October 22, Thursday. Went this afternoon by invitation of General Barnard to visit Fort Foote, just completed, some eight miles below the city. A pleasant party, — Chase, Generals Barnard, Augur, Barry, Admiral Davis, etc., with ladies. It is a strong position and a vast amount of labor has been expended, — uselessly expended. In going over the works a melancholy feeling came over me, that there should have been so much waste, for the fort is not wanted, will never fire a hostile gun. No hostile fleet will ever ascend the Potomac.
Tuesday, October 22, 2013
Thursday, 22nd—This morning we start for Kingston. I came on in advance of the train to Tunnel Hill, saw all the boys and called around to see Miss Kate and Miss Nannie. They had moved down a few days ago. We came on four miles below Dalton and staid all night, I and Paul, Jim.
October 22d.
Active warfare is said to be like a game of chess, and it is sufficiently active in West Tennessee just now. An unexpected counter move has brought us to this place. The force that attacked Wolford turns out to be the advance of a large army under Longstreet. Strange that, after marching so many thousands of miles, as we have done this summer, the fortunes of war should again throw us together.
Camp on Bear Creek, Thursday, Oct. 22. The 3rd Brigade came up this morning bright and early. The train stuck in the mud, so they did not come through last night. Did not move. Wrote a letter home this morning. Washed a shirt and pair of socks in the P. M. Information received at headquarters that a battery of six 12-pound light guns, had been shipped for us to Vicksburg, also one for the 12th Battery. Efforts are being made to send an officer after them; hope they will succeed. I gather news from the front that Osterhaus, who is in the advance, encountered Roddey’s command, they coming up in federal uniform, killing Colonel W. M. Torrence, 30th Iowa and several others after which they skedaddled. This was the firing heard last night. Batteries were opened on them. Forrest is reported at Tuscumbia, strongly fortified, determined to retard our progress. J. W. Jenawein was to-day made second lieutenant, and Joseph Hood 6th sergeant orderly instead. Mail arrived 9 P. M.
22nd. After breakfast went to hospital. Did some chores. Got horse for Davenport, who has enlisted with C Co. and took the cars at 9. Crowded. Mason coming back to regiment. Proposals for re-enlistment talked of. Co. D about concluded. Reached Greenville about dark. Stopped with the boys. Very comfortable time. Boys rather discouraged at war news, shortage of rations, etc.
Thursday, 22d—We are glad to be at home again in camp after eleven days’ absence. Most of that time we were in bivouac without any protection—two nights in soaking rainstorms. Our heavy duties begin again—fatigue duty and camp guard, fourteen of our number being on guard today. Our regimental payrolls for two months’ pay were made out and we signed them today. There is no news from the army in the East, and all is quiet here in the West.
by John Beauchamp Jones
OCTOBER 22D.—Gen. Wheeler has taken 700 of the enemy’s cavalry in East Tennessee, 6 cannon, 50 wagons, commissary stores, etc. Per contra, the steamer Venus, with bacon, from Nassau, got aground trying to enter the port of Wilmington, and ship and cargo were lost. There is a rumor that Gen. Taylor, trans-Mississippi, has captured Gen. Banks, his staff, and sixteen regiments. This, I fear, is not well authenticated.
A poor woman yesterday applied to a merchant in Carey Street to purchase a barrel of flour. The price he demanded was $70.
“My God!” exclaimed she, “how can I pay such prices ? I have seven children what shall I do?”
“I don’t know, madam,” said he, coolly, ” unless you eat your children.”
Such is the power of cupidity—it transforms men into demons. And if this spirit prevails throughout the country, a just God will bring calamities upon the land, which will reach these cormorants, but which, it may be feared, will involve all classes in a common ruin.
Beef, to-day, sold in market at $1.50 per pound. There is no bacon for sale, or corn-meal. But we shall not starve, if we have faith in a beneficent Providence. Our daughter Anne, teaching in Appomattox County, writes that she will send us a barrel of potatoes, some persimmons, etc. next Wednesday. And we had a good dinner to-day : a piece of fat shoulder Capt. Warner let me have at $1 per pound—it is selling for $2.50—and cabbage from my garden, which my neighbor’s cow overlooked when she broke through the gate last Sunday. Although we scarcely know what we shall have to-morrow, we are merry and patriotic to-day.
Last night I went to hear Rev. Dr. Hobson, Reformed Baptist, or Campbellite, preach. He is certainly an orator (from Kentucky) and a man of great energy and fertility of mind. There is a revival in his congregation too, as well as among the Methodists, but he was very severe in his condemnation of the emotional or sensational practices of the latter. He said, what was never before known by me, that the word pardon is not in the New Testament, but remission was. His point against the Methodists was their fallacy of believing that conversion was sudden and miraculous, and accompanied by a happy feeling. Happy feeling, he said, would naturally follow a consciousness of remission of sins, but was no evidence of conversion, for it might be produced by other things. It was the efficacy of the Word, of the promise of God, which obliterated the sins of all who believed, repented, and were baptized. He had no spasmodic extravagances over his converts; but, simply taking them by the hand, asked if they believed, repented, and would be baptized. If the answers were in the affirmative, they resumed their seats, and were soon after immersed in a pool made for the purpose in the church.
I pray sincerely that this general revival in the churches will soften the hearts of the extortioners, for this class is specifically denounced in the Scriptures. There is abundance in the land, but “man’s inhumanity to man makes countless thousands mourn.” I hope the extortioners may all go to heaven, first ceasing to be extortioners.
The Legislature has broken up the gambling establishments, for the time being, and the furniture of their gorgeous saloons is being sold at auction. Some idea of the number of these establishments may be formed from an estimate (in the Examiner) of the cost of the entertainment prepared for visitors being not less than $10,000 daily. Their agents bought the best articles offered for sale in the markets, and never hesitated to pay the most exorbitant prices. I hope now the absence of such customers may have a good effect. But I fear the currency, so redundant, is past remedy.
October 22. — Colonel Gregg, commanding the Second brigade of Gregg’s division, sent out the Second Pennsylvania cavalry, under Lieutenant-Colonel Brinton, from the vicinity of Fayetteville, Va., to establish the picket-line from Freeman’s to Kelly’s Ford, the former some miles above and the latter some miles below Rappahannock Station. At Liberty (a few miles from Bealton, on the road between that place and Sulphur Springs) they met the enemy’s pickets, and the First Maine cavalry being sent to their support, drove them in and followed them up rapidly along the road leading to the different fords. The party which took the direction of Rappahannock Crossing turned and made a stand when approaching their infantry supports, and for some time the fighting was quite brisk. In this encounter the Second regiment lost six men wounded, among them Major Taggart, who was struck while gallantly leading a charge on the enemy’s line.
October 22—Relieved to-day. It was bitter cold.
