Monday, 13th—Our nice weather was broken today by an all day rain. A large number of transports loaded with troops went down the river; the Twenty-fourth Iowa was on board. I went down to the sutler in the Fifteenth Iowa camp and bought a bushel of potatoes, paying $2.50.
Saturday, April 13, 2013
13th April (Monday).—I breakfasted with General Bee, and took leave of all my Brownsville friends.
McCarthy is to give me four times the value of my gold in Confederate notes.[1]
We left Brownsville for San Antonio at 11 A.M. Our vehicle was a roomy, but rather over-loaded, four-wheel carriage, with a canvass roof, and four mules. Besides McCarthy, there was a third passenger, in the shape of a young merchant of the Hebrew persuasion. Two horses were to join us, to help us through the deep sand.
The country, on leaving Brownsville, is quite flat, the road, a natural one, sandy and very dusty, and there are many small trees, principally mosquites. After we had proceeded seven miles, we halted to water the mules.
At 2 P.M. a new character appeared upon the scene, in the shape of an elderly, rough-faced, dirty-looking man, who rode up, mounted on a sorry nag. To my surprise he was addressed by McCarthy with the title of “Judge,” and asked what he had done with our other horse. The judge replied that it had already broken down, and had been left behind. McCarthy informs me that this worthy really is a magistrate or sort of judge in his own district; but he now appears in the capacity of assistant mule-driver, and is to make himself generally useful. I could not help feeling immensely amused at this specimen of a Texan judge. We started again about 3 P.m., and soon emerged from the mosquite bushes into an open prairie eight miles long, quite desolate, and producing nothing but a sort of rush; after which we entered a chaparal, or thick covert of mosquite trees and high prickly pears. These border the track, and are covered with bits of cotton torn from the endless trains of cotton waggons. We met several of these waggons. Generally there were ten oxen or six mules to a waggon carrying ten bales, but in deep sand more animals are necessary. They journey very slowly towards Brownsville, from places in the interior of Texas at least five hundred miles distant. Want of water and other causes make the drivers and animals undergo much hardship.
The judge rides on in front of us on his “Rosinante,” to encourage the mules. His back view reminds one in a ludicrous manner of the pictures of Dr Syntax.
Mr Sargent, our portly driver, cheers his animals by the continual repetition of the sentence, “Get up, now, you great long-eared G—d d—d son of a ——
At 5 P.M. we reached a well, with a farm or ranch close to it. Here we halted for the night. A cotton train was encamped close to us, and a lugubrious half-naked teamster informed us that three of his oxen had been stolen last night.
In order to make a fire, we were forced to enter the chaparal for wood, and in doing so we ran many prickles into our legs, which caused us great annoyance afterwards, as they fester, if not immediately pulled out.
The water at this well was very salt, and made very indifferent coffee. McCarthy called it the “meanest halting-place we shall have.”
At 8 P.M. McCarthy spread a bullock-rug on the sand near the carriage, on which we should have slept very comfortably, had it not been for the prickles, the activity of many fleas, and the incursions of wild hogs. Mr Sargent and the Judge, with much presence of mind, had encamped seventy yards off, and left to us the duty of driving away these hogs. I was twice awoke by one of these unclean animals breathing in my face.
We did about twenty-one miles to-day.
[1] The value of Confederate paper has since decreased. At Charleston I was offered six to one for my gold, and at Richmond eight to one.
Monday, 13th—My mule taken scratches or something else badly, cannot ride her. Pretty day to-day. Aunt Nancy came over this evening.
April 13, 1863. At last the long-looked for promotion has been made and Zook is no longer the colonel of the Fifty-seventh New York, but a flull-fledged brigadier general. His commission arrived in camp this morning, together with special orders, Headquarters, Army of the Potomac, No. 103, assigning him to the command of his old brigade. The first official act of the new general was the promulgation of the following order:
Headquarters, Third Brigade, First Division, Second Corps,
April 13, 1863.
