12th July (Sunday).—The Pittsburg and Philadelphia Railway is, I believe, accounted one of the best in America, which did not prevent my spending eight hours last night off the line; but, being asleep at the time, I was unaware of the circumstance. Instead of arriving at Philadelphia at 6 A.M., we did not get there till 3 P.M. Passed Harrisburg at 9 A.M. It was full of Yankee soldiers, and has evidently not recovered from the excitement consequent upon the late invasion, one effect of which has been to prevent the cutting of the crops by the calling out of the militia.
At Philadelphia I saw a train containing one hundred and fifty Confederate prisoners, who were being stared at by a large number of the beau monde of Philadelphia. I mingled with the crowd which was chaffing them. Most of the people were good-natured, but I heard one suggestion to the effect that they should be taken to the river, “and every mother’s son of them drowned there.”
I arrived at New York at 10 P.M., and drove to the Fifth Avenue Hotel.
Sunday, 12th—We started this morning at sunup and arrived at General Sherman’s headquarters at 10 o’clock. Two regiments of Sherman’s army came out to reinforce our train guard. They feared that the rebels’ cavalry would make a raid on the train before we could reach the main army. We arrived safely without losing a single wagon. Cannonading is going on quite lively from both sides. Good water is very scarce here, and the few wells and cisterns which we can draw upon are crowded all the time; I stood with two canteens for more than an hour waiting for my turn.
CAMP Joe Webb, Near Fayetteville, West Virginia, Sun day, July 12, 1863. — We are starting on an expedition to Raleigh County and perhaps further. I do not fully approve of the enterprise. We are too weak to accomplish much; run some risks; and I see no sufficient object to be accomplished.
I wrote to Lucy yesterday. I shall not write to Mother or Uncle until my return. It would only cause them anxiety and do no good. Of course this book will be sent home in case of accident, and they will here see that they were not forgotten. Dear boys, darling Lucy, and all, good-bye! We are all in the hands of Providence and need only be solicitous to do our duty here and leave the future to the Great Disposer.
12th. Moved out at 3 A. M. 10 miles from Paris. Reached Paris in time for breakfast at Mr. Dixon’s, and little Lizzie Dixon attracted my attention, resembles, etc. Morgan served the town as others. Moved towards Vernon. Morgan turned off to Dupont, bridges and depot burned. Some Ohio people, Charlie McKane’s mother. Very hearty reception, bread, beef and pies. Went to Versailles and camped at 11 P. M. in a meadow. Only 25 miles from Ohio line. Think Morgan will go to Ohio.
July 12. — Sunday, and therefore a day to expect a battle. We did not have it, however. Our corps started in the morning with orders to hold Funkstown Heights. The weather was sultry and disagreeable and, although we had not more than three or four miles to march, we found it quite fatiguing. The Eleventh Corps got ahead of us, and we had to wait about three hours for them. Just before entering Funkstown, we found the enemy’s rifle-pits, which they evacuated last night. The town is just like all Maryland towns. After entering the village, we turned to the right, and crossed the Antietam on the Hagerstown pike. We formed our line on the left of the Eleventh Corps, which formed our extreme right resting on Antietam Creek. On our left we joined the Sixth Corps. Our men built rifle-pits all along the line, and were prepared for an attack, although these measures were merely precautionary. Our line was a very strong one indeed, running parallel for a long distance to the Hagerstown and Sharpsburg pike, and then crossing it on the left, and running towards the river. The enemy’s line was not much over 1000 yards from ours, the skirmishers of both parties being sharply engaged almost all the time. The general was sick to-day, and in the afternoon General Wadsworth assumed command of the corps. I rode into town to get some supper, and met Secretary Cameron and General Reynolds’s brother, at a house in town. We had a severe thunder shower in the afternoon.
Vicksburg, Sunday, July 12. Inspection of clothing at 9 A. M. the first of the kind since we left Memphis, after which McPherson’s General Order No. 20 was read; also official information of the surrender of Port Hudson on the 7th inst. and our victory in the East, which of course put a hopeful aspect on affairs. Received a large mail. Signed pay-rolls 6 P. M.
July 12. —This morning a portion of the fleet blockading the port of Wilmington, N. C., ran a rebel vessel on shore, close in by the edge of Smith’s Island. While trying to get her off, the rebels in Fort Fisher despatched a steamer with a battery on board to prevent it. She had been it Smith’s Island but a short time when a fire was opened from the National fleet on the eastern side of the shoals. At the same time a party of rebels was discovered approaching with a piece of artillery. Upon this, the fleet on the western side of the shoals opened fire to prevent the reenforcement of the rebels, and finally succeeded. The firing was continued until four o’clock, when the Union fleet returned to its station.—The blockade-runner Emma was captured by the Union transport steamer Arago.— Hagerstown and Funkstown, Md., were occupied by the Union forces after a slight engagement.— (Doc. 32.)
—Natchez, Miss., was occupied by a detachment belonging to General Grant’s army.
July 12 — We have no ammunition yet for our battery. General Lee’s army is still in line, with breastworks thrown up along the front. The Yankee army is in the immediate front of our line, and both sides have been skirmishing all day. It looks to me as if the Yanks are afraid to attack General Lee when he is prepared for their reception.
July 12—Went back to our brigade this morning. Skirmishing very heavy on the left and center.
Charles Francis Adams, Jr., to brother, John Quincy Adams
Camp of 1st Mass. Cav.
near St. James College, Md.
July 12, 1863
One more line to be forwarded to London to tell you I am still safe, well and sound. Once more we are with the cavalry and in the front and under the command of the damndest fool I ever saw or read of, one ——. For two days we have been skirmishing gently with trifling casualties, but I think our share of the fighting for this bout is pretty much over and now the infantry will walk in for a few field days of slaughter and then “tomorrow to new fields and pastures new” over in Virginia. Of course you know well enough that your newspapers tell you nothing but lies and that “the cavalry” as depicted by them is all a figment of the poet’s brain. If you don’t I tell you so now and know it in future. We have done our work decently, but Pleasonton is, next to Hooker, the greatest humbug of the war, and Kilpatrick is a brave injudicious boy, much given to blowing and who will surely come to grief. The army has done nobly and is in fine condition, but as to Lee’s being routed, he has lots of fight left and this war is not over yet, and there will still be many shrewd blows. Though not elated I am confident and most happy in that novel sensation. All is going well and day, I believe, breaks at last. . . .
I tell you the Army of the Potomac is a magnificent army, but what shall we say of the great State of Pennsylvania? They left that army to fight it out, and win or lose with Lee, without the aid of a man or a musket, and before the battle devoted their energies to running away, or buying immunity for their precious goods by giving aid and comfort to the enemy and, after the battle, turned to with all their souls to make money out of their defenders by selling soldiers bread at twenty-five cents a loaf and milk at fifteen cents a canteen — in one case charging a hospital $19.00 for forty loaves of bread. Facts, John, facts. They are a great people! .. .
