June 5—We were marched to town and received our arms—Springfield muskets. Next day went off very quietly.
Tuesday, June 5, 2012
June 5th. Early this morning the colonel sent me to General Richardson’s headquarters to report the wretched position the regiment was in and get permission, if possible, to move it. I rode over the battlefield of the thirty-first and first on my way, and found it in many places knee deep in water; the dead had been buried by digging little ditches around them, and throwing the earth over the bodies; when it rained, it washed the earth away, particularly at each end of the mound, leaving the feet or head exposed in a most horrible manner. I saw scores of such cases, most of whom were rebels, but that did not make the picture any the less horrible. The general gave permission to change the regiment’s position. I heard at division headquarters that the wounded have not yet been all collected; several were brought in to-day, who have been lying three days and nights on the drenched battlefield, in the woods; some of them were burnt, as well as wounded. Detailed Company B to complete the burial of the rebel dead about our front; in the course of two hours they picked up ninety-one men, and buried them in one long ditch.
Eliza Woolsey Howland to her husband, Colonel Joseph Howland:—
I enclose some comments about Casey’s division, and we all agree here that justice was not done to the men. It is surely hard enough to lose as terribly as they did without being reproached for cowardice. Abby says in a late letter— “Anna Jeffries came on from Boston yesterday in the train which brought many of the Daniel Webster load, scattering them all along at or near their homes. One gentleman was asking another whether Casey was of Rhode Island or Connecticut, when a wounded soldier cried out from some seat nearby, overhearing Casey’s name—a cry of anguish and anger—`They didn’t run! they didn’t run!’ He tried to stagger to his feet, being wounded in both ankles, and then added—’I can’t stand, but I tell you they only broke, they didn’t run.'”
June 5th.—Beauregard retreating and his rear-guard cut off. If Beauregard’s veterans will not stand, why should we expect our newly levied reserves to do it? The Yankee general who is besieging Savannah announces his orders are “to take Savannah in two weeks’ time, and then proceed to erase Charleston from the face of the earth.”
Albert Luryea was killed in the battle of June 1st. Last summer when a bomb fell in the very thick of his company he picked it up and threw it into the water. Think of that, those of ye who love life! The company sent the bomb to his father. Inscribed on it were the words, “Albert Luryea, bravest where all are brave.” Isaac Hayne did the same thing at Fort Moultrie. This race has brains enough, but they are not active-minded like those old Revolutionary characters, the Middletons, Lowndeses, Rutledges, Marions, Sumters. They have come direct from active-minded forefathers, or they would not have been here; but, with two or three generations of gentlemen planters, how changed has the blood become! Of late, all the active-minded men who have sprung to the front in our government were immediate descendants of Scotch, or Scotch-Irish—Calhoun, McDuffie, Cheves, and Petigru, who Huguenotted his name, but could not tie up his Irish. Our planters are nice fellows, but slow to move; impulsive but hard to keep moving. They are wonderful for a spurt, but with all their strength, they like to rest.
June 5.—The Twenty-fourth regiment of Massachusetts, while on a scouting expedition on the Pactolus road, near Washington, N. C, were attacked from an ambush by a rebel regiment, and had seven men killed and several wounded.— (Doc. 59.)
—The Twelfth regiment New-York State militia, under the command of Col. William S. Ward, left New-York for Washington, D. C—The volunteer recruiting service in the United States, discontinued by General Orders No. 33, of April third, 1862, was restored, and orders to that effect were published by General Thomas.
—The rebel artillery opened upon the National forces at New-Bridge, on the Chickahominy River, Va., from five different points, attempting to prevent General McClellan’s troops from rebuilding the bridge; their fire was returned, and after an engagement of over two hours, the rebels were compelled to retire.
—A heavy storm, which had lasted two whole days, raised the Chickahominy River, Va., to an unprecedented height—President Lincoln complimented First Lieut. D. C. Constable, commanding the revenue steamer E. A. Stevens, by handing him personally a commission as captain in the revenue cutter service, in recognition of his gallantry in leading with his steamer the attacking forces in their ascent of the James River and bombardment of Fort Darling.—Second Lieutenant J. Wall Wilson was also promoted to a first lieutenancy for gallant bearing during the same action.
—Nathaniel S. Berry was inaugurated Governor of New-Hampshire, at Concord, in the presence of both branches of the Legislature and a large concourse of citizens. In his message, alluding to National affairs, the Governor says there can be but one result to the struggle in which we are engaged — submission to the first principles of the government inaugurated and established by our fathers. The base rebellious spirit which designed to reverse the free and humane policy of our fathers, must fail. The fearful lesson we have had in the conflict with slavery, its disasters to all its promoters, its evident weakness in its death-struggle with freedom, all portend a change in the estimation in which this great evil will be hereafter held, and foretell in legible characters, written in view of all the nations, that its days are numbered. For these reasons the Governor rejoices in the late message of President Lincoln, and in the abolishing of slavery in the District of Columbia, and its prohibition in the territories. But he affirms the principle that each State submitting to the provisions of the Constitution should control its own local institutions; but such submission should be regarded as a pre-requisite to the employment of the benefits of that instrument.
—Judge Birch, who was arrested at Holla, Mo., for expressing disloyal sentiments, was released from arrest and paroled, with the understanding that he was to report himself whenever required.—James Trabue, one of the principal dry-goods merchants of Louisville, Ky., was arrested to-day by the military authorities at that place. He refused to take the oath of allegiance. —Two companies of the Pennsylvania “Roundhead” regiment, on James Island, S. C, were cut off by the rebels, but after a sharp fight were rescued by the Eighth Michigan regiment.— The United States gunboat fleet and mortar fleet arrived before Memphis, Tenn., at nine P.M.
