Monday, June 10, 2013

A Soldier’s Story of the Siege of Vicksburg–Osborn H. Oldroyd.

June 10, 2013

A Soldier’s Story of the Siege of Vicksburg–Osborn H. Oldroyd

JUNE 10TH.—The heat of the sun increases, and we must improve our quarters. Accordingly a part of the day has been spent in cutting cane and building bunks with it on the side of the hill. Such improvements protect us better from the sun.

Last night I sat on the top of a hill awhile, watching the mortar shells flying into the city from the river. High into the air they leaped, and, like falling stars, dropped, exploding among the houses and shaking even the very hills. The lighted fuse of each shell could be seen as it went up and came down, and occasionally I have seen as many as three of them in the air at once. The fuse is so gauged as to explode the shell within a few feet of the ground. The destruction being thus wrought in the city must be very great. We learn from prisoners that the inhabitants are now living in caves dug out of the sides of the hills. Alas! for the women, children and aged in the city, for they must suffer, indeed, and, should the siege continue several months, many deaths from sickness as well as from our shells, must occur. I am sure Grant has given Pemberton a chance to remove from Vicksburg all who could not be expected to take part in the fearful struggle.

We have been looking for rain to cool the air and lay the dust, and this afternoon we were gratified by a heavy shower.

War Diary of Luman Harris Tenney

June 10, 2013

War Diary of Luman Harris Tenney.

Wed., 10th. Up at three A. M. and on to the river. Forded and found rations for men and horses. Remained till noon. Talk of recrossing. Fresh troops on hand. Finally went back to camp. Took a nap and got rested—pretty tired.

War Diary and Letters of Stephen Minot Weld.

June 10, 2013

War diary and letters of Stephen Minot Weld

Headquarters 1st Army Corps, June 10, 1863.

Dear Mother, — . . . We are still in our old camp near White Oak Church, and although we are under orders to move at any minute, I begin to think that we may be here some weeks yet. We may relieve the Sixth Corps, which has a division across the river at Franklin’s old crossing, but that is the only move we shall make, in my opinion. This crossing the river was made solely to keep the enemy here, and prevent them from going out West or to any other point to reinforce their troops. Of course it may lead to a battle, should they attack us. . . .

My mind is made up to see this war through, if it don’t see me killed beforehand. We have got to whip and partially exterminate the South, although it may take some years to do so. I have got my dander up, and am mad with the rascals. I even think seriously of going back to my regiment and serving there, so as to be well posted in tactics, and fitted to take a higher position. I feel in much better spirits than when at home. I still think that the Government have treated General Porter shamefully, but live on in the hope of seeing him righted some day. We all feel here that we can whip the rebels if we only have a man who can command us properly. This Army of the Potomac is truly a wonderful army. They have something of the English bull-dog in them. You can whip them time and again, but the next fight they go into, they are in good spirits, and as full of pluck as ever. They are used to being whipped, and no longer mind it. Some day or other we shall have our turn. At present we are doing a great deal of good in holding Lee in check and preventing him from reinforcing Pemberton. . . .

Will you please get me some ginger and send it on. I tried to buy some in Washington, but could not get any. I want some sugared and dry and not preserved in liquid. It is very nice on a march, and is convenient to carry. . . .

Yesterday our cavalry had a real hand-to-hand fight with the rebels near Kelly’s Ford. Our men behaved splendidly, and drove the rebels 5 miles. We captured all Stuart’s private papers, and found that he was to have started this morning, with 25 guns and 12,000 cavalry, to make his raid into Pennsylvania.

Tell Henry that Jackson is dead, and that I send him a kiss and will let him ride my horse when I get home. . . .

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

June 10, 2013

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

Wednesday, 10th—The cool morning was followed by a rain all day ending at dark in a heavy windstorm. Companies E and D of the Eleventh Iowa worked all last night in cutting a road through the canebrakes to the rebels’ breastworks. Skirmishing has been going on all day.

Three Months in the Southern States–Lieut. Col. Fremantle, Coldstream Guards.

