Tuesday, 21st—Our brigade started for Vicksburg this afternoon. We covered five miles and went into bivouac. It is extremely hot, and having had no rain for so long, the roads are very dusty. Our entire army is falling back to Vicksburg.
Sunday, July 21, 2013
July 21, Tuesday. A dispatch from General Grant makes mention of large captures of cattle coming east from Texas, and of munitions going south to Kirby Smith. General Sherman is following up Joe Johnston.
A dispatch from Admiral Porter says that he, in concert with General Grant, sent an expedition up the Yazoo and that it was a complete success. Grant in his dispatch makes no mention of, or allusion to, the Navy in this expedition, nor of any consultation with Admiral Porter, although without the naval force and naval cooperation nothing could have been accomplished.
LeRoy telegraphs that he, with his gunboats, followed Morgan, or kept on his flank five hundred miles up the Ohio River, encountered him when attempting to cross the river near Bluffington, and drove him back.
The aspect of things is more favorable and it is amusing to read the English papers and speeches anticipating, hoping, predicting disaster to the Union cause. It will be more amusing to read the comments on the reception of intelligence by the steamer which left soon after the 4th inst.
July 21.—The Fifty-fifth regiment (colored) of Massachusetts, left Boston for Newbern, N. C. —A Party of thirty bushwhackers early this morning, made a descent upon a settlement on Indian Creek, near Olathe, Kansas, and after plundering several of the inhabitants, retired, taking with them a large quantity of stock, and several men.—The schooner Revenge was captured and destroyed at a point near the Sabine Pass, by the Union gunboat Owasco, under the command of Lieutenant Commander J. Madigan, Jr.—The Forty-third regiment of Massachusetts, returned to Boston from the seat of war.—The Twelfth regiment, of Rhode Island, returned to Providence, and was received by the military of that place.—General Rosecrans, from his headquarters at Tullahoma, Tenn., issued a circular regulating the circulation of newspapers in his army.
July 21 —To-day we moved camp two miles east of Berryville, on the Leesburg pike.
July 21—Went through town at 5 this morning, to the Baltimore and Ohio Railroad, with Johnson’s division and part of Hampton’s Legion, to tear up the railroad. We destroyed six miles of it and returned to our camp at Darkesville—fifteen miles to-day.
July 21st. Between the hours of four and six A. M., slight fog. During the remainder of the forenoon, employed getting ammunition and guns ready to send on shore. During the afternoon, sent third cutter on shore for repairs; also sent two nine-inch Dahlgren guns and equipments, and a quantity of grape.
21st. About noon the Scioto came up with rations. Drew one day. Went to a kind old gentleman’s for dinner. Thede and I went up and saw the prisoners. Boys went out and got good apples. Volunteers, 1000, went on with Shackleford and Woodford after Morgan. Would go but for horse.
Tuesday, 21st.—Troops leaving fast as possible. Still unwell. Rained very hard.
July 21.—We intend leaving to-morrow, and are now at Dr. Taylor’s house; he is a surgeon in the army, and for some time was one of our patients. Mrs. Hodges, who is keeping house for him, has very kindly invited us to remain with her until we leave, as all our household things have been sent to the train.
I rode out this afternoon, in company with Dr. Burt, and paid a visit to the Twenty-fourth Alabama Regiment. There I saw Lieutenant Chamberlane, now captain, and Captain Fowler, whom I met in Okolona. The regiment was encamped in a grove of trees; it had a few tents for the officers and commissary stores. The only protection the men have from inclement weather is their blankets put on sticks about three feet high.
The men were busy preparing supper, and I did not think looked altogether pleased at my visiting them, as their attire and employment is not such as they would wish them to be. But there is more true glory in their dress than all the gilt lace, brass buttons, and holiday attire usually worn by fireside soldiers, and in their work, than if they had scores of attendants to do it for them.
I could not help contrasting this camp with the one I last visited. It was when the war first commenced, and our house had been emptied of furniture to put in the tents, as we thought it impossible for men to do without certain things which they had been accustomed to at home. Since then they have learned a few lessons, in this respect, as we all have.
I saw this regiment when it first went into active service, not more than a year ago; it was then a large regiment, and now a mere fragment answers to the roll-call.
Yesterday Mrs. W. and I visited the soldiers’ grave-yard. That hallowed spot! There reposes the dust of men from every state in the South. There is naught to mark the places where these heroes sleep, save slight mounds of earth; at the head of each is a small piece of wood, numbered. But it matters little that no marble monument is there, for
“What hallows ground where heroes sleep?
