Incidents of the war, group at Secret Service Department Headquarters, Army of the Potomac, Antietam, October 1862.
50th year anniversary print (1912) from original print.
Summary: Photograph shows fourteen men, including Allan and William Pinkerton, and several Union Army officers posed in front of a tent.
Library of Congress image.
October 2.—We are very busy, trying to get clothes made for the exchanged prisoners. They are in a dreadful state for want of them; many of them have not changed their clothes for more than a mouth. Some of the ladies of the place promised to help us, but we have as yet seen nothing of them; they do not assist us in any way. This is not a wealthy place, and our army has been here for some time, which has impoverished it still more.
The prisoners complain bitterly of their treatment while in Jackson, Miss. Some of them told me that if they had been convicts they could not have been worse treated. This is something I can not understand. Who could forget Fort Donelson, and the hardships our poor men endured there! Every time I think of it a cold shudder runs through me; and then, to think what these poor fellows have endured since, during nearly one long year, in a cold northern prison! I hope that the patriotic state of Mississippi “has not tired of well-doing.”
October 2.—Yesterday President Lincoln, accompanied by Major-General McClernand, of the army of the West, and others, visited Harper’s Ferry, Va.
—In the rebel House of Representatives, Mr. Foote reported a set of resolutions, the title of which was as follows: “Joint resolutions recognizing the practical neutrality of the States of California and Oregon, and of the Territories of Washington and Nevada, suggesting the advantages which would result to the people thereof upon an immediate assertion on their part of their independence of the United States; and proposing, upon their so doing, the formation of a league, offensive and defensive, between said States and Territories and the confederate States of America.”
—A fight took place near Olive Hill, Ky., between the home guards of Carter County and a thousand rebels under the guerrilla Morgan. Morgan commenced the attack, but, after several hours’ skirmishing, he was repulsed, losing several of his men. He retreated towards the Licking River, destroying thirty-five houses on his route.
—This day a Union force under command of General Foster, accompanied by gunboats, left Washington, N. C, and advanced upon Hamilton, taking possession of that place and driving the rebels toward Tarboro.
—General Scott’s letter, reviewing the course he pursued relative to the forts and arsenals at different points during the incipient stages of the rebellion, was published in the National Intelligencer.
—A series of skirmishes occurred to-day along the Bardstown turnpike, in the vicinity of Mount Washington, Ky., between the advance-guard of the Union army under General Buell and the rebel forces under General E. Kirby Smith.
October 1st.—Letters from Winchester, giving cheering accounts of our army. It is stationed at Bunker’s Hill, twelve miles from Winchester, greatly increased since our recent fights, and in fine spirits. We leave Lynchburg to-morrow, and after spending a few days with our friends at the University, proceed to Richmond and Ashland.
October 1st. I was detailed with twenty members of our company under the command of Lieutenant Merwin to take boats and to row to a long bridge over a branch of the Patapsco River, there to remain on guard duty for ten days. It was about eight miles from the fort. It proved to be a picnic for us. Our duty was to guard the bridge. When off duty we tramped through the country for miles. It was a fine fruit section of Maryland. We bathed in the fine, clear salt water and white sandy beach. The ten days passed quickly when we were relieved and obliged to report to our company at the old fort, when we resumed our duty of various kinds, drilling and guard duty, also keeping the camp clean.
Our rations remained the same from day to day, fresh beef, salt beef, pork, hard-tack, and soft bread. Our supper remained the same every night, a cup of black coffee, a plate of boiled rice with very black molasses, called by the boys coal tar, two slices of soft bread. We became so tired of rice that we could not eat it.
October 1 — This morning we renewed our march and moved in a northern direction, winding among the hills along the eastern base of the Blue Ridge. At midday we struck the Alexandria and Winchester pike again, near Snickersville. This afternoon we crossed the Blue Ridge at Snickers Gap. Camped near Berryville.
October 1st, Wednesday.
