October 1, Thursday. Complaints of slow progress at Charleston reach us. Censure is thrown upon Dahlgren which is not altogether just. His undue promotion requires extraordinary ability and effort to lift him above the rivalries and jealousies of his contemporaries in the profession. He has prudence, caution, intelligence, but not the dash and fearless daring to distinguish himself which would reconcile them to the favoritism he has experienced. Then, worse than this, the Navy, and he as commander in a conjoint movement, encounter the army jealousy. All failures, or any want of success, is imputed to the Navy, though entirely blameless, and though the fault, if any, is with the military. Without the Navy, Morris Island could not be retained by the army, and all proceedings would terminate, yet the Navy gets no credit. Its services are not properly appreciated, and General Gillmore, though a good engineer, is, I apprehend, not adapted to full command, — cannot manage men, and has the infirmities which belong to engineers and those who are trained to secondary and scientific positions. They can criticize, and blame others without the faculty of accomplishing great results themselves.
Tuesday, October 1, 2013
Monday 28th—October 1st, Thursday—Rain last night and still continuing; truly refreshing. First we’ve had for an age. All quiet in front. Well, I’ve missed being in one battle, that of Chickamauga.
Griffin’s Landing, Miss., October 1, 1863.
Clear as a bell this morning; about 8 a.m. we reached Griffin’s landing 125 miles above Vicksburg. Said Griffin has some 2,000 cords of wood ricked on his plantation, some 500 of which we propose to gobble for the use of our transportation. We found here a part of Blair’s division which left Vicksburg over a week ago. Found the 55th Illinois, 8th Missouri and 13 regiments among other regiments. They finished wooding and left about 3 p.m.
1st. Train all gone to Bull’s Gap. A drizzling rain all day. Had just got in with forage and provisions when several pickets were taken and camp alarmed. Fell back by companies for several miles to prevent a flank movement—reported. Co. C occupied a barn. Rained all night, very fortunate. My birthday anniversary (twenty-two). Would I could see my friends tonight.
Thursday, 1st.—12 M.; all on train; at Atlanta, 4 P. M.
Memphis, Thursday, Oct. 1. The rain fell all night. This morning it is blustering and chilly. Arose shivering from our wet bed and put on our dripping clothes and huddled around the fires waiting for the sun to warm us. This is not pleasant work, but the infantry suffered much worse than we did, many of them having nothing but a poncho along with them. 10 A. M. the king of day came forth in all his sultry glory and soon righted matters. Drew twenty new tents. Received mail, morning papers, etc. Looks like civilization a little now.
October 1st. 1863.
We have pitched our tents in rear of our guns and still occupy the same position. Our trap was set for a band of guerillas who have been operating a few miles south of us. Our cavalry—sent out to drive them in—encountered them yesterday, killed several, took a few prisoners, and are in pursuit of the remainder. We busy ourselves by arresting everything and everybody that comes our way. Citizens are all taken before Acting Brigadier General Leisure, who asks them all sorts of questions, gathering, in this way, much valuable information—administers the Oath of Allegiance, grants protection papers, etc. Deserters are constantly coming in, mostly from Bragg’s army. I saw two North Carolinians last evening.
They say Beauregard and Longstreet are at Chattanooga—also that the Rebels burned Charleston and evacuated. We are kept very close, no man—not even officers’ cooks—being allowed to cross over to the city. From the best information I can get, I conclude Bragg has sent a force to operate on Rosa’s rear, threatening this place in their course. Nine bushwhackers were brought in last night and were taken to headquarters.
These wretches are being hunted from their hiding places in the mountains with untiring zeal by the Home Guards.
Thursday, 1st—We had brigade inspection this morning at 7 o’clock, by General McArthur. Colonel Hall of our regiment is in command. There were three regiments of infantry, one of cavalry and three batteries. In the afternoon I was on fatigue duty, and part of the time in a heavy rain; this is our third successive day of rain.
October 1.—The rebel General Wheeler, with a large body of mounted men, crossed the Tennessee River at Washington, at a point thirteen miles above Chattanooga, and passed down the Sequatchie Valley. He captured fifty wagons belonging to one of General Rosecrans’s trains, at the foot of the mountain, near Anderson’s Cross-Heads, burning a number of them, and killing about three hundred horses and mules. The train was laden with ammunition, clothing, and rations. Forty wagons carrying medical and sanitary stores, and about fifty sutlers’ teams were also lost.
