Monday 5th.—Crossed Little Warrior 12 M; camped on south side Gurley’s Creek.
Saturday, January 5, 2013
Washington Monday Jan’y 5th 1863
Great excitement in the City tonight. We are Victorious at Murfreesboro. A dispatch has been rcd from Rosecrans setting the matter at rest and I breathe easier again. And we also hear that in all probability Vicksburgh is in our possession. All our news from the South West is highly favorable. There is no doubt but the Rebels were largely re-inforced in Tennessee during the five or six days fight from Richmond or rather from the Army before Fredericksburgh. The Rebels make the most of their system of Rail Roads and their facilities for massing troops at any given point has given them a great advantage. Repeatedly have they been able to re-inforce their armies during battle. Especialy were they able to do so at the first battle of “Bull Run” & which won them a Victory and us lasting dishonor. It has been contended that their system of R Roads was designed and the Roads constructed with this very state of things in view years before the Rebellion broke out. But the chief conspirators were silently preparing for it. The worst of it is, they were built (to a great extent) with Northern Capital. At the commencement of the War it is said that the southern States were indebted to the North two hundred millions dollars, much of which was due on Mercantile transactions. We got news today of the loss of the gallant little Monitor off Cape Hatteras. She foundered during a heavy sea and some twenty men went down with her or were lost at the time. The “Rhode Island” had her in tow.
January 5 — Last night we slept on the frozen ground. Service such as we have been doing for the last few days and nights is enough to kill the healthiest Indian in creation, but, strange to say, I have never felt better in my whole life.
This cold, crisp, frosty mountain air is invigorating and makes the blood leap through the veins like young spring floods, carrying health, strength, and vigor to every muscle and fiber in the human machinery and causes the inner man to call loudly for commissary supplies oftener than once in thirty-six hours. Whoop! I feel like going vigorously into action on a twenty pounder chicken pie and put myself on the outside of it, then whip my weight in wild cats.
I think it was the intention to attack the Yankees again this morning at Moorefield, but they were reinforced last night, which precluded all operations in that direction for the present. This morning we struck out for our camp at New Market. We crossed the Shenandoah mountain to-day. To-night we are camped on the headwaters of the North Fork of the Shenandoah in Brock’s Gap Settlement.
January 5, Monday. Commander Bankhead arrived this morning and brings particulars of the loss of the Monitor. Its weakness was in herself, where we had apprehended, and not in an antagonist. This has been in some degree remedied in the new boats we are now constructing.
For months I have been berated and abused because I had not more vessels of the Monitor class under contract. Her success with the Merrimac when she was under the trial as an experiment made men wild, and they censured me for not having built a fleet when she was constructed. Now that she is lost, the same persons will be likely to assail me for expending money on such a craft.
There is a set of factious fools who think it is wise to be censorious, and it is almost as amusing as it is vexatious to hear and read the remarks of these Solomons. One or two of these officious blockheads make themselves conspicuous in the New York Chamber of Commerce, and none more so than Mr. Charles H. Marshall, who attempts to show off his nautical knowledge by constantly attacking and slandering the Secretary of the Navy. Marshall was formerly a shipmaster and it was his often expressed opinion that no man should be Secretary of the Navy who has not had command of, and the sailing of, a ship. Like many others as simple if not as egotistical, he would have the Secretary who administers the department a sailor and for the same reasons he should be an engineer, naval constructor, etc. On every occasion of disaster, no matter from what cause, this man Marshall imputes it to the fact that the Secretary of the Navy has never commanded a ship, and he never admits that any credit is due the Navy Department for intelligent and correct administration, or the Secretary of the Navy for any success of any kind, whether of a squadron or single ship, because he is not and never was a sea-captain. Marshall has had his prejudices sharpened by others and particularly by Moses H. Grinnell, who thinks a shipping merchant would make a good Secretary of the Navy. Both are disappointed men, and each wants to be at the head of the Navy Department.
Thus far the British pirate named Alabama sailing under Rebel colors has escaped capture. As a consequence there are marvelous accounts of her wonderful speed, and equally marvelous ones of the want of speed of our cruisers. Of course there is no controverting these fables; she will be a myth, a “skimmer of the seas,” till taken, and our own vessels, of better speed and power, will be slandered by the Marshalls and Grinnells as destitute of all speed. There are men of better sense in the Chamber of Commerce, but one of these has been an extensive ship-owner, the other a shipmaster; both are good and well-meaning men, have been successful business men, but are egotistical and vainly weak. Neither is competent to administer the Navy Department.
The loss of the Monitor and the report of Admiral Lee and others of the draft of water at the inlet is unfavorable for a naval attack on the battery at Cape Fear, and the army object to move on Wilmington except in conjunction with the Navy. It is best, therefore, to push on to Charleston and strengthen Du Pont. The War Department promised to send forward to South Carolina an additional military force of ten thousand under General Hunter. Halleck is heavy-headed; wants sagacity, readiness, courage, and heart. I am not an admirer of the man. He may have some talent as a writer and critic; in all military matters he seems destitute of resources, skill, or capacity. He is more tardy and irresolute than McClellan and is deficient in the higher qualities which the latter possessed.
