Wednesday, 23d—Our regiment is out on picket today. It rained all day. We seldom see any of the rebel cavalry in this locality, yet we always maintain a strong picket line so as not to be taken by surprise. We are expecting them to make a raid upon Corinth any time.
July 2012
July 23. Wednesday. — Marched four companies to Bluestone; bathed. A good evening drill.
Last evening I fell into a train of reflection on the separation of the regiment, so long continued, so unmilitary, and so causeless, with the small prospect of getting relief by promotion or otherwise in the Twenty-third, and as a result pretty much determined to write this morning telling brother William [Platt] that I would like a promotion to a colonelcy in one of the new regiments. Well, this morning, on the arrival of the mail, I get a dispatch from W. H. Clements that I am appointed colonel of the Seventy-ninth, a regiment to be made up in Hamilton, Warren, and Clinton Counties. Now, shall I accept? It is hard to leave the Twenty-third. I shall never like another regiment so well. Another regiment is not likely to think as much of me. I am puzzled. If I knew I could get a chance for promotion in the Twenty-third in any reasonable time, I would decline the Seventy-ninth. But, then, Colonel Scammon is so queer and crotchety that he is always doing something to push aside his chance for a brigadiership. Well, I will postpone the evil day of decision as long as possible.
23rd. Visited the rich mansion of Louis Ross, brother of John. Splendid place. The destruction seemed terrible. Owned 160 slaves. Good piano. Marched 12 miles and camped at 11.
Written from the Sea islands of South Carolina.
[Diary] July 23.
Nelly was busy all day cleaning and rigging her guns. The men on the place seemed overjoyed at their arrival.
I packed boxes for the Edisto refugees and counted up the produce of the sales. I have on hand over four hundred dollars. Mr. Ruggles stayed last night in place of Mr. Hooper as our protector. He brought us a present of sweet potatoes, watermelons and green apples. We had an apple pie!
By July 22 [Colonel] Joe [Howland] could not be kept away from the army, and only half well, he started back, probably in a hospital return boat, to the regiment at Harrison’s Landing. It was, however, only to break down again. The Historical Sketch of the 16th, prepared for their reunion at Potsdam in 1886, says: “Colonel Howland visited the regiment for the first time since the battle of Gaines’ Mill, His suffering was plainly seen, and the men showed their love for him by going to his tent and relieved each other’s guard, so that everyone might take him by the hand.”
Eliza writes him from Astoria, July 23:—
Dear Joe: It is the dull twilight of a dull November-like day and I am afraid you have had a cold, dreary passage. Once at Harrison’s Landing, however, cold weather will be better and healthier for you than hot. I suppose you must have arrived to-day. . . Georgy and I drove out yesterday with Robert, found Mary well and the children asleep. To-day we have had the full benefit of them within doors and have fought with the little rebel Bertha and played with the strange child Una, and studied the fascinations of the little new baby, most of the time. Georgy is an unusually sweet, bright little baby, and Una is a real beauty. Bertha’s affectionate greeting was : “I throw you in the bushes, and pull your head off for me dinner.”
. . . The Elizabeth at Harrison’s Landing is the Sanitary Commission store boat and has plenty of hospital clothing and supplies, and the Medical Director’s boat has plenty of farinaceous food, farina, arrowroot, etc. . . .
July 23d. This morning I was surrounded by all hands, anxious to hear the news from civilization, and to look at a man that had actually had a leave of absence. They tell me the corps’ review yesterday was a great success; the Fifty-seventh had the extreme right of the line and looked superb. It mustered exactly four hundred and forty-seven officers and men present for duty; showing a loss of almost forty-one per cent within nine months. Poor food, exposure, and hard work account for some of the loss, but the regiment has had a great many killed and wounded in action. The weather to-day was delightful, a fine shower falling about five o’clock, cooling and refreshing the air.
Heintzleman’s corps was reviewed to-day. I rode over to see it; thought it not equal to ours in any way.
Camp near Gordonsville, July 23, 1862.
I reached here on yesterday, and now hold the place which I had when I left—volunteer aide to Gen. Jackson. The position is very agreeable, and the only objection to it is that I draw no pay and pay my own expenses. I feel quite at home, and am entirely satisfied to spend the rest of the war in this position. Everything here seems so quiet. The troops are drilling, and there is every indication that the troops will rest here for some time. Considering the severe hardships through which they have passed since the war began, it is very much needed. Everything has a happy, quiet appearance, such as I have not seen in the army since we were in camp this time last year after the battle of Manassas.
