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

Thursday, February 7, 2013

Post image for “Just as true as there is a God, if I was provost marshal in Fulton County, with my company for a guard, I’d hang at least ten men whose names I have.”–Army Life of an Illinois Soldier, Charles Wright Wills.

“Just as true as there is a God, if I was provost marshal in Fulton County, with my company for a guard, I’d hang at least ten men whose names I have.”–Army Life of an Illinois Soldier, Charles Wright Wills.

February 7, 2013

Army Life of an Illinois Soldier, Charles Wright Wills, (8th Illinois Infantry)

Camp 103d Illinois Infantry, Jackson, Tenn.,

February 7, ’63.

There was a dose of medicine administered to the command in this district yesterday that will certainly be productive of good. I already feel that it has indued me with fresh vigor and really made me quite young again. “The sale or introduction of the Chicago Times in this district is hereby forbidden until further orders.” By order of Brig. Gen’l. J. C. Sullivan. That same d__d old skeesicks has been protecting secesh property here in the strictest manner, and I’d never thought it possible for him to do as good a thing. It will do an immensity of good to the army, and if the President will only suppress the paper and several others of the same stripe, and hang about 200 prominent copperhead scoundrels in the North, we may then hope that the army will once more be something like its former self. Just as true as there is a God, if I was provost marshal in Fulton County, with my company for a guard, I’d hang at least ten men whose names I have. I know I’d be wrong, and would have no right to do so, but the good I’d do the Union troops would amply repay me for getting my own neck stretched. You can’t imagine how much harm those traitors are doing, not only with their papers, but they are writing letters to the boys which would discourage the most loyal of men, if they failed to demoralize them. I believe that about every enlisted man in our regiment has received one or more of these letters. My boys have shown me a number from their friends, all of which would help to make a man who relied on his friends for his ideas, discontented. I assure you that it is by no means the lightest portion of an officer’s duties now, to counteract the effect of these letters. I know that I put in a great deal more of my time than I wish to, in talking patriotism at the boys and doing good, round, solid cursing at the home cowardly vipers, who are disgracing the genus, man, by their conduct. I have the satisfaction of knowing that expressing myself on the subject as I have, and Lieutenant Dorrance’s talking the same way, have had a good effect on our men, for not only have we had no deserters, but the copperhead letters received in our company have been answered as patriots and soldiers should answer them.

Post image for Diary of a Tar Heel Confederate Soldier by Louis Léon

Diary of a Tar Heel Confederate Soldier by Louis Léon

February 7, 2013

Diary of a Tar Heel Confederate Soldier By Louis Léon [53d North Carolina Regiment, infantry]

February 7—We could not march yesterday, as the streams were too high from the recent rains and snow. We left to-day at 12 M., and got one day’s rations, hard enough to fell a bull. Marched on the railroad track all the afternoon. The main road was impassable. We got to Kinston at 4 in the afternoon, and made camp in a swamp, two and a half miles out of town. We had nothing to eat, but slept good for all that.

Post image for Diary of Gideon Welles.

Diary of Gideon Welles.

February 7, 2013

Diary of Gideon Welles

February 7, Saturday. Two or three Members of the House have had an opportunity to spend their wrath on me in relation to appointment of midshipmen. Calvert is quite angry on two or three matters and takes this opportunity to vent his spite. Washburne of Illinois, who has the reputation of being the “meanest man in the House,” is sore under my reply to his inquiry concerning the “vessel Varuna”; others but little better than Washburne were abusive.

Post image for War Diary of Luman Harris Tenney.

War Diary of Luman Harris Tenney.

February 7, 2013

War Diary of Luman Harris Tenney.

7th. After my morning work, issuing bread and beef and tending to my horse, Thede went to town for the girls. Called at Capt. N.’s quarters in the P. M. to see them. Good time. No lesson in the evening, so many of the boys away at theatre. I went over to Chester’s. Played checkers and dominoes.

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

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

February 7, 2013

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

Saturday, 7th—While waiting for orders, I went down to a daguerreotype gallery1 and had my likeness taken. The water is still rising and the report in camp is that our division is to proceed up the river to Lake Providence, Louisiana, and cut the levee to let the water of the Mississippi through to the lake from which it would be carried into the Red river.

1 Among the numerous “camp-followers” was also to be found the picture man.—Ed.

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

An Artilleryman’s Diary–Jenkin Lloyd Jones.

