Unidentified soldier in Union uniform next to draped table in front of painted backdrop showing fort scene.
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Sixth-plate ambrotype, hand-colored ; 11.6 x 10.4 cm (frame)
Gift by Tom Liljenquist; 2010
Liljenquist Family Collection of Civil War Photographs; Ambrotype/Tintype photograph filing series; Library of Congress Prints and Photographs Division.
Record page for image is here.
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Note – This image has been digitally adjusted for one or more of the following:
- fade correction,
- color, contrast, and/or saturation enhancement
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Civil War Portrait 064
August 20.—Acting Brigadier-General B. F. Onderdonk, First New-York Mounted Rifles, and two companies of the Eleventh Pennsylvania cavalry, returned to Portsmouth, Va., from a raid into North-Carolina. They passed through Edenton, N. C., and opened communication with Captain Roberts, in command at South-Mills. Thence they proceeded to Pasquotank and Hertford, and while about half-way between the two places, were attacked by the guerrillas, and in the skirmish lost two mounted riflemen. They killed thirty guerrillas, and drove several into the Dismal Swamp, where they were drowned; captured ninety horses, thirty mules, and other cattle.— (Doc. 159.)
—Colonel Wilder’s cavalry, the advance of the army of the Cumberland, reached the eastern base of Waldon’s Ridge, en route to Chattanooga.—General Beauregard, at Charleston, S. C., issued an order relative to the observation of fast-day, appointed by Jefferson Davis.
by John Beauchamp Jones
AUGUST 20TH.—A few weeks ago Gen. Cooper wrote to Bragg, suggesting that he advance into Middle Tennessee, reinforced by Gen. Johnston, and attack Rosecrans; Gen. Bragg replied (8th inst.) that with all the reinforcements he could get from Johnston, he would not have more than 40,000 effective men, while Rosecrans has 60,000, and will be reinforced by Burnside with 30,000 more—making 90,000 against 40,000—and as a true patriot he was opposed to throwing away our armies in enterprises sure to terminate disastrously. He said, moreover, that the enemy could starve him out, if he were to advance to the place designated, and thus destroy his army without a battle. Gen. Cooper sent this response to the President, asking if Bragg should not be ordered to fight under such circumstances. But the President paused, in following the guidance of this Northern man at the head of all our Southern generals—and to-day sent back the paper indorsed that “only a suggestion could be given to a commanding general to fight a battle; but to order him to fight when he predicted a failure in advance, would be unwise.”
A paper from Beauregard intimates that even if batteries Wagner and Gregg should be taken by the enemy, he has constructed another which will render that part of Morris Island untenable. But he relied upon holding Sumter ; and there is a vague rumor to-day that Sumter must surrender—if indeed it has not already been reduced. [click to continue…]
August 20th, 1863.—Captain Beall has improved amazingly, he can now speak in a natural voice and is allowed to converse when he feels like it. At first his voice was so weak and it hurt him to speak, so he made signs for his wants. He is very pleasant, the doctors, who come now and again to see him, say his lungs are still in bad shape and he requires just the care and good nursing he is getting here. Father has inserted silver tubes in his right side to draw off the pus, which has collected there. The right lung is not healing as the left one has done and they forbid him to think of going back for months to come. A winter in Florida may make him as sound as ever.
Today Father took him for a short ride in the buggy. He drove Dabney, who is old and steady, so he would not be jolted or jarred. I wish Sister Mart was at home, she could play for him and entertain him. I have taken up the book-keeping again but it is not quite as heavy as it was because the saw-mill is not running. The hands who formerly did the work at the mill are needed in the crops that more provisions may be made.
The people who live in town and have no plantations to draw upon, have a bad time indeed. Father often sends articles of food to his friends in Tallahassee. Judge Baltzell said he had not tasted meat for weeks, so Father promptly sent him a ham, smoked after the most approved North Carolina fashion and it was touching to see how pleased the judge was. He often sends things to Major Beard, too, and none of us ever forget Bishop Rutledge, when something good is on hand. The Bishop eats like a bird, he has so little appetite, and has to be tempted to eat.
