhode Island, has been permitted to come here to see a sick son, a prisoner. We are surprised to learn that the doctor, his lady, and son, are occupying very select rooms at the Arlington House. We are surprised to learn that these persons are called upon by the would-be elite (a very feeble would-be,” though, we suppose) of Richmond, and that women of Virginia, making such social pretence, have been flocking to see the Yankee family circle and to perform daily the debasing work of paying the greatest civilities to the enemies of our country and State. If Mrs. Lincoln was only holding court at the Spotswood, in her celebrated green silk and Illinois witchery, we have no doubt that there are creatures in Richmond who would bend their necks for the social honor of licking a little dust in her presence.”
—The third battalion of the First Massachusetts Cavalry, under Major John H. Edson, an old army officer, numbering four hundred and twenty horses and men, arrived at New York this morning.
—The Confederate Secretary of the Treasury, in his correspondence with the Tennessee delegation in Congress, stated the inability of the Confederate Government to settle the sums expended byTennessee in behalf of the war.
—In the rebel Congress at Richmond, Va., Messrs. Thomas and Burnett, of Kentucky, appeared, qualified, and took their seats.—General Stuart’s report of the battle of Dranesville was ordered to be printed.—Richmond Dispatch, Dec. 31.
—A Cutter, under command of Acting-Master Alick Allen, and a gig, under command of Acting-Master Henry L. Sturges, were sent from the U. S. steamer Mount Vernon, to-night, to destroy a lightship used by the rebels off Wilmington, N. C. The expedition found the vessel deserted, though pierced with guns, and almost prepared for harbor defence. She was burnt to the water’s edge by the National troops, who escaped the fire opened on them by a rebel fort.—(Doc. 243.)
December 30 — Late this afternoon a squad of men was detailed to go to Winchester after a new gun for the battery. I was one of the detail, and at dusk we left Martinsburg, nearly all of us riding bareback. It was about ten o’clock when we arrived at Winchester. We hitched our horses in the depot yard and the men scattered over town seeking quarters for the night. As I have recently taken practical lessons at Dam No. 5 in roughing it, I did not put myself to any inconvenience nor waste any time in searching for quarters, but wrapped my blanket around me and crept into a stack of baled hay in the depot yard, and there wooed Nature’s sweet restorer. It was a little coolish, but I slept well. A horse eating hay near my head when I went to sleep was my slumber song.
January 29. — At sundown last night General Heintzelman sent fifty of the New-York Thirty-seventh, under Lieutenant-Colonel John Burke, to capture some rebels, who were at Porter’s, near Occoquan Bridge, Va. They had to march ten to eleven miles through mud, and reached there about one o’clock this morning. A dance was progressing in the house, which was frame, and covered with clapboards. A gun was fired, and they were ordered to surrender. They immediately refused, and opened fire on the National troops through a window, and then made port-holes through the sides, hoping that their firing would be heard by their comrades, and aid come to them. After considerable random firing, a whole platoon fired through the weather-boards, and in a few minutes afterwards the firing ceased, and some one cried out they had surrendered. On examination it was found that inside were bodies of nine privates and one major, of the Texan Rangers, and one civilian dead. The man of the house, Porter, about seventy years old, was taken upstairs, with a musket, which he had been using from a window. The one who surrendered was a civilian, and he said he had been fiddling for a stag-dance; that he was a Union man, and did not fire a gun, but wanted them to surrender at first. The Nationals had one man killed and four wounded. They had the advantage of darkness to cover them, and only could be seen when a gun flashed in firing, while they never put out their lights. Thus not a rebel escaped to tell the tale, unless they had some outside as pickets.[1]
—Mason and Slidell arrived at Southampton, Eng., this morning. They embarked on board the British ship Rinaldo, at Boston, bound for Halifax. Owing to a furious gale, the Rinaldo could not make Halifax, and after trying ineffectually for four days to do so, she ran for Bermuda. Here the English admiral offered to send the commissioners home in Her Majesty’s ship Racer, or convey them to St. Thomas to catch the West-India packet. The latter course was preferred.
