Thursday, 8th—I came into Camp this morning, was appointed Adjutant of the Preps! Preps!
Tuesday, October 8, 2013
Colonel Lyons.
Stevenson, Ala., Thurs. Eve., Oct. 8th, 1863.—We have been isolated here for a few days, and you need not be surprised if you do not get letters regularly. The rebel cavalry got in our rear the other day and cut our communications. The telegraph line was restored today, and we expect trains through from Nashville tomorrow.
I learn from General Butterfield’s dispatches to Gen. Hooker (which he very kindly shows to me) that the enemy struck the railroad at Christiana, ten miles this side of Murfreesboro, capturing a company and destroying the water tank. They then tore up a mile of track near Duck River, and destroyed a bridge across that stream near Tullahoma. Our cavalry were in close pursuit, overtaking them near Shelbyville (which place they had burned), attacking and whipping them, killing 100, capturing 300, and scattering the balance of the rebel force. General Ruger’s Brigade is on the railroad between Tullahoma and Murfreesboro. The rebels were too closely pursued to do much damage.
General Butterfield went up to take command of the troops that were left behind in order to open communications. It interferes seriously with us to have this line cut off. We are out of forage, and rations are getting uncomfortably low. This same force captured and destroyed several hundred wagons between here and Chattanooga, loaded with supplies and ammunition. I think they have done their worst and that we shall have no difficulty now in keeping the road open. Gen. Morgan told me tonight that he heard that the men captured at Christiana were from the 22nd Wisconsin. I hope not.
Dr. Woolcott, from Milwaukee, the Surgeon General of the State, is here and took tea with me tonight. He is accompanied by Rev. Mr. Staples of Milwaukee. The Doctor has been to the front to look after our wounded, and lost all his baggage when the wagon train was captured. He escaped by taking a shorter road on foot over the mountains. He says that it is the general opinion that Bragg is evacuating his position in front of Chattanooga. The rebels shelled our camps there all day Tuesday, doing but very little damage, however. We have no fears of an attack here.
We are stripping this whole country of forage, many thousand animals having been sent back here to recruit; and there will be, and is already, much suffering among the people. Many hundreds have gone North, the Government furnishing them transportation, and large numbers more are going. We feed several hundreds out of Government supplies. We issue them half rations of bread and meat. The people have no coffee, sugar or salt. They beg most piteously for salt. We have none of these articles for them. You can have no adequate idea of the suffering caused by the want of salt. Some have told me that all the salt they have had for a year is what they have procured by leaching the earth in their smoke-houses. This is the more painful because these people are nearly all truly loyal, and have suffered terribly for their loyalty.
8th. Sergt. Beers worked on Quarterly Returns. Corp. Wood went out with detail and got potatoes and honey. Thede went for some apples, and took my washing. Orders came to make report or history of companies, all the details since their formation. A tedious duty with all books away. Wrote part of letter to Fannie. Rich prize. Captured Rebel train. Troops continually arriving. Forward movement soon.
Glendale, Thursday, Oct. 8. Cold night, but a beautiful day. As we have no prospect of getting hay, we took our horses out to graze this morning. Grazed in an old field on the road to Clear Creek where government cattle are kept. The grass was dry and withered so the horses did not relish it much. Lieutenant Hood and his citizen brother Wilson went to town and on their return were fired into by a squad of guerrillas.
Thursday Oct 8th 1863
There has hardly ever been so dull a time (for news) as for the past week or two. There seems to be nothing going on in the Military line that we hear of that is worthy of especial notice. But we are expecting to hear of important events at Charlston and at Chattanooga in Tennessee. Another Bombardment of Charlston and another Battle by Rosecrans is daily expected. In the City all is very quiet. It abounds in Theatres and other places of amusement but I have not attended any place of the kind for a long time. I have no taste for spending money that way. I usualy take a long walk after leaving the office at 3 o’clock, return to Dinner at 5 o’clock. We usualy sit at the table about three quarters of an hour. Col Chesters wife and two daughters came yesterday and are now with him at Doct Munsons where I board. I do the honors at one end of the long table carving &c while Mrs Munson sits at the other with her coffee or Tea urn. One of the old boarders is an old bachelor, Dr Waters. He is about Sixty years old, is constant at his meals, always gets his morning paper before breakfast and always expects to be asked for the news. He was born here and lives from his money & rents. I take a “pipe” with him occasionaly in his room, much to his gratification. Col Chester is also an old boarder there and a man much after my own heart. His lady sits at my right hand betwen me an her husband. She is a very pleasant and sociable lady. Mr Fowle is a new comer from Newark NJ, formerly of Boston. He is Machinist at the Treasury where they have a great deal of very nice machinery for getting up the Treasury notes, fractional currency &c. He put up the geometrical Lathe which engraves the borders & backs of the Bills and all the fine line geometrical & cycloid figures. The Lathe cost five thousand dollars. Fowle is one of the best Mechanics I ever knew, can make anything from a Patent Lever watch to a Steam Engine. He built the most of this Lathe (formerly). Mathimatical and Astronomical Instruments are in his line. He has a beautiful Telescope Rifle of his own make.