I am sorry to have left you with so much work on hand, but hope you may bear it patiently. There is more need now than ever that as much should be made from the farm as possible, as I am drawing no pay. And now, darling, good-bye. I will write you frequently and let you know how I am getting along. I hope you will be as contented and happy as possible, and manage matters just as you please, and I will be satisfied.
This morning there was a most painful scene. Annie’s father came into Vicksburg, ten miles from here, and learned of our arrival from Mrs. C.’s messenger. He sent out a carriage to bring Annie and Max to town that they might go home with him, and with it came a letter for me from friends on the Jackson Railroad, written many weeks before. They had heard that our village home was under water, and invited us to visit them. The letter had been sent to Annie’s people to forward, and thus had reached us. This decided H., as the place was near New Orleans, to go there and wait the chance of getting into that city. Max, when he heard this from H., lost all self-control and cried like a baby. He stalked about the garden in the most tragic manner, exclaiming:
“Oh! my soul’s brother from youth up is a traitor! A traitor to his country!”
Then H. got angry and said, “Max, don’t be a fool!”
“Who has done this?” bawled Max. “You felt with the South at first; who has changed you?”
“Of course I feel for the South now, and nobody has changed me but the logic of events, though the twenty-negro law has intensified my opinions. I can’t see why I, who have no slaves, must go to fight for them, while every man who has twenty may stay at home.”
I, also, tried to reason with Max and pour oil on his wound. “Max, what interest has a man like you, without slaves, in a war for slavery? Even if you had them, they would not be your best property. That lies in your country and its resources. Nearly all the world has given up slavery; why can’t the South do the same and end the struggle? It has shown you what the South needs, and if all went to work with united hands the South would soon be the greatest country on earth. You have no right to call H. a traitor; it is we who are the true patriots and lovers of the South.”
This had to come, but it has upset us both. H. is deeply attached to Max, and I can’t bear to see a cloud between them. Max, with Annie and Reeney, drove off an hour ago, Annie so glad at the prospect of again seeing her mother that nothing could cloud her day. And so the close companionship of six months, and of dangers, trials, and pleasures shared together, is over.
______
Note: To protect Mrs. Miller’s job as a teacher in New Orleans, the diary was published anonymously, edited by G. W. Cable, names were changed and initials were often used instead of full names — and even the initials differed from the real person’s initials.
July 23.—General Pope issued an order directing the generals in his command to seize all the horses, mules and stores within their lines, except such as were absolutely needed by the inhabitants, especially in Culpeper County, Va. He also issued an order for the arrest of all disloyal male citizens within the lines of his command. Those who were willing to take the oath of allegiance and provide security for its observance were permitted to remain at their homes. Those refusing to be so sworn would be sent South beyond the National pickets.—(Doc. 104.)
—A fight took place near Florida, Mo., between a company of Union cavalry under the command of Major Caldwell and Porter’s band of rebel guerrillas, numbering three hundred, which resulted in the retreat of the Nationals with a loss of twenty-six killed, wounded and missing.
—A fight took place near the North Anna River, Va., between a body of Union troops under the command of Colonel Kilpatrick, and a force of the rebels, resulting in the complete rout of the latter. After the defeat of the rebels the Nationals cut the telegraph-wire, burned a railroad train loaded with grain, wagons, tents, baggage, commissary and medical stores, and other valuable property, and returned to Fredericksburg)), whence they started two days previous.—(Doc 156.)
—A large and enthusiastic meeting was held in Trenton, N. J., to promote enlistments into the army under the call of the President for three hundred thousand more troops. Resolutions strongly supporting the Government in the prosecution of the war, and recommending the raising of money for the purpose of paying bounties, was unanimously adopted. About five thousand dollars were subscribed at the meeting. Several persons were arrested in Fredericksburgh, Va., by order of Major-General Pope, and held as hostages for certain Union men seized by the rebels some months previous.
JULY 22D.—Today Gen. Winder came into my office in a passion with a passport in his hand which I had given, a week before, to Mr. Collier, of Petersburg, on the order of the Assistant Secretary of War—threatening me with vengeance and the terrors of Castle Godwin, his Bastile! if I granted any more passports to Petersburg where he was military commander, that city being likewise under martial law. I simply uttered a defiance, and he departed, boiling over with rage.
