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

August 2011

Post image for A Diary of American Events.–August 14, 1861

A Diary of American Events.–August 14, 1861

August 14, 2011

The American Civil War,The Rebellion Record—A Diary of American Events; by Frank Moore

August 14.—Jefferson Davis, at Richmond, Va., issued a proclamation, notifying all residents of the “Confederate” States, who do not acknowledge the authority of the same, to leave the “Confederacy” in forty days from the date of the proclamation.—(Doc. 182.)

—Robert Muir, of Charleston, S. C., and cousin of the British consul at Now Orleans, was arrested on board the steamer Africa at New York, just as she was leaving, as bearer of despatches from Jeff. Davis to the British Government. Several papers, showing he was such a person, were found on him.—National Intelligencer, August 16.

—Col. Farnham, of the N. Y. Fire Zouaves, died this evening at Washington of wounds received in the battle of Bull Run.—Idem.

—Proclamation of martial law, as follows, was made in St. Louis, Missouri:

Head-Quarters Western Department,

St. Louis, August 14.

I hereby declare and establish martial law in the city and county of St. Louis. Major J. McKinstry, United States Army, is appointed provost-marshal. All orders and regulations issued by him will be respected and obeyed accordingly.

(Signed) J. C. Fremont,

Major-General Commanding.

Provost-marshal McKinstry thereupon issued a proclamation calling upon all good citizens to obey the rules it has been deemed necessary to establish, in order to insure and preserve the public peace, accompanied with the assurance that the civil law will remain in force, and the military authority only be used when civil law proves inadequate to maintain the public safety; and that any violation of the order will be followed by prompt punishment, regardless of persons or positions.—(Doc. 183.)

—This afternoon at St. Louis, Provost-marshal McKinstry suppressed the publication of the War Bulletin and the Missourian, two newspapers which had been “shamelessly devoted to the publication of transparently false statements respecting military movements in Missouri.”—St. Louis Democrat, August 15.

—General Fremont ordered a re-organization of the United States Reserve Corps in St Louis, to comprise five regiments of infantry, with a reserve of two companies to each two squadrons of cavalry, and two batteries of light artillery, the troops to be required to enlist for the war, subject to the same regulations and receive the same pay as volunteer regiments.—N. Y. World, August 15.

—The First Fire Zouaves (Eleventh N. Y. V.) arrived in New York City, and were discharged on furlough. Previous to the discharge they were addressed in front of the City Hall by Gen. Prosper M. Wetmore.—N. Y. Evening Post, August 15.

—A mutiny broke out in the camp of the New York Seventy-ninth Regiment near Washington. Among their alleged grievances are, that it is proposed to attach them to the Sickles Brigade to which they object, and that they were promised a furlough in order to see to the comfort of their families, to reorganize, and to elect officers to fill existing vacancies; and as it appeared likely that this furlough would not be given, they refused to obey orders. A detachment of regular soldiers was sent to their camp, to act as circumstances might require. The result was the arrest of forty or fifty who took a more active part in the insubordination. These were taken into Washington City about eight o’clock P. M., and confined as prisoners, whilst the remainder of the regiment were marched to the Navy Yard under a strong guard of cavalry. —(Doc. 184.)

—The First Regiment of Minnesota Volunteers, numbering nearly eight hundred muskets, passed through Baltimore, Md., this morning, on their return home after three months’ service in the cause of the General Government. They have been operating in the region of country near Harper’s Ferry, Va.—Baltimore American, August 14.

—Bishop Whittingham of Maryland issued a pastoral letter to the clergy and laity of his diocese, with reference to the approaching fast-day.— (Doc. 185.)

—The question of retaliation and the exchange of prisoners is agitated in the Southern States. New Orleans papers of to-day contain an elaborate article on the subject.—(Doc. 186.)

Post image for “What in the name of heaven can he wish to do with sick men in camp?”–Journal of Surgeon Alfred L. Castleman.

“What in the name of heaven can he wish to do with sick men in camp?”–Journal of Surgeon Alfred L. Castleman.

August 13, 2011

Journal of Surgeon Alfred L Castleman.,The American Civil War

13th.—H. S. S. arrived at my hospital to-day, with orders, as I was sick, to take charge of and bring forward all the men left here. From the tenor of our Colonel’s letter of instructions to his messenger, I should take him to be a little “miffed” at the men’s not being sent forward earlier. What in the name of heaven can he wish to do with sick men in camp? However, I have no discretion, but shall turn over the men to S., and see how he will carry out instructions. I had already sent forward to-day, before his arrival, quite a number, leaving me only ten here.

Post image for “The City is patroled daily and nightly by mounted men.”—Horatio Nelson Taft

“The City is patroled daily and nightly by mounted men.”—Horatio Nelson Taft

August 13, 2011

Diary of US patent clerk Horatio Nelson Taft.