Special Order No. 1:
The following named officers are announced as the staff of the general commanding the brigade:
Lieutenant J. M. Favill, Aide-de-Camp and A. A. A. General.
Lieutenant C. H. H. Broom, Aide-de-Camp.
Captain L. L. Rose, A. C. S., Brigade Commissiary.
Captain Leffingwell, A. Q. M., Brigade Quartermaster.
Captain James D. Brady, Sixty-third New York, Assistant Inspector-General.
They will be obeyed and respected accordingly.
By order of
Brigadier-general S. K. Zook.
J. M. Favill, Lieutenant, A. D. C. and A. A. G.
The usual report made to the Secretary of War upon acceptance of a military commission, states that he was born at Chester, Pa., March 27, 1822, so he is about forty-one years of age, in the very prime of manhood. He served a long apprenticeship at soldiering in the militia. In 1842 he was major of the One Hundredth Pennsylvania regiment, and, subsequently, on his removal to New York City, became an officer of the Sixth New York militia, and on May 19, 1857, was commissioned major in that command, holding that rank at the opening of hostilities in 1861. On the return of the Sixth regiment from the three months’ service with which he served he was commissioned by Governor Morgan of New York colonel of volunteers, and assigned to the command of the Fifty-seventh infantry. He has a remarkable faculty in the topographical line and can find his way in almost any part of the country, where most others would be hopelessly lost. He gained this knowledge as superintendent of the Western Union Telegraph Company in the South and Southwest, where under his supervision most of their lines were put up. It is a valuable experience and has many times stood him in good stead.
The general is popular, a magnificent drill officer, an excellent soldier, and richly deserves his promotion. He received the hearty congratulations of the officers of the division and is very modest in his bearing. General Hancock immediately contributed a pair of stars, which we lost no time in sewing on his coat, taking, I think, more pride in them than the general did himself.
Upon my appointment as aide-de-camp, I resigned my commission as adjutant, and Broom resigned his commission of quartermaster in the Fifty-seventh, and we were succeeded, respectively, by Lieutenants Case and Snyder.
The general has promised to recommend me to the President for assistant adjutant-general, but wants to wait to see if he can get transferred to the West, which he is in love with. Admires Grant and Sherman, and thinks there is much more chance for an independent command out there than in this army. As an aide-de-camp he can take me wherever he goes, but not as an assistant adjutant-general, who belongs to the troops, and not to the general. In the meantime, I am to assume the duties of assistant adjutant-general, in addition to those of aide-de-camp. I hope we may soon get transferred to pastures new.
by John Beauchamp Jones
APRIL 13TH.—The Federal monitors, gun-boats, and transports no more menace the City of Charleston! The fleet has sailed away, several of the iron-clads towed out of the harbor being badly damaged. But before leaving that part of the coast, the Yankees succeeded in intercepting and sinking the merchant steamer Leopard, having 40,000 pairs of shoes, etc. on board for our soldiers. It is supposed they will reappear before Wilmington; our batteries there are ready for them.
Gen. Wise assailed the enemy on Saturday, at Williamsburg, captured the town, and drove the Federals into their fort—Magruder.
The President was ill and nervous on Saturday. His wife, who lost her parent at Montgomery, Ala., a month ago, and who repaired thither, is still absent.
Congress still refuses to clothe the President with dictatorial powers.
Senator Oldham, of Texas, made a furious assault on the Secretary of War, last Saturday. He says Senators, on the most urgent public business, are subjected to the necessity of writing their names on a slate, and then awaiting the pleasure of some lackey for permission to enter the Secretary’s office. He was quite severe in his remarks, and moved a call on the President for certain information he desired.
The Sentinel abuses Congress for differing with the President in regard to the retention of diplomatic agents in London, etc. And the Enquirer, edited by John Mitchel, the fugitive Irishman, opens its batteries on the Sentinel. So we go.
Lebanon, April 13th, 1863.
