14th. Returned from Uncle’s. Letter from Fannie. Mrs. Helen Cobb, her mother-in-law and sister, Cousin Byron Harris and Miss Chidgey were in camp. Good visit.
Monday, November 14, 2011
November 14th.—Rode to cavalry camp, and sat in front of Colonel Emory’s tent with General Stoneman, who is chief of the cavalry, and Captain Pleasanton; heard interesting anecdotes of the wild life on the frontiers, and of bushranging in California, of lassoing bulls and wild horses and buffaloes, and encounters with grizly bears—interrupted by a one-armed man, who came to the Colonel for “leave to take away George.” He spoke of his brother who had died in camp, and for whose body he had come, metallic coffin and all, to carry it back to his parents in Pennsylvania. I dined with Mr. Seward—Mr. Raymond, of New York, and two or three gentlemen, being the only guests. Mr. Lincoln came in whilst we were playing a rubber, and told some excellent West-country stories. “Here, Mr. President, we have got the two Times—of New York and of London—if they would only do what is right and what we want, all will go well.” “Yes,” said Mr. Lincoln, “if the bad Times would go where we want them, good Times would be sure to follow.” Talking over Bull’s Run, Mr. Seward remarked “that civilians sometimes displayed more courage than soldiers, but perhaps the courage was unprofessional. When we were cut off from Baltimore, and the United States troops at Annapolis were separated by a country swarming with malcontents, not a soldier could be found to undertake the journey and communicate with them. At last a civilian”—(I think he mentioned the name of Mr. Cassius Clay)—”volunteered, and executed the business. So, after Bull’s Run, there was only one officer, General Sherman, who was doing anything to get the troops into order when the President and myself drove over to see what we could do on that terrible Tuesday evening.” Mr. Teakle Wallis and others, after the Baltimore business, told him the people would carry his head on their pikes; and so he went to Auburn to see how matters stood, and a few words from his old friends there made him feel his head was quite right on his shoulders.
THURSDAY 14
A cloudy day with rain tonight. Lieut Gaul is still with us waiting for his furlough. I was at the Pat office and saw the Comr, got not much satisfaction from him. Shall now look to the Sec’y for fulfilment of his promise. Have been at home most of the day. Julia is getting better slowly. All the rest of us are well. Letter from Mrs Brownson and the News is generaly favorable to our Army. Capt White called this evening on his way to Lyons recruiting.
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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.
Thursday, 14th—Our regular drills twice a day, company and regimental. No news.
14th.—This morning our Brigade Surgeon ordered me to leave the hospital for a few days, on account of my fatigue and prostration. He said that a regard for my health demanded it, and I must go where I pleased. I rode to Arlington, the headquarters of General King. The Arlington house, I believe, is (unless confiscated) the property of Gen. Lee. It is a magnificent mansion, overlooking Georgetown, Washington, Alexandria, and miles of the beautiful Potomac. In a room of this house, said to have been a favorite room of General Washington, I found my old friend Surgeon _____, badly broken by the fatigue and excitement of the campaign. I called on him, in company with Doctor A_____, and after talking of his illness for half an hour, Doctor A. proposed to him to have my advice, to which he replied “Yes! if he will not medicate me too much.” I said, “Doctor, I will prescribe for you, and with a single dose will medicate every fibre of your body, and by a healthy shock, restore you to health at once.” With a look as if he thought me a hyena, he asked: “What do you mean to do with me?” “To take you out of this place and put you for thirty days under the care of your wife and family.” The poor suffering man grasped my hand, burst into tears and sobbed aloud, “My Colonel won’t consent to it.” For a moment, forgetting his religion, and not having the fear of military commanders before my eyes, “Your Colonel may go to the d-vil, and you shall have a furlough.” I rode immediately to medical headquarters in Washington, procured him the promise of a furlough as soon as his papers could be sent in, returned, informed him of it, and had the pleasure on my long night ride back to camp, of feeling that I had contributed something to the happines, and, perhaps, had saved the life of a good and worthy man. How easy for any man, however humble his position, to find opportunities of doing good, if he will only wear the “spectacles, of benevolence.”
