August 15 — This morning we went back to the Court House again on picket, and remained all day and night. We have been subsisting for the last week on one meal a day, and sometimes a very poor and scanty one at that.
Wednesday, August 15, 2012
August 15, Friday. Received yesterday a note from Chase that the President proposed to change two of the nominees under the new tax law in Connecticut. Called on the President, and stated to him I did it as a duty, that duty alone impelled me. He said he fully believed it, and was glad to do me the justice to say that in matters of appointments, patronage, I had never given him any trouble.
Having an appointment this Friday morning at 9 with the President, I met there Babcock[1] and Platt[2] of Connecticut. They had called and stated their case, which was extremely unjust to Mr. Howard, and, turning to me, Mr. B. said H. claimed he had procured or secured my appointment. The President said he had a slight acquaintance with Mr. H. himself. Had met him in Illinois and knew him as a friend of mine. Had received letters from him expressing regard for me, and one signed jointly by H. and Senator Dixon. But these gentlemen did not originate his action in relation to my appointment. “The truth is,” said he, — “and I may as well state the facts to you, for others know them,—on the day of the Presidential election, the operator of the telegraph in Springfield placed his instrument at my disposal. I was there without leaving, after the returns began to come in, until we had enough to satisfy us how the election had gone. This was about two in the morning of Wednesday. I went home, but not to get much sleep, for I then felt, as I never had before, the responsibility that was upon me. I began at once to feel that I needed support, — others to share with me the burden. This was on Wednesday morning, and before the sun went down I had made up my Cabinet. It was almost the same that I finally appointed. One or two changes were made, and the particular position of one or two was unsettled. My mind was fixed on Mr. Welles as the member from New England on that Wednesday. Some other names passed through my thoughts, and some persons were afterwards pressed upon me, but the man and the place were fixed in my mind then, as it now is. My choice was confirmed by Mr. H., by Senator Dixon, Preston King, Vice-President Hamlin, Governor Morgan, and others, but the selection was my own, and not theirs, and Mr. H. is under a mistake in what he says.”
[1] James F. Babcock, editor of the New Haven Palladium. Lincoln appointed him Collector at New Haven.
15th.—Called up at 2 A. M., to be ready to move at daylight. Eight o’clock comes, but no order for us to march; 10, 12, 2, 4, 8, 10 o’clock at night, and still here. One day’s rations consumed, men wearied with watching and impatient expectation; no tents, no comforts, men dropped on the ground to rest, whilst other regiments, brigades, divisions, are marching by. Many fires kept brightly burning through the night, and many soldiers would not lie down, but kept watch, momentarily expecting a call to march. This excitement and waiting, I find, is more wearing to the soldier than active duty.
Friday, 15th—There was a very heavy rainstorm last night. We pitched our tents and built the bunks in them today, and are again quite well settled in camp. This is my birthday—twenty years old, and I have done a hard day’s work, setting up our tent and building bunks, after having been all night on picket. I have now served almost a year in the army and it has been an active year’s work, too.
15th. Stopped a little while in the morning to feed the horses. Moved on and passed through “Ball Town.” Stopped to get some breakfast. Received a letter from home. The prairie took fire several times and kept the boys busy fighting it. Colonel, Capt. Smith, Majors Miner and Purington rested under a tent fly we pitched. Marched again at 3 P. M. Passed Pappinsville. All these places in Mo. are little stingy trading posts. Over prairies and through woods and ravines we went. Sometimes slow, sometimes fast. Tired of jolting. Made a bed of the blankets. 2nd Ohio mounted and in advance under Major Purington. Stopped about 2 A. M. and fed horses. Roasted corn.
Written from the Sea islands of South Carolina.
[Diary] August 15, Friday.
Heavy firing heard before sunrise. Two gunboats stationed at the mouth of our creek. Am preparing my Philadelphia money for safety and I shall have the guns loaded.
Click on image for larger version
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Map of the field operations of the Army of Virginia during the months of July and August 1862
Notes
– Scale ca. 1:350,000.
– LC Civil War Maps (2nd ed.), 465.67
– From U.S. Congress. Joint Committee on the Conduct of the War. Supplemental report of the Joint Committee on the Conduct of War, in two volumes. Supplemental to Senate report no. 142, 38th Congress, 2d session (Washington, Government Printing Office, 1866). v. 2, fol. p. 108.
