Following the American Civil War Sesquicentennial with day by day writings of the time, currently 1863.

Tuesday, June 18, 2013

Post image for War Diary and Letters of Stephen Minot Weld.

War Diary and Letters of Stephen Minot Weld.

June 18, 2013

War diary and letters of Stephen Minot Weld

June 18 .—Major Riddle started for headquarters yesterday, and did not return to camp until this afternoon. We were all afraid that the guerillas might have gobbled him, as there is a report that Major Stirling was taken last night while on his way to General Pleasonton at Aldie. I was going to start for our headquarters at the same time, and with Major Stirling, but on account of General Butterfield asking me to dinner, I waited fifteen minutes. It rained in the afternoon and during the night, being the first rain we have had for some time. All the crops through the country where we have been, are suffering terribly on account of the drought. The general was going to send me to headquarters again this afternoon, but just as I was starting an orderly came from there, which saved me the trouble. I drew a government horse to-day for temporary use, until my mare’s back gets well.

[A day or two after writing this entry I found that two staff officers belonging to different corps headquarters, who had lunched with me at headquarters of the Army of the Potomac on the i8th, had got into trouble. One started a little after lunch, and wanted me to go along with him. I said no, I thought I would wait a few minutes and have a smoke. In about fifteen or twenty minutes I started. The other aide wanted me to wait and go with him in half an hour. I said no, I thought I had better go ahead; so I started. Before starting I was cautioned by General Butterfield to be very careful, as Mosby’s guerillas were all around the army; and as soon as I got to our outposts I was to demand an escort and carry them with me to camp. Accordingly I started, as nearly as I can remember, about 5 o’clock in the afternoon. I rode until pretty nearly dark, when I met our outpost. I gave my orders to the colonel for an escort, and he gave me a lieutenant and, I think, five or six men. By the time we were pretty well started on our way, darkness had set in. The lieutenant enlivened our way by telling me of numerous skirmishes and encounters they had had with Mosby within a few days. We passed one house, and he said that one of Mosby’s lieutenants lived there, who captured one of our sergeants the other day. A little farther on, he said, “We had a fight with Mosby here the other day. He tried to surprise us.”

I was in a state of nervous tension that one can hardly realize. I had one hand on my horse’s reins, and with the other I grasped my pistol, ready to shoot in case we were attacked. As we rode along, we could hear the katydids singing, and occasionally an owl hooting, or some of the numerous midnight noises that one always hears on a summer’s night. The lieutenant said to me: “The hooting of the owl is one of the favorite calls of Mosby’s men.” Then I would get a little more stirred up, if possible, and a little more nervous. Finally, though, we got through all right, after one of the most exciting rides I ever had in my life. In the morning our head teamster was up in a cherry tree about two hundred yards from headquarters, when Mosby came along right in our camp, made him a prisoner, and took him off. It happened, as I afterwards learned and as I have said, that both aides, the one who left after me and the one who left before me, were captured by Mosby, while I got through safely.]

Post image for War Diary of Luman Harris Tenney

War Diary of Luman Harris Tenney

June 18, 2013

War Diary of Luman Harris Tenney.

18th. Orders to draw ten days’ rations and be ready to march at a minute’s notice. Drew and issued ten days’ rations. Hospital boys sent back to Hickman. Brigade quite inquisitive as to where we are going. In the evening concert. Wrote to Will Hudson. Letter from Sarah Felton.

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

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

June 18, 2013

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

18th June (Thursday).—At 10 A.M. I called by appointment on Mr Sedden, the Secretary at War. His anteroom was crowded with applicants for an interview, and I had no slight difficulty in getting in. Mr Sedden is a cadaverous but clever-looking man; he received me with great kindness, and immediately furnished me with letters of introduction for Generals Lee and Longstreet.

My friend Major Norris then took me to the President’s office and introduced me to the aides-de-camp of the President—viz., Colonels Wood, Lee, and Johnston. The two latter are sons to General Lee and General Albert Sidney Johnston, who was killed at Shiloh.

Major Norris then took me to the capitol, and introduced me to Mr Thompson the librarian, and to Mr Meyers, who is now supposed to look after British interests since the abrupt departure of Mr Moore, the Consul. I was told that Mr Moore had always been considered a good friend to the Southern cause, and had got into the mess which caused his removal entirely by his want of tact and discretion. There is a fine view from the top of the capitol; the librarian told me that last year the fighting before Richmond could easily be seen from thence, and that many ladies used to go up for that purpose. Every one said, that notwithstanding the imminence of the danger, the population of Richmond continued their daily avocations, and that no alarm was felt as to the result.

