21st. Commenced to learn my duties. Drilled with the noncommissioned officers by the Adjutant.
Wednesday, September 21, 2011
Saturday, 21st—We had company drill this morning. In the afternoon we had a big loyal mass-meeting in town, and we had speaking by Captain Stearns. He talked of our duty to sustain the Government. Quite a number enlisted as a result of the meeting, and it is hoped that the company may be completed so as to leave for Davenport in about eight days.
September 21, 1861. — Equinoctial storm today. Our regiment does not move. I am getting ready for my new quarters and duties. Just got ready for bed; a dark, dismal, rainy night. Visited the hospital tonight. Saw several of Colonel Tyler’s men who were wounded and taken prisoners in his surprise a month ago and were retaken by us after the fight at Carnifax Ferry. Intelligent men from Oberlin, one Orton; one from Cleveland. They have suffered much but are in good spirits. The enemy boasted that they would soon drive us out and would winter in Cincinnati.
SATURDAY 21
Nothing new has occured recently although we are surrounded on all sides with elements which may be put in motion any how carrying destruction and death to thousands. Heavy cannonading over the River almost every day is heard from the Forts, practicing and getting the range of their guns. Have been at home most of the day fixing up things and preparing to sell out. Was on the Ave in the morning with Julia.
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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.
Headquarters 79th Regiment,
Camp Advance, Va. Co. K.
September 21st, 1861.
Dear Cousin Lou:
Let me see — it is a long time since I wrote you, but I am not forgetful. I must thank you many times for your kindness in writing me away off here. Perhaps you think it not very far, only four miles off from Washington; yet it is so, for we are quite shut off from all communication with the outer world. My goodness, how I did cheer Mrs. Gen. Smith the other day on passing her carriage as the Regiment was returning from the field where its colors had been restored!
I am not quite certain that Mrs. Brigadier-Gen. Smith was beautiful, yet I thought her so, for she had little hands, white teeth, and was not shouldering a musket. If you will visit camp, Cousin Lou, I’ll crown you Queen of Beauty and vote you lovelier than a thousand Mrs. Brigadier-Gen. Smiths. Tell Cousin Henry and Dr. Grant that their visit to me, while on Kalorama Heights, first taught me that there was still remaining communication with the world. The result of the lesson was, that I bought a looking-glass and combed the snarls out of my hair.
It is raining to-night, so I am shut in my tent. Field life agrees with me excellently, so that as yet I have hardly had an ill day. Our Regiment has been unusually healthy, there having been no deaths from sickness in it since it first left New-York. A captain of the 19th Indiana Regiment was telling me that they had lost 25 of their number from disease already, although they have not been out here so long as we by two months. This I suppose is partly owing to the fact that the city soldiers endure change of climate better than country ones; and something I believe is due to our surgeon Dr. McDonald. The Doctor says that you are one of the few women for whom he has an unbounded admiration.
You would laugh if you could hear the conversations between our Chaplain and the profane physicians. Our parson is a love of a little man from some back country village, accustomed to be kissed (?), admired, and petted by the ladies of his congregation, and to be regarded as a model of eloquence by the men. Fired with patriotic zeal he volunteered his services on the opening of the war, to his country, and left the peace of home for the horrid din of Mars. But the horrid din of Mars he finds, to his astonishment, not nearly so agreeable as being kissed (?) and petted in his own quiet village. So he has grown petulant, thinks himself unappreciated, and calls all the men hardened sinners because they sometimes look incredulous when he answers their” Why?” with, “It is so for I say so.” Shocking unbelievers! Dear little parson tells us weekly not to fear to die, but to face death bravely, as we are certain of being transported instantly to scenes of heavenly joy. Yet our little parson whenever an alarm occurs, rushes to his tent, secures his bag, and trots off in all haste to the nearest place of shelter. Taking advantage of this little weakness, the Doctor is in the habit of explaining to him in a horridly lucid way, the dreadful nature of gunshot wounds. Then some one will suddenly jump up, assume a listening attitude and cry: “Hark! Was that a gun?” The comical aspect of terror which is thus elicited forms an inexhaustible source of amusement to us all. He reminds me of the Chaplain of the story, who bade the soldiers before the battle not to fear, as they would assuredly that night, if they fell, sup in Paradise. He himself however, ran away when the first shot was fired. An indignant hearer of his morning discourse reminded him of his encouraging promises. “No thankee,” said he, “don’t talk to me, I never did like suppers.” All of which story you can anywhere find better told in the newspapers.