June 10, 2013

Three Months in the Southern States–Lieut. Col. Fremantle, Coldstream Guards

10th June (Wednesday).—I dined with Mr and Mrs H—— this afternoon, and after dinner they drove me to the Battery, which is the popular promenade. A great many well-dressed people and a few carriages were there, but the H——s say it is nothing to what it was. Most of the horses and carriages have been sent out of Charleston since the last attack. Mrs H—— told me all the ladies began to move out of Charleston on the morning after the repulse of the Monitors, the impression being that the serious attack was about to begin. I talked to her about the smart costumes of the negro women on Sundays; she said the only difference between them and their mistresses is, that a mulatto woman is not allowed to wear a veil.

Three Years in the Confederate Horse Artillery — George Michael Neese.

June 10, 2013

Three Years in the Confederate Horse Artillery — George Michael Neese.

June 10 — This morning I started to Brandy Station, but found the rest of the battery camped about a mile south of the Station. We passed General Early’s division of infantry this morning marching toward Culpeper Court House.

An Artilleryman’s Diary–Jenkin Lloyd Jones

June 10, 2013

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

Before Vicksburg, Wednesday, June 10. A heavy rain storm came on early and continued all day. The dusty valley was converted into a bed of a wild rushing stream. Kept middling dry until evening, when we went to help bring a limber down the hill, it being too slippery for the horses. Got thoroughly drenched and slept in wet blankets and on the wet ground, but it is all the same for soldiers. What would folks at home think? It is well they are ignorant of it.

A Diary of American Events.

June 10, 2013

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

June 10.—Governor Bradford, of Maryland, issued a proclamation, calling upon the citizens of Baltimore and the people of the State to rally for defence against the rebels under General Lee. —A Convention took place at the Cooper Institute in New-York, at which an address and resolutions, urging peace in the strongest manner, and denouncing the administration of President Lincoln, were adopted. Speeches were made by Fernando Wood, Judge J. H. McCunn, and others. —General Braxton Bragg, of the rebel army, was confirmed at Chattanooga by Bishop Elliot of the Episcopal Church.—The Democratic Convention of Ohio, by acclamation, nominated C. L. Vallandigham for Governor of that State; the same time refugees reported that Mr. Vallandigham had been imprisoned by the rebels.—Deputy Provost-marshal Stevens and a Mr. Clayfield, and an enrolling officer who accompanied them, were fired upon near Manville, Rush County, Indiana, when the former was instantly killed. Mr. Clayfield was mortally wounded, and soon after died. The outrage was committed by persons opposed to the draft.—The Forty-fourth regiment of Massachusetts volunteers returned to Boston from Newbern, N. C.—The Assistant Secretary of the Navy stated that the whole number of vessels captured or destroyed by the National blockading fleet up to June first, was eight hundred and fifty-five.—The enrolment met with resistance in Fulton County, Pa. Officers of the Government were shot at by parties concealed in the woods, and the houses of the enrolling agents burned.—Thirty mounted Indians attacked a coach at a point thirty miles west of Salt Lake, and killed and scalped the driver and another employe of the route. After opening the mail-bags and committing other depredations, the savages retired, taking with them the horses belonging to the stage.—The bark Lenox was captured and destroyed by the rebel pirates on board the tow-boat Boston, captured yesterday near Pass à 1’Outre, Mississippi River.

—Clark’s (rebel) Diary of the War for Separation has the following estimate of killed, wounded, and missing, from the commencement of the war to the first of January, 1863:

Federals—Killed, 43,874; wounded, 97,027; prisoners, 68,218—total, 209,115. Died from disease and wounds, 250,000.

Confederates—Killed, 20,893; wounded,69,615; prisoners, 22,169—total, 102,677. Died from disease and wounds, 136,000.

—The steamer Maple Leaf, en route from Fortress Monroe to Fort Delaware, with a large number of rebel prisoners, was taken possession of and run ashore about eight miles from Cape Henry Lighthouse, when a greater portion of the prisoners escaped.

Diary of Gideon Welles.

June 10, 2013

Diary of Gideon Welles

June 10, Wednesday. Rumors of a cavalry fight in Culpeper. The President and Stanton have gone to Falmouth. Nothing definite from Vicksburg. Am not favorably impressed with what I hear of the fight on the Rappahannock.

The accounts of piratical depredations disturb me. My views, instructions, and arrangements to capture the Alabama, which would have prevented these depredations, have failed through the misconduct of Wilkes. The Rebel cruisers are now beginning to arm their prizes and find adventurers to man them. Our neutral friends will be likely to find the police of the seas in a bad way.