Rienzi, Thursday, Sept. 11. I answered the summons of the reveille, but I did not feel very well; had an attack of the ague but got over it by dinner. Nothing to break the monotony of camp life. Reinforced by one regiment of infantry.
Tuesday, September 11, 2012
September 11 — This morning we went on picket again on the same road, but did not go to the same place we were yesterday on account of an advance the Yanks made early this morning. We put our guns in position at a schoolhouse about five miles from where we picketed yesterday and about three miles from Urbana. The country around Urbana is full of roads, and to-day the Yanks advanced on several of them at once, but not on the one we were on. They attempted the cutting-off business on us again, but this time we played the fall-back game in due season, before the Yanks had a chance to close in on our rear, like they did the other day at Poolesville. We fell back from our picket post to Urbana and from there to the Monocacy bridge, without firing a shot. We put the battery in position on the bridge,— where the pike crosses the Baltimore and Ohio Railroad,— which thoroughly commands the bridge where the pike crosses the Monocacy and only about three hundred yards distant, which is a first-class range for canister. We are camped this evening on the Monocacy, two miles from Frederick City.
11th.—Generals Hancock’s and Brook’s brigades started this morning, on a reconnoisance towards Sugar Loaf Mountain. There is no longer a doubt that the enemy is in possession of Frederick, and has been for some days. Reconnoitering party discovered no enemy in force. It has rained to-day, and I now prepare to lie down, sick and tired at the foot of the mountain.
September 11, Thursday. I find it difficult to hurry Wilkes off with his command. The public, especially the commercial community, are impatient; but Wilkes, like many officers, having got position, likes to exhibit himself and snuff incense. He assumed great credit for promptness, and has sometimes shown it, but not on this occasion. Has been fussing about his vessel until I had, to-day, to give him a pretty peremptory order.
Men in New York, men who are sensible in most things, are the most easily terrified and panic-stricken of any community. They are just now alarmed lest an ironclad steamer may rush in upon them some fine morning while they are asleep and destroy their city. In their imagination, under the teachings of mischievous persons and papers, they suppose every Rebel cruiser is ironclad, while in fact the Rebels have not one ironclad afloat. It only requires a sensation paragraph in the Times to create alarm. The Times is controlled by Seward through Thurlow Weed, and used through him by Stanton. Whenever the army is in trouble and public opinion sets against its management, the Times immediately sets up a howl against the Navy.
Senator Pomeroy of Kansas called yesterday in relation to a scheme, or job, for deporting slaves and colored people to Chiriqui. I cautioned him against committing himself or the Government to Thompson, or any corporation or association. Let him know my opinion of Thompson’s project and my opposition to it. Advised him, if anything was seriously and earnestly designed, to go to the Government of New Granada or any of the Spanish-American States and treat with them direct, and not through scheming jobbers. Should suspect P. to have a personal interest in the matter but for the fact that the President, the Blairs, and one or two men of integrity and character favor it.
Thursday, 11th—The brigade received marching orders to leave in the morning at daylight and we packed our knapsacks today. The talk is that we are to go to Corinth. A small force is to be left here to hold the fort, and it will require a large number to take it. Bolivar has some loyal citizens who will be protected in this way, but we are sorry to bid these people good-bye, perhaps for all time to come. We have been in camp here forty-two days and all the time engaged in hard service—on picket, fatigue and patrol duty, besides often in line of battle.
Thursday, 11th. Went down to the post commissary to get provisions. Saw Delos and went down with him to see Charlie. He agreed upon proposal to fill out a program Fred had sent on for the celebration of the 10th, Charlie’s birthday, and anniversary of our enlistment. Issued rations during the day. Charlie came up in the evening and read what he had written. Liked it well. A complete farce to fool the boys. No mail for me in the evening.
Written from the Sea islands of South Carolina.
[Diary] 11th.
We had a large school to-day — forty-seven scholars. We are taking Nelly’s scholars during her absence at the North, and teach in the corner room of the Oaks.
Thursday, 11th.—Company A and our company were sent out on advance picket line and remained there all night. Yankees worked all night on their works; could hear their spades rattle; and could ‘hear trains and steamboats running and blowing all night over in Cincinnati. Relieved from picket 8 A. M., and returned to regiment, when we gave up our position to an Arkansas brigade, and went back one mile and cooked rations.
Corinth, Saturday, Oct. 11. The Battery returned from its chase after the retreating rebs, of a week in length. In the evening the Captain and Sergeant Simpson rode into our camp, the Battery being in camp two and one half miles out.
SEPTEMBER 11TH —And Cincinnati is trembling to its center. That abolition city, half foreign and half American, is listening for the thunder of our avenging guns.
