Fayetteville, Virginia, February 28, 1862. Friday. — Reached here after a hard ride of forty miles from Camp Piatt. Found the Twenty-third men pleased to see me; felt like getting home. Had been absent four weeks, less one day, on furlough. Road from Camp Piatt a good part of the way very good; but from the ferry to Fayetteville execrable. The weather moderate, windy, threatening a storm.
February 2012
Beaufort, S.C., February 28, 1862
My life here is very charming and pleasant, but is growing monotonous. I dread the idea of being here much longer, though any change is almost certain to be for the worse and the sameness of stable-duty, drill and camp life is telling on all of us. A prettier place than Beaufort would be hard to find, and a finer climate I do not want to see; but nothing marks the days as they pass, and few know less of the progress of the war than we, in the heart of South Carolina and in sight of the enemy’s pickets. How long this will last we can’t tell, but I fear for a good while; for there are no signs of real activity here, and now we all feel a desire to soon leave this Capua for the free, changing life of Tennessee, Missouri or even Texas. Nothing, I fear, but foreign intervention will get us out of this, however, and I imagine our destiny is either to fight at home against England and France or to march into Charleston.
Meanwhile I am very well and very comfortable, save in some respects of position with which I will not trouble you and which will cure themselves. To us it is now more of a picnic than war, and I live in as much luxury almost in my tent as I ever did at home. We are all very well and as brown and dirty as nuts, and I have never enjoyed life more than in the army. In fact, my college days seem to have come back to me, but bereft of most of their cares. I have been doing a good deal of detailed duty and have pretty thoroughly explored this island and last week they made me Judge Advocate to a Court of Inquiry, and these give quite a variety to life and took me away effectually from certain annoyances of my camp life; but they’ve found me out now and I’m steadily kept here, while my pleasant rides and expectations have come to an end. Socially also things are extremely agreeable here. Colonel Sargent is in immediate command and recent experiences have made me feel as if walled in with friends. My tentmate, Davis, is the very man I need and it is generally supposed in camp that he is a sort of nurse and guardian for me and that without his fostering care I should be a tentless wanderer. In fact my family will be pleased to know that my announcement that at home I had always been considered rather an old Betty was received with shouts of derision, and in camp here, in all matters of comfort, I enjoy the reputation of being the most careless, shiftless and slipshod devil in the whole battalion. Still I get on well enough, but I do not grow here, or, rather, should not long. The life and experience will have its uses for me and they will be great, but it is not the life for me for a permanency. The mind is perfectly fallow. . . .
Winchester, February 28, 1862.
I reached here day before yesterday, and expected to devote yesterday evening to a letter home; but so soon as I got pen and paper ready to commence we had an order to change our camp. My ride here was as pleasant as I could expect. The first night I stayed at Mr. Sproul’s, the next at Dr. Crawford’s, the next at Mr. Williamson’s, and the last at Strasburg, reaching Winchester about twelve o ‘clock. Self and horse both in good condition.
I doubt not you will hear any quantity of news before this reaches you: that Winchester has been evacuated, the enemy approaching in countless numbers from all directions, and Jackson’s army flying before him. All I can say is, do not be alarmed, and make up your mind to bear in patience whatever of good or evil the future may have in store for us. Try, so far as possible, to divert your mind from the troubles of the country. The future is not so bright as it was before our late disasters, but we have yet many strong arms and brave hearts in the field, and should not despair.
As to our situation here, place no confidence in the rumors which you may hear. The enemy yesterday entered Charlestown—in what force I do not know, or for what purpose. It may be to take possession of the Baltimore & Ohio R. R. and rebuild it, or it may be a part of a force intended to advance on this place. All I can say is: I think, unless his force largely outnumbers ours, we shall fight him, and if it is overpowering we shall evacuate the place.
I write, darling, in the open air and a freezing wind, and will bid you good-bye until my next. I will write regularly, so that my letters may reach you Sunday morning when you go to church. Should anything happen me, I will have a letter written to your father, who will send it to you. Kiss the children for me, and for yourself, dearest, accept all that a fond husband can offer.
February 28.—The British ship Labuan, of Hull, England, arrived at New York, in charge of a prize-crew from the United States sloop-of-war Portsmouth. She was captured by the Portsmouth a few miles to the northward of Brecca Chica, a small village near the Rio Grande, and it is supposed that she intended to run the blockade. The vessel is worth £33,000. Her cargo consists of a large quantity of blankets, etc.
