7th —Cold and blustery last night. Ice half an inch thick, with driving snow storm this morning; very uncomfortable. No move to-day.
Wednesday, November 7, 2012
Friday, 7th.—Brother Tom gone to Brother Marshall’s, on Fork Creek, to-day; snowing.
Camp at Lagrange, West Tennessee, November 7, 1862.
To say that we have been crowded, jammed, put through, hustled, skited, etc., don’t half express the divil-of-a-hurry headquarters has shown and is showing us. We left Peoria one week ago last night, crossed the bridge at precisely 6 o’clock p.m. Since that we have traveled one day and one night on the cars, a day resting, beside stacked arms waiting orders, the first quarter of a night pitching tents, then received orders to march with five days’ rations at daylight, and the rest of the night spent in preparation therefor, then two days’ marching through the awfullest dust you ever saw, so thick we almost had to kick it out of the way to get our foot to the ground, then a day of rest and fat living off secesh pork, etc., and the seventh day a march of 20 miles by our whole brigade, after a little party of Rebel cavalry that couldn’t more than eat a hog a day. Pretty good work for a green regiment, wasn’t it? It seems real natural to be down in Secessia, the country where a 300-pound porker don’t cost any more than a chicken that costs nothing. But some things we have to buy for our mess, and to show you what they cost, I will mention the items of flour and salt. The former is worth 50 cents per pound, and the latter $1 a pound. We wouldn’t have to buy them of citizens, but scarcity of transportation obliged our A. C. S. to leave everything but traveling rations, viz.; Bacon, sugar, coffee and crackers. There is a man making boots in town at $45 a pair, and he can’t get leather to fill his orders. Fine country. Between here and Bolivar, some 30 miles, I think there is not a house left or rail left unburned, and ’twas all done on our trip down. The fires were all lit by troops that marched ahead of us, and although the smoke and heat were disagreeable enough, yet I think the 103d generally approved of the proceedings. Yet I was glad enough when the colonel, by the general’s orders, called us to answer the question, “Do you know that any of your men burned rails, houses, or destroyed any property on the march from Bolivar?” that the 103d had not participated. Major General McPherson, commanding this corps, disapproves of such conduct and will severely punish offenders if caught, which latter item is not at all probable. Tis generally understood that the Union Tennessee Cavalry did the work. The 7th Illinois is here with us and all are well that you know.
We have good tents and are otherwise better prepared for soldiering than I ever was before.
We have between 30,000 and 40,000, I suppose, between here and a point eight miles east. Price is supposed to be in the neighborhood of Holly Springs, 30 miles southwest, with 40,000 to 60,000. They say we are waiting for the Memphis troops to join us before we go down and scoop him. We have the half of the old army of the Mississippi here, and part of the army of West Tennessee, nearly all experienced troops.
November 7.—The snow falling rapidly—the trees and shrubs in full leaf, and the rose-bushes, in bright bloom, are borne down by the snow. Our poor soldiers! What are they to do to-night, without shelter, and without blankets? Everybody seems to be doing what they can to supply their wants; many persons are having carpets made into soldiers’ blankets. My brother J. told me that he had every chamber carpet in the house, except one, converted into coverlets; and this is by no means a singular instance. A number of coverlets, made of the most elegant Brussels carpeting, were sent by Mr. B., of Halifax County, the other day, to our hospital, with a request to Miss T. that blankets should be given from the hospital to the camp, as more easily transported from place to place, and the carpeting retained in the hospital. This was immediately done. The blankets that could be spared from private houses were given last winter. How it gladdens my heart when I see that a vessel has run the blockade, and arrived safely at some Southern port, laden with ammunition, arms, and clothing for the army! The Bishop and J. have just left us, for the council of the Southern Church, to meet at Augusta, Georgia. Oh that their proceedings may be directed by the All-wise Counsellor!
November 7th. It is just two months and eighteen days since we first cast our anchor in Pensacola Bay. Up to the present time nothing has occurred worthy of note. It was the general impression on our arrival here that we came to Pensacola for the purpose of making every necessary preparation for an attack upon Mobile. All of the vessels attached to our fleet required more or less repairing, particularly the old Hartford, but now it seems the programme for the season is changed, and we are once more to pay our compliments to the old Mississippi river. Our Admiral has been informed by the commanding officer whom we left in the river to guard the city, that the rebels are building more batteries along the banks of the river some miles above the city. We are informed that they are strongly fortifying Port Hudson, which is one hundred and sixty-four miles above New Orleans, situated on high bluffs similar to Vicksburg. I sincerely hope that if we are called upon to do more fighting in this vicinity, as I presume we shall according to the aspect of things at present, then may we clean them out thoroughly.
Our ship is once more under way, bound for New Orleans. This morning at ten o’clock we weighed anchor, and started ahead, followed by the U. S. steam sloop Richmond, and U. S. transport Tennessee. Arrived off Mobile at six P. M., found the U. S. sloop of war Brooklyn at anchor here, which vessel has been lying here for some time, doing blockade duty. We came to here, while Capt. Bell of the Brooklyn came on board to report to the Admiral. At eight P. M., started ahead, shaped our course for South-West Pass, Mississippi.