We have further cheering news from Tennessee of the success of Rosecrans at Murfreesborough; also hopeful news from Vicksburg. I do not see that the least credit is due to Halleck in either of these cases, unless for not embarrassing the officers in command.
It was arranged and directed by the President that General McClernand should command the forces which were to cooperate with the Navy at the opening of the navigation of the Mississippi and the capture of Vicksburg. But McClernand has scarcely been heard of. He is not of the Regular Army, and is no favorite, I perceive, with Halleck, though the President entertains a good opinion of him. Blair alluded two or three weeks since to the fact that McClernand was crowded aside; said there was a combination to prevent his having that command. The President started from his chair when the remark was made and said it should not be so. Stanton declared it was not so, that he and Halleck had arranged the matter that day. The President looked surprised and said he supposed it had been done long ago.
Camp Near Falmouth, Va.
Jan. 5th, 1863.
My dear Mother:
My letters seem very long in reaching you. The one I sent the day before Christmas, containing a little money which I hoped would contribute to the children’s happiness on New Year, had not come to hand on the 31st, yet I had hoped it might precede the rather dolorous document written only the evening before, but which, of course, wouldn’t be overtaken. To tell the truth, I was not a little ashamed at having been so querulous. I do not like the habit of complaining, and do not mean often to indulge in it, but the best of our guardian angels cannot always resist the attacks of those emissaries of Satan — the cooks.
Col. Farnsworth, it is said, will soon rejoin his Regiment. It is still a matter of doubt though, whether his physical health will permit him to remain long. Besides the natural effects of his wound, he is much paralyzed I understand, from severe neuralgia. Be this as it may, I am very sorry for him, and shall welcome him back with pleasure. Farnsworth, McDonald and myself enjoy about an equal degree of popularity in the Regiment. Since writing the last sentence my opinion has been somewhat modified by the arrival of the mail. Farnsworth sends a certificate of disability looking for a further extension of his “leave of absence.” This is indefensible. The law allows disabled officers two months to recover. F. has had four months already, and looks for a further postponement of his return. I have also received your letter bearing date Jan. 2d, and see how much harm I did by indulging in a little fit of spleen. I do not see the slightest hope or prospect of either a short leave of absence, or of promotion, neither of which little matters do I intend shall disturb my equanimity in the slightest degree. To be sure my associations are not always agreeable, but when I entered the service had I any reason to hope they would be? I certainly enjoy more favor than any line officer in the 1st Division. This ought to suffice. Again I am losing years that ought to be spent in fitting me for my profession. Well, what of that? Shall I at this late hour begin to count the cost of doing my duty? No, mother, we both know that this matter must be pushed through to the end. I am not of so much value as to complain of having to bear my part. To hear me talk, one would suppose I was the only one who fancies himself unjustly used. Bah! The army is filled with them. Possibly twenty years hence I shall be grumbling because my professional skill is not properly appreciated. It is hard for disappointed men to believe the fault lies in themselves. Yet such things do happen. I shall be obliged to postpone my Christmas remembrances to you until the paymaster (invisible now for six months) shall visit us.
Very affectionately, Will.
From Mrs. Lyon’s Diary
Fort Henry, Tenn., Jan. 5, 1863.—The last time I wrote, William was off on the second expedition. They returned on Wednesday, dissatisfied at not being allowed to go into Paris. They were ordered to stay eight miles this side, as the rumors were that Forrest had too many men for our forces to fight. Our pickets were driven in, but they captured four horses and arms.
We have just heard the good that the expedition did. The rebels did not know how much force we had, but heard and imagined that there were four times as many as there were. So they turned and went the other way and so came in contact with General Dodge and his army, and had a battle and were badly beaten.
Forrest and Napier had joined forces. Napier was killed and we have taken 900 prisoners, so report says. I expect the Thirteenth will be ordered away from here before long, as General Ransom is determined to have them.
5th. Monday. In the morning George Fairchild called. Pleasant visit. After my work Rob and I rode to the city. Took up my pants for stripes. Got me a vest. Called at Neil House. Phoebe not in. Sorry. Muddy, and I had a servant black my boots! Rode back disconsolate and disappointed.
Monday, 5th—Fell back to Old Fosterville, remained 6th-10th.
Monday, 5th—A report came to camp that the forces under Sherman made an unsuccessful attack upon Vicksburg.1 We are shut out of communications now as well as of provisions; we have had no mail for a month.
1They failed because of the strong fortifications and the fact that Grant failed to make his attack in the rear of Vicksburg at the same time, as planned.—A. G. D.
An U.S. Baggage Train on its way to the Army at Falmouth, Va., Published January 3, 1863 in Frank Leslie’s Illustrated Newspaper.
