Following the American Civil War Sesquicentennial with day by day writings of the time, currently 1863.

October 2012

Cropped from the photo in Alexander Gardner’s Photographic Sketchbook of the War.

Signal station on Elk Mountain, Md., overlooking battlefield of Antietam, October 1862

To the hero of Antietam belongs the credit of first developing and fully appreciating the value of a corps of signalists to an army throughout its active operations in the field, and especially during a great battle. His signal officers were most intelligently and advantageously posted, and seldom, even in later campaigns, has their assistance to a commanding general been more valuable, or more frankly and handsomely acknowledged, than in the momentous struggle on the Antietam. At intervals along our line of battle, and on the most prominent points in the vicinity, were stationed the Federal Signal Officers, detecting by their skill, vigilance, and powerful glasses, every movement of the enemy, reporting them instantly by a few waves of their flags to the Union Commander, and in return, transmitting by the same means the orders to the subordinate generals, which were to check or defeat the manœuvres of the enemy. The adjoining sketch represents the most important of those signal look-outs, and was located on the summit of Elk Mountain, one of the South Mountain Range of the Blue Ridge, and overlooking the battle-field.

The Elk Mountain Signal Station was operated by Lieutenants Pierce and Jerome, and the view was taken whilst the former officer was receiving a dispatch from General McClellan, probably requesting further information in regard to some reported movement of his wary foe, or sending an important order to a Corps Commander.

A rebel correspondent of a Richmond paper, who claims to have been an eye-witness of that battle, thus writes on the succeeding day, of the part taken in it by the Signal Corps of the Union Army: “Their signal stations on the Blue Ridge commanded a view of our every movement. We could not make a manœuvre in front or rear that was not instantly revealed to their keen look-outs and as soon as the intelligence could be communicated to their batteries below, shot and shell were launched against the moving columns. It was this information, conveyed by the little flags upon the mountain-top, that no doubt enabled the enemy to concentrate his force against our weakest points, and counteract the effect of whatever similar movements may have been attempted by us.

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OCTOBER 22D.—Back at the department at work, but not much to do yet. The mails are not heavy.

We have Bragg’s report of the battle of Perryville. He beat the enemy from his positions, driving him back two miles, when night set in. But finding overwhelming masses accumulating around him, he withdrew in good order to Bryattsville. Thus Kentucky is given up for the present!

McClellan has retired back into Maryland, hoping, I suppose, Lee will follow and fall into his ambuscade.

The President will call out, under the Conscription Act, all between the ages of eighteen and forty. This will furnish, according to the Secretary’s estimate, 500,000, after deducting the exempts. A great mistake.

A letter from Gen. Lee indicates that he is in favor of making Treasury notes a legal tender. It was so with Washington concerning Continental money—but Congress pays no attention to the subject. Why does not the President recommend it? It would then pass—for, at present, he is master.

The paper from the Provost Marshal, referred by the latter to the President, came back to-day. The Secretary, in referring it, seems to incline to the opinion that the writ of habeas corpus not being suspended, there was no remedy for the many evils the Provost Marshal portrayed. The President, however, did not wholly coincide in that opinion. He says: “The introduction and sale of liquors must be prevented. Call upon the city authorities to with-hold licenses, and to abate the evil in the courts, or else an order will be issued, such as the necessity requires.”

Judge Campbell, late of the United States Supreme Court, has been appointed Assistant Secretary of War.

October 22.—General Blunt with a division of Union troops this day attacked a force of rebels five thousand strong at Old Fort Wayne, near Maysville, Ark., and after an hour’s sharp fighting completely routed them and captured all their artillery, a large number of horses, and a portion of their transports and garrison equipage, the rebels retreating toward Fort Smith.—General Schofield with a Union force this day drove the rebels under General Hindman, through Huntsville, Ark., to a point beyond the Boston Mountain.—(Doc. 12.)

— Yesterday an expedition of troops, gunboats, and transports, under command of General J. M. Brannan, left Hilton Head, S. C, by way of the Coosahatchie and Pocotaligo Rivers, to destroy the bridges and tear up the track of the Charleston and Savannah Railroad. One wing of the expedition under command of Colonel W. B. Barton, to-day marched upon the village of Coosahatchie, attacked a passing train, killing and wounding several, afterward tore up the railroad track, cut the telegraph wires, and marched upon the bridge, but was prevented from burning the bridge at this point by the presence of a superior rebel force. The other wing of the expedition, under command of General Brannan, landed at Mackay’s Point, marched ten miles inland to Pocataligo bridge, skirmishing with and routing the rebels as they advanced. At the bridge a superior force was encountered well intrenched, and after a warm engagement and considerable loss, the expedition was compelled to abandon its object and return to the boats.—(Doc. 13.)

—A sharp fight took place near Van Buren, Ark., between a force of Union cavalry under the command of Major B. F. Lazcar, and a body of rebel guerrilla cavalry, numbering four hundred and fifty men, under Boone, resulting in a complete rout of the latter, with considerable loss.