The interior of the capitol is decorated with numerous flags captured from the enemy. They are very gorgeous, all silk and gold, and form a great contrast to the little bunting battle flags of the Confederates. Amongst them I saw two colours which had belonged to the same regiment, the 37th New York (I think). These were captured in different battles; and on the last that was taken there is actually inscribed as a victory the word Fairoaks, which was the engagement in which the regiment had lost its first colour.

Mr Butler King, a member of Congress, whose acquaintance I had made in the Spottswood Hotel, took me to spend the evening at Mrs S ——’s, a charming widow, for whom I had brought a letter from her only son, aide-de-camp to General Magruder, in Texas.

Mrs S—— is clever and agreeable. She is a highly patriotic Southerner; but she told me that she had stuck fast to the Union until Lincoln’s proclamation calling out 75,000 men to coerce the South, which converted her and such a number of others into strong Secessionists. I spent a very pleasant evening with Mrs S——, who had been much in England, and had made a large acquaintance there.

Mr Butler King is a Georgian gentleman, also very agreeable and well informed . It is surprising to hear the extraordinary equanimity with which he and hundreds of fellow-sufferers talk of their entire ruin and the total destruction of their property. I know many persons in England suppose that Great Britain has now made enemies both of the North and South; but I do not believe this is the case with respect to the South, whatever certain Richmond papers may say. The South looks to England for everything when this war is over;—she wants our merchants to buy her cotton, she wants our ships to carry it;—she is willing that England should supply her with all the necessaries which she formerly received from the North. It is common to hear people declare they would rather pay twice the price for English goods than trade any more with Yankeedom.

Post image for Downing’s Civil War Diary.–Alexander G. Downing.

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

June 18, 2013

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

Thursday, 18th—We have had strong wind and thunder for three days now, but no rain. I was on duty today for the first time in two and a half months, for while I was cook I had no other duty. Skirmishing and cannonading are still going on. News came that our army is in the rear of Port Hudson and that fighting is going on there, I wrote a letter today for John Ford, of my company. Ford had shot off his right thumb by an accidental discharge of his rifle, and when it came time for him to write to his sweetheart, he called upon me to do it for him.[1]

[1] I undertook the job for Ford, but did some perspiring before I finished the letter, and I would never undertake it again. The letter went through and he received a nice one in reply.—A. G. D.

Post image for A Diary of American Events.

A Diary of American Events.

June 18, 2013

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

June 18.—Middleburgh and Philoraont, Va., were occupied by the National cavalry.

—It having been ascertained that a heavy force of the rebels was about to advance through Northern Mississippi upon the railroad, for the purpose of destroying the bridges near Pocahontas, Lieutenant-Colonel Phillips, of the Ninth Illinois, was despatched to meet, and, if possible, check their movement. He had with him his own regiment, the third battalion of the Fifth Ohio cavalry, Major Smith, and a part of the Eighteenth Missouri, all mounted. When near Ripley he found the rebels in force, and began to fall back, drawing them north toward Pocahontas.

After a little feint of this kind, Colonel Phillips turned and went toward the enemy. At Rocky Crossing, of the Tallahatchie, he came up with General Ruggles, with a force of two thousand infantry, one battery, and a large force of cavalry. Although Colonel Phillips had but six hundred men all told, and no artillery, yet he offered battle, and fought the enemy with such determination as to check his intendedmove ment northward to the railroad. The Nationals suffered a loss of seven killed and twenty-eight wounded. The loss of the enemy was thirty-five killed and one hundred wounded. Lieutenant-Colonel Phillips returned to Pocahontas, bringing with him thirty prisoners, taken in the battle, including one lieutenant-colonel. The Fifth Ohio cavalry fought splendidly on this occasion, under the leadership of Major Smith.— Cincinnati Gazette.

—The Thirty-seventh, Twenty-second, and Eleventh regiments of New-York militia, left New-York for the scene of operations in Pennsylvania.—The Mechanic Light Infantry left Salem, Mass., for the seat of war.—The steamer Platte Valley was fired into at Bradford’s Landing on the Mississippi, and two persons were killed and a number wounded.—The English schooner Harriet was captured at Tampa Bay, Florida, by the national gunboat Tahoma; about the same time she destroyed the schooner Mary Jane.—A detachment of the First Missouri and Fifth Ohio cavalry under Major Henry, of the Fifth Ohio, four hundred strong, while on a reconnoissance, was surrounded near Fernando, Miss., by General Chambers, with two thousand rebels. They were routed and most of them captured or killed. Major Henry was taken prisoner.

