Vicksburg, Friday, July 31. The Company is rife with grumbling and discontent, owing to the Company cook operations; sour and heavy bread and other rations uncooked, a barrel of the “infernal liquid” having been drawn at headquarters. A shameful free use of it. Orderly too drunk for duty.
July 2013
by John Beauchamp Jones
JULY 3lST.—Hon. E. S. Dargan, member of Congress, writes from Mobile that Mississippi is nearly subdued, and Alabama is almost exhausted. He says our recent disasters, and Lee’s failure in Pennsylvania, have nearly ruined us, and the destruction must be complete unless France and England can be induced to interfere in our behalf. He never believed they would intervene unless we agreed to abolish slavery; and he would embrace even that alternative to obtain their aid. He says the people are fast losing all hope of achieving their independence; and a slight change of policy on the part of Lincoln (pretermitting confiscation, I suppose) would put an end to the revolution and the Confederate States Government. Mr. D. has an unhappy disposition.
Mr. L. Q. Washington recommends Gen. Winder to permit Mr. Wm. Matthews, just from California, to leave the country. Gen. W. sends the letter to the Assistant Secretary of War, Judge Campbell, who “allows” it; and the passport is given, without the knowledge of the President or the Secretary of War.
The news from Mexico (by the Northern papers) is refreshing to our people. The “notables” of the new government, under the auspices of the French General, Forey, have proclaimed the States an Empire, and offered the throne to Maximilian of Austria ; and if he will not accept, they “implore” the Emperor of France to designate the one who shall be their Emperor. Our people, very many of them, just at this time, would not object to being included in the same Empire.
The President is still scrutinizing Beauregard. The paper read from the general a few days since giving a statement of his forces, and the number of the enemy, being sent to the President by the Secretary of War, was returned to-day with the indorsement, that he hoped “a clearer comprehension of the cause,” in the promised further report of the general, would be given “why the enemy approached Morris Island before being observed.” So, omitting all notice of the defense (so far) of the batteries, etc., the attention of the President seems fixed on what the general omitted to do; or what he might, could, or should have done.
Friday, 31st—The weather continues hot. Our men are at work raising the gunboat “Cincinnati,” which was sunk during the siege of Vicksburg. She was a fine boat. A detail of men was sent to bring our tents today, but they failed to get them.
July 30, Thursday. John P. Hale is here in behalf of certain contractors who have been guilty of bad faith. The Chairman of the Naval Committee is not on this service without pay. Commander Wise, who is Acting Chief of the Bureau of Ordnance, wants Aulick appointed Assistant. This will aid him to the position of actual Chief, should Dahlgren not return, and increase Aulick’s pay. There will be no change of duties.
July 30.—A brief skirmish occurred at Irvine, Estelle County, Ky., between the Union forces of Colonel Lilly, commanding two squadrons of the Fourteenth Kentucky cavalry, and the rebels. The latter, under Colonel Scott, after their failure to take Lexington and Paris, commenced beating a hasty retreat for Irvine. They were hotly pursued .by the Federal forces. Skirmishing commenced at or near Winchester, and continued for a long distance. Irvine is some thirty miles from Winchester, where the Fourteenth were stationed. The rebels came upon them unawares, but this not discomfit them in the least, nor did they stop to calculate how far they were outnumbered, which they were, fully four to one. As soon as the attack was made by the rebels, the Fourteenth was ready for them, and gave them such a battle as they have cause long to remember. Every assault was bravely met and withstood, and notwithstanding the enemy gained some little advantage at one point, and captured some of the Nationals, the tide of battle was soon turned again, and the Nationals recaptured, together with eighty odd prisoners of the enemy, and their whole force driven across the Kentucky River, with the loss of all their wagons and stolen mules. At this point the pursuers came up and crossed the river and continued the pursuit. The Union loss was four killed, fifteen wounded, and ten prisoners. The rebel loss was seven killed, from sixteen to eighteen wounded, and seventy-five prisoners.—The Fifty-second regiment of Massachusetts volunteers, under the command of Colonel Greenleaf, arrived at Cairo, 111., en route to Boston, to be mustered out of the service.— President Lincoln issued a proclamation declaring that the United States would protect its troops of all colors.—(Doc. 137.)