Just after sunset yesterday, Anna and I were walking down the road towards the sugar-house, she reading occasionally from Abbott’s “Napoleon,” and then pausing for me to explain the very difficult passages she could not understand, when we suddenly became aware of the approach of a horse, and raising our bowed heads, beheld Colonel Breaux and another before us, to our infinite surprise and astonishment. The Colonel sprang from his horse and advanced on foot; his companion slowly followed his example, and was introduced as Captain Morrison. We adjourned our historical fit for some future period, and walked home with the gentlemen. Miriam did not get back from her excursion to the cane-patch until it was quite late; when after sitting down a few moments, she ran upstairs to change her dress. She had just put it on an hour before, but nothing would do but she must dress up fine; so she put on her handsomest organdie. In vain I pointed to my simple pink muslin with a white body that I had worn all day, and begged she would not make the contrast between us more striking than ever, as I felt I could not change it without exciting remark. She was obdurate; dressed herself in gorgeous array, and, as usual, I looked like her lady’s maid.
Colonel Breaux paid my hair the most extravagant compliments. He said he could not say his prayers for looking at it in church, Sunday before last. Perhaps that is the reason St. Paul said a woman should not worship in church with her head uncovered! But as the Yankees stole my bonnet, I am reduced to wearing my black straw walking-hat with its curled brim, trimmed in black ribbon with golden sheaves of wheat. Two years ago this fall, father threw me a banknote at table, and I purchased this with it. Now it is my only headgear, except a sunbonnet. Before leaving, which was not until quite late, this evening was named for our ride to the fortifications, to our infinite delight, as we have dreamed and talked of nothing else for a week. . . .
A dispatch just received from Gibbes, from Mobile, on his way home. I am so happy! But what can bring him? I fear Lydia has gone to Clinton to meet him at Lilly’s.
October 1, Wednesday. Called this morning at the White House, but learned the President had left the city. The porter said he made no mention whither he was going, nor when he would return. I have no doubt he is on a visit to McClellan and the army. None of his Cabinet can have been aware of this journey.
Relieved Davis and appointed D. D. Porter to the Western Flotilla, which is hereafter to be recognized as a squadron. Porter is but a Commander. He has, however, stirring and positive qualities, is fertile in resources, has great energy, excessive and sometimes not over-scrupulous ambition, is impressed with and boastful of his own powers, given to exaggeration in relation to himself, — a Porter infirmity, — is not generous to older and superior living officers, whom he is too ready to traduce, but is kind and patronizing to favorites who are juniors, and generally to official inferiors. Is given to cliquism but is brave and daring like all his family. He has not the conscientious and high moral qualities of Foote to organize the flotilla, and is not considered by some of our best naval men a fortunate officer; has not in his profession, though he may have personally, what the sailors admire, “luck.” It is a question, with his mixture of good and bad traits, how he will succeed. His selection will be unsatisfactory to many, but his field of operation is peculiar, and a young and active officer is required for the duty to which he is assigned; it will be an incentive to juniors. If he does well I shall get no credit; if he fails I shall be blamed. No thanks in any event will be mine. Davis, whom he succeeds, is more of a scholar than sailor, has gentlemanly instincts and scholarly acquirements, is an intelligent but not an energetic, driving, fighting officer, such as is wanted for rough work on the Mississippi; is kind and affable, but has not the vim, dash, — recklessness perhaps is the better word, — of Porter.
Dahlgren, whose ambition is great, will, I suppose, be hurt that Porter, who is his junior, should be designated for the Mississippi command; and the President will sympathize with D., whom he regards with favor, while he has not great admiration or respect for Porter. Dahlgren has asked to be assigned to the special duty of capturing Charleston, but Du Pont has had that object in view for more than a year and made it his study. I cannot, though I appreciate Dahlgren, supersede the Admiral in this work.
