Etowah Bridge, Thursday, Oct. 27. Rained all night and cloudy through the day. Grazed forenoon as usual. Wrote to sister Hannah in the afternoon. A small mail received. None for me.
Monday, October 27, 2014
Thursday, 27th—Still lying in camp, and all is quiet.
Thursday, October 27. — Wrote to Alice. Had a rainstorm all day long. Some officers from the stockade came up to see us. One was Major Reynolds of Colonel Marshall’s regiment. Sent a note down to Major Forbes by them. Cheering in the evening from the crowd assembled to see the double-header. Five of the men jumped over the fence, were caught, and put in irons on bread and water for ten days. The guards were taken out of the yard to-day. Ten deserters went out of the yard to-day, supposed to have enlisted in the Irish Brigade now forming to do provost-duty in Richmond. The men mugged the corporal as he was taking their things out of the yard.
Camp At Cedar Creek, Virginia, October 27, 1864.
My Darling: — Yours of the 18th — the first since the boy — reached me last night. Very glad you were able to write so soon. I don’t want you to make any exertion to write — just write one line and it will be enough. Half a page of your little note sheet will be a long letter now. . . .
We have had so far fine weather. Our camps are as comfortable as possible. We expect to stay here until the season is too far advanced to admit of any formidable raids into Maryland or Pennsylvania. The Rebels, it is known, have been resolved to create a panic if possible in time to affect the Presidential election.
Some of the foolish fellows in the Sixth and Nineteenth Corps, feeling envious of our laurels in previous battles, have got the Eastern correspondents to represent the rout of Crook’s Corps as worse than theirs, etc., etc. There is not a word of truth in it. A sentence in General Sheridan’s dispatch was no doubt intended to correct this in a quiet way. “Crook’s Corps lost seven pieces of artillery, the Nineteenth, eleven, and the Sixth Corps, six.” We were attacked before them, and of course under more unfavorable circumstances, and yet we lost no more. In fact I lost nothing. My division fell back, but brought everything we had — our two cows, tents, and everything. Of course we lost no artillery, but did save an abandoned piece of the Nineteenth Corps.
I hope to see you soon. It is impossible now to tell when we shall be in a situation to ask for leaves of absence, but I suspect it will be within a month or six weeks. If we get on the railroad, I can go for a few days and not be missed.
The Rebels have not shown their heads since the last crushing defeat. Nothing but a determination to interfere with the election will bring back their forces. — Love to all.
Affectionately ever,
R
Mrs. Hayes.
27th. Thursday. Regt. paid off. Drew pay for Sept. and Oct. On picket. Clothing drawn but not issued. Rainy.
Colonel Lyon’s Letters.
Oct. 27, 1864.—Hood’s army passed us within fifteen miles of Whitesburg, and yesterday they attacked Decatur. They fought all the afternoon, and our troops drove them off. I have no particulars, although I get dispatches from there every hour. We heard the artillery plainly here. There are 150 of the 13th there, commanded by Captain Blake. I think our losses are light, as our forces had fortifications to shelter them. I do not think they are fighting much today. The probability is that the rebel army has moved down the river on the south side towards Tuscumbia.
We just got information from a scout that our army is in hot pursuit and can not be far behind. It was said to have been at Gadsden on the Coosa river last Monday night. I have a number of first-class scouts and spies that I have kept at work on the other side of the river, mostly tracking Hood’s movements. I think I have furnished General Thomas with the earliest and most authentic information he has had of the operations of the rebel army for the past week.
General Granger was here when the attack commenced at Decatur, but left for that place immediately.[1] He has drawn away nearly all the force from here to Decatur and Whitesburg. All of these operations keep me up nights and make me lots of work. Adjutant Scott is invaluable to me in this crowd of business, and I have another good Adjutant at post headquarters, so you see I have good help.
I have had no apprehension of an immediate attack here, yet I am very thankful that you are snug in Racine instead of being here. Hood has to be settled before we shall have much quiet.
[1] They thought Hood’s army was moving on the south side of the river, ten or fifteen miles away, and I had some splendid scouts there. After the head of his column had passed south of Huntsville and kept on west, we expected that they would try to cross the river at Whitesburg; but one night at midnight a courier came in with the word that the head of the army had passed the Whiteburg road and was poined toward Decatur, less than a day’s march from where they were. I got the artillery on the cars and had everything ready, because I knew that General Granger would be attacked. I called in all the pickets that I could spare, leaving the necessary pickets around Huntsvllle, but having the rest ready to march. After dinner General Granger came into headquarters and said, “Colonel, I can not find out anything and I have come up here to find what is going on.” I said, “General, you will find out before night what is going on. Hood is advancing on Decatur and will get there before night.” He said, “I do not believe it,” but as we sat there talking we heard the distant boom of artillery and the General pricked up his ears and said, “What is that?” I said, “It is Hood at Decatur.” He said, “It is impossible!” but he realized what it meant. I told him everything was ready and could be started right away and asked him if he wanted me to go with them. By the time he got to the depot everything was ready, and he got to Decatur in an hour. They drove Hood off and he went on down the river, destroying a pontoon bridge. —W.P.L
Cedar Bluff, Ala., October 27, 1864.
Waiting here for the 17th Army Corps to get across the Coosa. It is a beautiful little river, not as wide as the Illinois, but has a deeper channel. We are starting on the road to Talladega; don’t even know whether we are starting on a campaign or not. Hood is reported across the Tennessee. We understand that Sherman has men enough to attend to him, and that Sherman intends to use us to Christianize this country. Many think we are now on the way to Montgomery or Selma. River here about 120 yards wide. About a thousand head of our cattle swam across, some of them swam over and back two or three times, and many of the thin ones drowned, for which we were grateful to the drovers as it saved us some very hard chewing.
