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

Thursday, September 6, 2012

Written from the Sea islands of South Carolina.

[Diary] 6th.

Generals Hunter and Saxton have both gone North. General Brennan is in command, — our worst enemy, — and Captain Moore, our secret enemy, is in command of Beaufort. General Hunter has gone to more active work at his own request, and General Saxton to complain of General Brennan (with whom there is no peaceable cooperation), for his health, and to see about the money of the cotton fund.

Saturday, 6th.—Out on picket last night on Licking River. Yesterday evening a train ran almost into the midst of our camp, but before we could recover from our surprise, they reversed the steam and made their escape. Left Cynthiana at 5 p.m amid the smiles and cheers of a “legion” of as fair ladies as ever cheered the heart of man; marching in the direction of Covington.

SEPTEMBER 6TH.—We have authentic accounts of our army crossing the Potomac without opposition.

September 6th, Friday. At noon we struck tents and marched through a lovely country to Rockville, where the whole corps went into bivouac. This place is about twenty five miles northwest of Washington, and nearly ten from the Potomac.

The army has been divided into wings, Sumner has the Second and Twelfth corps, Franklin the Fifth, and Sixth, and Burnside the First and Ninth.

What a superb opportunity is once more offered McClellan to achieve enduring fame. He has an immense army, well equipped and disciplined and eager for the fray; brains, and genius only are wanting to accomplish the greatest results.

The possibilities of a disaster to our arms at this juncture are so momentous that every man feels the necessity of doing his utmost, regardless of all personal considerations. Baltimore, Washington, and perhaps Philadelphia would be the prizes to fall into the hands of the rebels if successful, and that is surely enough to stimulate us to the highest deeds of valor.

September 6.—Yesterday I went with a party, fishing; as usual at such parties, we caught no fish. We fished at the Chickamauga Creek, or river. It is a stream that takes its rise in Walker County, flows north-easterly, and enters the Tennessee River at Chattanooga. The scenery around it is wild and picturesque. There is an Indian legend connected with it, from which the river takes its name. The tale is that many years ago two Indian tribes met here and had a desperate battle, with great slaughter on both sides; hence, the name “Chickamauga, or River of Death.”

Ford-Cpl.-Joseph-H.-H.-31652

Joseph Ford enlisted as a private in Company G, 13th Kansas Infantry, on September 6, 1862. The 13th Kansas was organized on September 10, 1862, at Atchison, Kansas, and fought at the 1862 battles of Newtonia and Prairie Grove; the unit also preformed provost and garrison duties in Kansas, Missouri, Arkansas, and the Cherokee Nation.

Ford was promoted to corporal on July 15, 1864, and was mustered out with his regiment on June 26, 1865, at Fort Leavenworth, Kansas.

Carte-de-Visite by White’s Photographic Rooms, Little Rock, Ark.

The Trans-Mississippi Theater Photo Archive image and information.

Civil War Portrait 003

September 6.—Olathe, the county-seat of Johnson County, Kansas, was sacked by Quantrel. The marauding band entered the town about midnight, took all the men, including the recent volunteers, prisoners, and marched them to the public square. Two men were killed, and one, a young man, mortally wounded while asleep. Two brothers, who had enlisted, living about two miles from the town, were taken out of their house into a corn-field and shot down in cold blood. The stores and private houses were plundered. The press of the Olathe Mirror was broken up. The post-office was entered and rifled of its contents, and county papers, etc., destroyed. Some government arms and stores were also taken. No resistance was made, because the citizens and volunteers were completely taken by surprise and overpowered. Quantrel had about three hundred well-armed and well-mounted men with him. Twenty-nine of the volunteers were taken out near the border and released on parole.—Leavenworth Conservative.

— A fight took place near Cacapon Bridge, about seventeen miles from Winchester, Va., between a body of Union troops under the command of Colonel McReynolds, and a portion of the rebel forces under Colonel Imboden, resulting in a rout of the rebels and the capture by the Unionists of all their camp equipage, ammunition, guns, horses, mules, etc

— The One Hundred and Twenty-third and the One Hundred and Twenty-fourth regiments N.Y.S.V., under the command of Colonels A. L. McDougall and A. Van Horn Ellis, passed through New-York for the seat of war.

— A party of rebel cavalry, numbering four hundred, attacked the outposts of the command of Gen. Julius White, in the vicinity of Martinsburgh, Va., and after a short engagement, were defeated, with a loss of about fifty prisoners, horses, and arms. The National loss was two killed and ten wounded, among the number Capt. Grosvenor and Lieut Logan, of the Twelfth Illinois cavalry, the members of which distinguished themselves by their bravery and daring.— General White’s Despatch.

— The funeral of Major-General Kearny, who was killed at the battle of Chantilly, on the first of September, took place to-day. The remains had been conveyed to his home, at Bellegrove, near Newark, N. J., from which place they were carried to New-York, escorted by a numerous procession of friends and admirers, preceded by a band of music and military, both infantry and cavalry. On arriving at New-York the cortege was met by the Fifth N.Y.S.M. regiment, and escorted to Trinity Church, where the burial service took place. The body was interred in the family vault, near the south-west corner of Trinity church-yard.

— The city of Frederick, Maryland, was entered and occupied by the rebel army under General Lee. The inhabitants manifested no enthusiasm on their arrival.—(Doc. 202.)

— Fort Abercrombie was attacked by a party of three hundred Indians, who were driven off after killing one of the National troops and wounding three others. —St. Paul Pioneer, Sept. 9.

— Washington, N. C, was attacked by a large body of rebels, who were repulsed with a loss of thirty killed and thirty-six taken prisoners, after a severe fight of nearly two hours. During the engagement, the National gunboat Picket, exploded her magazine, killing and wounding eighteen men.—(Doc. 203.)

— About forty men of the Fourth Virginia regiment, under command of Major Hall, were attacked and surrounded near Chapmansvillc, Va., by three hundred rebel guerrillas under Colonel Stratton. After a sharp fight, in which Major Hall was wounded and Colonel Stratton killed, the Nationals succeeded in cutting their way out.

— Pikeville, Va., was this day captured by a strong force of rebel cavalry, and plundered of a large amount of private property. The home guard endeavored to resist the rebels, but they were too few in number to do so with effect.