—The loyal men and women of De Kalb County, Ill., and adjoining counties, met in mass meeting at De Kalb, to renew to each other their solemn pledges to stand by the Government in the vigorous prosecution of the war, “till this accursed rebellion and its cause shall be buried in one common grave.”
by John Beauchamp Jones
OCTOBER 1ST.—We have a rumor to-day that Meade is sending heavy masses of troops to the West to extricate Rosecrans, and that Gen. Hooker is to menace Richmond from the Peninsula, with 25,000 men, to keep Lee from crossing the Potomac.
We have absolutely nothing from Bragg; but a dispatch from Gen. S. Jones, East Tennessee, of this date, says he has sent Gen. Ranseur after the rear guard of the enemy, near Knoxville.
A letter from W. G. M. Davis, describes St. Andrew’s Bay, Florida, as practicable for exporting and importing purposes. It may be required, if Charleston and Wilmington fall—which is not improbable.
Nevertheless, Bragg’s victory has given us a respite in the East, and soon the bad roads will put an end to the marching of armies until next year. I doubt whether the Yankees will desire another winter campaign in Virginia.
The papers contain the following account of sufferings at Gettysburg, and in the Federal prisons:
“A lady from the vicinity of Gettysburg writes: ‘July 18th—We have been visiting the battle-field, and have done all we can for the wounded there. Since then we have sent another party, who came upon a camp of wounded Confederates in a wood between the hills. Through this wood quite a large creek runs. This camp contained between 200 and 300 wounded men, in every stage of suffering; two well men among them as nurses. Most of them had frightful wounds. A few evenings ago the rain, sudden and violent, swelled the creek, and 35 of the unfortunates were swept away; 35 died of starvation. No one had been to visit them since they were carried off the battle-field; they had no food of any kind; they were crying all the time “bread, bread! water, water!” One boy without beard was stretched out dead, quite naked, a piece of blanket thrown over his emaciated form, a rag over his face, and his small, thin hands laid over his breast. Of the dead none knew their names, and it breaks my heart to think of the mothers waiting and watching for the sons laid in the lonely grave on that fearful battle-field. All of those men in the woods were nearly naked, and when ladies approached they tried to cover themselves with the filthy rags they had cast aside. The wounds themselves, unwashed and untouched, were full of worms. God only knows what they suffered.
“ ‘Not one word of complaint passed their lips, not a murmur; their only words were “Bread, bread! water, water!” Except when they saw some of our ladies much affected, they said, “Oh, ladies, don’t cry; we are used to this.” We are doing all we can; we served all day yesterday, though it was Sunday.’ This lady adds: ‘There were two brothers—one a colonel, the other a captain—lying side by side, and both wounded. They had a Bible between them.’ Another letter from Philadelphia says: ‘There are over 8000 on the island (FortDelaware), the hospitals crowded, and between 300 and 400 men on the bare floor of the barracks; not even a straw mattress under them. The surgeon says the hundred pillows and other things sent from here were a God-send. Everything except gray clothing will be thankfully received, and can be fully disposed of. It is very difficult to get money here. I write to you in the hope that you may be able to send some comforts for these suffering men. Some two or three thousand have been sent to an island in the East River, most of them South Carolinians, and all in great destitution. Your hearts would ache as mine does if you knew all I hear and know is true of the sufferings of our poor people.’
“Another writes: Philadelphia, July 20th, 1863. ‘I mentioned in my last the large number of Southern prisoners now in the hands of the Federal Government in FortDelaware, near this city. There are 8000, a large portion of whom are sick and wounded; all are suffering most seriously for the want of a thousand things. Those in the city who are by birth or association connected with Southern people, and who feel a sympathy for the sufferings of these prisoners, are but few in number, and upon these have been increasing calls for aid. Their powers of contribution are now exhausted. I thought it my duty to acquaint you and others in Europe of this state of things, that you might raise something to relieve the sufferings of these prisoners. I believe the government has decided that any contributions for them may be delivered to them. There is scarcely a man among them, officers or privates, who has any money or any clothes beyond those in which they stood when they were captured on the battlefield. You can, therefore, imagine their situation. In the hospitals the government gives them nothing beyond medicines and soldier’s rations. Sick men require much more, or they perish; and these people are dying by scores. I think it a matter in which their friends on the other side should take prompt and ample action.’ “