—Fletcher Freeman, the National enrolling officer of Sullivan County, Indiana, was shot and instantly killed, while riding along a country road.—Chambersburgh, Pa., was evacuated by the rebels under Jenkins, who took up his line of march to Hagerstown.—A company of negroes arrived at Harrisburgh, Pa., from Philadelphia, but their services were declined by General Couch, on the ground that no authority had been granted by the War Department for the muster of colored troops into the service of the United States for a less period than three years.— Three hundred rebel cavalry under the command of Colonel Phillips, made a descent on Plaquemine, La,, and destroyed four steamers and a large quantity of cotton.

Post image for An Artilleryman’s Diary–Jenkin Lloyd Jones

An Artilleryman’s Diary–Jenkin Lloyd Jones

June 18, 2013

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

Before Vicksburg, Thursday, June 18. Very warm. Grazing forbidden henceforth, therefore did not get our complement of blackberries. Grant, evidently thinking that there was ammunition enough thrown away, issued orders not to fire unless fired upon, consequently all was quiet except when “whistling Jim” came over, when all the pieces returned the compliment with a volley. Received letters from home and Helena. Little anxious about us; received mine of the 24th ult.

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

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

June 18, 2013

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

June 18 — We renewed our meandering march this morning through a hilly country, going to within four miles of Middleburg, in Loudoun County. We halted about six hours at Locust Grove, and while we were there the Yankee cavalry came to Middleburg, where our cavalry attacked and repulsed them.

We left Locust Grove late this evening and marched in the direction of Snickersville, passing through a little hamlet named Union. This evening we are camped at Bloomfield, a small hamlet in Loudoun County, three miles from Snickersville.

We had some heavy thunder-showers this evening, and it rained from four o’clock until nine. We were in it all, and took it with a soldier’s grace, because we could not do otherwise.

Very hot and dusty this morning, but this evening the road is muddy.

Post image for Diary of Gideon Welles.

Diary of Gideon Welles.

June 18, 2013

Diary of Gideon Welles

June 18, Thursday. I find that Fox, whom I authorized to telegraph to the Commandant of the Yards the other night to get off immediately vessels after the pirate Tacony, amplified the order, and that a very large number of vessels are being chartered or pressed into the service. While it was necessary to have some, there is such a thing as overdoing, but the order having gone out in my name, I could not contest it.

Have information that Admiral Foote is quite ill at the Astor House, New York. He came on from New Haven to New York, expecting to take the Tuscarora on Monday for Port Royal, but that vessel had been dispatched after the pirate Tacony. This disappointment, the excitement, over-exertion, and domestic anxiety and affliction have probably had an effect on his sensitive and nervous mind. He told me with some emotion, when last here, that his wife’s health was such it would detain him a few days to make certain indispensable arrangements, for their parting would be final, she could not be expected to live till he returned.

Wrote Seward that the condition of affairs on the Rio Grande and at Matamoras was unsatisfactory. We have had several conversations on the subject, in which I have tried to convince him of the injury done by the unrestricted trade and communication on that river, and to persuade him that he could make his mark and do a great public service by procuring to be established a principle in regard to the right of adjoining nations, like the United States and Mexico, and the occupancy of a mutual highway like the Rio Grande, with the necessary authority to enforce a blockade, — questions that have never yet been decided and settled among nations. Our blockade is rendered in a great degree ineffective because we cannot shut off traffic and mail facilities, or exclude commercial and postal intercourse with the Rebels via the Rio Grande. An immense commerce has suddenly sprung up, nominally with Matamoras, but actually with Texas and the whole Southwest, nay, with the entire Rebel region, for letters are interchanged between Richmond and England by that route.

There are one or two hundred vessels off the mouth of the Rio Grande, where there were never more than six or eight before the War, nor will there be more than a dozen when the War is over. English merchant adventurers are establishing regular lines with Matamoras, of which the Peterhoff was one, carrying supplies and mails to the Rebels and receiving cotton in return. Unfortunately, Mr. Seward has given encouragement to them, by conceding the sanctity of captured mails, which, with the evidence which would insure condemnation, are to be forwarded unopened to their destination. In no respect, way, or manner does the Secretary of State furnish a correction by assisting or proposing a principle to be recognized by nations, or by any arrangement with Mexico, or France, or both.

