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

Tuesday, March 27, 2012

March 27.—This has been a day of uneasiness to us all. General Jackson has had a fight at Kernstown, near Winchester. No particulars, except that the enemy were repulsed, and our loss heavy. Many that are so dear to us are in that “Stonewall Brigade;” and another day of suspense must pass before we can hear from them. Our Western army under Beauregard are fighting at Island No. 10, with what success we know not. The enemy presses us on every side.

March 27 — To-day we went on picket two miles below Woodstock. We had a little skirmish with the Yanks and exchanged a few shell with them. This evening we came back to the Court House, ate our supper, and then moved two miles south of town and camped in a woods on the east side of the pike.

Thursday March 27th 1862

The weather continues delightful and the mud has nearly dried up in our streets. There is no particular news afloat today. The Battle near Winchester on Sunday last proves to have been a very severe fight, and a total route to the rebels. The boys have all been up to the camps on the Hill today. No troops are leaving from there yet. Lieut David (James) called here today. Mrs Bassett was here at the time. She is an immense talker and withall rather a vain woman. She amused the Lieut very much. I have been to the Ave this evening, an immense throng there. The City seems to be entirely full. A great many foreighners, particularly Englishmen, are here looking on and “taking Notes.” All nationalities almost are to be met with and almost all languages are heard on the Ave of an evening. German predominates but French and Spanish are very common. Julia is studying French and Spanish and I am paying those languages some attention myself. Think that I will soon be able to read Spanish.

______

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.—A day of excitement. We are near the enemy. Brigade left camp at 6 A.M.; marched ten miles along the beautiful James River. Almost every building on the route burned. Dreadful devastation. At 12 o’clock came upon the rebel pickets. They ran, leaving camp fires burning. In one tent found a boiler of hot coffee, in another a haversack of hot biscuit. Very acceptable, after a long and muddy march. Major L_____, with two companies, was detailed on a reconnoisance. They have not returned to-night, and we fear they are in danger.

MARCH 27TH.—It is said Mr. Benjamin has been dismissed, or resigned.

27th. News came that the staff would be paid off. All went to the Fort to sign pay-rolls. Returned to dinner. Rode the Major’s horse. Saw a tame buffalo. Quite a curiosity. Sergeants receive only $17 per month—a joke on their extra stripes.

Thursday, March 27. — A wintry morning — snow two or three inches deep, ground frozen; the ninth day since this equinoctial set in. P. M. The sun came out bright and warm about 9 A. M.; the snow melted away, and before night the ground became [began] to dry off so that by night we had a very fair battalion drill.

News of a battle near Winchester in which General Shields was wounded. Union victories. I am gradually drifting to the opinion that this Rebellion can only be crushed finally by either the execution of all the traitors or the abolition of slavery. Crushed, I mean, so as to remove all danger of its breaking out again in the future. Let the border States, in which there is Union sentiment enough to sustain loyal State Governments, dispose of slavery in their own way; abolish it in the premanently disloyal States, in the cotton States — that is, set free the slaves of Rebels. This will come, I hope, if it is found that a stubborn and prolonged resistance is likely to be made in the cotton States. President Lincoln’s message recommending the passage of a resolution pledging the aid of the general Government to States which shall adopt schemes of gradual emancipation, seems to me to indicate that the result I look for is anticipated by the Administration. I hope it is so.

Thursday, 27th—It is warm and dry today. The trees are beginning to leaf out. Troops are arriving every day and going into camp all along the roads about two and a half miles from the Landing.

March 27. — At Burlington, N. J., Rev. Samuel Aaron, a Baptist preacher, of Mount Holly, attempted to deliver an Abolition lecture, this evening. He commenced his remarks by denouncing the present Administration and avowing himself against the manner in which the war was conducted. At this the crowd began to hiss him, and storm him with rotten eggs. The ladies in the audience got frightened at these proceedings, and the excitement of the crowd rose to fever-heat, and there were angry cries of “Kill him,” “Tar and feather him,” etc The Mayor of the city was present, and tried to stop the excitement, but did not succeed in doing so. Finally the gentleman withdrew and was taken away from the hall by his friends. — N. Y. Commercial, March 28.

—The Petersburgh Express of this date, says that wood has become as scarce in that city as good coffee, and appeals to the farmers and railroads to relieve the distress. Brooms are pronounced a luxury, and the growing of broom-corn is earnestly recommended. So scarce has leather become, that hickory splits are recommended as a substitute in harnesses. In view of the scarcity of lead, merchants and others having old tea-chests, are recommended to bring them out for the lead they contain. “There is also,” says the Express, “a large quantity of lead on the various iron railings about the city, which the owners could spare.”

—The Board of Provost-Marshals of New-Orleans, consisting of N. Trefaguier, H. M. Spofford, Cyprien Dufour, H. D. Ogden, Victor Burthe, and Pierre Soule, by special order prohibited “the traffic in gold and silver against the notes of the confederate States of America,” and also declared that all traffic in paper currency, tending to create distrust in the public mind, or otherwise to produce embarrassment, should be held as acts of hostility against the government, and would be dealt with summarily.—New-Orleans Delta, April 4.

—Ashby’s cavalry, with a battery of four guns, appeared near Strasburgh, Va., and threw several shells into the Union camp, killing one man and wounding another. His position was such as prevented his being cut off. The Union guns, however, soon routed the enemy—Gen. Banks reconnoitred all positions within five miles of his camp, returning after dark.—Baltimore American, March 29.

—The National troops from General Hooker’s command are removing the guns from the abandoned rebel batteries on the Lower Potomac, tho gunboats Yankee and Wyandank being actively employed in this service. Large numbers of negroes from the Virginia side are pouring into Gen. Hooker’s camp since the rebels left that line of defence.—New- York Herald, March 27.

—A recosmoissance was made from Newport News, Va., as far as Big BetheL where the rebels were discovered to be posted to the number of one thousand five hundred. Upon the approach of the National troops, they vacated the place without showing fight, and Big Bethel was occupied by the Union soldiers.—(Doc. 110.)

—Two squadrons of the First New-Jersey cavalry, under command of Col. Wyndham, surrounded a party of rebel Texas Rangers near Dumfries, Va., twelve miles below the Occoquan. A few shots were fired on both sides without injury, except that one of the Nationals was slightly wounded in the wrist. Ten prisoners were taken and carried to Washington. The National troops captured a number of wagons loaded with wheat, but owing to the want of horses, were enabled to bring off only four of them.

—The Petersburgh, Va., Gazette of this date, complains that Gen. Burnside occupies “the palatial residence of the President of the Bank of Commerce;” that Gen. Foster “has taken possession of another handsome dwelling,” while Gen. Reno “occupies the Bank of Newbern.” It is charged that the Unionists are “plundering the country for miles around.”