Tuesday, 16th—Regiment relieved and came into camp.
Sunday, June 16, 2013
June 16. Commences with pleasant weather, and the bombardment of Port Hudson still going on—enemy not deigning to make any reply; at ten A. M. received some fresh beef on board from shore, for ship’s company. Gunboat Estrella, and steamers Louisiana Belle and Bee, got under way and started up the river—destination, Bayou Sara. Saw a fire in the vicinity of the upper batteries at Port Hudson. Steamer Bee came down the river, during the afternoon, with despatches; at three P. M. heavy squalls of wind and rain. Between the hours of six and eight o’clock, received provisions from lower fleet, overland.
JUNE 16TH.—We were relieved before daylight, and returned to camp pretty tired. I did not feel well last night, and having had no chance to sleep, I am a little the worse for wear this morning.
There was not much firing done during the night, but we had to keep a good lookout, as there are apprehensions of an outbreak. I do not often go star-gazing, but last night I sat and watched the beauty above. Daytime is glorious, but when night unfurls her banner over care-worn thousands among these hills, and the stars come out from their hiding places, our thoughts seek loftier levels. It was just as though one day had died, and another was born to take its place. Not a breeze stirred the foliage, except as fanned by the whirling shells. My thoughts were of home, and of the dear sister there, bedridden, with but little hope of health again. Her dearest wish, I know, is to see her only brother once more before she passes away to that heavenly peace for which she is destined. Through these terrible two years past, thoughts of home and a safe return to an unbroken family circle, have been my constant guiding star.
June 16 — Things are going on here this morning as usual. No change in anything as I can see. 7 o’clock p.m. — Warm firing has been kept up all day. I lie down again to rest with the ethereal blue for my covering, and pray the Lord to watch over me while I sleep. W. R. Clack
Colonel Lyons.
Fort Donelson, June 16, 1863.—I wonder what Canadian Secesh think now of our ability to whip the South. We had news last night that Port Hudson with 12,000 had surrendered to Banks. If this is true the rebels have lost at least 75,000 men within two weeks— besides those strongholds, Vicksburg and Port Hudson.
Just now we are watching Morgan’s course in Indiana with a good deal of interest, and some satisfaction. He has gone right into the worst Copperhead hole in the North and is teaching them, just as Lee taught the same class in Pennsylvania, that they have a personal interest in this war. Of course, he can not get out of there without being badly damaged.
You know how common it is for me to get word that a big force is just ready to pounce upon me, and yet it don’t worry me much, not half as badly as it once did. Less than a week ago Colonel Bruce telegraphed me that Forrest was near Fort Heiman, advancing on Fort Donelson. I thought I knew better and was not at all disquieted.
Minerva was quite sick again, but is better. Jerry says, ‘She is a right smart pearter this morning’. Jerry came in this morning before I was up, in high spirits. The Paymaster left in the night. Says Jerry, ‘Colonel, that Major called me up before he left and gave me two dollars. He is a right smart man. He is a sensible man. Oh, he’s got a power of sense, that Major has!’ So much for Jerry.
I have a beauty of a horse, a roan, gentle, quiet, easy under the saddle and afraid of nothing. He belongs to the Government, but I shall have him appraised and buy him.
Asboth has taken the troops away from Heiman and sent them to Paducah. He says Paducah is threatened. It is no doubt a Columbus scare.
June 16.—The troops to operate against the Sioux moved from their rendezvous at Camp Pope, under command of General Sibley. The force numbered fully three thousand men, all recruited in Minnesota, and more or less accustomed to frontier life. A pontoon train accompanied it; also three hundred wagons and several hundred head of beef cattle.—The Third Massachusetts regiment from Newbern, N. C., returned to Boston, and were received with enthusiasm.—F. H. Pierpont, Governor of West-Virginia, in view of the approach of the rebels, issued a proclamation, calling upon the commandants of the militia, to convene their regiments and companies to be held in readiness to go to the field at a moment’s warning.— Governor Joel Parker, of New Jersey, issued a proclamation, calling upon the citizens of the State to rally for the defence of Pennsylvania.—(Doc. 73.)
