September 1—Wortheim and myself went to Halfway Station, to get a box that was sent to us from home, but it did not come.
Saturday, September 1, 2012
SEPTEMBER 1ST.—Official dispatches from Lee, announcing a “signal victory,” by the blessing of God, “over the combined forces of the enemy.” That is glory enough for a week. When Lee says “signal victory,” we know exactly what it means, and we breathe freely. Our generals never modify their reports of victories. They see and know the extent of what has been done before they speak of it, and they never mislead by exaggerated accounts of successes.
A lithograph from an original sketch, Augustus Tholey, a French-born lithographer, published 1867. Library of Congress image.
Philip Kearny, Jr. (June 2, 1815 – September 1, 1862) was a United States Army officer, notable for his leadership in the Mexican-American War and American Civil War. He was killed in action in the 1862 Battle of Chantilly. (Wikipedia)
[1st]
At daylight passed through Fairfax court house and went into position two miles north of it on Flint Hill, stacked arms, and got our breakfast. Just ahead of us were large bodies of troops and vast parks of wagons and artillery, all taking a rest; as we were to remain till they were gone, we lay down and got some much needed sleep. About 3 P. M., the ground being clear in front, we fell in and were just about to resume the march, when a rebel horse battery came in sight, deliberately unlimbered, went into position, and opened fire, but we gave them so hearty a reception they only remained about five minutes, leaving the field at a gallop, amidst a shower of shrapnel from our guns. This little incident over, we limbered up and proceeded, passing over the identical ground covered by us of the Seventy-first in ’61, through Vienna, to the chain bridge on the Potomac, where the whole corps encamped. The men were greatly fatigued by the march, which was interrupted constantly by the breakdown of the wagons, as well as by stragglers and invalids. Our business was to clean up everything before us, which we did completely and successfully, assisting in the repair of wagons, cheering up the faint-hearted, compelling stragglers to step out, and putting all those actually unable to walk in ambulances. Everything was done leisurely and orderly. We were not afraid of the enemy this time, as we were in ’61, and that makes all the difference.
Fairfax C. H., September 1, 1862.
My Darling Wife: I have only time to say that we were fighting on Wednesday, Thursday, Friday and Saturday, and that I am well. The last was a very severe battle and in large force. The enemy was badly routed. His force consisted of the armies of McClellan and Pope united. Ever yours.
[General Paxton had just taken an active part in the battle which has since been known as the battle of Second Manassas when this characteristic note was written. The report of General Jackson upon these battles makes mention of him as follows: “In the prompt transmission of orders (Cedar Mountain) great assistance was received from Maj. E. F. Paxton, Acting Asst. Adj.-Gen’l. . . . Desiring to avoid delay, I directed my Acting Asst. Adj.Genl. to order Jackson’s Division forward.” “In the transmission of orders (2nd Manassas) I was greatly assisted during the expedition by the following members of my staff: Col. A. Smart, Asst. Insp. Genl.; Maj. E. F. Paxton, Acting Asst. Adj.-Genl.”]
September 1. [Ringgold, Ga.] —We have changed our boarding-house, and are now stopping with a very nice lady by the name of Evans, who keeps an excellent table, has an abundance of milk, butter, and eggs, and only charges us one dollar per day. We paid two at the hotel.
Mrs. May called on Dr. Thornton, post surgeon here. He informed her that he had given her place in the hospital to some one else, as she was so long in coming.
September 1.—A severe fight took place at Britton’s Lane, near Denmark, Tenn., between a force of Union troops, numbering about eight hundred men, under the command of Col. Dennis, Thirtieth Illinois, and a large body of rebels, under General Armstrong, resulting, after an engagement of four hours’ duration, in the retreat of the rebels, who left one hundred and seventy-nine of their dead on the field. The total rebel loss in this affair was over four hundred, that of the Nationals was only sixty.—(Doc. 198.)
—The New-York Tribune’s report of the second battle of Bull Run produced the greatest excitement in Philadelphia, Pa., on being posted on the bulletin-boards. In some cases altercations occurred between the excited friends and opponents of Gen. McClellan. About noon the Tribunes despatches were torn from the boards on information being received that the Government had ordered the Tribune office to be closed.— Charles J. Ingersoll was discharged from arrest by order of Secretary Stanton.—The One Hundred and Twenty-second regiment N.Y.S.V. left Syracuse for the seat of war. It was commanded by Colonel Silas Titus.—Paris, Ky., was evacuated by the National troops, who fell back on Cynthiana.
—Great excitement existed in Louisville, Ky., in consequence of the approach of the rebel army under Gen. E. Kirby Smith. The Governor of the State issued a proclamation authorizing Col. Gibson to organize and bring into the field all the able-bodied men in the county of Jefferson and city of Louisville, and the Mayor called upon the citizens to come forward and enroll themselves for the immediate defence of their city. The public archives were removed from Frankfort to Louisville, and the Legislature adjourned to the same place.
—Lexington, Ky., was entered and occupied by the rebel forces under Gen. E. Kirby Smith. The Union troops evacuated the place a few hours previous, and fell back to Covington.—Natchez, Miss., was shelled by the Union gunboats.
—Yesterday the rebels commenced an attack upon the National forces at Stevenson, Ala., which continued until to-day, when the rebels retired with a severe loss. The fight was brought on by the National forces, which had just evacuated Huntsville, and were on their way to Nashville, Tenn. The batteries engaged were Simonton’s Ohio and one section of Loomis’s Michigan regiments. They were supported by the Tenth Wisconsin and Thirteenth Michigan regiments.—Cincinnati Times, September 6.
—A severe engagement took place at Chantilly, near Fairfax Court-House, Va., between the Union army under Gen. Pope, and the rebel forces under Generals Jackson, Ewell and Hill. The battle lasted for nearly an hour, the rebels being driven back at all points with great loss. Among the killed on the side of the Nationals, were Major-Gen. Kearny and Brig.-Gen. Stevens.—(Docs. 104 and 200.)
—The Secretary of the Navy officially promulgated the section of the law concerning the navy, which stopped the spirit ration of the sailors, and gave notice that it would be rigidly enforced. The section reads as follows:
“Section 4. And be it further enacted. That from and after the first day of September, 1862, the spirit ration in the navy of the United States shall forever cease, and thereafter no distilled spirituous liquors shall be admitted on board vessels of war except as medical stores, and upon the order and under the control of the medical officers of such vessels, and to be used only for medical purposes. From and after the said first day of September next there shall be allowed and paid to each person in the navy now entitled to the spirit ration five cents per day in commutation and lieu thereof, which shall be in addition to the present pay.”
—Poindexter, the notorious leader of guerrilla bands in Missouri, was caught twenty miles from Hudson, Mo., on the Hannibal and Missouri Railroad.