‘T is not the sculptured piles you heap!”
No; it is a nation’s tears and grateful benedictions which make their last resting place a sacred spot . By their grateful country they shall ever be remembered.
“Forget them not; though now their name
Be but a mournful sound;
Though by the hearth its utterance claim
A stillness round.
The holy dead! O, blessed we are
That we may call them so,
And to their image look afar,
Through all our woe!”
The head-board I had put at Mr. Barstow’s grave was quite conspicuous. The inscription had been put on so strangely, that I could scarcely make sense out of it. I feel confident that no one will take the artist for a pupil of Lindley Murray’s.
There were two others: one erected by some kind friend; the other I had put at the head of Mr. Davis’s grave, at his father’s request.
We returned by way of the river. The scenery on its banks is really enchanting.
“Not Katrine, in her mirror blue,
Gives back the shaggy bonks more true,”
than does the Tennessee the lofty and rugged hills that look down upon its placid waters.
We saw many of our men at work on the fortifications; they looked well, and were cheerful. They seemed to have little faith that their work would amount to any thing, and said they would not be at all surprised if by to-morrow they were ordered to evacuate Chattanooga, and that they were only given the work to do for fear they might forget how it was done. We intend taking two girls from here with us. They are orphans; neither of them can read. The eldest is nineteen years of age, the other sixteen. They begged so very hard for us to take them along. I am in hopes we can be of some service to them by teaching them.
I regret leaving Chattanooga as the army is here, but its movements are very uncertain; perhaps before many days we may be much nearer it than we care for, although Dr. Stout does not seem to think so, as he is having another new hospital erected at Camp Direction. I do not know why, but few persons think that General Bragg intends holding this place.
Headquarters Third Brigade, Loudon Co., Va.,
Tuesday, July 21, 1863.
Dear Sister L.:—
When I wrote before, if I remember rightly, we were in line of battle near Hagerstown and Williamsport, expecting another fight, but again the wary Lee escaped. We stopped at Williamsport the night after he crossed, and next day moved on after him, marching twenty-five miles and crossing the famous South Mountain. Next day we moved on again twelve miles to Berlin on the Potomac, four miles south, and in sight of Harper’s Ferry. Here we hoped to rest a little. We had reached a railroad and a good place for getting supplies, and men and horses needed rest. Thousands of men were barefoot, officers, too, and all were dirty and lousy. I believe I state a fact when I say that not twenty men (who carried their clothing) in any regiment but were swarming with vermin. They are the pest of the army, and though you hear but little about it, they are always here. More clothing is thrown away on that very account than is worn out.
I say we hoped to rest and get new clothes and shoes and boil up the old ones, but the pontoons were already laid and next day saw us in Virginia. We have been slowly moving down the Loudon Valley since. The weather is very hot, and eight or ten miles is all the artillery can march in a day, so that is all we move. We have got about down to the scene of our fight with the cavalry on the 21st of June. I must always think of the gallant Colonel Vincent in connection with that, but his sword is sheathed forever, and glorious “old Jim,” who carried Colonel McLane at Gaines’ Mill and the commandant of the Eighty-third, whoever he might be, ever since, has served his time and gone home to Erie. My horse is all right yet. He is a warhorse every inch. He will stand by a cannon while it is fired, without flinching, and I can ride him over all the dead and mangled horses that can be piled in his road. He don’t like the shells too near his ears, but I can manage him then. While our line was forming on the hill at Gettysburg I came out with him in full view of the rebel lines. They opened two batteries on us instantly, firing at the colors. Colonel Vincent looked to see what was drawing the fire and yelled at me: “Down with that flag, Norton! D—n it, go behind the rocks with it!” I obeyed, of course. I did not see him again until he was brought back wounded. When the rebels charged our line I left my horse and flag with the mounted orderlies, and getting a gun went in on the right of the Forty-fourth New York, just in front of where we dismounted. In the cavalry fight I followed Colonel Vincent everywhere with the flag, most of the time right up to the skirmishers, but there he thought I had better keep it out of sight.
I am nearer sick than I have been for a year. I couldn’t walk a mile, and if there was a hospital within reach I am afraid I should give up. As it is, I could only ride along in an ambulance, and as long as I can stand it I shall ride my horse. I manage to attend to my duties yet. I have never been excused a day, and if possible never will.
What glorious news of victory we are receiving! It looks as though we could see the beginning of the end. I wish the end were nearer.
