September 29th. Early this morning our regiment ordered out in light marching order. After line was formed we marched out on the Winchester Pike. About a mile out we came to a halt at the roadside, waiting for some cause, under arms. After waiting a long time, late in the afternoon, a marching column could be seen coming down the pike. It proved to be a large number of prisoners under cavalry escort. We relieved the cavalrymen, taking charge of the prisoners. Marched them through the town to the railway station. Loaded them into box cars. Guarded them to Harper’s Ferry where we arrived about midnight.
Monday, September 29, 2014
Thursday, 29th.—Orders to move at 3:30 P. M. Brigade formed, ready to move with four days’ rations in havresacks. Don’t know where we are going.
Thursday, 29th—We were relieved from picket this morning at 8 o’clock. The men of the Eleventh Iowa have had no pay since leaving Davenport early in the spring, and some of the boys are pretty short of money; but they will get some soon, as the paymaster is expected to arrive any day. The rebels are becoming quite bold around Atlanta and along the railroads as far north as Nashville, Tennessee. It is reported that Hood is going to try to regain some lost ground. General Sherman has sent some of his troops north to reinforce the detachments guarding the railroads. There is no news from General Grant’s army.
Etowah Bridge, Thursday, Sept. 29. Damp and disagreeable to stand guard last night. Felt dull, ate no breakfast. Went to picket post this morning, bought a quart of buttermilk, 25 cts. per quart, which with bread at 15 cents per loaf, I made a homelike dinner. Took our team to graze in the afternoon. Found Chattanooga papers of to-day in camp on return, but nothing from the North. Hood’s whole army reported to be on their way north to sever Sherman’s communications, which seems very probable, as several trains heavily laden with soldiers passed north. Another lumber train out.
September 29th, 2 o’clock p. m.
Since 2 o’clock last night we have been waiting— tents struck, everything ready—and still we wait. Everything goes but headquarters baggage. Sutlers’ and extra baggage is ordered to City Point. For once I will try and refrain from speculation, and will await events.
It is evening, and we still occupy our old camp. This has been a day to try men’s patience. All the long day, and most of last night, we have been in constant expectation of being called on to march. How many such days have I experienced, and still am prone to take it unkindly. Tell of “Job’s patience;” doubtless he was sufficiently tried for ordinary purposes. I am glad he was not subjected to this. But the day has worn away, as all days must, and we will retire to rest with a strong conviction that something is about to happen—some time— somewhere—perhaps tonight—perhaps tomorrow. There never was a time, before this summer, that I could not tell, before a move was made, exactly how, where and when it was to be done; what troops were to be engaged; what would be the result, and all about it. But Grant has nearly taken the conceit out of me this summer. From the time we left Alexandria until now, every move he has made has been exactly contrary to my “previously formed plans,” thus causing much useless labor on my part. I would feel much chagrined did he not play the same pranks with editors who are supposed to know everything, and get pay for it, too, which I do not. However, I do not intend to go off in a pet and flare up with the old gentleman, for, after all, it turns out about as well as if he followed my plans.
Today, from morning until night, teams and railroad cars have been busy as bees removing everything movable from right to left, or toward City Point.
Blicks Station, Va.. September 29th, 1864.
Heavy skirmishing has been going on most of the afternoon, about six miles to our left, near Reams Station. Cavalry alone are engaged. For the last hour cheering has been heard in that direction. It gradually approaches—nearer—nearer still. It comes creeping along the line, in increasing volume. Now it has reached our division. What is it? Good news, of course, but from whom? From where? Has Mobile fallen, or Sherman executed some strategic movement, or Sheridan driven Early headlong from the Valley, or—but hark, here it comes! “Fall in, Seventeenth, and listen to orders.” The line is quickly formed; the Adjutant steps briskly forward, bearing a lantern in one hand, in the other a folded paper. “Attention, Seventeenth.” The Seventeenth is all attention. He reads: “General Butler attacked the enemy on the right; carried his works on the Petersburg & Richmond Railroad; took fifteen pieces of artillery; three thousand prisoners; and is now within five miles of Richmond.” Three cheers for General—no, not for Butler. “Three cheers for General Grant.” Ninety-one throats responded, and the noise passed on. The men gathered in groups to discuss the glorious news for a few minutes, then retired to rest.
We have moved at last. Captain Sudborough sent me back to the train with the regimental baggage. I remained there two days, when I was ordered to overhaul the baggage and send that which was not absolutely needed to City Point for storage. Monday 1 put the surplus on cars and took it to the Point and got it stored on a barge, and returned to camp in the evening.
I found the regiment about one and one-half miles west of the Weldon Railroad. All is quiet, with no signs of an immediate advance. Lieutenant Colonel Swift is here, chief of Wilcox’s staff. Rath returned today with fourteen recruits.
Harrisonburg, Virginia, September 29, P. M., 1864.
Dearest: — The cavalry and part of our infantry are in Staunton and on the road to Gordonsville. They are merely keeping up the big scare. The Sixth and Nineteenth Corps are eight miles on the Staunton Road. We are enjoying ourselves. We rather expect and prefer to start back towards Winchester soon, but we know nothing.