– Accompanies “Report of Major General John Pope to the hon. Committee on the Conduct of the War.” 217 p.
– General map showing roads, railroads, place names, drainage, and relief by hachures. Troop positions and movements are not indicated.
http://www.loc.gov/item/99448505
Eliza Woolsey Howland to her Mother.
Fishkill, Aug. 15.
Dear Mother: In answer to my letter Dr. Draper came up yesterday noon and stayed till this afternoon. . . . The visit was part professional and part for pleasure and was satisfactory in both ways. He finds Joe improving, though more slowly than he had hoped, but he says he must not think of returning to camp. That if fever got hold of him again he would stand very little chance of recovery. It would permanently break down his constitution, if it was not immediately fatal. . . . It is very disappointing. He hoped to gain fast enough to go back the end of this month, and is greatly depressed about it, for he has made up his mind that under the circumstances it is great injustice to the regiment and to Major Seaver to continue to hold his commission, getting the credit as it were, while the Major has all the care and responsibility. He wishes to do only what is most for the interests of the service.
Joseph Howland resigned from the service by the advice of Dr. W. H. Draper of New York, whose medical certificate stated that he was suffering from extreme nervous exhaustion and debility, and was unfit for duty. The resignation was received by his superior officers with expressions of great regret, and letters full of affection poured in upon him.
General Bartlett, commanding the brigade, writes:
Headquarters 2d Brigade.
Sept. 4th, 1862, “Camp Franklin,” VA.
Dear Howland: I received your papers just as we were embarking at Newport News, and you cannot imagine how badly I felt at the thought that perhaps we should never be associated together in the field again, and perhaps never again see each other. We all agreed that you ought not to come back, all seemed actuated by the same feeling of love for you and all expressed their sorrow that you would no longer be with us. . . .
The old 16th are still “A. No. 1.”
General Bartlett writes again:
Headquarters 2d Brigade,
Near Bakersville, Md.
Oct. 1st, .1862
My dear Howland: I enclose to you the acceptance of your resignation and honorable discharge from the service.
I had much rather it had been your appointment as brigadier, for I don’t believe the service can afford to lose many such officers, and yet I would rather see you recover your health and strength than to be made a major-general, myself.
AUGUST 15TH.—Moved my office to an upper story of the Bank of Virginia, where the army intelligence office is located—an office that keeps a list of the sick and wounded.
August 18th. [probably really the 15th] I have omitted any notations since the eighth, for the reason that our wagons have been packed, and everything held in readiness to march at a moment’s notice, for the past week. Of course, we expected to move, and in the interim there was nothing going on. No drills, parades, or reviews, and consequently nothing to record. The camp is filled with rumors of Lee’s disappearance, and there is much anxiety at headquarters as to his intentions. We gather little of importance about the situation from our own resources and trust almost entirely to the New York Herald for news, even of our own movements. While we know nothing positive, the general belief is entertained that the rebel army has undertaken some kind of enterprise which is worrying the commander of the Army of the Potomac a good deal. The situation ought to have been reversed, the Army of the Potomac keeping the rebel army on the anxious seat, but our general is decidedly slow, and I suppose General Lee has concluded we are afraid to undertake another aggressive campaign. The weather has been hot continuously, and the sick list greatly increased.
Early this morning, the Fifty-seventh was detailed for picket duty, the first we have done in this camp. We left our tents standing, but empty, all our traps having been packed for the last week, crossed outside the entrenchments, and down the Charles City road until we reached the picket line, posted on fine open ground, having a commanding prospect. Our regiment relieved the troops found on duty, and established itself comfortably in the open country. On our way out, we observed many of the camps deserted, and long trains of wagons moving down the peninsula, indicating a general movement of some kind. As soon as the pickets were posted, Lieutenant-Colonel Parisen and I rode over to the cavalry videttes and enjoyed a splendid gallop in the open. The officer commanding the videttes told us from what he could learn the rebel army had gone, and that there was only a small cavalry force in front. About noon, our regimental wagons joined us and reported the camp struck, and the whole army in motion towards the north. They report a rumor at the landing that the rebel army has gone for Washington, and that the people there are scared out of their wits. It seems improbable, but General Lee is a brilliant commander, and must by this time be a little tired of waiting for us to move, and may try to take advantage of our sluggishness by making a sudden and unexpected attack on the capital. If it proves true, what a reflection it will be on the “Little Napoleon.”
