Wednesday, 30th—Nothing of importance. We now have a quartermaster for our regiment, Richard Cadle of Muscatine. All think that he is a good man for the place, and will see that every man is cared for. We draw rations every five days.
Sunday, October 30, 2011
Wednesday, October 30. — The day was beautiful and pleasant. The air was soft and balmy, as we had just struck the Gulf Stream, and the temperature of the water was 74 degrees. We had to go as slowly as possible, as we did yesterday, in order to keep with the rest of the fleet. The fleet kept nearer each other, and in better order than yesterday. According to the pilot we were off Cape Hatteras at 2 p.m. We found out however, as events showed, that we did not take sufficient account of our slow rate of speed, and of the Gulf Stream. Nothing of any particular interest occurred during the day. I saw nothing of the ferry-boats. It was so rough that some of them must have gone in nearer to the shore.
October 30th.—A light, a grim man, and a voice in the room at 4 a.m. awaken me; I am up first; breakfast; more duck, eggs, meat, mighty cakes, milk; to the gun-house, already hung with ducks, and then tramp to the “blinds” with Smith, who talked of the Ingines and wild sports in far Minnesota. As morning breaks, very red and lovely, dark visions and long streaky clouds appear, skimming along from bay or river. The men in the blinds, which are square enclosures of reeds about 4½ feet high, call out “Bay,” “River,” according to the direction from which the ducks are coming. Down we go in blinds; they come; puffs of smoke, a bang, a volley; one bird falls with flop; another by degrees drops, and at last smites the sea; there are five down; in go the dogs. “Who shot that?” “I did.” “Who killed this?” “That’s Tucker’s!” “A good shot.” ‘I don’t know how I missed mine.” Same thing again. The ducks fly prodigious heights—out of all range one would think. It is exciting when the cloud does rise at first. Day voted very bad. Thence I move homeward; talk with Mr. Slater till the trap is ready; and at twelve or so, drive over to Mr. McDonald; find Lamy and Swan there; miserable shed of two-roomed shanty in a marsh; rough deal presses; white-washed walls; fiddler in attendance; dinner of ducks and steak; whisky, and thence proceed to a blind or marsh, amid wooden decoys; but there is no use; no birds; high tide flooding everything; examined McDonald’s stud; knocked to pieces trotting on hard ground. Rowed back to house with Mr. Pennington, and returned to the mansion; all the party had but poor sport; but every one had killed something. Drew lots for bed, and won this time; Lamy, however, would not sleep double, and reposed on a hard sofa in the parlour; indications favourable for ducks. It was curious, in the early morning, to hear the incessant booming of duck-guns, along all the creeks and coves of the indented bays and saltwater marshes; and one could tell when they were fired at decoys, or were directed against birds in the air; heard a salute fired at Baltimore very distinctly. Lamy and Mr. McDonald met in their voyage up the Nile, to kill ennui and spend money.
WEDNESDAY 30
Another delightful day, have not been round much. Was at the Pat office awhile, met my old friend Burrows Hyde of Jersey City. Have been trying my hand at soldering up holes in tin ware, succeeded pretty well. Wife and Julia are at Mr Middletons, our neighbors. Julia spent last evening at Doct Everitts. I went up after her at 9 o’clock & staid an hour. News in the City seems to be rather scarce.
______
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.
Wednesday.—Captain and Mrs. W. N. dined with us to-day. It was gratifying to see him look so well, after the intense suffering through which he has passed. He was borne from the field of Manassas, with what seemed to be a mortal wound; a ball had passed through his body. But, thanks to a merciful Providence, good nursing and surgery have saved his valuable life. We are now planning to go to the lower country, but when and where we do not know.
OCTOBER 30TH.—I understand a dreadful quarrel is brewing between Mr. Benjamin and Gen. Beauregard. Gen. B. being the only individual ever hinted at as an opponent of Mr. Davis for the Presidency, the Secretary of War fights him on vantage-ground, and likewise commends himself to the President. Van Buren was a good politician in his day, and so is Mr. Benjamin in his way. I hope these dissensions may expend themselves without injury to the country.