I write so often these days because I feel anxious about you and because I am uncertain about the delivery of my letters within our lines. — Love to all. Much for your own private self, my darling.
Affectionately, your
R.
P. S. — It is now universally conceded in this army that Crook and his men did it.
Mrs. Hayes.
Thursday, September 29. — No news for the navy as yet. Good news still from Sheridan, and gold reported down to 200. More escaped prisoners brought in. Wrote to Mr. Saunders for money. Had my letter to Father, which was to run the blockade, returned me to-day. Captain Senn on as officer of the day.
Thursday, September 29. — No news for the navy as yet. Good news still from Sheridan, and gold reported down to 200. More escaped prisoners brought in. Wrote to Mr. Saunders for money. Had my letter to Father, which was to run the blockade, returned me to-day. Captain Senn on as officer of the day.
September 29 — Rained last night, which put some of us to soak. There is evidently an important inroad or raid threatened by the enemy at some point some where south of us, for this morning we were ordered to Lynchburg by rail. We left camp early this morning and marched to Charlottesville, where we put our guns, horses, and men all on a train, and moved to Lynchburg by steam, where we arrived this evening little after sunset. Moving by steam is quite an improvement on the ordinary marching business, both for man and horse.
Lynchburg is situated on the south side of the James River, about sixty miles southwest of Charlottesville, and about one hundred and ten miles — the way the bird flies — west of Richmond.
The city is located in a very hilly country, and some of the encroaching hills are bold enough to stick their feet under some of the streets and bend them skyward. Most of the country along the railroad between Charlottesville and Lynchburg is very hilly, rendered so by the spreading out eastward of the foothills of the Blue Ridge. The railroad winds among and around the hills and ridges in a serpentine manner, and is as full of curves as a snake track, with cut and fill following each other in a thousand places. At one place — I think it is in Nelson County — the road passes through a considerable stretch of beautiful level country and good land. We are camped to-night in Lynchburg, with our guns still on the cars.
Colonel Lyon’s Letters.
Huntsville, Ala., Thurs., Sept. 29,1864.—I suppose you learn from the newspapers that Forrest is playing smash in here. He first struck the railroad at Athens. His coming was a complete surprise. He captured the garrison there (a colored regiment) without much of a fight. Just as the surrender took place, reinforcements from Decatur reached there, the most of whom were captured. The 18th Michigan loses 300 and the 102d Ohio, 150 men. He then went north to a heavy trestle work a few miles from Athens and captured two regiments, burning the trestle. Then he moved on to Elk river bridge and captured and destroyed it; after which he pressed forward to Pulaski, where he encountered General Rousseau with reinforcements. They have been fighting, but we do not know the result.
This morning I received dispatches from Decatur that Forrest moved on Tuesday night towards the Nashville and Chattanooga R. R., in the direction of Fayetteville. His force is 6,000 to 8,000 strong, with plenty of artillery. I keep scouting parties in the direction of Fayetteville constantly. I do not think he will come this way, although when he was at Athens I felt a little squally.
Heavy reinforcements have come up from the front and have gone toward Nashville, and more are expected. So I think we are out of the woods. Colonel Chapman, with a part of the regiment, is still at Decatur.
Just at this point I received the following telegram from General Granger at Decatur: ‘Strengthen Huntsville all you can. Use every available cotton bale for traverses in fort to defend against enfilading fire. Thoroughly barricade the streets. Defend all approaches to the fort as completely as possible.’
I had been doing all this for several days, but, to be certain that everything is right, I started out and made a thorough examination of the works. I do not know whether the General thinks that Forrest is coming this way or not. I keep out scouting parties fifteen or twenty miles towards Pulaski and Fayetteville constantly, but as yet can hear nothing of his moving this way. If he comes, I have a good fort, some artillery and a gallant little garrison, and hope to be able to make a good fight. I think, however, that the order is merely precautionary, as this is the first time that he has said anything about the defenses. If he had information that we were in danger of attack he would have said so. His family are here and have had no communication from him on the subject. Then we can be reinforced in a few hours, if attacked, both from Decatur and Stevenson. The General is feeling very badly. He was surprised. The railroad under his charge is seriously injured and he has lost 3,000 to 4,000 of his command. These are hard blows for any officer to stand up under.
No doubt you will know the result of operations here before you receive this. I am confident that a vigorous effort is being made by General Sherman to head off and destroy the force engaged in this raid, and I shall expect in a day or two to see large reinforcements moving this way. How fortunate that it did not happen before the capture of Atlanta, when no troops could have been spared!
I have been much broken of my rest for four or five nights, and am very busy all the time. I am a good deal worn and fatigued with labor, anxiety and loss of sleep, but am well. If any one is ambitious for an important military command in times of peril, or thinks it is a soft thing to be an officer, I am perfectly willing that he should have a chance to try it on. Oh, it will be paradise, indeed, if I am permitted to sit down at home once more with wife and children, family and friends, and know that the war is over, the flag triumphant, and my duty as a soldier done. Will not that be a happy day for us all?