—Governor Curtis, of Pennsylvania, made the following appeal:
To the People of Philadelphia:
For nearly a week past it has been publicly known that the rebels in force were about to enter Pennsylvania. On the twelfth instant an urgent call was made on the people to raise a departmental army corps for the defence of the State. Yesterday, under the proclamation of the President, the militia were called out. Today, a new and pressing exhortation has been given to furnish men to repel the invasion.
Philadelphia has not responded—meanwhile the enemy is six miles this side of Chambersburgh, and advancing rapidly.
Our capital is threatened, and we may be disgraced by its fall, while the men who should be driving the outlaws from our soil are quibbling about the possible term of service for six months.
It never was intended to keep them beyond the continuance of the emergency. You all know this by what happened when the militia were called out last autumn. You then trusted your Government and were not deceived. Trust it again now. I will accept men without reference to the six months’ term. If you do not wish to bear the ignominy of shirking from the defence of your State, come forward at once. Close your places of business and apply your hearts to the work. Come in such organizations as you can form. General Couch has appointed Lieutenant-Colonel Ruff to superintend your organizations.
Report to him immediately.
—Brigadier-general Frederick S. Washburn, of the Iowa Ninth infantry, died at his home in Waterloo. Captain Washburn was wounded at Vicksburgh, on the twenty-second of May, and just before he left for home was promoted from Captain to rank of Brigadier-General.
—The rebels under General Lee, in the invasion of Pennsylvania, reached Scotland, a few miles cast of Chambersburgh. At Harrisburgh the excitement was intense. A correspondent at that place, describing the scene, says:
“It is difficult to convey an exact idea of the state of affairs here to-night, not only on account of the confusion existing, but in consequence of the danger of trenching on what may be contraband ground. During the morning a perfect panic prevailed, extending to all classes of people, and resulting in the grandest demand for railroad tickets ever witnessed in this city. The enemy were supposed to be just over the river, or, at any rate, at Carlisle, and every woman in the place seemed anxious to leave for safer regions. Trunks ‘were piled up at the depots six feet in height, for nearly a square, and hundreds if not thousands of people eagerly waited the hour of the departure of the various trains.
“In the mean while, the State Capitol had been completely denuded of every thing of value, from the portraits of the governors to the books in the library. The books, papers, paintings, and other valuables were packed in freight-cars, and made ready for instant departure in case of decided signs of danger to the city.
“Measures were taken yesterday to rouse the people to the danger at hand, and during to-day about one thousand persons were earnestly at work on the other side of the Susquehanna, throwing up a bastioned redoubt, for the protection of Harrisburgh. The work was kept up all day, and far into the evening, and late to-night we saw files of laborers returning from their unwonted toil.
“There were but few regular soldiers in town to-day, the principal display being made by three companies of invalids from the military hospitals at York. They arrived during the afternoon, and when drawn up on Third street, they looked as if there was considerable fight in them yet
“During the entire afternoon, Market street was occupied with army wagons from Milroy’s division, which rumbled across the old bridge, and from thence past the railroad depot and out to a camp ground on the other side of the canal. These wagons were mostly drawn by four horses, though there were some mule-teams among them. Dust was the prevailing feature of the vehicles, from the cars of the horses to the hat-rims of the teamsters. Some of the wngons were filled with hay and some with tents, while from many peeped the black faces, grinning mouths and white teeth of contrabands, large and small, of both sexes. For several hours this wagon-train completely filled Market street, giving the spectators a far better idea of the dust, turmoil, and fatigue of war than they could get in any other way.”
—Jefferson Davis, at Richmond, Va., called upon the States of the “Confederacy” to furnish troops for home defence, in order to replace those, who were then, under the command of General Lee, invading the North.—Littlestown, eleven miles from Gettysburgh, Pa., was occupied by rebel cavalry.—Rebel salt-works, in Princess Ann County, Va., were destroyed by Major Murray, having under his command one hundred men, belonging to the One Hundred and Forty-eighth regiment of New-York volunteers. — (Doc. 72.)
