Camp on Richland Creek, Tenn., Friday, Nov. 6. Got up at 3 A. M. Moved out at 5 A. M. A clear cold morning, the roads very muddy. We soon struck a range of hills which we rode over. They were, of solid rock broken off in ledges, very hard to travel with artillery, especially with the wheel horses. For six miles it was a continual stony bed, very steep hills and rocky declivities. Eight miles on we struck the Nashville and Decater R. R. at Prospect. Followed it north for two miles through a very fertile valley well laden with corn. I got a handkerchief full of Irish potatoes from under a farm house, satisfied the negro for them, the master not at home. The track was in good running condition, built of “T” rails bolted together at the ends and the filling is of crushed stone. Turned east, leaving the R. R. to our left. Climbed a very high hill or mountain, a mile long, stopped an hour for dinner on the top. The wheel was locked for over a hundred yards going down, over the roughest road man ever travelled. Struck Richland Creek at the bottom, a stream as large as Big Black Muddy, unlike all other streams of this country. Followed it up stream for two miles, a fine stone wall built along the other side of the road, three feet at the bottom, two feet on top, and five feet high, of quarried limestone, inside of which was a beautiful cornfield. I got a feed for my team out of it. Forded the creek below Tom Brown’s Mill. The regiment halted, stacked arms, took off shoes, stockings and pants, then waded in it. It was a rare sight, several hundred men walking through at once, bare legged, their unmentionables thrown over shoulder and musket high in the air. The water was waist deep and quite cold. To any but soldiers it would be a serious necessity. They took it very as a lark, each one vieing with the other to make the more noise by the way of singing, hooting, plunging, etc. Came into camp on the bank of the creek in a pretty grove half an hour of sundown. 2nd Brigade here ahead of us. Y —— tied to the gun all day with two feet of rope, for mutinous conduct and offering violence to officer.
Wednesday, November 6, 2013
Tuesday, 3rd—Friday, 6th—Start this morning I and James Pickle down the country, stopped at Mr. Gillam’s and took dinner. From there to Mr. Kit Dodd’s and staid all night.
6th. After breakfast sent out forage and provision detail. About 8 heavy firing in the direction of Rogersville. Ordered to be ready to march as soon as detail sent for comes in. Got in. Just got supper ready and had to move out. Rested an hour in field—disgusting. A very tedious night ride, heavy frost, boys without coats and half naked. A great number of stragglers—getting warm. Clear. Thousand fires.
Friday, 6th—I was on fatigue again, but on account of rain last night the detail did not go to work until 1 o’clock this afternoon. Some of the heaviest siege guns obtainable are being mounted on raised platforms in the forts.
November 6 — Renewed our march this morning with Rosser’s brigade. We crossed the Hazel, passed through Amissville, a small village on the Sperryville and Warrenton road, and arrived late this evening at Gaines’ Cross Roads, in Rappahannock County, about fifteen miles east of Front Royal.
We are camped one mile west of Gaines’ Cross Roads, in one of General Rosser’s old camps.
November 6.—We were saddened to-day by news of the death of Augustus Torrey Wilder in the hospital at Fort Ethan Allen.
William Jenkins, North Carolina soldier, in artillery uniform, with percussion rifle converted from flintlock.
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Sixth-plate ambrotype, hand-colored ; 9.3 x 7.7 cm (case)
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
- selected spot and/or scratch removal
- cropped for composition and/or to accentuate subject matter
- straighten image
Civil War Portrait 085
NOVEMBER 6TH.—The President was to have returned to-day, but did not.
Various conjectures are made as to the object of his month’s tour of speech-making. Some deem the cause very desperate, others that the President’s condition is desperate. If the first, they say his purpose was to reanimate the people by his presence, and to cultivate a renewal of lost friendships, and hence he lingered longest at Charleston, in social intercourse with Gens. Beauregard and Wise, who had become estranged. The latter is the oldest brigadier-general in the service, and still they have failed to promote him. The President’s power is felt in the army, and his patronage being almost unlimited, it was natural, they say, that he should be received with cheers. From a lieutenant up to a general, all are dependent on his favor for promotion. At all events, his austerity and inflexibility have been relaxed, and he has made popular speeches wherever he has gone. I hope good fruits will ensue. But he returns to find the people here almost in a state of starvation in the midst of plenty, brought on by the knavery or incompetency of government agents.