After the vandalism I have witnessed in the destruction of property, in and about the houses of rebels and elsewhere, it was a pleasurable relief to find here, that General King, in the goodness of his always good heart, had enforced respect for the property and furniture. The garden, with its fences, is preserved, and the walls of almost every room in this immense old building, are covered with the rich paintings and old family pictures, left hanging when this favorite of rebeldom left his home. The garden is fine, but I think does not compare with that of Kalorama. The antique bureaus and side-boards calling up impressions of generations long passed away, are still tenants of the building; and the halls recall Scott’s fine description of the Halls of the Douglass, where the arms of the hunters, and the trophies of the hunt, mingled with the trappings of the warrior, constituted the attractive features of the chieftain’s forest home. Over the halls, and at every angle in the stairs, were the antlers of the elk and the red-deer fastened to the walls and nearly interlocking their branches over my head as I walked through. They were hung, too, with the arms of the hunter and the warrior. So perfectly does this position command Washington, that had the rebels there secretly collected a dozen mortars, they might have fired the city before a gun could have been brought to bear on them. Everybody is talking of a prospect of a move within three days, but the origin of the reports I know not; perhaps in the impatience of the army to be led forward.
8 Brevoort Pl., Thursday.
The details of the landing of the fleet at Port Royal fill all minds and mouths. I hope Georgy will have, from “our own correspondent” with the expedition, a full account of the landing of the 7th Connecticut, which seems to have been the first on shore. The sight of those vessels rounding to and sailing past, with sails spread, and the bands playing, and the men crying, instead of cheering, for joy! must all have been wonderful. The poor blacks coming down to the shore, with their little bundles in their hands, is the most touching of all. Every one asks me what I think now of the state of the country, and I say—the results of the expedition are good, as far as they go. We must have something more than a Hatteras fizzle this time.
Flags are shown from all the private houses today. Our’s is out again, and I dare say Broadway will be quite a sight.
NOVEMBER 14TH.—The enemy, knowing our destitution of gun-boats, and well apprised of the paucity of our garrisons, are sending expeditions southward to devastate the coast. They say New Orleans will be taken before spring, and communication be opened with Cairo, at the mouth of the Ohio. They will not succeed so soon; but success is certain ultimately, if Mr. Benjamin, Gen. Winder, and Gen. Huger do not cease to pass Federal spies out of the country.
November 14, Thursday. — A dark, cold, rainy morning. Marching before daylight in pitchy darkness. (Mem.: — Night marches should only be made in extremest cases; men can go farther between daylight and dark than between midnight and dark of the next day, and be less worn-out.) We stopped in the dark, built fires, and remained until daylight, when we pushed on in mud and rain past enemy’s entrenchments on Dickinson’s farm to Fayetteville where we arrived about eight or nine A. M. After passing enemy’s works, [we found] the road strewed with axes, picks, tents, etc., etc. — the debris of Floyd’s retreating army. Fayetteville, a pretty village, deserted by men and by all but a few women. We quartered with Mrs. Mauser; her secession lord gone with Floyd. We heard P. M. of General Benham’s skirmishers killing Colonel St. George Croghan today — colonel of Rebel cavalry and son of Colonel George Croghan of Fort Stephenson celebrity. Died in a bad cause; but Father O’Higgins, of the Tenth, says he behaved like a Christian gentleman. Colonel Smith wears his sword. Shot through the sword-belt.
November 14.—A large and enthusiastic Union meeting was held at Cincinnati, Ohio, at which addresses were made by Rev. Granville Moody, Colonel Guthrie, of the Ohio Volunteers, and General Carey.—Cincinnati Commercial, Nov. 15.
—The Savannah Republican, of to-day, has the following: “From the moment the news of the attack on South Carolina soil, and the danger of our own coast became known, one loud burst of patriotism has resounded throughout the State of Georgia, from Tennessee to the seaboard. Every able-bodied man and boy is aroused and anxious to fly to our rescue and repel the invaders. Arms only are wanted, and of these every species is being gathered and forwarded to this city. Fifty thousand Georgians could be placed—or rather would place themselves—in the field within a week, did we only possess the materials to arm and equip them. We love our noble State the more for this grand exhibition of the patriotism and valor of her sons. A dozen Lincoln fleets could not conquer such a people.”
—The Planters’ Convention, at Macon, Ga., adopted a resolution indorsing the defensive measures of the Confederate Government, and recommending a discriminating duty of twenty per cent, on the productions of the United States. It was also resolved that if the war should continue, and the present crop remain undisposed of, the planters should not plant next Spring beyond the wants of home consumption.—Norfolk Daybook, Nov. 14.
—The Richmond Examiner published “The Constitution of the Protestant Episcopal Church in the Confederate States of America,” as proposed by the General Convention of that Church held at Columbia, South Carolina.—(Doc. 161.)
—The privateer schooner Neva, from China, was seized at San Francisco, Cal., by Captain Pease, of revenue cotter Mary.—N. Y. Tribune, Nov. 16.