The Emancipation Proclamation has, in its immediate effects, been less exciting than I had apprehended. It has caused but little jubilation on one hand, nor much angry outbreak on the other. The speculations as to the sentiments and opinions of the Cabinet in regard to this measure are ridiculously wild and strange. When it was first brought forward some six or eight weeks ago, all present assented to it. It was pretty fully discussed at two successive Cabinet-meetings, and the President consulted freely, I presume, with the members individually. He did with me. Mr. Bates desired that deportation, by force if necessary, should go with emancipation. Born and educated among the negroes, having always lived with slaves, he dreaded any step which should be taken to bring about social equality between the two races. The effect, he said, would be to degrade the whites without elevating the blacks. Demoralization, vice, and misery would follow. Mr. Blair, at the second discussion, said that, while he was an emancipationist from principle, he had doubts of the expediency of such a movement as was contemplated. Stanton, after expressing himself earnestly in favor of the step proposed, said it was so important a measure that he hoped every member would give his opinion, whatever it might be, on the subject; two had not spoken, — alluding to Chase and myself.
I then spoke briefly of the strong exercise of power involved in the question, and the denial of Executive authority to do this act, but the Rebels themselves had invoked war on the subject of slavery, had appealed to arms, and they must abide the consequences. It was an extreme exercise of war powers, and under the circumstances and in view of the condition of the country and the magnitude of the contest I was willing to resort to extreme measures and avail ourselves of military necessity, always harsh and questionable. The blow would fall heavy and severe on those loyal men in the Slave States who clung to the Union and had most of their property in slaves, but they must abide the results of a conflict which we all deplored, and unless they could persuade their fellow citizens to embrace the alternative presented, it was their hard fortune to suffer with those who brought on the War. The slaves were now an element of strength to the Rebels, — were laborers, producers, and army attendants; were considered as property by the Rebels, and, if property, were subject to confiscation; if not property, but persons residing in the insurrectionary region, we should invite them as well as the whites to unite with us in putting down the Rebellion. I had made known my views to the President and could say here I gave my approval of the Proclamation. Mr. Chase said it was going a step farther than he had proposed, but he was glad of it and went into a very full argument on the subject. I do not attempt to report it or any portion of it, nor that of others, farther than to define the position of each when this important question was before us. Something more than a Proclamation will be necessary, for this step will band the South together, make opponents of some who now are friends and unite the Border States firmly with the Cotton States in resistance to the Government.
Wednesday, 1st—The Eleventh Iowa was ordered down into town last night, for it was expected that the rebels would make a charge into town to burn our rations. We think, however, that they want our rations for their own haversacks. We formed a line of battle and lay in the streets all night, but the rebels did not show themselves. We received orders to march at daylight this morning. The cars came in from Corinth at 4 o’clock this morning, and the sick men, our baggage, and the remainder of our stores were loaded up and sent to our headquarters at Corinth. By noon Iuka was expected to be entirely evacuated by our men. Our regiment marched twenty-three miles and bivouacked for the night within six miles of Corinth.
Middletown, October 1, 1862.
Dear Uncle: — Lucy is here; we are rather enjoying it. The rascally arm is very uncertain; sometimes I think it is about well, and then I have a few hours of worse pain than ever. It is, however, mending prosperously. I think I can travel comfortably by the first of next week.
I get all of your letters. Those sent to Washington have all been forwarded here.
Lejune, who has a brother in Fremont (grocery keeper), captured twenty-five rebels on the 14th!! He surrounded them! He was afterwards wounded — I think not dangerously.
You will like the President’s [Emancipation] Proclamation. I am not sure about it, but am content.
McClellan is undoubtedly the general for this army. If he is let alone, I think he may be relied on to do well. One element we of the West overlook: These troops are not any better (if so good) than the Rebels. We must have superior numbers to make success a sure thing. All things look well to me now. If we don’t divide too much among ourselves, I think we get them this winter.
We shall probably go to Columbus at first. Our boys at Uncle Boggs’ will draw us that way. My stay in Ohio will probably be about fifteen to twenty days. We must meet, of course. If necessary, I will come out to Fremont.
H.
S. BIRCHARD.
Follow on facebook
RSS
email