TUESDAY 13

News today of the battle at Springfield Missori and death of Genl Lyon. My son Frank was in his Army, Co. E, 2nd Regt US Infantry, Capt Steel. Have been at the Camp much of the day seeing the soldiers pack up and get in readiness to leave. They go tomorrow morning. Doct Barnes here to tea. He presented Julia with a beautiful pocket pistol, “Elliotts self cocking” (very small) Six Shooter. I was at “Willards” an hour today, not a great crowd there. The City is patroled daily and nightly by mounted men.

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The three diary manuscript volumes, Washington during the Civil War: The Diary of Horatio Nelson Taft, 1861-1865, are available online at The Library of  Congress.

Post image for Guerrilla Hunting and Prisoners.—Rutherford B. Hayes

Guerrilla Hunting and Prisoners.—Rutherford B. Hayes

August 13, 2011

Diary and Letters of Rutherford Birchard Hayes,The American Civil War

August 13.—Still rain. My horse hitched to a tree on the brow of a hill very near my tent broke loose during the night, and, it is said, rolled down the steep hill and swam the river. This morning he was seen trotting about in high feather on the opposite side of the river. He was caught and brought back unhurt, to the surprise of all who saw the place he must have gone down. Our right wing has been sent for to return to Bulltown. Captains Drake and Woodward who are out guerrilla hunting are still absent and not heard from for twenty-four hours.—P. M. Still raining. Captains Drake and Woodward have returned. They caught two of the pickets of the guerrilla party they were after but failed in surprising them, owing to a boy who gave information of their coming. They found a few good Union men; the mass of the people most ignorant. [They] describe the country in the edge of Webster County as precipitous and difficult; the people timid but cunning. They also brought two other prisoners, men who have been in the secession army.

Post image for Don’t I envy you, being so in the thick of everything!

Don’t I envy you, being so in the thick of everything!

August 13, 2011

Woolsey family letters during the War for the Union

S. C. W. to Eliza Howland Woolsey

New Haven, August, ‘61.

The Second Connecticut Regiment returned on Monday and Willy and I rushed out to see them pass, poor, way-worn, tired fellows, as they were; and in their ranks we saw Dr. Bacon prance by, much to our surprise as well as pleasure. His family are all spending the summer in the country, and as the last duties of his place would detain him here for a few days, we offered him the shelter of our roof till they should be over, and so have had him to ourselves all the week—too tired and unwell to be as entertaining as usual, but still invaluable as a guide-book and interpreter to all the recent war movements. I am hoping that a large blue pill which he swallowed publicly last night may make him even more graphic and interesting. . . . He gave me a charming description of his calls on you and Georgy and what you said and did, and what you meant to say and do. Oh, girls, don’t I envy you, being so in the thick of everything!

. . . The reports from Lenox—(where Jenny and Harry Yardley, newly married, were settled) —are charming; the little house is just like a bower, transformed into such by all simple means and expedients. I am really getting appalled by the smartness of the girls. Dora and Lilly put carpets down themselves the other day in three rooms and did it as well as a professional. The last addition to the ornaments of the rooms was the pretty picture which Carry and Hatty brought from Rome for Jenny. Carry and Charley walked in upon them on Monday evening to their delight and surprise, having come up in search of rooms for the family—found at once quite near the Parsonage, and occupied by them to-day.

Post image for Rebel War Clerk

Rebel War Clerk

August 13, 2011

A Rebel War Clerk's Diary at the Confederate States Capital, By John Beauchamp Jones

AUGUST 13TH. —The President sent to the department an interesting letter from Mr. Zollicoffer, in Tennessee, relating to the exposed condition of the country, and its capacities for defense.

Post image for “Jordan, Beauregard’s aide, still writes to Mr. Chesnut that the mortality among the raw troops in that camp is fearful.”—Mary Chesnut’s diary.

“Jordan, Beauregard’s aide, still writes to Mr. Chesnut that the mortality among the raw troops in that camp is fearful.”—Mary Chesnut’s diary.

August 13, 2011

A Diary From Dixie by Mary Boykin Miller Chesnut.,The American Civil War

August 13th.—Hon. Robert Barnwell says, “The Mercury’s influence began this opposition to Jeff Davis before he had time to do wrong. They were offended, not with him so much as with the man who was put into what they considered Barnwell Rhett’s rightful place. The latter had howled nullification and secession so long that when he found his ideas taken up by all the Confederate world, he felt he had a vested right to leadership.”

Jordan, Beauregard’s aide, still writes to Mr. Chesnut that the mortality among the raw troops in that camp is fearful. Everybody seems to be doing all they can. Think of the British sick and wounded away off in the Crimea. Our people are only a half-day’s journey by rail from Richmond. With a grateful heart I record the fact of reconciliation with the Wigfalls. They dined at the President’s yesterday and the little Wigfall girls stayed all night.

