Monday, November 4. — A beautiful calm day. We sailed in a southerly direction, and came in sight of about 30 of the fleet at anchor about 10 miles off Port Royal. Several of the gunboats were engaged in sounding the channel, making reconnoissances, etc. I went on board the Oriental and Atlantic. We had orders to start for the Ocean Express and find her, as she had all the powder and ammunition on board. Just as we were under weigh, we heard cannon firing, and saw our gunboats firing at what we suppose were three rebel gunboats. I could not see anything very distinctly. It was very provoking to go off just as we supposed the fight was to begin, but such were our orders, and we had to obey them. It would have been a beautiful day to land troops, as the sea was as calm as a mill-pond. We struck one of our coal schooners in the evening, but did not hurt her any. Saw nothing of the Ocean Express.
Friday, November 4, 2011
Nov. 4th. Rainy and unpleasant. Stayed in camp, rather dull, wrote home.
Nov. 4. Sunday morning in Baltimore, and a stiller or more quiet place I never saw. No sounds are heard, no people or carriages are seen in the street. It looks and seems like a deserted city. We took a hurried glance at a portion of the city, visiting Pratt street, where the assault on the 6th Massachusetts took place. The bullet holes and scars on the walls of the buildings, gave proof that the boys got a good deal interested, while passing through that street.
Off for Annapolis.
We embarked on the steamer Louisiana, about 9 a. m., for Annapolis. As we steamed past old Fort McHenry, I was reminded of an interesting scrap of history connected with this fort. When the British fleet bombarded this fort during the last war with England, there was aboard one of the ships, an American prisoner, a Mr. Key, I think his name was, who watched with the most intense anxiety, the result of the bombardment, and during its progress, wrote the song that has since become famous as one of our national anthems, The Star Spangled Banner.
“By the cannon’s red glare, the bombs bursting in air,
Gave proof through the night, that our flag was still there.”
Arrived at Annapolis about noon, and marched up to the Naval academy, where we quartered and took dinner with the 21st Massachusetts, now doing garrison duty at this post.
Religious services this afternoon, by Chaplains Ball of the 21st and James of our own regiment. I cannot say that I was much interested in the meeting, as I was very tired, and preaching about the Pharisees and other antiquated sinners of a thousand years ago, did not seem to apply to my ease, or the present time.
MONDAY 4
The E St Hospital, or the (Washington Infirmary) so called, was destroyed by fire last night. It contained over one hundred wounded soldiers, all were got out safely. Doct Barnes & Lady called this morning. Julia went out with them to different parts of the City. I walked over to Georgetown and back. Visited the Observatory, the Mule Corrall, and the great Horse Depot of the U.S. Workmen are now completing the Aqueduct Bridge betwen W. & Georgetown. The weather is very mild and pleasant. M. 60 in the shade. The boys have all been to see the burnt Hospital.
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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.
November 4th.—General Fremont will certainly be recalled. There is not the smallest incident to note.
Camp Ewing, November 4, 1861.
Dear Uncle: — Your letter of October 21 came to hand the day before yesterday. I am very glad you are so much better. If you will now be careful, I hope you will be able to get comfortably through the winter. You have no doubt heard that Matthews has been promoted to a colonelcy and has left us. I have been promoted to his place of lieutenant-colonel. We regret to lose him. He is a good officer. I have now been relieved from duty as judge-advocate, and will hereafter be with my regiment. The colonel of our regiment is a genial gentleman, but lacks knowledge of men and rough life, and so does not get on with the regiment as well as he might. Still, the place is not an unpleasant one.
The enemy has appeared in some force, with a few cannon, on the opposite side of New River at this point, and on the left bank of Kanawha lower down, and are, in some degree, obstructing our communications with the Ohio. To get rid of this, we are canvassing divers plans for crossing and clearing them out. The river here is rapid, the banks precipitous rocks, with only a few places where a crossing, even if not opposed, is practicable; and the few possible places can be defended successfully by a small force against a large one. We are getting skiffs and yawls from below to attempt the passage. If it is done, I shall do what I can to induce the generals to see beforehand that we are not caught in any traps.
This is Birch’s birthday — a cold, raw November morning — a dreadful day for men in tents on the wet ground. We ought to be in winter quarters. I hope we shall be soon. We are sending from this army great numbers of sick. Cincinnati and other towns will be full of them. . . .
[R. B. Hayes.]
S. Birchard.
Camp Ewing up New River. November 4. Monday. — Cold and clear; rain probably over. My boy’s birthday — eight years old. It was such a morning as this eight years ago. I hope they are all well and happy at home. They will think of me today as they eat the birthday dinner and give him the birthday presents. Dear boy!
This morning four yawls were hauled into camp. It shows that it is intended to cross the river and attack the enemy. The blunder is in hauling them up in daylight. The enemy have thus been told of our design and will guard the few practicable ferries, as I fear, to our serious loss if not defeat. Stupid! stupid!
About seven hundred and fifty men are present this morning. Sixty-nine are sick. This, after sending off one hundred and fifty-nine sick men. Only one second-lieutenant for duty — a bad showing. Sun shining at 11 A. M. All the company officers gloomy and grumbling. The paymaster coming just at this time is all that makes endurable this state of things.
