October 31st. Remained at Key’s Pass all day, but received orders to march to-morrow morning. Weather favorable for campaigning. We hear to-night that a great event is about to happen to the army of the Potomac. General McClellan has been, or is to be, relieved and Burnside placed in comamnd. I met McClellan with an escort, on my return to the brigade, and wondered where he was going. The general has many friends in the army, who will be sorry to part with him, and even those of us who have no great faith in his abilities, are attached to him through long association, and will feel the change, as another link broken in the chain of friendship, which, in the army, is highly developed. I doubt if a single man in this army would have suggested Burnside as his successor. Burnside’s name is not associated with any great deeds, and we can hardly believe he is to become commander-in-chief. He is a superb looking officer, but too much in love with himself to amount to much. He is stylish to a degree, wears side whiskers, large slouch hat, top boots and is altogether an ideal cavalier, but without the force of character which men look for in a commanding officer. He commanded our brigade, so called, at the first battle of Bull Run, without winning any distinction.
Wednesday, October 31, 2012
October 31.—Halloween, or All Saints’ Eve,
.
“When fairies light
On sprightly coursers prance.”
.
I can not help contrasting to-night with what it has been in days gone by, before “wild war’s deadly blast” had come, when for the sake of “Auld Scotia” we held it in commemoration.
I received a telegram from home to-day, to know if I had heard from my brother. I wonder if he is in the land of the living.
October 31.—The town of Franklin, on the Blackwater River, Virginia, was this day shelled by three batteries of Union artillery, and partially destroyed, the rebel forces being driven off with great loss —An enthusiastic meeting was held at Key West, Florida, to raise funds for the relief of the families of volunteers in the Union army. One thousand dollars were collected.
—James R. Lackland, charged with encouragement of the rebellion, by publicly opposing the national government, was arrested at St. Louis, Mo. —Between three and four hundred East-Tennesseans arrived at Lexington, Ky., with the intention of joining the Union army. —A rebel force of cavalry under General Stuart, attacked a small force of Union calvary stationed at Maysville, Va., and drove them toward Aldie.
—The rebels under General Hindman having committed depredation upon Union citizens residing in the vicinity of Helena, Ark., the national troops retaliated on rebel sympathizers, and destroyed a number of farms in that locality. —The Wilmington, N. C., salt-works were this day destroyed by Captain Cushing of the national gunboat Ellis.