—Lieutenant J. H. Rigby, of the Gist Artillery, detailed with twenty men, by Brigadier General Lockwood to proceed to Wilmington and New Castle, Md., with a view of securing a quantity of arms then in possession of secessionists in these places, promptly obeyed the order, and seized two fine brass six-pounders in the former city, and one piece of the same calibre, at New Castle. In addition, he secured one hundred United States muskets. These arms were all removed under charge of the detachment to Salisbury, where the main body of the forces recently sent to the eastern shore of Maryland were stationed.—Baltimore American, Nov. 18.
—The Richmond Dispatch, of this date, says: “It has been apparent for many months, and is obvious now, that the enemy is making a formidable demonstration toward East Tennessee from Eastern Kentucky. The object of the enemy in pushing forward there, is probably threefold. The chief purpose, doubtless, is to bring to its own support the large disaffected element of the population of East Tennessee which have been corrupted by the clamor of Andy Johnson, Maynard, Brownlow, and Trigg. The next object of the enemy is, probably, to get possession of the salt works in the western corner of Smythe County, where half a million of bushels of salt a year are now manufactured. And last, but not least, the enemy aims at the possession of a portion of the Virginia and Tennessee railroad, so as to cut off our direct communication from the seat of Government with Nashville, Memphis, and our armies in Western Kentucky. The clandestine burning of bridges at a concerted period in Eastern Tennessee proves the enemy’s designs upon this important highway of transportation and travel.
“If that country be given up, and East Tennessee be in consequence lost, the empire of the South is cut in twain, and we become a fragmentary organization, fighting in scattered and segregated localities, for a cause which can no longer boast the important attribute of geographical unity.”
—The schooner Maryland, loaded with wood, was becalmed in the Potomac, opposite the rebel battery on Pig Point, and some rebel boats put off to take her, whereupon the crew took the boats and rowed away. The rebels boarded, fired, and then left the schooner; and after their departure Lieutenant Chandler, with some men of the Eleventh Massachusetts regiment, went on board and put out the fire.— (Doc. 162.)
—The Governor of Florida has issued a proclamation forbidding the enlistment of citizens of that State to serve in other portions of the Confederacy. He orders, therefore, that all military officers in commission from the State of Florida shall interfere, by arresting and sending out of the State, any person found recruiting or enticing the citizens of Florida to enter into the service of any other State.—Memphis Appeal, Nov. 16.
—The pickets of Gen. Kelley’s brigade were advanced to-day five miles from Romney, Va., on the Winchester road, and were fired into, losing two killed and several wounded. Detachments sent in pursuit of the rebels, captured about twelve prisoners.—Cincinnati Times, Dec. 3.
—The Richmond (Va.) Examiner, of this day, has the following: “With pride and pleasure we record the gratitude of the Southern people, in announcing that no less than thirty thousand dollars, made up by the free-will offerings of men, women, and children, now stand to the credit of the widow and children of the martyr Jackson, [the assassin of Col. Ellsworth,] the brave Alexandrian, who fell in defence of the flag of his country. Should the marauders penetrate to our hearthstones, we trust that they will fined that the example of Jackson is not lost upon the fathers, husbands, sons, and brothers of our city.”
—In pursuance of the Government’s intention to establish a permanent depot for naval and military purposes at Port Royal, S. C., orders were this day given for the preparation of lumber for the construction of buildings for a depot at Port Royal, for the manufacture of all kinds of machinery for naval and other purposes, also to despatch at once storeships, which are to be permanently stationed at that point —N. Y. Herald, Nov. 15.
—There was a skirmish in London County, opposite Point of Rocks, Maryland. Colonel Geary had received information of the intention of the rebels to erect fortifications in that neighborhood. He crossed the river with Captain Chapman and twenty-five picked men of the Pennsylvania regiment, reconnoitred the vicinity, and found a force of rebels upon whom he quietly closed and surprised with a volley of shots. After firing two or three volleys, the rebels were routed, leaving three men and one horse dead on the field.
—Gen. Lockwood, with the expedition for the eastern shore of Virginia, marched from Snowville, Worcester County, Maryland.—N. Y. Express, Nov. 20.
—The First Kansas Cavalry, Colonel Jennison, went to Sedalia, Mo., to protect supply trains and other Government property at that and neighboring points. Colonel Jennison issued a proclamation to the people of Jackson, Lafayette, Cass, Johnson, and Pitt counties, Missouri, in which he said, that “every man who feeds, harbors, protects, or in any way gives aid and comfort to the enemies of the Union, will be held responsible for his treason, with his life and property.”—N. Y. Commercial, Nov. 16.
—Gen. Benham, in pursuit of the retreating army of Gen. Floyd, came up with a portion of their rear guard at McCoy’s Mills, and defeated it, killing fifteen rebels—among them Col. Croghan. No loss on Benham’s side.—(Doc. 163.)