Post image for (Lee) must supply his army and is going to threaten Cincinnati and Ohio while he leaves you to break your teeth on the fortifications at Richmond.

(Lee) must supply his army and is going to threaten Cincinnati and Ohio while he leaves you to break your teeth on the fortifications at Richmond.

June 18, 2013

Adams Family Civil War letters; US Minister to the UK and his sons.

Henry Adams to Charles Francis Adams, Jr.

[London,] June 18, 1863

Calm still prevails, praise be to God! But next week I expect a change. A victory would do us good here in preparation for the struggle which is coming, but then it has so happened that this season of the year has been twice remarkable for defeats and disasters. So that I rather expect them again. Mr. Lawley has written from Richmond a poetical account of the Chancellorsville affair, from which I gather several results, which he perhaps does not intend to dwell upon.

1. Lee at that battle had n’t more than fifty thousand men.

2. He gave Jackson almost all these, probably three-fifths, to make his flank attack.

3. The question of supplies was of such enormous consequence to Lee that he was compelled to give up a whole division (Longstreet’s) to hog-catching at Suffolk, when he himself had not men enough to man the heights at Fredericksburg.

4. By Lawley’s admission, his loss was ten thousand, and that is, as I take it, at least one-fifth of his army, including his best general.

From all which I infer that Mr. Hooker had a narrower escape from becoming the greatest man living than even General McClellan. If he had done anything on God’s earth except retreat; if in fact he had done anything at all, instead of folding his hands after the first crossing the river, he must have been successful. There never were such chances and so many of them for a lucky man to play for, but the audacious gentleman wanted precisely what we all thought he had too much of, viz. audacity. And on the whole, much as I should be pleased with victory, it would have been dearly bought by inflicting us with Joseph for our model hero.

Meanwhile I hope that Lee’s new movement will at least procure you relief from your old camp. Speculations are weak, but we do generally imagine here that Lee is compelled now by the same necessity that forced him to part with Longstreet’s division at Fredericksburg. He must supply his army and is going to threaten Cincinnati and Ohio while he leaves you to break your teeth on the fortifications at Richmond. I guess that. But at any rate, all this looks jerky and spasmodic on his part, and my second guess is that friend Jefferson D[avis] finds that the Confederacy has got into damnably shallow water.

The world here drags on after its usual style, a miserable dangling, shuffling sort of existence that Englishmen call progress. Yesterday we had a pleasant dinner which the feminines will no doubt describe to you, at which Charles Dickens, John Forster, of “Goldsmith” and “The Statesmen,” Louis Blanc, and other distinguished individuals were present; and a very jolly dinner it was. Apropos, I have at last found an artist who can really paint. I have asked, or rather made interest to get him to take the Chief, but I doubt if he will consent, as he is a Parisian and is only here on a visit. If he does consent, however, I shall assess you and John for your shares of the cost, unless the Chief insists upon taking it upon himself. Frith too will have to introduce the Minister in his picture of the wedding and if his study is good, that might be worth buying.

After two years delay, I have at last become a Club man, having been elected last week. My particular backer seems to have been your old acquaintance Lord Frederick Cavendish, and for the life of me I can’t conceive why. Lord Fwed seems to be a very excellent fellow, but I am no believer in unselfishness in this country. Nobody here has ever yet rushed into my arms and called me brother. Nor do I expect such a proceeding. Whether Frederick Cavendish, therefore, is impressed by the weight of debts of hospitality incurred in America, and is thus paying them off; or whether he feels his conscience touched by the vagaries of his brother Hartington; or whether he desires to show a general and delicate sympathy with our position; or whether Monckton Milnes has exerted an influence upon him; I don’t know and can’t guess. But the fact remains that he has been active in getting me in, and of course I am glad to have a Duke’s son to back me. In other respects it makes little difference to me whether I am in or out of a Club, ex- [rest of letter is lost.]

Post image for Diary of a Tar Heel Confederate Soldier by Louis Léon

Diary of a Tar Heel Confederate Soldier by Louis Léon

June 18, 2013

Diary of a Tar Heel Confederate Soldier By Louis Léon [53d North Carolina Regiment, infantry]

June 18—The people are mixed in their sympathies, some Confederates and some Yankees.

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