November 7 — Snowed all day.
Friday, 7th—The weather is fine with quite cold nights. We are on half rations now, because there are no trains through from Corinth.
Friday, 7th. Capt. Quigg after examination released “Dr. Brissel” without a parole. Capts. Lucas and Nettleton and all the boys think the man fooled us—black hair and whiskers, good looking and very gentlemanly. Heard no mean expression. When I bade him good morning, three miles out, he shook hands with me, and said if we ever got into trouble, he would be glad to do what he could for us. At 11 A. M. got orders to march with two days’ rations, at 12 M. Had no bake kettles and no rations but beans and flour. Got me a canteen full of bean soup. Ready at noon. 25 2nd Ohio and 25 6th Kansas. Had charge of platoon of twelve—our boys. Went west, trotted most of the time. Got to the tannery at 3 P. M. 13th at work getting out the hides from the vats. Soon Col. Cloud with 250 or 300—and all went to work. A grand scene. Would like to see it represented in Leslie. Burned up twenty or twenty-five thousand dollars worth of property. Started in about dark—southwest. Went 15 or 20 miles, mostly on a trot. Then stopped at a field of corn and lay down by fires till 4 or 5 A. M. Changed platoons to get 2nd Ohio together. Capt. N. with Kansas platoons.
NOVEMBER 7TH—Yesterday I received from the agent of the City Councils fourteen pounds of salt, having seven persons in my family, including the servant. One pound to each member, per month, is allowed at 5 cts. per pound. The extortionists sell it at 70 cts. per pound. One of them was drawing for his family. He confessed it; but said he paid 50 cts. for the salt he sold at 70 cts. Profit $10 per bushel! I sent an article to-day to the Enquirer, suggesting that fuel, bread, meat, etc. be furnished in the same manner. We shall soon be in a state of siege.
Last night there was a heavy fall of snow.
The authorities of Charleston, with the concurrence of Beauregard, advise all the non-combating population to leave the city, and remove their personal property. The city will be defended to the last extremity.
What a change in the Executive Department! Before the election, the President was accessible to all; and even a member of Congress had no preference over the common citizen. But now there are six aids, cavalry colonels in rank and pay, and one of them an Englishman, who see the people, and permit only certain ones to have access to the President. This looks like the beginning of an imperial court. But what may not its ending be?
I see that Mr. Hurlbut, incarcerated once as a spy, or as a writer for an Abolition paper in New York, and a Northern man himself, after being protected by Mr. Browne (the English A.D.C. of the President) and released by Mr. Benjamin from prison, has escaped to the North, and is out in a long article in the Times! He says he got a passport from Gen. Winder’s Provost Marshal. Mr. James Lyons thought he had made H. a Southern man; what does he think now?
The “290″ or Alabama, the ship bought in Europe, and commanded by Capt. Semmes, C. S. N., is playing havoc with the commerce of the United States. If we had a dozen of them, our foes would suffer incalculably, for they have an immense amount of shipping. I see Semmes had captured the Tonawanda, that used to lie at the foot of Walnut Street, Philadelphia; but he released her, first putting the master under bond to pay President Davis $80,000 after the war. I hope he will pay it, for I think the President will want the money.
November 7.—At Big Beaver Creek, Missouri, a block-house, occupied by portions of two companies of the Tenth Illinois cavalry, and two militia companies, was attacked by the rebel Colonel Green, who had one thousand three hundred men and three pieces of artillery. On the destruction of the block-house, the militia retreated to the woods, and fought five hours, when Captain Barstow, who was in command, displayed the white flag, and surrendered the garrison.—New-York Tribune.
—To-day a debate took place in the rebel Senate, on the bill to extend the operation of the sequestration act to all persons natives of or residents within any of the rebel States, and who had refused to submit to the constitution and laws of those States. A substitute proposed by the Committee of the Judiciary was adopted. It provided that the President of the rebel States should issue his proclamation, ordering all persons within the limits of those States who were loyal, and adhered to the United States Government, to leave the rebel States within forty days, on pain of forfeiture of property. Another of its provisions was the granting of immunity to all persons adhering to the Union who, within forty days, should take the oath of allegiance to the rebel States.
—The United States steamer Darlington, with a company of colored troops on board, in command of Lieutenant-Colonel O. T. Beard, Forty-eighth New-York volunteers, proceeded up Sapelo River, Georgia, accompanied by the Union gunboat Potomska, and captured a number of rebels and slaves on the plantations along the river, and destroyed a large and valuable salt-work. The rebels on shore attacked the Darlington several times on the route, but the colored troops fought bravely, and she escaped without injury.
—A Single company of enrolled militia, at Lamar, Missouri, barricaded the court-house in that place, and successfully repelled an attack made upon them by a large body of guerrillas, said to be under the command of Quantrel.—General McClellan issued his farewell address to the “officers and soldiers of the Army of the Potomac.” (Doc. 30.)
