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

January 2013

Post image for Woolsey Family during the War.

Woolsey Family during the War.

January 1, 2013

Woolsey family letters during the War for the Union

On the 22nd of September, 1862, a gleam of light had shone, the President had issued “his preliminary proclamation of emancipation; and now on January 1st, 1863 came the announcement of full liberty to the captives.

 

Extract from the Proclamation.

“I, Abraham Lincoln, President of the United States, by virtue of the power vested in me as Commander-in-Chief of the Army and Navy of the United States, . . . and as a necessary war-measure, . . . do order and declare that all persons held as slaves (within the states in rebellion) are, and henceforward shall be free.”

 

The passage by Congress of the 13th Amendment to the Constitution followed, extending emancipation to all parts of the United States and its territories.

 

Abby Howland Woolsey writes, Jan., ’63:

I improved yesterday to my satisfaction in reading the President’s proclamation. “The Lord reigneth, let the earth rejoice!”

Post image for Ephraim Shelby Dodd.

Ephraim Shelby Dodd.

January 1, 2013

Diary of Ephraim Shelby Dodd, Co. D of Terry's Texas Rangers

Thursday, 1st January, 1863—Went to La Vergne and pitched into their wagon train, captured and burned a good many wagons, 200 prisoners.

Post image for Downing’s Civil War Diary.–Alexander G. Downing.

Downing’s Civil War Diary.–Alexander G. Downing.

January 1, 2013

Diary of Alexander G. Downing; Company E, Eleventh Iowa Infantry

Thursday, 1st—We have become somewhat indifferent about keeping our camp in the best possible order, for we have been disappointed so often in soon having to leave a camp which we took pains to build. We have, however, fairly good bunks in our tents, made of brush and leaves. Our duties are very laborious here, for besides the regular picket duty, we are almost constantly at work repairing the railroad. Today four companies were on picket patrol and at work repairing a railroad bridge. I was on picket duty with the countersign “helmet.” The army is on half rations, but we expect more soon, as a provision train came through today from Memphis. The Third Division went to Memphis. The weather is clear and cool.

Post image for Diary of David L. Day.

Diary of David L. Day.

January 1, 2013

David L Day–My diary of rambles with the 25th Mass

The New Year.

January 1, 1863. By the blessing of God we have entered the portals of another year. Who knows what storms within it hide? Who can tell how many of us will enter on another year? but let us not despond; let us look with bright hopes to the future, going manfully forward, overcoming all obstacles in our path. We know the hardships, privations and dangers through which we have passed the last year, perils by sea and perils by land, meeting death in a thousand forms, but by an unseen hand have been brought safely through. It has now been fifteen months since our regiment was organized, and we then thought that by this time the trouble would be over and the rebellion would have become a thing of the past. But not so; it seems to have taken deeper root and there is no telling when it will end. It is true our armies have met with many successes and have also met with some reverses; the army of the Potomac has met with nothing but disaster from the first and will probably meet with nothing else until let alone by the war office at Washington. The enemy has a number of cruisers afloat making havoc with our merchant marine, and every success of their army inspires them with fresh hope and courage. I am reminded of what my new-found friend here in town told me a few days after we came here, that I would, if nothing happened to me, serve out my three years and could then re-enlist. I thought then the man was crazy, now I am not quite sure but he was the better prophet of the two.

Post image for A Diary of American Events.

A Diary of American Events.

January 1, 2013

The American Civil War,The Rebellion Record—A Diary of American Events; by Frank Moore

 

JANUARY 1, 1863.

—Abraham Lincoln, President of the United States, issued his confirmatory Emancipation Proclamation, declaring the slaves in certain States and parts of States in rebellion to be henceforth and forever free.—An enthusiastic meeting was held in Tremont Temple, Boston, throughout the whole of this day—morning, afternoon, and evening—in honor of the Proclamation. The day was also celebrated in Norfolk, Va., by the entire negro population. They marched through the town in procession, numbering over four thousand persons, headed by a band of music, carrying the Union flag, cheering for the downfall of slavery, etc. At Beaufort, S. C, the day was celebrated by the freedmen, by an excursion up the Beaufort River to the encampment of the First South-Carolina colored volunteers, where they were addressed by Brigadier-General Saxton, Colonel Higginson, Rev. Mr. French, and others. After singing an “Ode for Emancipation Day,” the multitude partook of refreshments. The tables were loaded with roast beef, bread, coffee, etc. Five oxen were roasted whole for the occasion.