What is remarkable is the estimate of $50,000,000 by the Commissary-General for the purchase of sugar, exclusively for the sick and wounded in hospitals, the soldiers in the field being refused any more. One-fourth of the whole estimates ($210,000,000) for sugar, and not an ounce to go to the army! And this, too, when it is understood nearly all the sugar in the Confederacy has been impressed by his agents at from 50 cts. to $1 per pound. It is worth $2.50 now, and it is apprehended that a large proportion of the fifty millions asked for will go into the pockets of commissaries. No account whatever is taken of the tithe in the Commissary-General’s estimates.
Flour sold at $125 per barrel to-day. There must be an explosion of some sort soon. Certainly Confederate notes have fallen very low indeed.
Another solution of the President’s tour, by the uncharitable or suspicious, is a preparatory or a preliminary move to assuming all power in his own hands. They say the people are reduced by distress to such an extremity that, if he will only order rations to be served them, they will not quarrel with him if he assumes dictatorial powers. Legislation has failed to furnish remedies for the evils afflicting the community; and, really, if the evils themselves were not imputed to the government, and the President were ambitious—and is he not?—he might now, perhaps, play a successful Cromwellian rôle. But can he control the State governments? The government of this State seems like potter’s clay in his hands, the Legislature being as subservient as the Congresses have hitherto been. It is observed—independence first—then let Cromwells or Washingtons come.
My wife, to-day, presented me with an excellent under-shirt, made of one of her dilapidated petticoats. A new shirt would cost $30. Common brown cotton (and in a cotton country!) sells for $3 per yard. I saw common cotton shirts sell at auction to-day for $40 per pair. Beef is $1.50 per pound, and pork $2. But these prices are paid in Confederate Treasury notes, and they mark the rapid depreciation of paper money.
The enemy, however, in spreading over the Southern territory, are not completing the work of subjugation. It would require a million of bayonets to keep this people in subjection, and the indications are that the United States will have difficulty in keeping their great armies up. It is a question of endurance.
November 6.—Jefferson Davis arrived at Wilmington, North Carolina, from Charleston, South Carolina, and was received by General Whiting, and welcomed by William A. Wright. Mr. Davis stated that he was proud to be welcomed by so large a concourse of North Carolinians to the ancient and honored town of Wilmington, upon whose soil he hoped the foot of an invading foe might never fall. He had given Wilmington for her defence one of the best soldiers in the Confederacy—one whom he had seen tried in battle, and who had risen higher as danger accumulated.
He felt the full importance of the harbor—the only one still open for trade—and would do all that could be done for its defence. He exhorted all to do their duty, either in the field or in supporting the army and relieving the families of soldiers, and spoke of the honor of the soldier, and the disgrace of the speculator. He referred to Chickamauga and Charleston, and spoke of the noble spirit of the army and people at both places. He paid a high tribute to the soldiers from the State, and exhorted all to strive nobly for the right, predicting a future of independence, liberty, and prosperity.—A fight occurred at Rogersville, Tennessee, in which the Nationals were defeated and compelled to retreat with some loss.—(Doc. 8.)
The ship Winged Racer, from Manilla for New-York, was captured and burned by the pirate Alabama, off Java Head.—A party of rebel guerrillas entered Blandville, Kentucky, twelve miles from Cairo, Illinois, and captured a courier together with a small mail.
—The battle of Droop Mountain, Virginia, between the National forces under Brigadier General Averill, and the combined forces of the rebel Generals Echols and Jenkins, occurred this day, resulting in the rout of the latter with a severe loss in men and material.—(Doc. 9.)
November 6—Were relieved to-day.
