Tuesday, November 5. — We came back to the Sound again without finding the Ocean Express. On our way back we were spoken by the sloop-of-war Dale, which is blockading here. She had her guns double-shotted and would have fired at us if we had not stopped. We reached our old place at 2 p.m. and found that all the fleet had gone over the bar, and were five miles nearer shore than before. We saw the Ericsson fast on the bar. We waited here until 6 p.m., and as no message came for us in regard to the channel, we had to put to sea again. We were passed by the R. B. Forbes this afternoon, going to join the fleet. The day was pleasant and calm, but about 9 P.M. a strong west breeze sprang up.
Saturday, November 5, 2011
Letter from Captain Lyon to Mrs. Lyon.
“Nov. 5, 1861.—We are ordered to march to Greenville. I think there will be no fighting—just to show the Secesh that we are about. I expect that we shall be gone 10 or 12 days.”
Nov. 5th. Rode to Uncle Jones’ with Roxena and Watson.
5th.—I have for some time had as mess-mates Surgeon J____ V____ and his two sons. I find him a most estimable Quaker gentleman, and he is by his courteous and affable manner, doing very much to smooth down the asperities of the rough road over which I am now traveling. Since the removal of camp, the sickness is abating rapidly. The list, which two weeks ago numbered over two hundred, is now less than sixty, and every day diminishing. I have much trouble in getting my assistant to perform his duties, which, with the constant interference of military officers, greatly embarrasses me in my course. We have to pass some trying scenes. Last week a private in our regiment, a lawyer from ______, heard of the sickness of his daughter. He asked a furlough of thirty days to visit her. The officers here granted it, but when it reached General McClellan he cut it down to fifteen days, which would but give him time to go and return. He declined to go on it, and yesterday intelligence of his daughter’s death reached him. Oh, how much I thought of this, and thought if it were my case! ‘Tis very sad to think of.
Camp Hicks.
Nov. 5. Went into camp on Taylor’s farm, about a mile west of the city, and Col. Upton has christened it Camp Hicks, in honor of Gov. Hicks, the present loyal governor of Maryland. The 51st New York is encamped near by us, and that regiment, with the 21st Massachusetts, were the only troops here before us.
TUESDAY 5
This has been a pleasant day. There has been some excitement in consequence of the report that Genl Rosecrantz had taken Floyd and his army in Western V.A. We think it is now pretty well ascertained that the “great fleet” has gone to Charleston S.C. There was a grand review over the River today of 45000 men. I was at the Presidents this evening. Genl McClellan and Genl Halleck were with the Prest. I called at Willards and also at the “National.”
______
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 5th.—Small banquets, very simple and tolerably social, are the order of the day as winter closes around us; the country has become too deep in mud for pleasant excursions, and at times the weather is raw and cold. General McDowell, who dined with us to-day, maintains there will be no difficulty in advancing during bad weather, because the men are so expert in felling trees, they can make corduroy roads wherever they like. I own the arguments surprised but did not convince me, and I think the General will find out his mistake when the time comes. Mr. Everett, whom I had expected, was summoned away by the unexpected intelligence of his son’s death, so I missed the opportunity of seeing one whom I much desired to have met, as the great Apostle of Washington worship, in addition to his claims to higher distinction. He has admitted that the only bond which can hold the Union together is the common belief in the greatness of the departed general.
Camp Ewing, November 5, 1861. Tuesday morning.
Dearest Lucy: — … We are having stirring times again. The enemy on the other side of New River are trying to shell such of our camps as lie near the river bank. We are just out of reach of their shot. McCook, in sight of us below, is camped in easy range, and they are peppering at him. I hear their guns every two or three minutes as I write. He doesn’t like to move, and probably will not until they do him some serious harm. They fired all day yesterday without doing any other mischief than breaking one tent pole. A ball or shell would hardly light before his men would run with picks to dig it up as a trophy. It is probable that we shall cross the river to attempt to drive them off in a day or two. You will know the result long before this letter reaches you.
I had a note from Jim yesterday, saying he had reached the steamboat landing below here. We look for him today. I hope he will get up so as to be here to help take care of things here while we cross the river.
I have nearly one thousand dollars, seven hundred or eight hundred dollars of which I will send you the first good chance. Two months’ more salary is due me besides about eighty-five dollars as judge-advocate. So we shall have funds plenty for this winter.
I thought of you all yesterday, and wished I could look in on you at Birch’s birthday dinner. You were thinking of the absent father and uncles.[1] So it is. We love each other so much that on all sad or joyous occasions we shall always have each other in mind. . . . Good-bye. Love to all.
Lovingly,
Rutherford.
Mrs. Hayes.
[1] Mrs. Hayes, writing November 4, said: “All we lacked of happiness was your presence. Not much time passes that you are not thought of, talked of, and sometimes cried over, but that is always done decently and in order, so I think I pass for one of the most cheerful, happy women imaginable. I do not dare to let Birchie see me downcast for he has so much sympathy that it is very touching to see him, and I do not want to cloud his young life with sorrow. Today is his birthday. He is very happy. Uncle George brought him an air-pistol, and he started to school, all of which, makes him really happy. The book which I get for him from you will complete his joy. … I felt finely this morning. Every thing right. . . . But this afternoon, felt almost down. Ruddy’s chill is one cause, Birchie’s absence another and Fremont the last and greatest. I cannot give him up, yet it looks dark and forbidding. It will be the last moment that I give up his honor, patriotism, and power to successfully command an army.”
Camp Ewing, November 5. — Six hundred and fifty-seven present for duty; sixty-nine sick. Total strength nine hundred and thirty-six. Absent one hundred and ninety-three — all sick but about forty on detached service. Captain Woodward worse and in great danger. Enemy firing again on McCook’s camp. No casualties at 10:30 o’clock.
Boston, November 5, 1861
By the last mail I got a letter from you intended for the press. I have not however used it as intended. . . . The great facts of the case stand out. Six months of this war have gone and in them we have done much; and by we I mean our rulers. But if we have done much with our means, the rebels have performed miracles with theirs. At the end of six months have we a policy? Are traitors weeded out of our departments? Is our blockade effective? Is the war prosecuted honestly and vigorously? To all these questions there is but one answer. The President is not equal to the crisis; that we cannot now help. The Secretary of War is corrupt and the Secretary of the Navy is incompetent; that we can help and ought to. With the rebels showing us what we can do, we ought to be ashamed not to do more. But for me I despair of doing more without a purification of the Cabinet. With Seward I am satisfied, and so is the country at bottom, for our foreign affairs are creditable. Chase will do and to Blair I make no objection. But all the rest I wish the people would drive from power. Your historical examples are not good. When was England greatest? Was it not when an angry people drove the drivellers from office and forced on an unwilling King the elder Pitt, who reversed at once the whole current of a war? I want to see Holt in the War Department and a New York shipowner in that of the Navy, or else Mr. Dana. I am tired of incompetents and I want to see Lincoln forced to adopt a manly line of policy which all men may comprehend. The people here call for energy, not change, and if Lincoln were only a wise man he could unite them in spite of party cries, and with an eye solely to the public good.
Herewith you will receive three Independents, in each of which you will find an article by me for your delectation. They answer at some length your suggestion that I am an “abolitionist.” I am also assured that they met with favor in the eyes of Wendell Phillips, which indeed I do not understand. I imagine they will not meet your and my father’s views, but on the whole I am not dissatisfied with the two last in general and the last in particular
Please notice the leader in the Independent of the 24th. I did more than I expected in influencing the editorials of the Independent.
