Tuesday, 19. — General Schenck and staff left today. General Schenck sick — not health enough for this work. We are rejoiced reading news of the naval expedition to Port Royal. It looks well. I hope the present anticipations will be fully realized.
Saturday, November 19, 2011
Letter from Captain Lyon to Mrs. Lyon.
“Nov. 19.—Nothing of interest today or since I wrote. I celebrated the fourteenth anniversary of our wedding yesterday by going dressed up all day and by smoking the best cigars I could get.”
Boston, November 19, 1861
We have had a little run of luck on this side this last week, and Dupont and Wilkes have bolstered up the reputation of our navy, and indeed not before it was time, as you say. I suppose the seizure of Mason and Slidell reached you before the Beaufort news and made that additionally acceptable. Here it created quite a stir and immense delight, though at first every one thought that it must be a violation of national law; but Dana crowed with delight and declared that if Lord John made an issue on that, you could blow him out of water. I don’t think people cared much for Mason, except that his arrogance has made him odious; but of Slidell every one stands in great terror, and to have him safe in Fort Warren is an immense relief. Of the Beaufort affair you can judge as well as I, and if the handling of that fleet does n’t please the English, they must be fastidious. As a whole the news is for the moment better, but the symptoms are still bad. We evidently cannot follow up our successes, and the army is perfectly unwieldy. This time and more disaster will cure, but for myself, I by no means partake of the immense elation of our press. I still think that nothing of importance will be done before the spring. . . .
Tuesday, 19th—We started down the river again at daylight and reached St. Louis at 3 p. m. We landed and marched to Benton Barracks, where we were to be at home. Just as we left the boat it commenced to rain and we marched the whole way in a downpour of rain which soaked our clothes through and through. Reaching the barracks we built fires to dry our clothes before retiring for the night.
TUESDAY 19
A delightful day, bright but cool. Called up to the “White House” this morning to see Maj Watt, did not find him. Walked into the “East room” to see the New Carpet and papering, all very elegant. Called at Willards, met Doct Harris of the R.I. Brigade. He was released from Richmond on his parole. Got letters from Surgeon Barnes and Jas Bourne. Went to Wall Stevens & Co for Barnes and to [McCle[lle]n?] for Bourne. Made fire Board for parlor and spent the evening at home reading.
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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 19th.—I rarely sat down to write under a sense of greater responsibility, for it is just possible my letter may contain the first account of the seizure of the Southern Commissioners which will reach England; and, having heard all opinions and looked at authorities, as far as I could, it appears to me that the conduct of the American officer, now sustained by his Government, is without excuse. I dined at Mr. Corcoran’s, where the Ministers of Prussia, Brazil, and Chili, and the Secretary of the French Legation, were present; and, although we did not talk politics, enough was said to show there was no dissent from the opinion expressed by intelligent and uninterested foreigners.
Jane Stuart Woolsey to Georgeanna and Eliza.
New York, November, 1861.
Dear Girls: I went to the provisional Hospital here to see if the volunteers wanted anything. Mrs. Darragh took me all over, and said she wanted woolen shirts and socks very much. So I sent the requisition to the society and she will get all she wants there. . . . Mrs. D. also suggests slates for the men to scribble on, cypher on, do puzzles, etc.; thought they would be very nice, in which I agree. Perhaps the idea may be useful to you. . . . Do you remember Peck, the man all twisted with rheumatism? He is getting well, and is a great gourmand. They let him have anything he wants. While we were there he remarked sentimentally, “I say, send we some more of that roast pig, won’t you.” I shall adopt the New York volunteers to the mild extent of taking them some papers occasionally. . . . Mrs. Bennett, poor old soul, called yesterday to tell of the death of her son with typhoid dysentery in the camp, and, what with her grief and childish elation at having news to tell and being an object of sympathy, was most pathetically comic,— “dead and gone! dear, dead and gone! and this is his picter that he sent home to his mar,” was her greeting to everyone that came down stairs; “and I hope you’ll all be ready in time, my dears. It’s bad enough to be left by the cars, but worse not to be ready when you come to die.” Her great desire seemed to be to see and thank a drummer boy, who in the last few days of her son’s life walked a mile and a half every day to get him a canteen of spring water. He was consumed with thirst and could not drink the river water. . . . Do the surgeons know that you can have money at your disposal for delicacies, as well as clothes, etc.? Let them know it, if you have not, and spend, spend indefinitely. I say to myself often, “fifty or sixty thousand dollars would give quite a lift, why do I cumber the ground?” So if you don’t want to see me dead and the ducats in my coffin directed to the Sanitary Commission, say what I can do or send.
NOVEMBER 19TH. —To-day Monsieur Paul, French Consul, applied in person for passports on behalf, I believe, of some French players (Zouaves) to Norfolk. Of course I declined granting them. He grew enthusiastic, and alleged that British subjects had enjoyed the privilege. He said he cared nothing for the parties applying in this instance; but he argued vehemently against British subjects being favored over French subjects. I sent a note concerning our interview to the Secretary; and while Monsieur Paul still sat in the office, the following reply came in from the Secretary: “All you need do is to say to the French Consul, when he calls, that you obey your instructions, and have no authority to discuss with him the rights of French subjects. J. P. B.” Monsieur Paul departed with “a flea in his ear.” But he received an invitation to dine with the Secretary to-day.