Next to the parson, our greatest source of entertainment is the article called “nigger,” a thing I never saw until I came to “Ole Virginny.” We own an African of the Pongo species, a sort of half idiotic monkey-man, partially possessing the gift of speech, and totally possessing the gift of doing nothing. I consider it a curious study to see how, when he is ordered to perform any service, he manages most ingeniously not to do it at all. You should see the Pongo, though, in the Highland costume. “The What Is It ?” will have to retire from business.
Good-bye dear Cousin Lou.
Very affec’y.,
W. T. Lusk,
Lieut. Co. K. 79th Regt.
Saturday, 21st.—After a short march of about sixteen miles, the three companies bivouacked in Union County, four and a half miles north of Maynardville.
SEPTEMBER 21ST.—The Secretary has authorized me to sign passports “for the Secretary of War.” My son attends to his letters. I have now an opportunity of seeing more. I have authority to order transportation for the parents of soldiers, and for goods and provisions taken to the camps.
September 21.—General Lane’s command surprised a superior force of rebels at Papinsville, Missouri, and, after a severe engagement, routed them, losing seventeen killed, and a large number wounded. The rebels lost forty killed, and one hundred prisoners, and all their tents, wagons, and supplies.
The gang of rebels who recently sacked the town of Humboldt, Kansas, was defeated by a force from Fort Scott, and their leader, Mathias, killed. On his person was found an order from Ben McCulloch for the enrolment of the Quapaw Indians.—National Intelligencer, Sept. 28.
—The British schooner Revere, of and from Yarmouth, N. S., with a cargo of salt fish, arrived at Boston, Mass., in charge of Henry W. Wells, master’s mate, and a prize crew from the United States steamer Cambridge. The Revere was captured while attempting to run the blockade at Beaufort, N. C.—N. Y. World, Sept. 23.
—The steamer War Eagle returned to Jefferson City, Mo., from an expedition on the Missouri River this evening. This steamer, together with the steamer Iatan, with the Indiana Twenty-second and Eighteenth regiments aboard, accompanied the steamers White Cloud and Des Moines, with the Indiana Twenty-sixth, as high up the river as Cambridge, where they captured the steamer Sunshine, seized a short time since by Green. They encountered no rebel troops. Union flags were flying at Glasgow. The White Cloud and Des Moines went on up the river to reinforce Lexington. While all four boats were lying up for the night, a short distance below Glasgow, two detachments were sent out to reconnoitre. They encountered each other, each mistaking the other for the enemy, fired, and before their mistake was discovered, four men were killed and several wounded. Among the wounded was Major Gordon Tanner, of the Twenty-second.—(Doc. 55.)
—A Large and enthusiastic meeting of the citizens of Westchester County, in favor of maintaining the integrity of the Union, was held at Lake Mohican. The Hon. John B. Haskin made a most eloquent and stirring speech to the assemblage, and declared his determination to sink all party differences and to support the Government in all honorable acts for a vigorous prosecution of the war and the preservation of the best Government ever vouchsafed to man. Eloquent speeches were also made by Messrs. Depew, Bailey, and Ferris.
—Edward D. Baker, United States Senator from Oregon, was appointed a Major-General of Volunteers in the National army.
—This morning John Bateman, a citizen of Portland, Maine, arrived at New York in custody of the deputy marshal. The prisoner charged with high treason, with using seditious language against the United States of America and the President thereof, treasonable complicity with Southern rebels and their agents in Liverpool and other parts of Europe. It is stated that letters and papers were found in the baggage and on the person of the accused, justifying the vigorous measures adopted. He was sent to Fort Lafayette.—N. Y. Times, September 22.
—Gen. Robert Anderson assumed command of the State and Federal troops in Kentucky and issued a spirited proclamation, calling upon Kentuckians of all parties to assist in repelling the invaders of the State. Gov. Magoffin also issued a proclamation, directing Gen. Thomas L. Crittenden to call out the State troops to resist the invasion of the State, and Gen. C. accordingly called out the militia.—(Doc. 56.)
—The Fourth regiment of Vermont Volunteers, under the command of Colonel Edwin H. Stoughton, left its encampment at Brattleboro for the seat of war. The regiment numbers one thousand and eighty rank and file. Colonel Stoughton is a native of Vermont, and a West Point officer, having graduated from the Military Academy in 1854, and being breveted Second Lieutenant in the Forty-second Infantry, July 1, 1859.