—Governor A. W. Bradford, of Maryland, issued a proclamation calling upon the citizens of Baltimore and people of Maryland to rally to defend their soil from invasion.
As there was no organized militia force in the State, he announced that he would fall back upon the recent enrolment for the draft; but he hoped there is patriotism sufficient among the people to raise the force needed from voluntary enlistments.
—A fight occurred in Fleming County, Ky., between the Fifteenth regiment of Michigan volunteers and a superior force of the rebels, which resulted in the repulse of the latter with a heavy loss. The National casualties were fifteen killed and thirty wounded.
—Yesterday, in latitude twelve degrees north, longitude thirty degrees, the rebel privateer Florida captured the ship B. F. Hoxie, of Mystic, Ct., from Mazatlan for Falmouth, England, with a cargo of logwood, silver bars and thirty tons of silver ore; the bars were valued at five hundred thousand dollars, and the ore at a similar amount .The bars were conveyed on board the Florida, and the ore was sunk in the ship to-day.
—Harper’s Ferry, Va., was invested by the rebels, while the National troops held Maryland Heights in large force.—The Councils of Baltimore, Md., appropriated four hundred thousand dollars for bounties.—Colonel De Courcey, with parts of the Tenth and Fourteenth Kentucky, and Seventh and Ninth Michigan cavalry, cut off at Triplett’s Bridge, Ky., the body of rebel cavalry that made the attack on Maysville, and after a severe fight routed them, killing and wounding a large number and taking over one hundred prisoners, including one captain and two lieutenants.— (Doc. 16.)
June 16.—The troops to operate against the Sioux moved from their rendezvous at Camp Pope, under command of General Sibley. The force numbered fully three thousand men, all recruited in Minnesota, and more or less accustomed to frontier life. A pontoon train accompanied it; also three hundred wagons and several hundred head of beef cattle.—The Third Massachusetts regiment from Newbern, N. C., returned to Boston, and were received with enthusiasm.—F. H. Pierpont, Governor of West-Virginia, in view of the approach of the rebels, issued a proclamation, calling upon the commandants of the militia, to convene their regiments and companies to be held in readiness to go to the field at a moment’s warning.— Governor Joel Parker, of New Jersey, issued a proclamation, calling upon the citizens of the State to rally for the defence of Pennsylvania.—(Doc. 73.)
—Governor Curtis, of Pennsylvania, made the following appeal:
To the People of Philadelphia:
For nearly a week past it has been publicly known that the rebels in force were about to enter Pennsylvania. On the twelfth instant an urgent call was made on the people to raise a departmental army corps for the defence of the State. Yesterday, under the proclamation of the President, the militia were called out. Today, a new and pressing exhortation has been given to furnish men to repel the invasion.
Philadelphia has not responded—meanwhile the enemy is six miles this side of Chambersburgh, and advancing rapidly.
Our capital is threatened, and we may be disgraced by its fall, while the men who should be driving the outlaws from our soil are quibbling about the possible term of service for six months.
It never was intended to keep them beyond the continuance of the emergency. You all know this by what happened when the militia were called out last autumn. You then trusted your Government and were not deceived. Trust it again now. I will accept men without reference to the six months’ term. If you do not wish to bear the ignominy of shirking from the defence of your State, come forward at once. Close your places of business and apply your hearts to the work. Come in such organizations as you can form. General Couch has appointed Lieutenant-Colonel Ruff to superintend your organizations.
Report to him immediately.
—Brigadier-general Frederick S. Washburn, of the Iowa Ninth infantry, died at his home in Waterloo. Captain Washburn was wounded at Vicksburgh, on the twenty-second of May, and just before he left for home was promoted from Captain to rank of Brigadier-General.
