Friday, 14th.—Cheatham’s Corps took Dalton yesterday. Camped for the night one mile south of Villanow.
Tuesday, October 14, 2014
Etowah Bridge, Friday, Oct. 14. A warm day and I felt first rate. Policed camp and prepared for inspection at 2 P.M. by Inspector General of the Division and Chief of Artillery, which came off in good style. Made a good appearance generally. Still a great uncertainty hangs over Sherman and his army.
Friday, 14th—At Adairsville we took a train composed of box cars and left for Resaca, where we arrived about 4 o’clock this morning. We at once left the cars and formed a line of battle. Here we lay all day. The remainder of our corps soon arrived, and later the Fourteenth Army Corps came up. The first division of our corps was sent out after the rebels. They found them on the railroad about six miles out between Resaca and Dalton, where they already had destroyed about fifteen miles of track. Our troops engaged in a skirmish there in which the Seventeenth Iowa were taken prisoners, but were at once paroled. It is reported that the commander of the post at Dalton surrendered the place without firing a gun. It is thought that the rebels are making for the mountains, and if they succeed in getting there before we do, it will be hard to trap them, as they are in their own country and among friends.
14th. Friday. Rebels made a reconnoissance along our whole line.
Three miles southwest of Adairsville, October 14th.
We marched at sunset last evening and halted not until 3 this a.m. Marched miserably slow the first five miles through a deep gorge, but about 1 o’clock got straightened out on the Rome and Calhoun road, a good one, and then got along nicely. In the fighting at Rome yesterday, our folks whipped them and took some artillery. We got to bed at 3:15, and reveille sounded at 5 and we marched at 6:30. Not much sleep after marching 20 miles, was it. We had no crackers this morning, and before I got up my imagination was reveling in the prospect of a breakfast on parched corn, but at the festive board the cook surprised us with a mess of pancakes. They looked like plates cut out of a rubber blanket, and tasted accordingly. One member of the mess said they just came up to his ideal of a poet’s dream. Another, that they only lacked one thing, and that was the stamp, “Goodyear’s Patent.” The Surgeon advised us to use them sparingly, for, said he, “If they mass against any part of your interior lines the consequences will be dire.” But we were hard up for breadstuffs, and closed with the dreadful stuff manfully. Twelve m.—Have stopped for dinner.
The Rebel army was, or part of it, at Resaca yesterday, about nine miles from here.
October 14th. 1864.
I saw Colonel Luce this morning. He is much improved in health, and takes command of the regiment tomorrow. There are rumors in circulation that our regiment is to be broken up. It is said our recruits are to be transferred to the First Michigan Sharpshooters, both officers and men, while the old members are to be retained at Division Headquarters as provost guard, clerks, orderlies, etc.
Friday, October 14. — I had five killed and six wounded by the Rebel battery yesterday. Colonel Brown, Thirteenth, went out and established a picket line easily. General Early very timid. Captain Little, five days in Libby [Prison, at Richmond], says Mosby’s men are gentlemen.
Friday, October 14. — The two-headed girl continued on exhibition. Two lieutenant colonels, one from Richmond, and Colonel Pickett of Hardee’s staff were here today. They thought the prospect good for an early exchange. Nothing new. Hood’s famous march to Sherman’s rear does not seem to have amounted to much so far.
October 14 — Before daylight this morning we were waked up and marched to a field near Middletown; we remained there until night and then we moved back again to our old little square near General Sheridan’s headquarters.
The Yankee army here was reinforced to-day; I saw some of the infantry marching in from the direction of Winchester. Surely, General Sheridan has more than enough men now to clean up the whole Shenandoah Valley by civilized warfare, without again resorting to any further rapine or burning another mill or barn.
October 14th.—The following dispatch from Gen. Lee cheered the city this morning. None of the particulars of the battle have yet transpired, and all are looking hourly for a renewal of the contest.
“Headquarters Army of Northern Virginia,
“October 13th, 1864.
“Hon. James A. Seddon, Secretary Of War.
“At seven o’clock this morning the enemy endeavored to advance between the Darbytown and Charles City Roads, but was repulsed in every attempt. The most strenuous effort was made about four P.M., after which he withdrew, leaving many dead. Our loss very slight.
“Gen. Breckinridge reports that a force of the enemy came to Greenville on the 12th, and was defeated by Gen. Vaughan. Some prisoners, two stands of colors, many horses and arms were captured. The enemy lost many killed and wounded. Our loss slight.
“R. E. Lee, General.”
It is now 2 p.m., and yet we hear no cannon. If Grant does not renew the strife immediately, it will be natural to suppose he failed in his purpose yesterday, or that some unforeseen occurrence within his lines has happened. Be it either, it is a grateful respite to us.
On the 8th inst., Judge Campbell, Assistant Secretary of War, wrote the President a letter in vindication of P. Hamilton’s loyalty. Mr. H. is commissioner under suspension of the writ of habeas corpus to look into the loyalty of others, and was appointed on Judge C.’s recommendation. Some private individual in Mobile wrote the President, impeaching the patriotism of Mr. H., and also hinted something in relation to the loyalty of Judge C. This matter was shown to Mr. Seddon by the President, and Mr. S. spoke to Judge C. about it in his own manner, which produced the letter of Judge C. to the President. The President sends back the letter to-day, to the “Secretary of War,” indorsed in substance as follows: “He was surprised to receive such a letter, when he had intimated no purpose to have the matter investigated.” Judge C. had procured indorsements of Mr. H. from Alabama, which let the matter out; and it would have been appropriate—the President uses this word rather than improper, as he cannot dispense with either the Secretary or his assistant just now—to have consulted him before taking any steps whatever in the business. He seems vexed, even at Mr. S.
