Wednesday, 4th—Rain all day, and the whole country is being flooded over. General Grant has sent five or six expeditions along the river to find some way to move the army on to higher ground in the rear of Vicksburg, and also to solve the problem of getting our fleet and gunboats past the rebels’ batteries with out running the risk of having them destroyed. I wrote a letter to John D. Moore, Inland, Iowa.
February 2013
Washington Wednesday. Feb’y 4th 1863
It has been the coldest day of the Season with a sharp cutting wind. The “Grand Concert” came off this evening. I had tickets rather more than I sold but did not see or hear much of the Concert. I think the audience (which was a large one) were not very well satisfied and rather felt “sold.” I was spending most of the evening more pleasantly with Genl Havelock at his room on F Street by invitation. The Genl is an open hearted honest old Soldier. The President invited him over here from England to take charge of the Cavalry as it arrived from the country and fit it for Service. He thinks he has not been very handsomely treated by the Sec’y of War as his Views and plans have not met with much favor at the War office. He holds a Cols Commission, was Genl in the British Army. We sat and talked and drank sherry near two hours. He is a fine specimen of the English Gentleman and brother of the celebrated Genl Havelock of India fame. My Stove “goes off” tonight and the wood melts away in it like wax as it is a very cold night for this City. Mercury is 10 above zero. No war news of any importance, everything must be frozen up. The Potomac was frozen over this morning. There are indications in congress that Mr Chases Banking system will be adopted. Gold droped yesterday five per cent, but is up again today to 159 under the influence of some “Secesh” news to the effect that some of our Blockading Squadron at Charlston had been destroyed by two rebel “iron Clads.” We will wait and see.
Buntyn Station, Wednesday, Feb. 4. Cold and clear as a bell. Exercised our horses for two hours under Sergeant Runyan. A. Goodman with two others of the 2nd Wisconsin Cavalry made us a visit, they being encamped within the limits of the town. Turned warm in the afternoon, and turned into snow which fell heavy till dark.
Mr. Forbes says: “ I was strolling along the camp to-day in search of adventure, when I was attracted by a little knot of soldiers at a short distance, and a horse on the ground as though kicking for its life. The horse turned out to be a mule undergoing the process of shoeing. It was a large, strong, raw-boned animal, with a keen, intelligent eye, which would shame many human countenances. One of his fore legs was fastened up with a strap; he having been thus pushed on his side, a rope is then fastened to the remaining foreleg, which is stretched out and held by a crowd of assistants. The poor animal, finding itself powerless, keeps up a continual wail or moaning, much like that of a child in pain. The shoes are fitted and then fastened on, the mule is released and suffered to rise, very much dejected with the rough and ungentlemanly treatment it has received. Mules are being rapidly adopted as draught animals – they are capable of enduring more fatigue, and altogether are far hardier than the horse. They are now used as pack-mules for our cavalry.”
Published in the March 14, 1863, issue of Frank Leslie’s Illustrated Newspaper.
FEBRUARY 4TH—One of the enemy’s iron-clad gunboats has got past our batteries at Vicksburg. Gem Pemberton says it was struck “three times.” But it is through.
The enemy’s presses reiterate the assertion that Gen. Longstreet is in Tennessee with his corps; and that the detachments from Gen. Lee’s army amount to 75,000 men. This is evidently for the purpose to encourage Hooker’s army to cross the Rappahannock. These presses must know that Gen. Lee’s whole army was less than 75,000 men; that Longstreet is still with him, and that only one small brigade has been sent away to North Carolina. Well, let them come! They will be annihilated. But is it not diabolical in the New York Post, Times, etc. to urge their own people on to certain destruction? If Hooker had 300,000, he could not now come to Richmond!
We have extremely cold weather now; and, probably, the rivers in Virginia will be frozen over to-night.
February 4.—Colonel George E. Waring, Jr., commanding the cavalry division in the brigade of General J. W. Davidson, made a descent on Batesville, Ark., driving the rebels under Marmaduke out of the town, killing and wounding many, and capturing some prisoners; among them, Colonel Adams. Captain Roses, of the Fourth Missouri cavalry, led the charge into the town most gallantly. Such of the rebels as could not crowd into the boats, swam the river. Colonel Waring remounted his men from the country. —General Davidson’s Despatch.
—Thanksgiving was celebrated in Texas, “for the successes that had attended the confederate arms.” — The ram Fulton, on the way to Vicksburgh, was fired into by a rebel battery at Cypress Bend, and disabled. One negro on board was killed, and another so frightened that he jumped overboard and was drowned. Before the rebels could capture the ram, the steamers Rattler and Wilson came up and dispersed them.
—The National troops had a brief skirmish with a small body of rebels, five miles from Lake Providence, in which they lost several men, and over thirty of the rebels were killed, wounded, and captured. More than ninety horses were taken.—The examination of Rev. R. J. Graves took place at Hillsboro, N. C, before Judge M. E. Manly, at the conclusion of which he was bound over to appear at the rebel court at Richmond, Va., to stand his trial on a charge of treason.—Raleigh Progress.
Tuesday, 3rd.—Started before day for Fort Donelson. Had to walk to keep from freezing. Got to the Fort about three hours by sun. Our Regiment sent on Fort H. road to prevent reinforcements from coming to D. Reached our position and the fight commenced and continued till dark. We cut the telegraph at all points, fight resulted in capture of about 100 prisoners, 50 negroes and same number of horses, one twelve-pound brass rifled cannon. Gun Boats came up after dark and commenced shelling and we had to get. Came back to the Forge, two and a half miles, and camped.
[Diary] February 3.
Many of the superintendents — those expecting to hold land under Mr. Philbrick — signed the petition. Mr. Ruggles and others have refused.
To Mrs. Lyon
Feb. 3, 1863.—Our mails are very irregular. All the steamers are used by the Government to carry troops to Vicksburg and Nashville. There are no signs of our being ordered away from here at present, although I should not be surprised if we had a march and a fight soon. We get intelligence that the rebels in large force are preparing to obstruct the passage of the Cumberland river between Donelson and Clarksville. If so, they must be dislodged, as the use of the Cumberland is indispensible to General Rosecrans. A late order transfers us from General Grant’s to General Rosecrans’ command.
3rd. Tuesday. Commenced taking care of my cream mare. Thede tried her gait. We cleaned her off nicely. Was kept quite busy all day straightening accounts in commissary. A cold, chilly, piercing day. Suffered considerably. Seems good to have Thede with me.