Fayetteville, Virginia,
November 19, 1861. (Tuesday).
Dearest: — We are housed comfortably in a fine village deserted by its people, leaving us capital winter quarters. Floyd intended to winter here, but since his retreat we are left in possession.
We have had severe marching; two nights out without tents — one in the rain and one on the snow. We stood it well. Not a man sick of those who were well, and the sick all improving— due to the clear frosty weather.
Dr. Joe is reading with much satisfaction the news of the success of our fleet. It is most important. We are hoping to stay here for the winter if we do not leave Virginia. It is much the best place we have been in. All, or nearly all, people gone, fine houses, forage, healthy location, etc., etc. Direct to Gauley as usual. I think of you almost constantly these days.
We are now entirely clear of the enemy. I met a party of Georgians yesterday with a flag of truce; had a good friendly chat with them. They are no doubt brave fine fellows but not hardy or persevering enough for this work. They really envied us our healthy and rugged men. They are tired of it heartily.
I can’t yet tell when Dr. Joe or Jim or myself will come home, but one of us will pretty certainly come within a fortnight. No, I shall not be able to come so soon, but one of the doctors, will I think. Love to the dear boys and Grandma and so much for your own dear self.
Affectionately,
R.
Mrs. Hayes.
November 19.—Some men of Capt Hill’s Cavalry had a skirmish near Wirt Court House, Western Virginia, with a gang of rebels calling themselves the Moccasin Rangers. There was a corn-husking at the house of a secessionist, about a mile from Wirt Court House, and some of Capt. Hill’s men obtained leave of absence and attended the affair without arms. After the men had started, the balance of the company were advised that their companions were to be attacked and captured at the husking, by the Moccasin Rangers. Accordingly the company armed themselves, and proceeded as quietly as possible down to the husking. They had scarcely reached the house and formed themselves in position, when the Moccasin Rangers made a charge upon the house. Capt. Hill’s men fired upon the Moccasins before the latter were aware of their presence in force, killing a lieutenant and wounding five or six others. The rangers retreated.
—The rebel steamer Nashville, Capt. Pegram, captured, in the British channel, the American ship Harvey Birch, bound from Havre to New York, in ballast, the captain and crew of which were taken off, and the vessel burnt to the water’s edge. The Nashville then ran into Southampton, England, landed the prisoners, and remained there.—(Doc. 182.)
—Isham G. Harris, Governor of Tennessee, called out the militia of the Second, Third, and Fourth Divisions of that State to be ready to march by the 25th, “unless, in the mean time, a sufficient number of volunteers shall have tendered their services to fill” the requisition made upon him by General A. S. Johnson of the Confederate States Army.—(Doc. 177.)
—Warsaw, the capital of Benton County, Missouri, was burned. The flames broke out at six P. M., and all the business portion of the town was laid in ashes.
—G. Wallace Ewer, son of Captain John Ewer, of New Bedford, Massachusetts, was promoted from a Master’s Mate to Acting Master, for gallant conduct at the Port Royal fight. He served on board the Mohican. His father was in the same action on board the Sabine.
—Major-General H. W. Halleck, U. S. A., assumed command of the department of the Missouri, Major-General Hunter having been assigned to the Department of Kansas. Gen. Halleck issued an order establishing his headquarters at St. Louis.
—This morning, about ten o’clock, Company A, of the First Delaware regiment, left Camp Hamilton, near Fortress Monroe, on a scouting expedition. The corps was under command of Captain Watson, of Wilmington. They crossed Hampton Creek, and when about one and a half miles beyond the outer pickets encountered a considerable body of rebel cavalry, who were accompanied by two field-howitzers, brass rifled pieces, and the first intimation the Delawarians had of the enemy’s position on near approach, was the whistling of a projectile through the woods and underbrush. Captain Watson then threw up a temporary defence of brushwood and earth, after advancing to an eligible position, and sent back for reinforcements.
General Mansfield, accompanied by three companies of the New York Twentieth, Col. Max Weber, proceeded to the relief of the Delaware troops.
—A Flag of truce from Norfolk to-day brought to Fortress Monroe, Va., Lieut. Worden, U. S. N., who was taken prisoner while bearing despatches to Fort Pickens at the breaking out of hostilities, and imprisoned at Montgomery, Alabama, for some time. He was exchanged for Lieut. Short, of the rebel army, who was taken at Hatteras Inlet, and had been confined on the frigate Congress at Newport News.—National Intelligencer, Nov. 21.
—The United States gunboat Penobscot, built at Belfast, Me., by Messrs. C. P. Carter and Co., was launched to-day.—Baltimore American, November 21.
—A Message from Jefferson Davis, President of the “Confederate States,” was received by the rebel Congress in session at Richmond. —(Doc. 178.)
—The U. S. gunboat Conestoga, on a reconnoitring expedition up the Tennessee River, from Paducah, Ky., to-day, discovered a rebel battery near the Tennessee line, and threw shell, routing the enemy from their guns. Still further up another battery was discovered, and an engagement followed, in which the rebels were driven off and a number killed. The Conestoga was but slightly damaged.