We have lost our favorite commander, Brigadier General Poe. He is promoted to captain in the regular service, and delivered his farewell address early yesterday morning. He has won the confidence and esteem of every man in the brigade, and they deeply regret his loss. It was his disobedience of orders that saved the First Brigade from slaughter at Fredericksburg. His disobedience led to his promotion. In appearance he is just the man I would select from among a thousand for a bandit chief.
We had a riffle of excitement yesterday in camp. Early in the morning the Eighteenth and Twenty-second Michigan Regiments were ordered to leave for Murfreesboro, Tennessee. The officers of these regiments, in common with others, have employed negroes as servants. Kentucky is violently opposed to the President’s Emancipation Proclamation. Here was a fine opportunity for a Kentucky General to show the “Abolitionists” that his state was not included in that pronunciamento. As the Eighteenth was about to board the cars, General Manson, commander of this post, ordered them to halt and deliver up all negroes in the regiment. Upon inquiry it was found that all, except one, were Kentucky negroes, and were given up. This did not satisfy; he must have the free man also. The Sixteenth Kentucky Infantry and the Twelfth Kentucky Cavalry are doing post duty here. These General Manson ordered to form in line of battle, and again demanded the surrender of the negro. But Michigan was not to be intimidated. Colonel Doolittle resolutely refused, formed his men for battle with loaded guns and fixed bayonets, and defiantly bade the Kentuckian to “come and take him.” Not caring to attack with only two to one, General Manson sent for the Seventy-ninth New York to come and help him, but the gallant Colonel of that regimnet replied: “I am not fighting Michigan men.” In the meantime General Burnside had been telegraphed for orders. He replied: “I have nothing to do with it.” Colonel Doolittle then telegraphed the War Department, and is now awaiting orders. The Eighteenth lay with their arms beside them all last night, apprehensive of an attack. They kept the negro.
We have a fine camping ground, nearly as good as at Newport News. The brigade is encamped in the form of a square. There is a spring of water in the center. In our front is the City of Lebanon, a place nearly as large as Jackson, and old enough in appearance to have been built in the middle ages. On our right and left are splendid farms, on which negro slaves are busily engaged plowing and planting. In our rear is a piece of timber from which we supply ourselves with fuel. We have thickly planted the borders of our streets with evergreen trees, which not only gives our camp a picturesque appearance, but affords a comfortable shade these hot, sultry days.
Our stay here depends entirely on the movements of the Rebels. We are here to protect the loyal people of Kentucky from guerillas; also to support Rosencrans should his rear be threatened by way of Cumberland Gap. The Ninth Corps is separated into fragments; the Third Division is in Virginia; the First and Second are in Kentucky, a brigade in a place, but so situated they can be quickly concentrated at a given point. Doubtless it is pleasant, this lying in camp with nothing to do but drill and play ball, which is all the rage just now, but it is not satisfying. It may do for regulars, who have so long a time to serve, but for volunteers who enlisted to do a given amount of work, would like to do that work and go home to their families.
April 13.—The National transport steamer Escort, with reinforcements, ammunition and supplies for General Foster, who was surrounded at Washington, N. C, ran the rebel batteries on the Pamlico River, and succeeded in reaching her destination.
—This morning a detachment of National troops, under the command of Colonel Spear, Eleventh Pennsylvania cavalry, attacked a body of rebel troops in the vicinity of Suffolk, Va., but after a sharp skirmish, the Unionists were compelled to retire behind their fortified works. In the afternoon, however, the same party, reenforced by cavalry, sallied forth, encountered the enemy, and drove him back with considerable loss.
April 13. — Duplicate copies of the estimate for mules, etc., handed in to-day to Generals Williams and Ingalls. The original that was sent in on March 25 could not be found at headquarters. Preparations are being made for an immediate move. All the pontoon boats have been made tight, and have been caulked and put in complete order. Orders received from headquarters to be ready to move at short notice in any direction. Day pleasant.
