Following the American Civil War Sesquicentennial with day by day writings of the time, currently 1863.

Saturday, March 10, 2012

Post image for All strange rumors come on Sunday.

All strange rumors come on Sunday.

March 10, 2012

Woolsey family letters during the War for the Union

Georgeanna’s Journal.

March 10.

All strange rumors come on Sunday. Josepha Crosby, Hatty and I went down to spend the afternoon at the Patent Office Hospital. During the week the camps had been emptied of convalescents, sent north to recover, and their places in the hospitals were occupied by others. The Patent Office is full again; four rows of beds and very sick men in them. I stooped down between two 8th New York Cavalry men in their little cots while they told me that their regiment had moved off silently on Saturday night. Coming away, I hurried up to Mrs. Captain Rodgers’ house and heard the story of the Merrimac fight. The first intimation they had of it was in church on Sunday morning, when, during service, a messenger came in and was seen to whisper something to General Meigs, who immediately left the church. A little while later General Totten was summoned, and then a Commodore somebody, by which time the congregation was in a state of suppressed excitement miserable to bear. Dr. Pine preached an unusually long sermon, and finally the people rushed out and heard the bad news.

While I was talking at the door with Mrs. Rodgers a four-horse ambulance was standing at McClellan’s door, and we sat down on the steps intending to see who got into it, and which way it went, a determination shared by plenty of other people on their way from church. At last a servant brought blankets, and McClellan and Franklin got in and started on their way over the Potomac; and then I came home, and presently Colonel McClure came in and told us that Heintzelmann, with whom he had been sitting an hour, expects to move in the morning and that Manassas was reported evacuated. Contrabands brought word of it to Kearney’s quarters; he made an armed reconnaissance and discovered the truth; word was sent to McClellan, and his ride on Sunday P. M. was in consequence. Mrs. Rodgers came in as we were in our petticoats, getting ready for bed, and confirmed it all.

Post image for Bearer of despatches.

Bearer of despatches.

March 10, 2012

Woolsey family letters during the War for the Union

Jane Stuart Woolsey to Eliza..

March 10, ‘62.

Theodore Bronson has just called to say that he saw Mr. Woolsey (Charley) in Baltimore last night all well. He saw his name in the papers as bearer of despatches and wondered whether he really had any, or if it was a sort of passport. I am glad if he has been able to do any service, but I should not like him to go into the army.

Post image for A Diary From Dixie

A Diary From Dixie

March 10, 2012

A Diary From Dixie by Mary Boykin Miller Chesnut.

March 10th.—Second year of Confederate independence. I write daily for my own diversion. These mémoires pour servir may at some future day afford facts about these times and prove useful to more important people than I am. I do not wish to do any harm or to hurt any one. If any scandalous stories creep in they can easily be burned. It is hard, in such a hurry as things are now, to separate the wheat from the chaff. Now that I have made my protest and written down my wishes, I can scribble on with a free will and free conscience.

Congress at the North is down on us. They talk largely of hanging slave-owners. They say they hold Port Royal, as we did when we took it originally from the aborigines, who fled before us; so we are to be exterminated and improved, à l’Indienne, from the face of the earth.

Medea, when asked: “Country, wealth, husband, children, all are gone; and now what remains?” answered: “Medea remains.” “There is a time in most men’s lives when they resemble Job, sitting among the ashes and drinking in the full bitterness of complicated misfortune.”

Post image for A Diary of American Events.

A Diary of American Events.

March 10, 2012

The American Civil War,The Rebellion Record—A Diary of American Events; by Frank Moore

 

March 10.—Lieut. J. D. Joak, of the First Iowa cavalry, with thirty men, encountered a band of marauders posted in a log-house and barn in Lafayette County, Mo. The enemy were defeated after a short engagement, in which they had nine killed and three wounded. The National loss was one killed and four wounded.—N. Y. World, March 21.

—Au expedition, sent out from Sedalia, Mo., by Brig.-Gen. McKean, into Bates County, returned with forty prisoners of war, recruits from Gen. Price’s army, a quantity of arms, ammunition, and other effects.

—In the United States Senate a joint resolution, in accordance with the suggestion in the President’s Special Message, tendering the aid of the Government to the States of Maryland and Delaware, and favoring voluntary emancipation, was offered by Mr. Wilson, of Massachusetts, but objected to by Mr. Saulsbury, of Delaware, and laid over. The Confiscation bill was taken up, and Mr. Browning, of Illinois, made a speech in opposition to it. At the conclusion of his speech a joint resolution of thanks to Commodore Foote was passed. The House bill, providing a new Article of War, prohibiting officers of the army from returning fugitive slaves, was debated at considerable length, and finally passed as it came from the House, twenty-nine to nine.

—The gunboat Whitehall, lying at Hampton Roads, Va., took fire at two o’clock this morning, and was totally destroyed. Three of her guns, all of which were shotted, went off at intervals, and a shell burst in the air, scattering its fragments about Fort Monroe, without, however, doing any damage. Another gun was saved by the harbor crew. The Whitehall was formerly a Fulton ferry-boat, at New-York.

—This day Col. James Carter, with his regiment of loyal Tennesseeans, left Camp Cumberland Ford, and went through the mountains, some forty odd miles, to Big Creek Gap, some four miles above Jacksboro, Tenn., where they had a fight with the rebel cavalry. Two of the rebels were killed, four badly wounded, and fifteen taken prisoners, among whom was Lieut.-Col. White. Col. Carter also obtained all of the tents for three companies, their camp equipage, and provisions, and some arms. Twenty-seven of the rebels’ horses were killed, and fifty-nine captured, with seven mules and four wagons. Lieut.-Col. Keigwin, of the Forty-ninth regiment Indiana volunteers, accompanied Colonel Carter, and rendered most efficient service. The National casualties were Lieutenant Myers and one private slightly wounded.—Louisville Journal, March 24.

—This morning the National forces, amounting to upwards of two thousand, proceeded to Centreville, Va., and occupied the village about four o’clock in the afternoon. It was altogether deserted. The rebels had destroyed as much of their property as they could not carry away, by fire and otherwise. The bridges, railroad track and depot, in that vicinity were extensively damaged, and nothing but wreck and desolation were apparent—N. Y. Herald, March 12.

—In the confederate House of Representatives, a resolution was passed advising the planters to withdraw from the cultivation of cotton and tobacco, and devote their energies to raising provisions and cattle, hogs and sheep.

—Charles Williams, of Fredericksburg, Va., and Samuel P. Carrect, of Washington City, were arrested for disloyalty in Richmond, Va., this day.

—Brunswick, Ga., was this day occupied by the National forces.

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