Friday, 26th—Saturday, 27th—Came to Bell Buckle this morning and from there to Wartrace, our infantry falling back to Tullahoma. Went a short distance beyond Wartrace; 11th Texas and 4th Georgia skirmished with them a little; a few wounded. We came to Duck River and camped.
Thursday, June 27, 2013
June 27th. At seven thirty A. M., steamer Bee came down from Bayou Sara. Cannonading going on at Port Hudson all this day.
June 27th, 1863.
A letter from home—the first since April 25th, and written by my beloved wife. On receiving it I sought my tent with eager haste and perused its welcome pages. over and over again. Well may my darling say, “God has been better to me than my fears,” for we have been spared to each other, and our children to us both.
I do not believe my darling’s dream was all a dream. On that same day, the 9th of June, I was on my way from Louisville to Cairo. We went directly north to Seymour, Indiana. Almost home, it seemed to me, where we changed cars for the southwest. I was cast down, discouraged, more so than at any other period of my life. My thoughts and affections were drawn out to my sorrowing wife with an intensity that was agonizing. I had given up hope of her ever becoming reconciled to our fate, and believed she would mourn her life away for him who would gladly have given his own to save his wife. I felt I could do no more. Under the circumstances was I not permitted to visit her, that my spiritual presence might cheer, comfort and encourage her by the assurance that she was not forsaken; that, though far away, her husband was still present, even to her outward senses. I believe my darling has often visited me, and I love to cherish the fond thought. Every nerve and fiber of my soul has thrilled with joy unspeakable at the familiar touch of her dear hand upon my brow.
June 27 — We got to rest last night. Everything was more quiet all night than common. Firing commenced at daylight again this morning. 8 o’clock a.m. — the mortars are dropping shells about us. They are throwing them about five miles. 7 o’clock p.m. We now start out to the trenches again. A young man by the name of Garghess belonging to the 3rd Tenn. Regt. was killed here in fifty yards of me this evening with a piece of a shell. Oh! Lord I pray for thy protection. W. R. Clack
June 27th. Remained in bivouac until 3 P. M., by which time the stragglers had come up and the command well rested. Then marched via Poolsville to Barnsville, arriving at the latter place at 11 P. M. The weather cleared up and the roads rapidly improved, so that the day’s march, although long and exhausting, was much less distressing than that of yesterday.
Passing through these various towns, our experiences of last autumn were renewed. Everybody was, of course, on the streets and showed us the greatest attention, looking in amazement at the interminable lines of infantry, moving day and night without interruption. We came in for many presents of cherries, which were in abundance.
by John Beauchamp Jones
JUNE 27th.—An officer of the Signal Corps reported, yesterday, the force of Gen. Keyes, on the Peninsula, at 6000. To-day we learn that the enemy is in possession of Hanover Junction, cutting off communication with both Fredericksburg and Gordonsville. A train was coming down the Central Road with another installment of the Winchester prisoners (some 4000 having already arrived, now confined on Belle Island, opposite the city), but was stopped in time, and sent back.
Gen. Elzey had just ordered away a brigade from Hanover Junction to Gordonsville, upon which it was alleged another raid was projected. What admirable manœuvring for the benefit of the enemy!
Gen. D. H. Hill wrote, yesterday, that we had no troops on the Blackwater except cavalry. I hope he will come here and take command.
Gen. Whiting has arrested the Yankee crew of the Arabian, at Wilmington. It appears that she is owned by New Yorkers, sailed from New York, and has a Yankee cargo!
Capt. Maury writes from London that R. J. Walker, once a fire-and-fury Mississippi Senator (but Yankee-born), is in Europe trying to borrow £50,000,000 for the United States. Capt. Maury says the British Government will not willingly let us have another “Alabama;” but that it is also offended at the United States for the atrocities of Wilkes, and this may lead to war. The war, however, would not be intended as a diversion in our behalf.
Nothing is heard to-day from Lee, except what appears in Northern papers several days old, when our troops were occupying Hagerstown, Cumberland, etc., in Maryland, and foraging pretty extensively in Pennsylvania.
Nothing from Vicksburg.
Just as I apprehended! The brigade ordered away from Hanover to Gordonsville, upon a wild-goose chase, had not been gone many hours before some 1200 of the enemy’s cavalry appeared there, and burnt the bridges which the brigade had [click to continue…]
Saturday Evening.—Just heard from W. and S. H.; both terribly robbed by the raiders in the last three days. All of my brother’s horses and mules taken. Some of the servants were forced off, who staid so faithfully by them, and resisted all the Yankee entreaties twice before. They attempted to burn the wheat, which is shocked in the field, but an opportune rain made it too wet to burn. The raiders came up the river, destroying crops, carriages, etc., stealing horses and cattle, and carrying off the servants from every plantation, until they got to Hickory Hill, (Mr. W. F. Wickham’s,) where they found a prize in the person of General W. F. Lee, who was wounded at the cavalry fight of Beverley’s Ford, and was at Mr. Ws, unable to move. Notwithstanding the remonstrances of his wife and mother, they took him out of his bed, placed him in Mr. Wickham’s carriage, and drove off with him. I can’t conceive greater hardness of heart than it required to resist the entreaties of that beautiful young wife and infirm mother. F. has just received a note from the former, written in sorrow and loneliness. She fears that the wound may suffer greatly by locomotion; beyond that, she has much to dread, but she scarcely knows what.
Saturday, 27th.—All pretty quiet; boys getting very low-spirited.