—In Saline County, Mo., Captain Cannon, with about seventy-five men of the Fourth enrolled Missouri militia, attacked a band of sixty-three bushwhackers, under one Captain Blunt, and supposed to belong to Quantrell’s command. The militia lost two men killed and one wounded, and a horse killed. The rebels had several men wounded, and Blunt’s horse received a fatal shot. The militia then retreated, and the enemy fell back to the brush, cheering for Quantrell as they retired. The rebels next attacked a smaller party of militia, fifteen in number, belonging to the First enrolled Missouri militia, acting as a guard to a paymaster, who had about fifty thousand dollars. The money escaped observation, but two militiamen were captured and paroled, and seven of the best horses belonging to their comrades taken. The enrolled Missouri militia squad finally got safe within a brick church, and were not again molested.—The rebel guerrilla Mosby entered Fairfax Court-House this evening, and captured a number of sutlers’ wagons, together with stores and other property valued at nearly ninety thousand dollars.—General Grant, from his headquarters at Vicksburgh, Miss., issued a general order regulating the transportation on the river steamboats.—The bombardment of Fort Wagner was continued to-day, by the Ironsides and two monitors. Two men were killed in the Fort.
July 30 — Went on picket this morning on the Warrenton road and near Hazel River; all quiet in front. Late this evening we moved back about four hundred yards from our picket post and camped for the night.
July 30—Still in camp. Hugh Sample and myself were out on a forage and milked a cow in his hat, the only thing we had.
July 30th. At one thirty A. M. gunboat Albatross went down the river; at ten o’clock gunboat Katandin got under way and steamed down the river; at one P. M. received on board some of Admiral Farragut’s baggage. During the afternoon Mr. Van Denhougle, late Admiral Farragut’s Secretary, reported on board for passage to New York. Sent aloft topmast and topgallant studding sail booms; at four thirty P. M. U. S. steam sloop-of-war Richmond got under way, turned around, and went down the river. As she passed, our lads manned the rigging and gave them three hearty farewell cheers, which they returned. We were well aware our day for following in her path homeward-bound was now near at hand, and she was the messenger sent to announce our coming. The reader need not be informed of the feelings of all on board the Hartford, since he knows all must have been in high spirits.
July 30.—Yesterday Miss E. and myself visited Rome, for the purpose of doing some shopping for the hospitals and ourselves.
I was very much pleased with the appearance of Rome. Like the renowned city, the name of which it bears, it is built on several hills. It has some very handsome buildings; the principal streets are broad and clean. It resembles ancient Rome in another respect, that of having had a conquering hero march into it in triumph; although not a Caesar in name, yet equal to any of them in bravery.
I am told that when Forrest entered Rome with his prisoners, he was met by the ladies and presented with a wreath of flowers, and the pathway of his gallant army was strewn with them. They were the heartfelt offerings of a truly grateful people to their deliverers for freeing them from the ruthless invader. The people at present are in daily expectation of another raid; and, as there are very few troops there to defend the place, they expect to be left to the mercy of the foe.
Many persons think that a military necessity may force General Bragg down here, and that Kingston will be his head-quarters. No movement astonishes me now, and, like a true soldier, I obey orders, and try to ask no questions.
There are many handsome store buildings, and they were pretty well supplied with goods, and cheaper than I have seen any place in the Confederacy. I bought a very pretty calico dress for three dollars per yard, and a pretty gray homespun for one dollar and seventy-five cents per yard.
I searched the whole place for a whitewash brush, but failed in getting one.
I have heard much of the kindness of the people here to strangers, and that the society is of the very best.
We took dinner, and were kindly entertained at the house of a very nice lady, a relative of Miss E. There we met an old lady who had been in the Quintard Hospital, in this place, and to judge from her conversation I should think that the ladies and surgeons did not get along very well together. From what I have experienced and seen, I expect there are faults on both sides.
There are a number of hospitals in Rome, which are being broken up. As they seem to be very fine ones, and it is a healthy locality, I am always suspicious of some new movement taking place in the army when I hear of such things.
Rome is in Floyd County, Georgia, at the confluence of the Etowah and Ostenaola rivers, which forms the Coosa River. Steamboats of moderate size navigate the Coosa River, and can ascend as far as this place. Thousands of bales of cotton are annually exported from this point.
30th. After some shopping and looking around went on street cars to Regt. Met it and came back. Found everything all right. Went around with Tod. Many boys congratulated me, did me good. Received two good letters from Fannie and one from home. What a contrast between today and yesterday. In the afternoon helped some about filling furloughs for boys. Applied for leave of absence for ten days. Boys on tiptoe. Saw Bushnell and Shorty who was in Oberlin the Sen. Prep. year. Good men. Went to Wood’s theatre to hear Minstrels. Went for ice cream with Maj. Nettleton.