Seward is fêting the outsiders, the cousin of the Emperor, Napoleon III., and Russell, of the omnipotent London Times.

Post image for A Diary of American Events.–August 13, 1861

A Diary of American Events.–August 13, 1861

August 13, 2011

The American Civil War,The Rebellion Record—A Diary of American Events; by Frank Moore

August 13.—The New Orleans Delta of to-day rejoices over the contemplated expulsion of all citizens of the United States “from the Confederated States.” The law, it states, is, and the fact is confirmed from other sources, that all owning citizenship to the Federal Government are to be banished from the Confederated States. The Delta says:

“We cannot afford to tolerate enemies in our midst, because, forsooth, they may have the discretion to keep silent and to bear no arms in their hands. The man of Massachusetts, or the man of Kentucky, living, and perhaps thriving in our midst, has no business at this time to be among us, if he allows a reasonable suspicion to exist that he is not also cordially with us.”

—A severe skirmish took place a few miles from Grafton, Va., on the Fairmount and Webster road. Information having been received that a regularly organized body of rebels, living in the county, were lodged within a few miles of Webster, General Kelly sent Captain Dayton, of Company A, Fourth Virginia Regiment, with fifty men, from Webster to disarm them. After scouting nearly twenty-four hours he came suddenly on them, and after an hour’s severe fighting, succeeded in killing twenty-one and putting the others to flight, without loss to his command. The rebels numbered 200, and were composed of the worst characters of the county, led on by Zack Cochrane, sheriff under Gov. Letcher.—Ohio Statesman, August 16.

—The banks of New York, Philadelphia, and Boston agreed to take fifty millions of the Government loan, they to be the sole recipients of the Treasury notes.

William Gray, Franklin Haven, and J. Amory Davis were chosen a committee by the Boston bank directors to confer with the committees of the New York and Philadelphia banks in regard to the Government loan. The meeting adopted the following instructions to the Committee:

“That the Committee be authorized to say to the gentlemen of the Committees from the New York and Philadelphia banks, that, in the judgment of the gentlemen here assembled, the banks and bankers of Boston and of the State of Massachusetts and its people are prepared, ready, willing, and determined to do all in their power, in view of their duty to themselves, their trusts and their country, to aid it in suppressing the present rebellion by furnishing men and money to the utmost extent of their ability, now, henceforth and forever.”— N. Y. Evening Post, August 14.

—General Pope, at St. Louis, Mo., issued a general order, establishing regulations for the navigation of the Missouri River.—(Doc. 181.)

Post image for …reading Frank Leslie.—Woolsey family letters; Mary Woolsey Howland to Georgeanna and Eliza in Washington.

…reading Frank Leslie.—Woolsey family letters; Mary Woolsey Howland to Georgeanna and Eliza in Washington.

August 12, 2011

Woolsey family letters during the War for the Union

Astoria, August 12th.

Dear Girls: If mother and the remaining three kept to the programme, they all left for Lenox on Saturday and are at last settled in their summer quarters, much to my relief. So long as they would not come to us, I think it was highly necessary for them to go somewhere, as the city grew hotter and smellier and more unbearable every day.

Knowing what New York is at this season, and inferring what Washington must be, I am sure you will consider my proposition reasonable when I beg that you will come on and freshen up a little here at Astoria “by the side of a river so clear.” . . . When you come Robert will sail you up to Riker’s Island, in order to make you feel more at home, where the Anderson Zouaves are encamped. We went up there the other day with some illustrated papers sent by Jane to the men, and were enthusiastically received by a company of bathers, who swam round the boat for whatever we had to offer, and whom we left seated on the rocks reading Frank Leslie, with not so much as a button or an epaulette on by way of dress.

Post image for “Another collision must soon take place, it will be a life struggle with both parties.”—Horatio Nelson TaftHoratio Nelson Taft

“Another collision must soon take place, it will be a life struggle with both parties.”—Horatio Nelson TaftHoratio Nelson Taft

August 12, 2011

Diary of US patent clerk Horatio Nelson Taft.

MONDAY 12

Went down to the Pat office this morning and saw the Comr, could get nothing definite from him in reference to my restoration to the office. Business there is still dull. Few soldiers are seen in the streets now and none without a “pass.” The 27th Regt have rcd orders to cross the River into Virginia and go into Camp. Troops are accumulating here and also at Mannasses Junction. Another collision must soon take place, it will be a life struggle with both parties. Doct Barnes to Bkfst & tea.

______

The three diary manuscript volumes, Washington during the Civil War: The Diary of Horatio Nelson Taft, 1861-1865, are available online at The Library of  Congress.

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