October 30.—At Worcester, England, the Conservative Association celebrated its anniversary by a dinner at the Shire Hall. About six hundred persons attended, the hall and anteroom being crowded to inconvenience. The chair was taken by Sir E. A. H. Lechmere. “The House of Lords” having been proposed by Captain Candler, the Earl of Shrewsbury and Talbet responded. The House of Lords, he said, was an institution highly valued, and, if he might be allowed to say so, deservedly esteemed by the nation. It had often been said by noisy democrats and clamorous republicans, that the House of Lords was of no use. Reference had been made by previous speakers to the unhappy contention that was going on on the other side of the Atlantic. (Hear.) In America they saw democracy on its trial, and they saw how it failed. (Hear.) He was afraid the result would show that the separation of the two great sections of that country was inevitable, and these who lived long enough would, in his opinion, see an aristocracy established in America. He would not say an aristocracy of dukes and earls, but an aristocracy of some sort or other, so great was the necessity of having a middle state between democracy and despotism. (Hear, hear.) With regard to the present Government, he said they had kept themselves in power by advocating one set of principles and practising another. Lord Palmerston had been connected with every party that had been in office in his time, and he likened him to a successful political Blondin— (laughter)—who from his political tight rope looked down from the giddiest heights, only caring to keep himself where he was.—London Times, November 1.
—The Fifty-first New York regiment, Colonel Ferrero, left New York City for Washington.—N. Y. Times, Oct. 31.
—The schooner Elite, which left Savannah with a cargo of naval stores, bound for Havana, and was stranded off Warsaw beach while going out, was visited by three launches, from a U. S. steamer, with about one hundred and fifty men and one howitzer or mortar, to take possession of or burn the wreck. Captain Anderson, in command of the forces on Warsaw Island, immediately sent out a considerable force from the intrenchments, ordering them through the woods to a point opposite the wreck, and within musket-shot of the boats, when the latter should reach their destination. The party lay in ambush until the launches got within reach, when they sallied out upon the beach and opened fire upon them. The salutation was returned with shells, and the firing was kept up for some time. When the boats commenced firing shell, Captain Anderson turned the guns of the fort upon them and kept up the fire until dark came on, though they were too far round the point of the island for the shots to be directed with accuracy.—Savannah Republican, November 1.
—Citations issued from the Court of Admiralty of the Confederate States, South Carolina, distinctly call upon all persons in general, except citizens of the United States, “who claim any interest in the brigs Betsy Ames and Granada, to show cause, if any they have, why the said vessels should not be condemned as lawful prizes of war.”—(Doc. 116.)
—John C. Breckinridge has published a manifesto to the people of Kentucky. It is dated at Bowling Green, and he says it is written at the first moment since his expulsion from home that he could place his feet on the soil of Kentucky. In it he resigns his seat as a member of the Senate of the United States, saying, “I exchange, with proud satisfaction, a term of six years in the United States Senate for the musket of a soldier.” The address is very long. He says, “there is no longer a Senate of the United States within the meaning and spirit of the Constitution”—”the United States no longer exists—the Union is dissolved.”— (Doc. 117.)
—A Letter, published in the National Intelligencer, at Washington, gives a circumstantial account of the cruise of the U. S. ship Powhattan in pursuit of the privateer Sumter, and a minute description of that vessel. Her crew is, the letter states, made up of men of all nations, the greater part being Portuguese, Spaniards, and English, and the writer expresses the opinion that she will finally turn pirate against all commerce.—(Doc. 119.)
October 30. Tompkins Farm.— [I] walked with Captain Gaines two and one-half or three miles down to Gauley Bridge. Called on Major William H. Johnston and Swan, paymaster and clerk for our regiment [for] Cracraft, quartermaster sergeant, who wanted Dr. McCurdy’s pay. To get it, drew my own and sent him two hundred and sixty dollars and blank power-of-attorney to me to draw his pay. The doctor is sick and wants to go home. Our regiment suffers severely with camp fever. About one hundred and twenty absent, mostly sick, and as many more prescribed for here. This out of nine hundred and fifty. Severe marches, ill-timed, in rain, etc., etc., is one great cause. Then, most of our men have been used to comfortable homes, and this exposed life on these mountains is too much for them.
Well, we dined at a Virginia landlady’s, good coffee, good biscuit; in short, a good homelike dinner. Walked immediately back.
