August 2.—Five hundred rebel prisoners were taken by four companies of the “Lost Children,” New-York volunteers, on an island in the rear of Folly Island, in Charleston harbor.
Friday, August 2, 2013
Charles Francis Adams, Jr., to Henry Adams
Camp of 1st Mass. Cav’y
Amissvilie, Va., August 2, 1863
Your letters have reached me of late slowly, but tolerably surely and you cannot imagine how welcome they have been. John is the only person on this side of the water who ever writes to me now, and he is not very regular. Lou has not written me a line since the 1st of May. Of course I well know that writing to me now is a labor of love and a decidedly unequal bargain, for I have neither time nor conveniences to do my share in a correspondence; but on the other hand letters are more than ever before prized by me, for now they constitute absolutely my only link with the world and my own past, and moreover my only pleasure. After long marches and great exposure, when you have been forced to drag your tired body up onto your tired horse day after day; when you have been hungry, thirsty and tired, and after breakfasting before sunrise have gone supperless to sleep in a rain storm long after night; when you have gone through all that man can go through, except the worst of all sufferings — cold —then to get into camp at last and hear that a mail has come! People at home don’t know what it is. You should see the news fly round the camp and the men’s faces light up, and how duty, discipline, everything, at once gives way to the reading of the letters. It’s like fresh water in an August noon; and yet of all my family and friends you in London, and now and then John, are the only living souls who ever do more than just answer my letters to them. But you are all models of thoughtfulness in this respect and, while you will never know how much pleasure your letters have given me, I can never express to you how much their regularity has touched and gratified me.
Charles Francis Adams, Jr., to his father
Camp of 1st Mass. Cav’y
Amissville, Va., August 2, 1863
So it is in campaign, if an officer would do his work —day after day in the saddle, up early, late in camp; then a couple of mails with a dozen letters marked official and two private ones; demands for returns, appeals from the families of men dead, or from the sick and wounded; then a day’s rest and at once the company books are brought out and its clerks set to work, and the sabre yields to the pen. Yesterday from morning to night I was as busy as I knew how to be. I wrote six letters — all business — and made out or caused to be made out and signed well nigh innumerable reports, descriptive lists and papers generally. It is really quite a vexation. In camp ten minutes a day will keep a company commander up with his work on paper; but in the field it accumulates so much that when a rare day of quiet comes he has to work harder than ever I worked on a quarter day in my office. My arrears are not yet made up, but I am too sensible of the extreme regularity of your letters to me to omit sending a note to you as often as I can take out a pen.
We are all well, I believe, or at least I am. In fact, never since I have been in the Army have I been so well as during the last month, but my companions are growing beautifully small as one by one they leave or play out. A year ago the 22d of this month this regiment landed in Virginia. Of all the officers we then had I am the only one who has always been with the regiment in all its active service and in every march and action from that time to the present, and, of all those officers, but six, including Colonel Sargent who returned yesterday, are with us now; of the officers who came up from Hilton Head only three. In fact, in eight companies there are but five line officers left for duty now; but then the companies are small, as mine, for instance, which puts fourteen troopers all told in the squadron ranks. Promotion is rapid in the Union army.
August 2 — All quiet in front. We remained in camp until this evening, then moved back to the brigade wagons, to have our horses shod. The brigade wagon camp is on the Orange Court House road, a mile south of Culpeper Court House.
August 2d. Steaming down the river; at two ten o’clock in the morning a shot fired across our bow from Fort St. Philip, to heave us to; stopped the ship, and was boarded by an officer; at two fifteen started ahead again; at three forty S. W. Pass light in sight; at six thirty A. M. crossed the bar, and pilot left the ship; at nine o’clock made a sail off the starboard bow, bore down to her and spoke her. She proved to be the U. S. mail steamer Locust Point, from New York, bound for New Orleans. At ten o’clock ship and crew inspected by the Commodore, after which performed Divine service on the quarter-deck.
2nd. Didn’t rise till quite late. Thede went to Sabbath School. I remained at home, resting and visiting with Ma. Minnie came down after S. School. Good visit with Ma and the girls. Thede and I went to the Second Church in the evening. Saw Delos. John’s after meeting.
Md. Heights, Aug. 2, 1863.
