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

Friday, March 16, 2012

Post image for “…, where they exchanged shots for the first time with the rebs.”–Diary of Josiah Marshall Favill.

“…, where they exchanged shots for the first time with the rebs.”–Diary of Josiah Marshall Favill.

March 16, 2012

Diary of a Young Officer–Josiah Marshall Favill (57th New York Infantry)

(March 16, 1862)

On the 14th the cavalry, accompanied by the Fifty-seventh, started along the Orange and Alexandria railroad to Cedar Run. They had a brush with the enemy’s pickets in the evening near Cedar Run, driving them off the ground. On the 15th the infantry advanced to Catlett’s Station, where they exchanged shots for the first time with the rebs. Two men were lost by the temporary bridges giving way, and I suppose they were picked up by the rebel cavalry.

General Stoneman, finding out what every one believed, that the rebel army had wholly disappeared from our front, returned to camp, and the following day left us. He was very complimentary to Zook, and gave him the following note, written on the field note book of his adjutant.

Headquarters cavalry corps,

Army of the Potomac, March 16, 1862.

Colonel Zook, Fifty-seventh New York Volunteers: Allow me to return you and the officers of your fine regiment, my sincere thanks for the very handsome manner in which each and all performed the severe duty imposed upon them, and more particularly that portion employed upon scouts and advance guard. I shall take the first occasion to express my sentiments to the general commanding. Please express my sentiments to your command and much oblige.

Yours Very Truly,

Genl. Geo. Stoneman,

Chief of cavalry, commanding.

_______

Note: This part of the “diary” is more of a recollection than a day by day diary.  I am splitting it up for posting on Daily Observations from the Civil War at what appear to be appropriate points; these may differ somewhat from actual historical records.
Post image for Through Some Eventful Years

Through Some Eventful Years

March 16, 2012

Through Some Eventful Years by Susan Bradford Eppes

March 16th, 1862.—The entire family wrote to Brother Amos this morning, he will surely find out he has a young daughter. As scarce as paper is Eddie had to have a whole sheet to write his letter on. He looked so in earnest that I asked what he was writing? He said, “I is sayin’, Father come home and wear de beautiful cloes.” He admires the gray and gold as much as the rest of us do.

Post image for A Diary of American Events.

A Diary of American Events.

March 16, 2012

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

March 16.—This day Gen. Garfield defeated a body of rebels, intrenched on the summit of the Cumberland Mountains, in Eastern Tennessee. The National troops, numbering six hundred men, detailed in about equal numbers from the Forty-second and Fortieth Ohio, and Twenty-second Kentucky regiments and McLaughlin’s cavalry, left their camp on the fourteenth, destined for Pound Gap. That point was reached to-day after a march of thirty-seven miles, performed in some thing less than two days. The enemy were taken by surprise, dislodged from their stronghold, and driven routed and discomfited from the field. The entire camp, with its equipage, consisting of numerous log-huts, canvas tents, subsistence stores, wagons, and all the trappings of camp life, together with some three hundred squirrel rifles, fell into the hands of the Unionists. In the absence of means of transportation, all but what the troops could carry on their backs was submitted to the flames. It was a brilliant success, and the entire detachment returned without loss or damage to a man.—(Doc. 96.)

—This day a battalion of the Fourth Illinois regiment had a skirmish with a squadron of rebel cavalry, near Pittsburgh Landing, resulting in the defeat of the latter with some loss. Four of the Nationals were wounded.—The bark Glen, which had been blockaded in the harbor of Beaufort N. C, for some time, was set on fire by the rebels, and completely destroyed.

—The Nashville (Tenn.) Times suspended publication, owing to the restriction of its “independence” by Gov. Andrew Johnson.—N. Y. Times, March 28.

—Gen. Wright, Commander of the Department of the Pacific, instituted martial law in San Francisco, and issued an order dated February second, by which Major Hiram Leonard, of the United States Army, is appointed Provost Marshal.— N. Y. Herald, March 28.

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