—The rebels under General Lee, in the invasion of Pennsylvania, reached Scotland, a few miles cast of Chambersburgh. At Harrisburgh the excitement was intense. A correspondent at that place, describing the scene, says:
“It is difficult to convey an exact idea of the state of affairs here to-night, not only on account of the confusion existing, but in consequence of the danger of trenching on what may be contraband ground. During the morning a perfect panic prevailed, extending to all classes of people, and resulting in the grandest demand for railroad tickets ever witnessed in this city. The enemy were supposed to be just over the river, or, at any rate, at Carlisle, and every woman in the place seemed anxious to leave for safer regions. Trunks ‘were piled up at the depots six feet in height, for nearly a square, and hundreds if not thousands of people eagerly waited the hour of the departure of the various trains.
“In the mean while, the State Capitol had been completely denuded of every thing of value, from the portraits of the governors to the books in the library. The books, papers, paintings, and other valuables were packed in freight-cars, and made ready for instant departure in case of decided signs of danger to the city.
“Measures were taken yesterday to rouse the people to the danger at hand, and during to-day about one thousand persons were earnestly at work on the other side of the Susquehanna, throwing up a bastioned redoubt, for the protection of Harrisburgh. The work was kept up all day, and far into the evening, and late to-night we saw files of laborers returning from their unwonted toil.
“There were but few regular soldiers in town to-day, the principal display being made by three companies of invalids from the military hospitals at York. They arrived during the afternoon, and when drawn up on Third street, they looked as if there was considerable fight in them yet
“During the entire afternoon, Market street was occupied with army wagons from Milroy’s division, which rumbled across the old bridge, and from thence past the railroad depot and out to a camp ground on the other side of the canal. These wagons were mostly drawn by four horses, though there were some mule-teams among them. Dust was the prevailing feature of the vehicles, from the cars of the horses to the hat-rims of the teamsters. Some of the wngons were filled with hay and some with tents, while from many peeped the black faces, grinning mouths and white teeth of contrabands, large and small, of both sexes. For several hours this wagon-train completely filled Market street, giving the spectators a far better idea of the dust, turmoil, and fatigue of war than they could get in any other way.”
—Jefferson Davis, at Richmond, Va., called upon the States of the “Confederacy” to furnish troops for home defence, in order to replace those, who were then, under the command of General Lee, invading the North.—Littlestown, eleven miles from Gettysburgh, Pa., was occupied by rebel cavalry.—Rebel salt-works, in Princess Ann County, Va., were destroyed by Major Murray, having under his command one hundred men, belonging to the One Hundred and Forty-eighth regiment of New-York volunteers. — (Doc. 72.)
—Governor A. W. Bradford, of Maryland, issued a proclamation calling upon the citizens of Baltimore and people of Maryland to rally to defend their soil from invasion.
As there was no organized militia force in the State, he announced that he would fall back upon the recent enrolment for the draft; but he hoped there is patriotism sufficient among the people to raise the force needed from voluntary enlistments.
—A fight occurred in Fleming County, Ky., between the Fifteenth regiment of Michigan volunteers and a superior force of the rebels, which resulted in the repulse of the latter with a heavy loss. The National casualties were fifteen killed and thirty wounded.
—Yesterday, in latitude twelve degrees north, longitude thirty degrees, the rebel privateer Florida captured the ship B. F. Hoxie, of Mystic, Ct., from Mazatlan for Falmouth, England, with a cargo of logwood, silver bars and thirty tons of silver ore; the bars were valued at five hundred thousand dollars, and the ore at a similar amount .The bars were conveyed on board the Florida, and the ore was sunk in the ship to-day.
—Harper’s Ferry, Va., was invested by the rebels, while the National troops held Maryland Heights in large force.—The Councils of Baltimore, Md., appropriated four hundred thousand dollars for bounties.—Colonel De Courcey, with parts of the Tenth and Fourteenth Kentucky, and Seventh and Ninth Michigan cavalry, cut off at Triplett’s Bridge, Ky., the body of rebel cavalry that made the attack on Maysville, and after a severe fight routed them, killing and wounding a large number and taking over one hundred prisoners, including one captain and two lieutenants.— (Doc. 16.)