There was a great crowd on the Avenue this afternoon. I went to the Bulletin Boards of two or three of the “Dailies” but could see nothing like news. I called to see Sallie. She is expecting to be confined very soon. Chas has gone today to Carlisle P.a. with Sick Soldiers of the Regular Army, will be back tomorrow if nothing happens. He and his wife are on E St at Miss Bolees Boarding house at $68.00 pr month for one room and board. Mr Woodward, wife & son are at the same house. Chas thought the price was more than he could afford to pay and Mr Woodward (the Father in law) agreed to pay a portion of it if he would come there and enable them all to live together and sit together at a private table. He seems to have taken them into great favor latterly. As he is sick, it may not be a bad thing for them. I am getting up a letter balance combined with a Calendar and pen rack. I called at Woodruffs to see about today. He is making a specimen for me. I have a model which I have made mostly in my room. I intend to get it Patented
Thursday, 8th—The Eleventh Iowa went out again on picket this morning, relieving the Thirteenth. I did not accompany the regiment, because I was on camp guard. The weather is quite cool and there is no news of any importance.
October 8.—News came to-day of the death of Lieutenant Hiram Brown. He died of fever at Portsmouth, only little more than a year after he went away.
by John Beauchamp Jones
OCTOBER 8TH.—The President, accompanied by two of his aids, set off quietly day before yesterday for the Southwest—to Bragg’s army, no doubt, where it is understood dissensions have arisen among the chieftains.
By telegraph we learn that one of Bragg’s batteries, on LookoutMountain, opened fire on the Federals in Chattanooga on the 5th inst., which was replied to briskly.
Night before last an attempt was made to destroy the enemy’s steamer Ironsides at Charleston, but failed. The torpedo, however, may have done it some injury.
From Lee and Meade we have nothing.
A rather startling letter was read by the Secretary of War to-day from _____, Lieut. -Gen. Bragg’s _______d in command. It was dated the 26th of September, and stated that Chickamauga was one of the most complete victories of the war, but has not been “followed up.” On the 21st (day after the battle), Gen. Bragg asked Gen. ______’s advice, which was promptly given: “that he should immediately strike Burnside a blow; or if Burnside escaped, then to march on Rosecrans’s communications in the rear of Nashville.” Gen. Bragg seemed to adopt the plan, and gave orders accordingly. But the right wing had not marched more than eight or ten miles the next day, before it was halted, and ordered to march toward Chattanooga, after giving the enemy two and a half days to strengthen the fortifications. Bragg’s army remains in front of the enemy’s defenses, with orders not to assault him. The only thing Bragg has done well (says Gen. ______) was to order the attack on the 19th of September; everything else has been wrong; and now only God can save us or help us—while Bragg commands. He begs that Gen. Lee be sent there, while the Army of Virginia remains on the defensive, to prosecute offensive measures against Rosecrans. He says Bragg’s army has neither organization nor mobility; and B. cannot remedy the evil. He cannot adopt or adhere to any course, and he invokes the government to interpose speedily. This letter is on file in the archives.
The question now is, who is right? If it be ______, Bragg ought certainly to be relieved without delay ; and the President cannot arrive in the field a moment too soon. As it is, while others are exulting in the conviction that Rosecrans will be speedily destroyed, I am filled with alarm for the fate of Bragg’s army, and for the cause! I am reluctant to attribute the weakness of personal pique or professional jealousy to ______; yet I still hope that events will speedily prove that Bragg’s plan was the best, and that he had really adopted and advised to the wisest course.
October 8.—Last night the garrison at Harper’s Ferry, Va., were alarmed by an attack, and the cavalry and two regiments of infantry started out to meet the enemy. Near Charlestown a force of between three hundred and four hundred cavalry, commanded by Imboden, were posted. The rebels had a large portion of their force dismounted and in ambuscade. Captain Somers, with his company of cavalry, had advanced to hunt up the enemy. He met a company of rebel cavalry, who charged upon him and were repulsed. They purposely retreated, Captain Somers and his company pursuing until they entered the fatal ambuscade. At the first fire Captain Somers and ten men were killed, as many more wounded, and nearly all the others captured. The few who escaped carried the information into camp, and the rest of the cavalry started in pursuit, but were unable to come up with the rebels.—The following order was issued at Richmond, Va., by the rebel Adjutant-General Cooper: “The Chief of the Nitre and Mining Bureau is directed, through the officers of his bureau, to impress copper, coal, and such other minerals as may be needed for the use of the government.”—A fight occurred near Salem, Miss., between four thousand rebels, under General S. D. Lee, and five thousand Nationals, under McCullis and Phillips, resulting in the defeat of the rebels with a loss of fifteen killed and wounded.—A mob at Jackson, N. H., burned the hotel where the Deputy Provost-Marshal was stopping while serving notices on drafted men.— Carthage, Mo., was burned by the rebel troops. —A party of one hundred guerrillas, under command of Captain Richardson, at two o’clock this afternoon, placed obstructions on the track of the Lebanon Branch Railroad, at New-Hope, Ky., twenty miles from the junction, threw the train off the track, and fired into it, but did no damage to the passengers. They then captured the train, burned two passenger-cars, baggage and express cars, destroyed the locomotive, robbed the passengers of money and clothing, and decamped.