They acknowledge having been treated in the most handsome manner on board the Rinaldo, and at Bermuda by the British authorities.
They were received at Southampton by the officers of the Confederate steamer Nashville and other gentlemen. A large crowd gathered together in the dock to catch a glimpse of men who had caused such anxiety, but no demonstration was made on their landing.—Manchester Guardian, January 30.
—The Twelfth regiment of Iowa Volunteers, under command of Colonel Jackson J. Wood, arrived at Smithland, Ky., to-day.
—The House of Delegates of Virginia passed resolutions in secret session, thanking, in appropriate terms, General Jos. E. Johnson for his distinguished services, and conferring, as a slight testimonial of appreciation by the Legislature, the right for life of annually appointing two cadets to the State Military Institute.—Norfolk Day Book, January 31.
—The rebel Major-General Earl Van Dorn, issued an order assuming command of the Trans Mississippi District Department, embracing the State of Arkansas, part of the State of Missouri, the Indian Territory west of Arkansas, and the State of Louisiana as far south as Red River. The headquarters of the department are at Pocahontas, Ark.—(Doc. 22.)
[1] The following acknowledgments of bravery in this action were made public soon after It occurred:
Headquarters Army of the Potoma,
Washington, Jan. 31, 1862.
The Commanding General thanks Lieutenant-Colonel John Burke, Thirty-seventh New-York Volunteers, and the handful of brave men of that regiment, and the First New-Jersey Cavalry, under his command, for their services in the affair at Lee’s house, on Belmont or Occoquan Bay, on the night of the 28th Inst. Their coolness under fire, and the discretion and judgment displayed by Lieutenant-Colonel Burke, have won the confidence of the Commanding General, who recognizes hi these qualities the results of discipline and attention to duty.
By command of Maj.-Gen. McClellan.
S. Williams, A. A. G.
J. M. Norvell, A. A. G.
Headquarters Division, Fort Lyon, Va., Jan. 300,1862
General Orders, No. 2:
The General commanding the Division takes pleasure in commending Lieutenant-Colonel John Burke, of the Thirty-seventh New-York Volunteers, the officers and men with him, together with the guide, Williamson, for the gallantry and good conduct displayed by them in destroying a party of Texan Rangers, located at Mrs. Lee’s house, on the banks of the Occoquon, and in sight of the rebel batteries. It is to be regretted that after all resistance had ceased, a more thorough search was not made of the house to discover the actual loss of the enemy, and to bring away all their arms.
By order, Brig.-Gen. Heinzelman.
Isaac Moses, A. A. G
Camp Union, Fayetteville, Virginia, Sunday, December 29. — Major Comly (J. M.) with five companies marched today to occupy Raleigh twenty-five miles south of here. Companies F and G, Twenty-third, two companies of Thirtieth, and one company, Twenty-sixth. Weather, bright and clear; ground, frozen hard; roads, good. Success attend them! Company inspection.
Rutherford B. Hayes writes his wife of anxiously thinking of “coming home” and various other things.
Camp Union, Fayetteville, Virginia, December 29, 1861.
Dearest: — I have no letter from home since the boy was born. I have by mail Commercials of several days later date and hoped for a letter; but I comfort myself by thinking that all is going well with you, or the telegraph would inform me.
I now begin to think anxiously of coming home. If nothing occurs unforeseen, I must get home before the next month runs out. We have sent Major Comly with a detachment to occupy Raleigh, twenty-five miles further into the bowels of the land, and his absence may prevent my coming so soon as I hope, but I shall come if possible.
