30th—Slept in the open air again last night; it rained, and I awoke in a pool of water. Strange that we do not take cold from such exposure. I never felt better, and I notice that very few of the soldiers take cold from any amount of exposure at this season of the year.
March 2012
MARCH 30TH—Gen. Lee is to have command of all the armies —but will not be in the field himself. He will reside here. Congress passed an act to create a commanding general; but this was vetoed, for trenching on the executive prerogative—or failed in some way. The proceedings were in secret session.
Sunday, 30th—This is our first Sunday in camp in the “Sunny South.” We had company inspection with all accouterments on, by the colonel of our regiment, Colonel Hare.
30th. Sunday. Brigade review, Second Ohio Cavalry, Ninth Wisconsin Infantry and Rabb’s Battery practiced with guns. Helped foot up officers account with Q. M. Received and answered a good letter from Fannie.
Raleigh, March 30, 1862. Sunday night.
Dearest : — I received your good letters tonight. I will recollect Will De Charmes and do what I can properly, and more too. I wish you and the boys and Grandma were here tonight to enjoy the sacred music of our band. They are now full (eighteen) and better than ever. The regiment is also strong and looks big and effective. Eight companies on dress parade looked bigger than the regiment has ever seemed since we left Camp Chase. The service performed the last ten days, breaking up bushwhackers and Governor Letcher’s militia musters, is prodigious. They have marched in snow four to six inches deep on the mountains sixty-five miles in three days, and look all the better for it. — Much love to Grandma and the dear boys. Ever so lovingly yours,
R.
I hear of Lippett’s arrest and Whitcomb’s death; both sad for families, but Lippett better have gone into the army and been killed.
Mrs. Hayes.
To Mrs. Lyon
March 30, 1862.—Jeff Thompson and Pillow both had headquarters here last winter and ravaged the country. The regiment is still at Mt. Pleasant doing nothing. We do not expect to join it until we can go down the river. Our forces are cutting a channel through from above Island No. 10, about one-half mile long, which leads into a bayou or slough and will give us water communication to New Madrid without passing the island. Our business here is to take care of a section of the railroad and to help in the trans-shipment from cars to wagons of supplies for the army at New Madrid.
March 30.—At Pensacola, Fla., Colonel T. M. Jones, commander at that place, issued the following:
“For the information of all concerned: There are certain lounging, worthless people, white as well as colored, who frequent Pensacola and vicinity, and have no observable occupation. Their intentions may be honest; but the colonel commanding does not believe it, and as he has no use for their presence, they are warned to leave, or the consequence must rest on their own heads. The gallows is erected in Pensacola, and will be in constant use on and after the third of April, 1862. The town is under complete martial law.”
—Lieut. Drake De Kay, aid to Gen. Mansfield, at Newport News, Va., started on a small trip up the James River, accompanied by some of the Twenty-ninth Massachusetts regiment When some eight or nine miles from camp, on going round a bend in the river, he came suddenly upon a boat containing five secessionists, named John Moore and son, John Parker, W. Burnham, (constable for a number of years in Warwick,) and W. T. Wilburn. The whole party belonged to Warwick, and had been supplying the secession army along the James River with rations. Their boat was loaded with flour, fish, tobacco, eggs, whisky, etc. The whole cargo was confiscated, and the rebel crew imprisoned. — Philadelphia Inquirer.
29th.—After much anxiety, more authentic information from the “Valley” received this morning. We gave them a good fight, but the field was left in the enemy’s hand. Poor, noble Winchester, to what degradation is she brought! Our dear W. B. C. was shot through the hip; the wound painful, but not mortal; he was carried to Staunton, and his mother has gone to him. The rest of our own peculiar “boys” are safe, but many lives were lost. It is thought that a great crisis is at hand. The Peninsula is the place appointed by rumour for a great battle. The croakers dread much from their numbers; my trust is in One who can save by many or by few.
March 29 — Only one gun went on picket to-day. March 30 — This morning we went to Maurertown, which is some three or four miles below Woodstock. From the lower end of the little hamlet we fired three shell into a bushy woods that looked like a good cover for game, as Yankee finders, but our shell failed to stir up anything of the Yankee kind. We came back to camp soon after we fired the three shots.
Camp near New Market Bridge, March 29, 1862.
Dear Father, — I suppose you have not heard anything about our moving here from the newspapers. All of them are forbidden to publish any news whatever of our movements. Day before yesterday a reconnoissance was made towards Big Bethel. I wrote Hannah a day or two ago that we were all going to advance. It turned out that it was to be a reconnoissance only. They saw a few of the enemy and killed one. We advanced beyond Big Bethel to within 6 miles of Yorktown. I had to stay here in camp to see that things went straight. I did not lose much, however. The rebels had been working on the fortifications at B. Bethel the very morning our troops advanced, but when they reached there, the rebels had run off with their cannon. They had captured two of our men, outside of our picket lines, where they were expressly forbidden to go, in the morning, and so had notice of our advance. Our pickets have orders to shoot any man they see outside the lines, whether on our side or not. This will have a good effect on stragglers.
I wish I could send you home some of the holly trees I have seen down here. They grow in great abundance and of all sizes from a small bush up to a large-sized tree. They look very prettily with their dark green leaves and red berries. I have decorated my tent with a branch. The apricots down here are in full blossom, and the weather is warm and delightful, everything showing that spring is here.
We shall probably advance in a day or two, very likely to-morrow. General McClellan will be here to-morrow, and his coming will be the signal for our advance. I heard General Porter tell one of the commodores at Fortress Monroe that we should have 130,000 men and 300 pieces of artillery with us on our advance. The commodore said that the rebels were making great preparations to meet us, and would give us a severe battle between West Point and Richmond. W. P. is on the York River, I think. I do not know why we did not land at the Pocosin [Poquoson ?] River. I think it was the plan to do so. I have received no letters from home for a week, but expect them now daily.
I enclose a hyacinth root dug up right behind the place we are now encamped. Please give it to Hannah. I broke off the leaves so as to keep the life in the bulb. . . .
There are 24 correspondents of newspapers at Fort Monroe. They will be kept in the rear, as far as is possible, and will not learn much about movements planned, but not yet executed. If there is any battle government will let it be known instantly, so you need not be afraid of any fight being concealed. . . .
