October 10, Camp Ewing, seven miles above Gauley Bridge. — A pretty day in a pleasant camp, surrounded by mountain scenery. We had a false alarm in Camp Lookout; formed in line of battle. I was at the hospital but rode rapidly up and was on hand before the line was ready. Some men at hospital fled. Some were suddenly well and took [their] place in line of battle.
Monday, October 10, 2011
Thursday, 10th—The Thirteenth Iowa are building their new barracks just north of ours. The weather is getting quite cool, especially at night.
10th.—We have commenced moving our camp equipage from Camp Vanderwerken to this place, to be named Camp Griffin—I suppose for Capt. Griffin, of one of the batteries of the regular army. Capt. G., with his battery, has been one of us and with us since we crossed the Potomac. We have had much trouble and vexation to-day in establishing medical headquarters for the regiments of our brigade, but after much ordering of us and changing of orders, we are at last to take charge of the stone house of Mr. Jno. N. Johnson, in which, and in the tents we are able to pitch, we hope to make comfortable all the sick of our brigade.
THURSDAY, OCTOBER 10, 1861.
This has been a wet dreary day but the streets have been quite lively and the Ave crowded as usual. I saw a large body of cavalry moveing over the River from this side this morning. Our troops are makeing advances frequently on the other side but I think that no important battle will take place very soon. I looked at gas-fixtures on the Ave with a view of purchaseing some. Spent part of the day fixing up matters about the House. Willie has been quite smart all day spinning his top & whitling. He is sick nights.
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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.
October 10.—Six pickets of the Fourth cavalry regiment, stationed four or five miles from Paducah, Kentucky, were attacked by a large force of rebels this morning. Two were mortally wounded and two taken prisoners, with their horses and equipments. The rebels had divided their force, and in the excitement fired into each other. They then fled, each party taking the other for the National cavalry.— Boston Transcript, October 11.
—The gunboat Wachusett was launched at the Navy Yard at Charlestown, Mass.
—Intelligence that the Sumter was still cruising among the Windward Islands, was received at Panama, N. G., by the British steamer from St. Thomas.—Panama Star, October 10.
—The Twenty-ninth and Thirtieth regiments of Indiana Volunteers, under the command of Colonels Miller and Bass, arrived at Louisville, Kentucky, en route for the seat of war.— Louisville Journal, October 11.
October 10th, 1861.—War has come home to the Bradford neighborhood! . . . Last night, October 9th, Captain Richard H. Bradford was shot in the breast and instantly killed, while leading his men in an attack on Santa Rosa Island. He was everybody’s darling. We were so proud of him, too. Father went to bear the sad news to Uncle Richard and Aunt Nancy. May God help them for this is hard to bear. Cousin Edward Bradford, his brother, is bringing his body home. The telegram said they would stop over a few hours in Madison and the casket would lie in state in the court house there, that Madison might do him honor. Then they will come on and he will be buried in God’s Acre at Pine Hill.
Mr. William Routh was killed also, he was engaged to be married to Cousin Sallie and she fainted dead away when she heard the terrible news. Oh! War is worse even than I thought.
October 10th.—I got hold of McClellan’s report on the Crimean war, and made a few candid remarks on the performance, which does not evince any capacity beyond the reports of our itinerant artillery officers who are sent from Woolwich abroad for their country’s good. I like the man, but I do not think he is equal to his occasion or his place. There is one little piece of policy which shows he is looking ahead—either to gain the good will of the army, or for some larger object. All his present purpose is to make himself known to the men personally, to familiarize them with his appearance, to gain the acquaintance of the officers; and with this object he spends nearly every day in the camps riding out at nine o’clock, and not returning till long after nightfall, examining the various regiments as he goes along, and having incessant inspections and reviews. He is the first Republican general who could attempt to do all this without incurring censure and suspicion. Unfortunate McDowell could not inspect his small army without receiving a hint that he must not assume such airs, as they were more becoming a military despot than a simple lieutenant of the great democracy.
Bird’s Point, October 10, 1861.
I have just finished a dinner of cider, cake, bread, butter, etc. We have just been paid off and of course have to indulge in a few delicacies for awhile. Last Tuesday we were ordered to strike tents and pack for a march. It wasn’t much of a march though for we were put on the cars and rolled out to Charleston, 12 miles from here, where we camped on a beautiful little prairie adjoining town. The 11th Illinois, Taylor’s artillery and two companies of cavalry and our regiment formed the party. I think we were out looking after that damned Jeff Thompson, who is reported everywhere from Ironton down to New Madrid. I don’t believe he has a thousand men, for there seems to be nothing reliable about any of the reports we have of him. The natives up at Charleston told us that Jeff was at Sykestown, 12 miles from there, with 5,000 or 6,000 troops, and our pickets had several little fights with his, or what we supposed to be his, but—well, the generals may know better but we that stay in the ranks think that there is no enemy nearer than Columbus save a few small bands of bushwhackers, who, under the impression that they are upholding principles eternal and doing their country service, gobble up everything sweet or sour, that weighs less than a ton. We came down from Charleston Thursday. We marched about 10 miles of the way through an immense (it seemed so to me) cypress swamp. I think Mrs. Stowes. “Dred” would have enjoyed that swamp hugely. It was rather an interesting piece of scenery for a first view, but I don’t think I should enjoy living in sight of it. The 18th, Colonel Lawler, worked six or eight weeks in this swamp repairing bridges the secesh had burnt, and it put half their men on the sick list. We got our pay in treasury notes but they are as good as the gold. Lots of the boys have traded them off for gold “even up.” I get $21 this time for two months and five days, our other boys got $14 or $15. I am third sergeant now, our second having been appointed sergeant major. I think I should rather be sergeant, for the field officers make a kind of servant of the sergeant major. I send you a couple of daguerreotypes to let you see what a “skeleton” I have become. Our boys are all very well. The 17th is in a pretty hard condition, nearly half of them sick and as a regiment pretty badly used up. We have been paid twice and they only $10 yet.
OCTOBER 10TH—A victory—but not in the East. I expect none here while there is such a stream of travel flowing North-ward. It was in Missouri, at Lexington. Gen. Price has captured the town and made several thousand prisoners, whom he dismissed on parole.