—Galveston, Texas, was captured by a rebel force under General Magruder. The town was garrisoned by only three hundred troops, protected by six small gunboats: namely, the Westfield, Clifton, Harriet Lane, Owasco, Sachem, and Corypheus. Of these, the Harriet Lane was captured, after fighting until her captain and most of his officers and crew were killed; the Westfield got aground and was prematurely blown up, together with the commander of the fleet, Commodore Renshaw, and most of her officers and crew; the others escaped.—(Doc. 95.)

—Richard Yeadon, of Charleston, S. C, issued the following notice: “President Davis having proclaimed Benjamin F. Butler, of Massachusetts, to be a felon, deserving of capital punishment, for the deliberate murder of William B. Mumford, a citizen of the Confederate States, at New-Orleans, and having ordered that the said Benjamin F. Butler be considered or treated as an outlaw and common enemy of mankind, and that in the event of his capture, the officer in command of the capturing force do cause him to be immediately executed by hanging, the undersigned hereby offers a reward of ten thousand dollars ($10,000) for the capture and delivery of the said Benjamin F. Butler, dead or alive, to any proper confederate authority.”

Post image for A Rebel War Clerk’s Diary

A Rebel War Clerk’s Diary

January 1, 2013

A Rebel War Clerk's Diary at the Confederate States Capital, By John Beauchamp Jones

by John Beauchamp Jones

JANUARY 1ST, 1863.—This first day of the year dawned in gloom, but the sun, like the sun of Austerlitz, soon beamed forth in great splendor upon a people radiant with smiles and exalted to the empyrean.

A letter from Gen. H. Marshall informed the government that Gen. Floyd had seized slaves in Kentucky and refused to restore them to their owners, and that if the government did not promptly redress the wrong, the Kentuckians would at once “take the law into their own hands.”

We had a rumor (not yet contradicted) that the enemy, or traitors, had burned the railroad bridge between Bristol and Knoxville, cutting our communication with the West.

Then it was said (and it was true) that Gen. Lee had sent his artillery back some 30 miles this side of the Rappahannock, preparatory to going into winter quarters. But this was no occasion for gloom. Lee always knows what is best to be done.

Next there was a rumor (not yet confirmed, but credited) that Stuart had made another of his wonderful reconnoissances, capturing prisoners and destroying much of the enemy’s stores beyond the Rappahannock.

Then came a dispatch from Bragg which put us almost “beside” ourselves with joy, and caused even enemies to pause and shake hands in the street. Yesterday he attacked Rosecrans’s army near Murfreesborough, and gained a great victory. He says he drove him from all his positions, except on the extreme left, and after ten hours’ fighting, occupied the whole of the field except (those exceptions!) the point named. We had, as trophies, thirty-one guns, two generals, 4000 prisoners, and 200 wagons. This is a Western dispatch, it is true, but it has Bragg’s name to it, and he does not willingly exaggerate. Although I, for one, shall await the next dispatches with anxiety, there can be no question about the victory on the last day of the bloody year 1862. Bragg says the loss was heavy on both sides.

I noticed that one of the brass pieces sent down by Lee to go to North Carolina had been struck by a ball just over the muzzle, and left a glancing mark toward the touch-hole. That ball, probably, killed one of our gunners.

Post image for An Artilleryman’s Diary–Jenkin Lloyd Jones.

An Artilleryman’s Diary–Jenkin Lloyd Jones.

January 1, 2013

An Artilleryman's Diary–Jenkin Lloyd Jones, 6th Battery, Wisconsin Artillery.

LaFayette, Tenn., Thursday, Jan. 1, 1863. New Year’s morning truly, but hard to realize. There was no cordial face of a sister or blooming face of a brother to greet me with a “Happy New Year,” no stocking ransacked for a Santa Claus present. But I was soon aroused from my reverie by the blunt order from Lieutenant Clark “Feed your horses and rub them off well.” So I returned to a soldier’s duties. Took up the line of march early, passed through Collierville 1 P. M. 4 P. M. met Captain Dillon and Lieutenant Hood, who told us the Battery was waiting for us at LaFayette, two miles ahead. We joined them by 5 P. M. leaving the train of hard-tack to take care of itself. The train coming up to the station, we watered our horses in the Wolf River.

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