—The Twenty-fourth Texas Rangers to-day captured a train of thirty wagons, of the Fifth and Ninth Illinois cavalry, near Helena, Ark., and took several prisoners.—The Fourteenth regiment of Vermont volunteers, under the command of Colonel W. S. Nichols, passed through Springfield, Mass., en route for the seat of war.— Springfield Republican.

A skirmish took place between the Union and rebel pickets in the vicinity of Nashville, Tenn., terminating in a retreat of the Unionists to their intrenchments at Nashville, with some loss.—The British brig Robert Bruce, of Bristol, England, Captain Muir, was this day captured off Shallotte Inlet, N. C, by the United States gunboat Penobscot, while attempting to run the blockade.—Two squadrons of the Fourth Pennsylvania cavalry, under the command of Captain Duncan, made a reconnoissance to-day in the vicinity of Hedgesville, Va. Captain Duncan drove the rebel pickets into the town, and then charged the main body, routing them and taking nineteen prisoners, including three officers.

Cropped from the photo in Alexander Gardner’s Photographic Sketchbook of the War.

Scene in Pleasant Valley, Maryland

The house of Mrs. Lee, situated in Pleasant Valley, Maryland, was selected by General McClellan, after the battle of Antietam, as a temporary home for Mrs. McClellan, who paid a brief visit to the army. The General spent much of his time here, when not occupied with military matters, and in the vine-clad porch the officers of the Staff whiled away many a pleasant October day. Two of the officers shown in this group were members of General Burnside’s Staff, and one of General McClellan’s. It was intended that General McClellan should make one of the group, and all the necessary arrangements had been perfected by the photographer, when heavy cannonading on the Virginia side of the Potomac, caused by a reconnoitring party of cavalry, drew the General away.

The headquarters were located in a field near this house, and were composed only of a sufficient number of tents to shelter the General and Staff, and the offices of the various departments. A portion of the army was encamped along the base of Maryland Heights and South Mountain, and the remainder was located on the heights back of Harper’s Ferry. Supplies were forwarded over the Baltimore and Ohio Railroad, which afforded excellent facilities for visiting the army, and thousands of the friends of the soldiers found their way to camp. The citizens of Maryland were noted for their hospitality to such visitors, and their generosity to the troops. When the army was on the march, many families stood at their gateways with buckets of water for the thirsty men, and filled the canteens of all who had time to wait. There were very few of the Army of the Potomac who left Maryland and crossed into Virginia after Lee without regretful partings with new made friends, and for many a month thereafter the bivouac was enlivened by the memories and recital of the Marylanders’ welcome.

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Tuesday, 21st—Some very fine weather. We have received orders to have company drill twice a day now, and dress parade every day at 5 p. m. We are getting over the effects of our hard service of the past two months.

Tuesday, 21st. Spurgeon went out with forage detail. Bill Smith lost $15. Circumstances as follows: Capt. had given him some money to pay the boys. We lay on the blankets conversing when Sheldon came up, and Bill pulled out his money and paid him. He had showed me the money a little while before. All three lay down, Bill and I side by side and S. a little farther down. All at once Sheldon attracted mine and B.’s attention to a holster, asking if I had lost my revolver. After we had examined, I left. In five or ten minutes Nick called us to dinner. We ate and I went a few rods into the woods, leaving B. by his horse. When I came back B. had lost his money. We looked all about. Soon he told me he suspicioned Sheldon. I tried to find him. Finally found him playing poker, 2 or 3 P. M. Stolen at noon.

Tuesday, 21st.—Went over river in canoe and got some corn and gritted it for dinner. 3 P.M., ordered forward; crossed Cumberland Ford at 5 P.M. Our Brigadier-General Reynolds says we are going to McMillans Station to take up camp.

Corinth, Tuesday, Oct. 21. Finished policing around the guns. In the afternoon after the Company was formed for drill, as Orderly Hayward was returning after reporting to the Captain, his horse stumbled, falling on him, spraining his right ankle and fracturing the cap bone.

OCTOBER 21ST.—Still nothing definite from Kentucky, more than the retreat of Bragg. Gen. Loring is here—he would not act upon the suggestions of Lee, and so he is recalled.

The government is uneasy about Richmond. They want a portion of Lee’s army sent hither. But Lee responds, that although he is not advised of the condition of things on the south side of James River, yet, if he detaches a portion of his army, he may be too weak to encounter McClellan, if he should advance.

I saw the Secretary again this morning; he wished me to turn over all the passport business to the military. I said I was glad to be rid of that business, and would never touch it again.

Scouting in the Blue Ridge

Inscribed on back: A cavalry excursion over the Blue ridge from Loudoun Valley, this was an exceedingly picturesque and romantic scout Loudon heights.

Published in: Harper’s Weekly, November 22, 1862, p. 742.

1 drawing on brown paper : pencil and Chinese white ; 16.4 x 23.1 cm.

Signed lower right: Alf R Waud.

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