—Counterfeit five-dollar Treasury notes made their appearance in New-York. They were excellent imitations of the genuine. The letters “U.S.,” one within the other, on the shield in the goddess of liberty, being left out.
—This day was observed throughout the Confederate States, in accordance with a proclamation issued by Jefferson Davis, as a day of “fasting, humiliation and prayer.” The rebel President appointed the day as a fitting occasion on which to make a grateful acknowledgment of the watchful care of Providence during the existence of the provisional government.
—The rebel steamer Nashville, from Southampton, England, commanded by R. P. Pegram, of the confederate navy, ran the blockade of Beaufort, North-Carolina, and reached the town this morning in safety.—(Doc. 68.)
—The United States transport steamer Mississippi, having on board Major-General B. F. Butler and fourteen hundred troops, ran aground on Frying-pan Shoals, off Wilmington, N. C, while on her way from Boston, Mass., to Ship Island, in the Gulf of Mexico. Her situation being discovered by Commander O. S. Glisson, U.S.N., he immediately went to her assistance with the steamer Mount Vernon; and after laboring in vain for many hours, during which about three hundred troops were transported to the Mount Vernon, the Mississippi was finally got off at about seven o’clock in the evening. The troops were then transferred back to the Mississippi, and every man saved.—(Doc. 69.)
—Charlestown, Va., situated on the line of the Winchester and Potomac Railroad, eight miles southwest of Harper’s Ferry, was this day occupied by the National troops.
—Capt. Nolen, of the Seventh Illinois cavalry, with sixty-four men, while making a reconnoissance of the country west of Charleston, Mo., came across ninety rebel cavalry, commanded by Jeff. Thompson, and after pursuing them a long distance, forced them to make a stand about five miles below Sikeston.
Thompson’s artillery was planted in the road in such a manner as to command all approaches, and the National forces were compelled to charge in the face of his battery. This they did with great gallantry, and succeeded in capturing four guns and putting the confederates to flight, with a loss of one man, who straggled from the command and was taken prisoner. The rebel loss was not ascertained.—Cincinnati Gazette, March 4.
Thursday, February 27. — We were waiting in anxious expectation all day for our orders to march, but no such orders came. We heard that Banks had crossed the Potomac below Harper’s Ferry, and I found that if we marched, we were to go to Washington, from there up the river as far as possible by rail, and then march to Winchester. Our sick were all taken to Washington. John Ropes[1] was out here to see me, and brought me a small package of medicine from Uncle Doctor.[2] I was glad to see him, and went with him to the 83d Pennsylvania, 22d Massachusetts, and 18th Massachusetts.
Thursday 27th Feb 1862
A great movement of troops over the river and from here over, has taken place. The Trains from the City going East have been stopped and no one is allowed to leave the City without a passport. All Telegraph lines as well as Railroads are in the hands of the Govt. Various reports are afloat in reference to the fighting over the River but nothing seems to be known. But there is little dou[b]t that the “Army of the Potomac” is on the move after its long season of inactivity. We shall hear of stirring news soon.
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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.
27th.—Three days ago we received orders again to be ready to move at a moment’s warning. But here we are yet. I was in Washington to-day. Went intending to. spend two days and witness the “doings of Congress.” But, on my arrival got intelligence that Gen. Banks had crossed the Potomac at Edward’s Ferry; that the Government had seized the Railroads here, and was sending off troops to his aid, and not doubting that this would start us also, I immediately returned to my post.
FEBRUARY 27TH.—Columbus is to be evacuated. Beauregard sees that it is untenable with Forts Henry and Donelson in possession of the enemy. He will not be caught in such a trap as that. But he is erecting a battery at Island No. 10 that will give the Yankees trouble. I hope it may stay the catalogue of disasters.
Thursday, 27th—There are no hopes of leaving this place. We cleaned up for inspection and muster tomorrow. The five companies of the Eleventh which went to Fulton, Missouri, last December, are still at that place.
February 27th. Practiced the ship’s company at target-firing with the battery; thirty to forty rounds were fired, at some fifteen hundred yards, and some splendid shots were made. The marines were also drilled with muskets at a target.