February 7, 2013

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

Buntyn Station, Saturday, Feb. 7. Quite cold in the morning. The frosty air rather keen in our well ventilated house, but a brisk fire soon made us comfortable. 4th Minnesota Infantry and the 12th Wisconsin Battery passed by toward Memphis. We are to go in the morning.

Post image for Diary of Horatio Nelson Taft.

Diary of Horatio Nelson Taft.

February 7, 2013

Diary of US patent clerk Horatio Nelson Taft.

Washington Saturday Feb’y 7th 1863.

This has been a bright and beautiful day overhead, some mud under foot. I was quite surprised to receive a visit at the office today from Genl Havelock dressed in full uniform. He came into the Hall and enquired for me and his presence created quite a stir as he was not known. I escorted him about the building and showed him the Libraries, and in the upper Hall or “Museum” explained to him the operation of the Revolving Fort (Timbys) with which he was much pleased. His brilliant English Uniform (of a Cavalry officer) attracted much attention in the office and many were the questions of “who was he?” after he had left. After office hours I went on to the Ave and visited the Book Stores, Taylors & Philps, where they know me. I frequently sit there and read for hours in any book I please to take up. It is not a bad place to pick up information at a cheap rate. Books are so awful dear that I cannot afford to purchase. I was at Willards awhile, talked an hour with Mr Sweatland, the N.Y. State Agent for the Soldiers. Saw Bouge, he wanted to borrow a dollar, did not get it. He appeared to be nearly sober, feared he wanted to get drunk. Called at A B Williams. Mrs W is very sick, do not think she can recover. Saw Mrs Tice there from Palmyra, had seen her in Lyons before. She was Miss Armington. Got back to my room before 9 o’clock.

General George Stoneman and staff.

February 7, 2013

Library of Congress,Miscellaneous document sources

Falmouth, Virginia. General George Stoneman and staff 01170a

Photographed by James F. Gibson at Falmouth, Virginia, February, 1863.

Library of Congress image.

Post image for A Rebel War Clerk’s Diary

A Rebel War Clerk’s Diary

February 7, 2013

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

FEBRUARY 7TH.—We have a dispatch from Texas, of another success of Gen. Magruder at Sabine Pass, wherein he destroyed a large amount of the enemy’s stores.

But we are calmly awaiting the blow at Charleston, or at Savannah, or wherever it may fall. We have confidence in Beauregard.

We are more anxious regarding the fate of Vicksburg. Northern man as he is, if Pemberton suffers disaster by any default, he will certainly incur the President’s eternal displeasure. Mississippi must be defended, else the President himself may feel the pangs of a refugee.

“That mercy I to others show, “
That mercy show to me!”

Post image for A Diary of American Events.

A Diary of American Events.

February 7, 2013

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

February 7.—This morning a deserter from the rebel army came to the National headquarters at Yorktown, Va., and stated that there were some twenty-five more of the rebels nine miles from Williamsburgh that wanted to give them selves up, but were afraid to come into the lines for fear of being fired upon. Lieutenant-Colonel Lewis, in command of the Fifth Pennsylvania, sent a squadron of his cavalry after them. When the main body of the squadron had reached the spot where the men were said to be waiting, they were fired upon by guerrillas in ambush, and twenty saddles were emptied the first volley. At the same time a body of rebel cavalry was seen charging down the road at some distance off. What remained of the Union cavalry, immediately started to receive them. They had just got under good speed, when they came in contact with telegraph wires that the guerrillas had suspended across the road and tied to the trees on each side, throwing horses and riders to the ground and tumbling them in a heap together, cutting and bruising both man and horse terribly. One captain and one lieutenant were taken prisoners, one captain was mortally wounded, and one lieutenant was killed. Thirty-five of the men were missing, and were either killed or taken prisoners.

—The guerrilla leader, Captain Dawson, and several of his men, were this day captured by a detachment of Union troops, under the command of Colonel Wood, Twenty-second Ohio volunteers, in the vicinity of Dyersburgh, Tenn.—Chicago Tribune.

—The steamers T. D. Wagner, Leopard, and Ruby, all from Nassau, N. P., with “large and valuable cargoes,” ran the blockade and arrived at Charleston, S. C, at an early hour this morning.—J. P. Benjamin, the rebel Secretary of State, addressed a circular to the foreign consuls in the Southern States, informing them that the National fleets having been dispersed at Galveston, and Sabine Pass, Texas, those ports were open to the trade of the merchants of their several nations.—Eli Thayer, at the Cooper Institute at New-York, delivered an address advocating the colonization of Florida with loyal colonists from the North.