3:30 P. M. — Cannon firing heard. Shelling McCook’s camp on the hills below. I order out Captain McIlrath and company to go with Mack’s Battery.
Monday, 4th—We had some visitors in camp today from Inland. Nothing of importance. The part of our uniform most talked about and criticised is the leather collar, which each man has to wear. It is a piece of stiff upper leather about two inches wide in the middle, tapering to one inch at the ends, which are fastened with a buckle. We wear it about our necks with the wide part under the chin to make us hold our heads erect. These collars the boys call “dog-collars.”
NOVEMBER 4TH—Several were arrested yesterday. Still I doubt whether we are dealing fairly, even with enemies. They have been encouraged to come into and go out of the country by the facilities afforded them; and now, without any sort of notification whatever, they are to be arrested when they present themselves. I hate all traps and stratagems for the purpose of stimulating one to commit a wrong; and hence this business, although it seems to afford employment, if not delight, to Gen. Winder and his Baltimore detectives, is rather distasteful to me. And when I reflect upon it, I cannot imagine how Mr. Benjamin may adjust the matter with his conscience. It will soon cure itself, however; a few arrests will alarm them all.
November 4.—The Richmond Enquirer of to-day, has the following:—Our summary of news from the North is of more interest to-day than usual. The sailing orders of the great naval expedition will attract especial attention. Speculation will now soon be at an end; and perhaps before these lines shall be printed the telegraph will tell us where the blow has fallen. After reading these orders, however, we cannot join in the opinion which to some extent prevails, that the contemplated landing is intended on any comparatively secluded and undefended spot. If this great force is to take possession of some sand bar, or marshy island, or sea-coast village, why such strict injunction that the expedition should sail in a body and the soldiers land in such heavy array, and with the admonition that their courage will probably be tested? If we judge these orders by the ordinary rules, and in connection with the Northern beasts that a terrible blow is to be struck, and at our very vitals, we cannot but conclude that it is expected to debark either in the vicinity of a strong Confederate army or of a large Confederate city. Applying these tests, Pensacola and Charleston, and Savannah and New Orleans are the points which present themselves to our mind. There is something so absurd in the injunction to keep the expedition close together, and to land in a long line of boats, and with elaborate preparations, for the capturing Sand Point or Mosquito Bar, or Alligator Inlet, that it is difficult to conceive that the Northern Generals would thus make themselves ridiculous.
If the expedition attempt to land at an important point, we hope that our force would be sufficient for their repulse. If among the pines and swamps, they will have committed, a great folly, and injured themselves, not us. We are not, however, without other hopes. The winds have been howling, and the clouds have been pooling out their floods. We confess it—the blast of the storm has sounded in our ears like sweetest music. It has made us think of the Spanish armada, that sailed in great pomp, on grand design, but was dispersed by the winds, and vanquished without meeting an enemy. Who knows but that stormy Hatteras was created for such a time as this? Who can tell but that the rocks and sands of the Florida coast shall prove the instruments of Providence to punish the wickedness of man? The grand fleet sailed on Tuesday, the 29th. On Friday afternoon the storm commenced. Three days had thus elapsed. Where the fleet had got to— whether the storm there raged, and whether it claimed its prey—we have yet to learn. But, whether by the winds of Heaven, or by the blessing of Heaven on Southern valor, we trust soon to be able to announce that the fleet which sailed from Hampton Roads is a fleet that shall never more return, unless, indeed, under another flag.
—Tins Sixtieth regiment of New York Volunteers, under the command of Colonel William B. Hayward, passed through New York for Washington. This regiment was recruited in St. Lawrence County, is one thousand strong, and is composed of hardy farmers. Before leaving New York, they were presented with a regimental flag by Mrs. A. T. Stewart.—New York Herald, November 6th.
—Adjutant Carpenter, of the Second Tennessee regiment, absent from his camp near Boston, Whitely County, Ky., learned when on his way to return that a band of rebels had secured the mountain pass, and that he must either abandon his horse, and go on foot through the by-paths, or fight. Returning to Boston, he gathered together twenty-two Home Guards, fourteen of whom remained steadfast to their purpose; and creeping up the mountain gorge at midnight, they shot the sentinel, alarmed the rebels, who tumbled out of the house and sprang to their saddles, eight of which were emptied in a moment, and with three of their horses the Adjutant galloped off, bringing them safe into camp.—Cincinnati Gazette.
—Barboursville, Kentucky, was taken possession of by a picket of the Federal army, amounting to fifteen hundred men. They entered the town in the evening, and hoisted the Stars and Stripes without opposition.—Cincinnati Times, November 12.
—The expedition, under Col. Dodge, which left Rolla, Missouri, in quest of ex-Judge Freeman’s band of marauding rebels, took possession of Houston, Texas County, and captured a large amount of rebel property and several prominent secessionists, including some officers of the rebel army. A large mail for the rebel army was also captured, containing information of the position of the entire rebel force in Missouri.— St. Louis Democrat, November 7.
—An enthusiastic mass meeting of the Union citizens of Baltimore County, Md., was held at Calverton, at which Reverdy Johnson delivered an eloquent defence of the Constitution and the laws. Like all that has proceeded from him on the subject of the present national troubles, it breathes a spirit of ardent devotion to the Union, in its hour of peril.—(Doc. 130.)