Oct. 27th. [Battle of Boydton Plank Rd.] Moved early, began skirmishing in forenoon; drove Rebs 4 miles and got a position at 4 o’clk. Got a severe shelling and had a small fight, retreating after dark; pickets gobbled, severe attack, loss of life fearful.
October 27th.—Slightly hazy and sunshine.
Quiet, save aimless and bootless shelling and picket firing along the lines on the south side of the river.
Hon. Geo. Davis, Attorney-General, to whom was referred the question of the constitutionality of the purposed removal from office of clerks appointed to fill places specifically created by act of Congress previous to the enactment of the Conscript law, without there being alleged against them any misconduct, inefficiency, dishonesty, etc., has reported that as several subsequent acts of Congrees already indicate an intention to put all capable of bearing arms in the army, it is the duty of the President and the Secretary of War to carry out the intentions of Congress, leaving the constitutional question to the decision of the courts! The Constitution they swore upon the holy, etc. to support! Thus, a refugee must either starve his wife and children by relinquishing office, or be disgraced by appealing to the courts!
It is reported that 30,000 of the enemy crossed to this side of the river last night, and that fighting has began at 10 A.M.; but I hear nothing save an occasional report of cannon.
It is said brisk skirmishing is now (12 m.) going on along the lines.
Gen. Cooper and Mr. Secretary Seddon wants Brig.-Gen. R. (Charleston) relieved, for insulting a lady in one of his fits of drunkenness. The President is reluctant to consent.
We have intelligence to-day of gun-boats and transports ascending the Rappahannock River. Another squall from that quarter!
Three P.M. The cannonading has grown quick and terrific along the lines, below the city (north side), with occasional discharges nearer, and farther to the left (north), as if the enemy were attempting to flank our army.
The sounds are very distinctly heard, the weather being damp and the wind from the southeast. We can distinguish the bursting of the shell quickly after the discharge of the cannon.
The firing ceased at dark. It rains hard and steadily, now. What a life! what suffering, in mud and water, without tents (in the trenches), burdened with wet blankets, and perhaps without food! To-morrow, in all probability, a battle will be fought. Gen. Lee, for several weeks, as if aware of the impending operations in this vicinity, has been on this side of the river, superintending in person the fortifications multiplied everywhere for the defense of the city, while reinforcements have been pouring in by thousands. It must be a fearful struggle, if Gen. Grant really intends to make another effort to capture Richmond by assault! Our works, mostly made by the negroes, under the direction of skillful engineers, must be nearly impregnable, and the attempt to take them will involve a prodigious expenditure of blood.
October 27, 1864.—I certainly do love to go to Uncle Tom’s; I have always loved him and his daughters but the principal attraction just now is the crowd of children who are living with him “until this cruel war is over.” Captain Bernard and Cousin Torn, both brought their families to Uncle Torn, when they enlisted in the army. Cousin Mary Bernard is a beautiful woman and she has four uncommonly good-looking little folks; Bettie, ten years old, is a demure, wee maiden, much smaller than Overton, who is only eight.
Ruby is just the prettiest brunette youngster you ever saw and Jessie, who is only two years old, is perfectly lovely and I love to get her in my arms. But we have a sweet little girl at our house and cousin William and cousin Sarah have two, who are hard to beat, but all of these, like Cousin Mary’s, are quiet children. Cousin Tom and Cousin Frances have six and they interest me greatly. They are not quiet, not they. Such rollicking, frolicking, jolly boys you never saw.
Uncle Tom really adores them but he complains heavily of the liberties they take. No sooner does he settle himself comfortably on the front porch to read the newspaper than they absolutely swarm all over him. If he has a letter to write he runs them off but usually it ends in his rising from that aforesaid comfortable position and going with them to the pasture to catch a horse; to the lot to yoke up some calves to be broken for oxen; to the lake to paddle the canoe or perhaps to catch some fish, anything to get “grandpa,” who is their idol, out in the open with them.
It is in vain that Cousin Frances says “Father, do not let these boys disturb you in this manner, Daniel has nothing to do but look after them.” But she knows all the time that it is his pleasure to humor them.
I love this “rough and tumble” young army; they are like steps when they stand in a row and the eldest one is just a very small boy. I love to take them out of doors and listen to them talk. Yesterday we met at Walnut Hill, to sew and then, of course, we could not play, but the children came around and there was a steady stream of talk. The boys and girls seemed equally proud of the “Soldier Papa” as they called their absent fathers but today they had Christmas on the brain.
“What will Santa Claus bring us, Aunt Lizzie?” asked Sam.
Aunt Lizzie explained that the blockade would keep Old Santa out of the country.
“Don’t you remember, Sam, when Captain Wheeler’s boat was trying to enter the Suwanee and the Yankees captured him and all the nice clothes Grandpa had ordered and paid for, for you, were captured?”
“Yes,” Sam remembered, and a silence fell upon the group, sitting around on the floor and, when conversation was resumed, it was rather a sad outlook for Christmas.
Sam was certainly needy; the clothes he wore were neatly patched in almost every conceivable place and like Joseph’s coat, showed many colors. Sadly the boys talked of Christmas trees they had either seen or heard of ; almost with tears they deplored the blockade and finally little Henry sobbed out loud, “Oh, God, please ‘stroy de’ Ankees.” Some way must be found to help Santa Claus run the blockade.