Dear Family:
Yours of July 20th and 27th arrived, the first we have had for a great while. We are enjoying the comforts of the old place on the Heights. At first it seemed lonesome, after travelling about as we had; another thing, the place was full of filth, the two regts. our Co. relieved, were the filthiest set of men I ever saw, that is if the neatness of their camp would be a proper thing to judge by. They tore bunks in barracks and built huts out doors. We are now alone by our selves, shall get things to looking as they did before, if work will do it. We did not go to Washington, neither did I want to go, Major R. was appointed for this post. He went to Washington to fill an order for guns and amunition; while there he saw Genl. Halleck, he said that he had decided to keep this Batt. here, so we took our old places. We have now four 24 pdrs. Brass Howtz. and two 30 prd. parrotts. Killed a man yesterday, getting up one of the latter; he belonged in Co. H. John B. is dead, he died while in N. Y.; he was one of the men detailed in the 5th U. S. Art’y. Geo. Bricket is in the same Battery, we expect them back every day. There will be no need of your getting a map, we shall probably stop here the rest of our enlistment, unless we are put off. (It is well enough to put in.) I wish you could have seen this battalion when it first got back, rather a rough looking set; after eating so much salt pork and the hot days with it, a fellow would sweat well; when I wiped my face it was covered with nothing but pork and grease. Of course I looked clean when we came to a halt for the night! but then it did not hinder our sleeping. How different the affairs of the country look now from what they did a month ago. Lee defeated in Penn., Pemberton at Vicksburg, Gardner at Port Hudson and Bragg in Miss. I can assure you it has wrought a new feeling in the men; before all was defeat, but now it is victory. It pleases the men to see some of the men who were drafted; you may talk about its being a disgrace to be drafted, I say good enough for them; they would make a great fuss if Uncle Sam did not protect them and now they haven’t got courage to help him. These men of course cannot think much of their country. Captain, you are not forgotten yet; many times a day. you are spoken of. This is what D. W. got off where Capt. II. heard him. “Pity we haven’t got one of Bradley’s old coats, in place of our commander now.” On evacuating this place, I lost everything, now I want you to get up something and send to me. I thought for shirts you might get some cotton ones, such as you used to make when I was small, chequered ones, cut like a wool shirt. I think they would do best over the old flannel ones I am now picking up; but if you think best to get flannel ones, do so. Be sure and get flaps long enough. Another thing, I want stockings; the boots you sent last fall I have on now, but the tramp has played them out, got about ten holes in each. Do you think best to get a new pair now, or wait till Nov.? or won’t it pay at all? Can get them here for $6, but poor ones. Shoes $3.50. I must have something to my feet soon, so write in next what you think best to do. I will see what Jerry wants and let you know. Dont fail to make some kind of an answer, so I shall know what to do. Army clothing of the above named articles are very poor and high. Shirts $1.46 and are good for nothing. Much love to all. Your
Lev.
August 2. — The general rode down to the river this morning and crossed. We went first to the hill on the left, where General Cutler’s division is. From there we rode to the hills on the right, where General Robinson’s division is. Our position is a very strong one. We have rifle-pits built along the whole line. After being out we came back to camp with General Buford and staff, who remained and dined with us. The day was the warmest we have had yet, it being very oppressive and disagreeable. Heard nothing more about my commission. I think that there must be some mistake somewhere.
Sunday, 2d—The teams went to the wharf down in Vicksburg for our tents. The three boys from our company drawing furloughs were Sylvester Daniels, Daniel E. Sweet and Major Christmas, and they left for home today on a thirty-day furlough.1 I sent $1.00 with Sweet to buy postage stamps for me and $2.00 to buy me a gold pen.2 I also sent $5.00 to father by Daniels.
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1 I am using this pen in re-writing the manuscript of my war diary fifty years later, and in my seventy-second year.—A. G. D.
Vicksburg, Sunday, Aug. 2. Awoke with a dumpish feeling. Corporal Dziewanowski went with a squad to church. Evie and myself spent the morning in reading the Testament, every other chapter. Read Acts. In the afternoon I was taken with a sudden and severe attack of diarrhea accompanied with fever and headache. Felt very bad. Wrote a short letter home notwithstanding.
