April 16th. The routine of camp life abruptly terminated to-day by receipt of orders to prepare for immediate service. We could scarcely believe that we were really going to leave our comfortable winter quarters and again take the field, but there it was, in black and white. “Troops to prepare at once eight days’ rations and one hundred and sixty rounds of ammunition to be issued.” The order was to leave extra clothing, camp equipage, etc., behind, the extra five days’ rations to be carried in knapsacks instead of clothing, etc.
We hear that General Hooker proposes to open the campaign by turning the flanks of the enemy, drawing him out of his entrenchments, and fighting him in the open. If the operation is successful, our camp equipage can easily be brought up whilst in case of a reverse we can simply fall back again to our starting place.
by John Beauchamp Jones
APRIL 16TH—The Federal papers have heard of the failure to take Charleston, and the sinking of the Keokuk; and yet they strive to mollify the disaster, and represent that but little damage was sustained by the rest of the fleet. Those that escaped, they say, have proved themselves invulnerable. The Keokuk had ninety shots on the water line. No wonder it sunk!
Gen. Longstreet has invested Suffolk, this side of Norfolk, after destroying one gun-boat and crippling another in the NansemondRiver. Unless the enemy get reinforcements, the garrison at Suffolk may be forced to surrender. Perhaps our general may storm their works!
I learn, to-day, that the remaining eye of the President is failing. Total blindness would incapacitate him for the executive office. A fearful thing to contemplate!
April 16.—A fleet of eight National gunboats and several transports, under the command of Admiral Porter, passed the rebel batteries at Vicksburgh, to-night, without any material damage, except the loss by fire of one of the transports, laden with commissary stores and forage.— (Doc. 169)
—A party of Indians attacked a detachment of eighteen soldiers at Medalia, thirty miles from Mankato, Minnesota, killing one and wounding two, besides killing a boy and two men belonging to the settlement.—The British steamer Gertrude was captured off Harbor Island, W. I., by the National gunboat Vanderbilt.
April 16.— Day was pleasant. Rode over to General Howard’s headquarters, and showed him an order from General Benham to inspect the pontoon train. He was very polite and sent an aide with me to Hope Landing, where the train was. Got down there and saw Captain Lee, Quartermaster, and Mr. Waterman, a civilian, who has charge of the train. The train consists of 22 wagons, with 8 boats, which are taken apart on the march and put together again when needed. One boat consists of some 35 to 40 pieces. The pieces are all tongued and grooved, and then bolted together. The stringers arc 33 feet long, and the bays 25 feet in length. The chess are common plank, and average some 15 inches in width, and 15 feet in length. The boats are 18 feet long and 8 feet wide. I should think that they would be liable to leak on account of the numerous joints. It takes some fifteen minutes to put a boat together. The horses are very poor indeed, and very green. The train is in charge of Mr. Waterman, who receives $150 a month, and 16 mechanics, who have from $2 to $2.50 [a day]. Got back to camp about 2 P.M.
