July 30TH.—Both Gen. Jackson and Gen. Stuart were in the department to-day. Their commands have preceded them, and must be near Orange C. H. by this time. These war-worn heroes (neither of them over forty years of age) attracted much attention. Everybody wished to see them; and if they had lingered a few minutes longer in the hall, a crowd would have collected, cheering to the echo. This they avoided, transacting their business in the shortest possible space of time, and then escaping observation. They have yet much work to do.
Monday, July 30, 2012
30th.—Rumors of battle have to-day, waked up our drowsy energies, and put all on the qui vive. Orders at noon to “be ready for action at any moment.” The enemy’s gun boats are coming down the river, and a land attack is anticipated. Humiliated as we feel at being shut up here on the defence, there is a kind of “let ’em come” defiance in every heart and on every face. My own opinion is that it is a feint, and that we shall not be attacked. My experience in the late retreat, has fully gratified all my curiosity to see a great fight. For five days and nights I was not out of sight of our lines; in fact, never left the field of battle. It will require more than idle curiosity to induce me to undergo the same again.
Wednesday, 30th—We camped on a large “secesh” plantation last night. The owner of it being a general in the rebel army, we made ourselves at home, killing all the cattle that we wanted and taking all the honey that we could carry away with us. We started at 8 o’clock this morning and marched fourteen miles, when we bivouacked for the night.
July 30, 1862. Wednesday. — I set the men to drilling in the new target practice. Rode with Bottsford over to see Mrs. Lilley, an old lady whose husband, James Lilley, lately died at Camp Chase in prison. Her son James is still there. As the only male member of the family old enough to do work, I am inclined to ask for his release. Her daughter Emily, a well-appearing young woman, is accused of giving the information which led to bushwhacking Captain Gilmore’s cavalry. I hope it is not so.
I received today letters from Stephenson and Herron and an order from Columbus “authorizing” me to assist in raising a regiment, the Seventy-ninth. I don’t know what to think of all this. Am I required to go home and assist?
30th. Wednesday. In camp on Rocky Creek, Spring River. Issued five days’ rations, preparatory to marching northward. Boys in good spirits. Wrote to Fred Allen. Saw Charlie in the morning. Read Will’s last journal, much better than his late ones. His discouragement about the late reverses. To be sure the present hour looks dark but I have faith in the future. The light will soon break. I have faith to believe that the North will yet be victorious over the South, right be victorious over wrong. I am sorry Will feels so. It looks like an apology for not enlisting. To fear defeat and yet not raise a hand looks faulty.
Wednesday 30th.—Arriving at Knoxville, was ordered to convalescent camp. Don’t like the place; much rather go on to regiment; on guard nearly half the time. Regiment eighteen miles from here, at Camp Hatten.
(Note: picture is of an unidentified Confederate soldier.)
July 30th. To-day was the hottest of the season thus far. The heat was intolerable, and all work not absolutely necessary was stopped. We made desperate efforts to keep cool, but were wholly unsuccessful. Our tents are covered with pine boughs; the fly is up in front as an awning, and the sides of the tents looped up to the cords, making a free circulation, but still we were almost suffocated. We owe much to the ladies of the sanitary commission, who very kindly furnished us with a lot of palm-leaf fans. At noon received orders to prepare three days’ rations, issue sixty rounds of ammunition, and hold ourselves in readiness to move at a moment’s notice. It was really a good thing to have something to do, for we forgot for the time being the great heat. The cooks set to work; ammunition was issued in the few cases where the men were without their proper complement, and the camp soon became animated and interesting. No information was given as to the movements intended, and so we arranged for a final leave taking of the camp by packing up our traps. At 6 P. M. the brigade was ordered out for drill, in full marching order, three days’ rations included; drill lasted until 7 P. M. After it was over, and before the troops were dismissed, six men from each regiment were selected to serve on the James river gunboat flotilla. Nearly every man in the regiment volunteered to go, and those selected considered themselves fortunate; the fact is a foot soldier is always ready to change place with any man riding horseback, sailing on gunboats, or even driving mule teams. Late in the evening received orders to parade at seven o’clock to-morrow morning. Colonel Zook is still on leave of absence, trying to get recruits for the regiment from the governor of the state; we all hope he may get them and soon rejoin us. Companies are much too small for service.
July 30.—The rebel Colonel, John H. Morgan, reported to Major-General E. Kirby Smith, commanding department of East-Tennessee, the result of his expedition into Kentucky. He left Knoxville, Tenn., on the fourth, with about nine hundred men, and returned to Livingston, in the same State, on the twenty-eighth instant, with nearly twelve hundred men, having been absent twenty-four days, during which time he travelled over a thousand miles, captured seventeen towns, destroyed the Government supplies and arms in them, dispersed about fifteen hundred home guards, and paroled nearly twelve hundred regular troops. He lost in killed, wounded, and missing, of the number that he carried into Kentucky, about ninety.—(See Supplement.)
—The bells contributed to the rebel government, by the churches, planters, and others, to be cast into cannon, and seized by Gen. Butler at New-Orleans, were sold at auction in Boston, Massachusetts.
—The Bishop of Oxford, England, addressed a letter to the archdeacons in his diocese, directing them to instruct their clergy as follows:
“You are earnestly desired to make your supplications to Almighty God, who is the author of peace and lover of concord, that he will promote peace among our brethren in America, and inspire their hearts with Christian unity and fellowship.”
—John R. Lee, Acting Master of the United States steamer E. B. Hale, with a party from that vessel ascended Todd Creek, Ga., and destroyed a salt manufactory in successful operation on the plantation of H. H. Floyd.
—A band of guerrillas under the lead of Joe Thompson, (many of whom had taken the oath and given bond,) entered Paris, Ky., cut down the flag-pole, took the Sheriff and the clerks of the Circuit and County Courts prisoners, forced the keys of the jail from the jailer, set at liberty a man who was indicted for murder in the first degree, demanded of the Sheriff the warrant of commitment and all the money which he had collected for taxes, but he having disposed of it, they got none. They took the two clerks to the jail, in a room of which was the Clerk’s office, and forced the Clerk of the Circuit Court to deliver such indictments as Joe Thompson wanted. They took from some of the stores such goods as suited them, amounting to hundreds of dollars, pressed a wagon, and then loaded it and drove it off, forced the people to deliver their money, furnish them supper, etc. About night some four hundred joined them, also taking supper. After dark they left, taking off one prisoner. They were followed by a party of the Ninth Pennsylvania cavalry, under Lieutenant-Colonel James, who overtook them, killing twenty-seven and capturing thirty-nine, thirty of whom were wounded.—Louisville Journal.
—An attempt to capture the steam-tug Achilles, lying off Harrison’s Landing, on the James River, Va., was made by a party of rebels from the south side of the river, but they were driven off.