Dr. McCurdy is sick, and will probably go home soon. Dr. Hayes, the brigade surgeon, seems to be a nice gentleman, and gets along well with Dr. Jim, as surgeon of the Twenty-third. Colonel Scammon has been unwell, and says that while he likes Dr. Hayes as a gentleman, he would prefer to be doctored by Dr. Joe, and inquires often as to his coming. I tell him Dr. Joe will in no event return before the 10th and not then unless you are out of all danger.
Make Joe tell me all about “the boy.” Does “the face of the boy indicate the heart of the boy”? Do you love him as much as the others? Do you feel sorry the fourth was not a daughter? I think it’s best as it is. — Love to “all the boys” and kiss the little one.
Affectionately,
R. B. Hayes.
Mrs. Hayes.
Sunday, 29th—I am staying at the tavern on account of having taken a severe cold. As we are here without the regimental surgeon, the captain marked me “not fit for duty.” The landlady is very kind to me and is helping break up my cold. The company had to clean up this morning for inspection.
SUNDAY 29
A mild cool day. All the family went to church but myself. I staid with the Col who is improving and has spent most of the day down in our family room. It has been quite a still day. No soldiers (in bodys) have passed and but little druming and Bugle blowing has been heard. I went out awhile this evening. Called at Charleys, eat some pear preserves in cream, a little rich cake, a pickel, and drank a cup of milk, besides a [sic] eating a little mince pie. If my stomach dont rebel at such treatment it will be well for my rest tonight. I do not often treat it so badly.
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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.
Bird’s Point, December 29, 1861.
Your letter giving us notice of your sending a box came to hand yesterday with express charges inclosed. I shall go over to Cairo to-morrow to get them if they are there. I haven’t been to Cairo for a month. All of the 7th cavalry are on this side now and there are about a dozen of them here all the time. Colonel Kellogg will be here next week. One company in that regiment did the first scouting for the 7th this morning. They rode out southwest about 15 miles and brought in 22 prisoners. ‘Tis said there are two or three officers among them, but I rather think they are only a lot of swamp farmers. The boys got only three or four guns it is said, and that is not more than the complement of one woodsman in this country. The boys think they have almost taken Columbus. It was not our Canton company. We are at last established in our quarters and thoroughly “fixed up” with all the modern improvements in the housekeeping line, coupled with the luxuries of the ancients and the gorgeous splendor and voluptuousness of the middle ages. We have a chimney whose base is rock, the age of which man cannot tell, whose towering top is constructed of costly pecan wood boughs embalmed in soft Missouri mud cement. We have a roof and floor, beds and door, of material carved or sawed from the lofty pines of Superior’s rock-bound shores. Our door latch is artfully contrived from the classic cypress, and curiously works by aid of a string pendant on the outside, and when our string is drawn inside who can enter? We have tables and chairs and shelves without number and a mantle piece, and, crowning glories, we have good big straw sacks, a bootjack and a dutch oven. Government has also furnished a stove for each mess of 15 in our regiment, so we have nothing more to ask for; not a thing. This is just no soldiering at all. Its hard, but its true that we can’t find a thing to pick trouble out of. We are to-day more comfortable than 45 out of 50 people in old Canton. Our building is warmer than our house at home, our food is brought to us every third day in such abundance that we can trade off enough surplus to keep us in potatoes, and often other comforts and luxuries. Within 500 yards of us there is wood enough for 10,000 for 20 years, and—I can’t half do it justice, so I’ll quit. I borrowed a horse of the cavalry, Christmas, slipped past our picket through to the brush and had a long ride all over the country around Charleston. No adventures though. General Paine took command here to-day. He is an old grannie. We are glad he is here though, for we will get our colonel back by it. You can’t imagine what a change the last month of cool weather has produced in our troops. From a sick list six weeks ago of nearly 300 in our regiment, with 65 in the hospital, we have come down or up rather, to eight in hospital, and not over 25 or 30 on the “sick in quarters” list. It is astonishing! And here these “damphool” “Forward to Richmond” papers are talking about the fearful decimation that winter will make in our ranks. They “don’t know nothing” about soldiering.