June 16th, 1863.
At about four o’clock this afternoon we met two of our gunboats near Napoleon, Mississippi, who told us they had just dislodged a Rebel battery planted on the shore, and had burned two small villages. Thinking it not safe to proceed, our fleet was hauled inshore, a strong guard was posted and pickets stationed on shore to prevent surprise. Most of the men threw themselves down, their arms beside them, to rest as best they might. Some few had gone ashore and were enjoying a social chat around their blazing camp fires, while the more restless ones were working off the effects of the bad whisky they had imbibed during the day with boisterous, hilarious merriment. It was half past ten; feeling wakeful, I had not retired, but sat on the railing of the vessel, talking over past events with a friend from Jackson. Presently two rifle shots rang out, followed by a volley from our pickets. Then was there hurrying to and fro. The men sprang instinctively to arms. Officers rushed from their rooms in dishabille, the timid crouched behind anything that offered the slightest protection. Confusion reigned. But soon our Colonel appeared, cool and collected, calm as a summer eve. “Steady, men, stand by your arms and wait orders.” More pickets were sent out and we patiently awaited the attack. But it did not come. It was, probably, an attempt by some cowardly wretches to murder one or two of our pickets and escape under cover of darkness. No one was hurt. We started soon after daylight, convoyed by two gunboats, prepared for any emergency, and expecting fun. One gunboat led the way, the other followed in our rear, their bright little guns portruding from their coal black sides. They have a jaunty, saucy air, that seems to say: “Just knock this chip off my shoulder, if you dare.” We were all excitement for a while, eagerly scanning every tree or log, thinking to see a puff of smoke or a “cracker’s” head at every turn. Seeing nothing for so long a time, we began to think it all a hoax, when suddenly, as we rounded a point, running close inshore, the transport in front of us was fired on by a concealed foe. Their fire was instantly returned, and the saucy little gunboats rounded to and gave them a broadside of grape, followed by shell, at short range. Our boys were quickly in line, watching with eager eyes for Rebel heads. Fortunately not a man was injured on either vessel. A sad accident occurred this afternoon. A young man of Company H was standing guard at the head of the stairs. He stood on the upper step, leaning on his gun. It slipped and the hammer struck the step below. The bullet passed through his stomach and lodged near the spine.
by John Beauchamp Jones
JUNE 16TH.—We have nothing from the West to-day. But it is believed that Hooker is retiring toward Manassas—that fatal field—where another (and the third) battle may be fought. Lee’s army is certainly on the march, and a collision of arms cannot be averted many days. It is believed Gen. Ewell, successor of Jackson, has beaten Milroy at Winchester.
But, while terrible events are daily anticipated in the field, all the civilians seem to have gone wild with speculation, and official corruption runs riot throughout the land. J. M. Seixas, agent of the War Department, writes from Wilmington that while the government steamers can get no cotton to exchange abroad for ordnance stores, the steamers of individuals are laden, and depart almost daily. This is said to be partly the work of the “Southern Express Company,” believed to be Yankees (a portion of them), which contracts to deliver freight, and bribes the railroads and monopolizes transportation. This is the company on whose application Judge Campbell, Assistant Secretary of War, granted so many exemptions and details! It takes a great number of able-bodied men from the army, and then, by a peculiar process, absolutely embarrasses, as Gen. Whiting says, the conduct of the war.
Judge Dargan, of Alabama, writes that private blockade-runners are ruining the country—supplying the enemy with cotton, and bringing in liquors and useless gew-gaws.
16th.—The morning papers gave a telegram from General Lee, announcing that General Early’s Brigade had taken Winchester by storm. So again Winchester and all that beautiful country, Clarke, etc., are disenthralled.
It is said that our army will go to Pennsylvania. This I dread; but it is in God’s hands, I believe, for good and not for evil.
