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

Tuesday, September 13, 2011

September 12th.—The day passed quietly, in spite of rumours of another battle; the band played in the President’s garden, and citizens and citizenesses strolled about the grounds as if Secession had been annihilated. The President made a fitful appearance, in a grey shooting suit, with a number of despatches in his hand, and walked off towards the State Department quite unnoticed by the crowd. I am sure not half a dozen persons saluted him—not one of the men I saw even touched his hat. General Bell went round the works with McClellan, and expressed his opinion that it would be impossible to fight a great battle in the country which lay between the two armies—in fact, as he said, “a general could no more handle his troops among the woods, than he could regulate the movements of rabbits in a cover. You ought just to make a proposition to Beauregard to come out on some plain and fight the battle fairly out where you can see each other.”

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posted on the 13th as there were two entries dated the 11th, with the second one posted on the 12th.

Friday, 13th—We made the entire trip of thirty miles from Davenport last night and reached home by daylight. I went up to Tipton this afternoon and was sworn into the State service, my service dating back to August 10th. Our former captain, Mr. McLoney, and some of the other Inland boys are here, besides four of the Le Claire boys. We are trying to form a new company and everything looks good for a new company in a short time, quite a number of the boys having already enrolled. We are boarding at the hotel.

FRIDAY, SEPTEMBER 13, 1861.

I have been much of the day at the Treasury Dept waiting to see the Sec’y on business. While there saw Prof (now) Genl Michel, the Astronomer, who is now in the Army. Also saw and conversed with Genl Burnside of R.I. Genl Pomeroy of Kansas notoriety I saw also. It is reported that our pickets on the other side of the River have been driven in. There seemed to be signal lights there on the hills this evening, one very large fire. Called with wife on Chas & Sallie. Mr Kendig of Phila was there. Walked up to Franklin Square.

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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.

SEPTEMBER 13TH.—The Secretary, after writing and tendering his resignation, appointed my young friend Jaques a special clerk with $2000 salary. This was allowed by a recent act.

September 13.—In Western Virginia the rebels commenced to advance yesterday morning on both pikes toward Elkwater and Cheat Mountain summit. They succeeded in surrounding the fort on the summit and cut the telegraph wire. They continued to advance on Elkwater until within two miles of the National troops, when a few shells from Loomis’s battery dispersed them. Skirmishing was kept up all night, and this morning two regiments were sent to cut their way through to the summit. They succeeded in this expedition, the rebels retreating in all directions.

Two rebel officers who were spying around the camp at Elkwater this morning were surprised by our pickets and shot. The body of one of them was brought into camp, and proved to be that of Col. John A. Washington, of Mount Vernon, Virginia.—(Doc. 48.)

—General Sturgis of the National army with a regiment of infantry, two companies of cavalry, and one of artillery, took possession of St. Joseph’s, Missouri.

—The Second regiment of Delaware Militia, left Wilmington for Cambridge, Maryland.— Baltimore American, September 16.

—A Fight took place at Booneville, Mo., this morning between a party of rebels under Colonel Brown and the Home Guards under Captain Eppstein, which terminated in the victory of the latter. The Home Guards held their intrenchments against the rebels, one thousand strong, who were driven back with a loss of twelve killed and thirty wounded. The Home Guards lost only one killed and four wounded. Among the killed of the rebels were Col. Brown and Capt. Brown.—National Intelligencer, September 17.

—A Union meeting was held at Fairfield, Connecticut, this evening, at which patriotic addresses were made by Rev. Dr. Osgood of New York, Rev. Mr. Stimson of Fairfield, and John H. Glover. The following resolutions offered by Dr. Osgood were unanimously adopted:

Resolved, That the great practical question now at issue before the people of this country lies between supporting or destroying the Government of the United States, and that all good citizens and patriots are called to rally to its support, without distinction of party, and do all in their power to put down the rebellion and treason that are now in arms against our rulers, our Constitution, and our laws.

Resolved, That we appoint delegates, without distinction of party, to represent the town of Fairfield at the great Union meeting at Bridgeport to-morrow.

—The Provost-marshal of Baltimore, Md., this morning, before break of day, arrested Mayor Brown, Ross Winans, Charles H. Pitts, Lawrence Sangster, S. T. Wallis, and T. P. Scott, members of the Maryland Legislature, F. H. Howard, editor of the Exchange, and delivered them at Fort McHenry. He also arrested Messrs. Dennison, Quinlan, and Dr. Lynch, members of the Legislature from Baltimore County; Henry M. Warfield, Dr. J. Hansom, Thomas and John C. Brune, members of the Legislature from Baltimore City; also Thomas J. Hall, Jr., editor of the Baltimore South. All the arrests were made pursuant to orders from the United States War Department.—N. Y. Evening Post, September 13.

—The rebels appeared to-day in large numbers in Shepherdstown, Virginia, and commenced firing on the Unionists on the Maryland side of the Potomac.

Several cannon were brought out. When the Unionists, under command of Colonel Anderson, brought two of their guns to bear upon them from London Hill, opposite the town, and opened with ball and grape they soon silenced the rebel battery and destroyed several houses. A flag of truce was sent from the rebels, proposing a cessation of firing.—N. Y. Herald, Sept. 10.

—This afternoon the rebel steamer Yorktown ran within three miles of Newport News, Va., and opened fire upon the camp and blockading squadron, which consisted of the Savannah, Cumberland, and the gunboat Louisiana. She fired twenty-five shells, one of which exploded near the Savannah. Other shells fell considerably short. The guns of the Cumberland and Savannah could not reach the Yorktown, but a couple of shells from Sawyer’s gun on shore caused her to retire. One of the shells exploded three-fourths of a mile beyond the steamer.

About four o’clock a party sent out to cut fuel encountered two hundred Confederate Cavalry and an equal number of Infantry about three miles from Newport News. The teamsters left their wagons and galloped to give the alarm, but no further demonstration was made, and the wagons were afterward brought into camp.—National Intelligencer, September 16.