Tuesday, 18th.—In direction of Trenton. 2 P. M., went down the mountain, but turned back soon as we got down; back at camp, 10 P. M.
November 2013
November 18 — Yesterday evening at dusk we were ordered to report for immediate duty to General Fitzhugh Lee. In a few moments after our bugle sounded we were ready for forward march, and by the time that dusk donned the deep shade of night we were on the march with Fitzhuerh Lee’s cavalry, headed for the Shenandoah Valley, to intercept, repel or use up a Yankee raiding party that is reported to be advancing up the Valley pike. Our speedy expedition is wholly under the superintendence and command of the invincible and gallant Fitzhugh Lee in person. The true cause and reason of the hurried and unexpected movement was occasioned by a raiding party in the Shenandoah Valley, and I think that it was Fitzhugh Lee’s’ object to strike the Valley pike at New Market unsuspected by the raiders, cry havoc and unleash his veterans of war, and strike terror to the hearts of the raid and raiders, or, in other words, clean up the raid in regular Fitz Lee style. We marched rapidly all night, crossed the Rapidan at Liberty Mills, passed through Madison Court House at midnight, and at daylight struck the eastern base of the Blue Ridge, where the cavalry had made a halt. While we halted there with the cavalry General Fitzhugh Lee received a dispatch stating that the Yankee raiders were falling back down the Shenandoah Valley. Then and there the order to move to the Valley was countermanded, and we were ordered back to camp at Orange Court House. We countermarched forthwith and moved all day on the back track. Camped to-night two miles south of Madison Court House.
Wednesday November 18th 1863
Since my last date I have been Home and Staid eight days, left here the 31st Oct & returned the 10th Inst, brought Julia back with me. She is staying at Mr Hartleys on NY Avenue. Neither Genl Meade or Admiral Dahlgreen have been removed as was reported at that date, they are both still in command. Our Army is now again South of the Rappahannock. There was a Sharp battle at and near “Kellys Ford” in crossing which was a great success for us, our Army took some 2500 prisoners &c. Not much more fighting has taken place at or near Chattanooga but a great Battle is expected soon. We have just heard that Genl Banks has landed and took Fort Brown & Brownsville on the Rio Grande in Texas. It is very pleasant for me to have Julia with me. I call for her and we take long walks visiting the Hospitals or calling on our friends. This evening we called on Mr & Mrs Reynolds and spent an hour. Yesterday we attended the Review of the Invalid Corps at the Presidents. They numbered about 3000. A number of the officers had but one arm and many were lame and the men as a general thing looked rather pale and not able to stand much fatigue.
Painting by Conrad Wise Chapman.
“Shows boat ready to start out; old building used by the troops; sentinels; and dispatch boat. This must be part of the battery not much exposed to the fire of the enemy; everything seeming to be very quiet.” – Conrad Wise Chapman, 1898
Unidentified soldier in Confederate uniform with “I” buttons and Company B hat with tin drum canteen.
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Close-up crop:
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sixth-plate ambrotype, hand-colored ; 9.7 x 8.8 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 097
by John Beauchamp Jones
NOVEMBER 18TH.—We have no news whatever, except some damage reported at Charleston, done to two monitors yesterday. The bombardment has assumed no new phase.
A letter from Gen. J. E. Johnston, Meridian, Miss., indicates that the Secretary has been writing him and saying that he was responsible for the outrages of the impressing agents in his department. Gen. J. disclaims the responsibility, inasmuch as the agents referred to act under orders from the Commissary-General or Secretary of War.
November 18.—The firing on Fort Sumter from the National batteries continued. A rebel mortar battery on Sullivan’s Island shelled Gregg and the Cummings Point defences all day.— General Longstreet made an attack upon the Union outposts, on the Kingston road, near Knoxville, Tenn., and compelled General Sanders, in command of the forces there, to fall back to the town.—Doc. 19.
—General Averill arrived at New-Creek, Va. At or near Covington he encountered and dispersed a portion of Imboden’s command on their way to reenforce Echols, and captured twenty-five prisoners in the skirmish.
—The cavalry belonging to the Union forces under the command of Brigadier-General J. C. Sullivan, sent out from Harper’s Ferry, Va., returned this day, having been up the Valley to near New-Market, fighting Gilmore’s and White’s commands at Mount Jackson, bringing in twenty-seven prisoners, two commissioned officers, ninety head of cattle, three four-horse teams, besides thirty tents and all the horses and equipage of the prisoners; the party was under the command of Colonel Bayard, of the Thirty-first Pennsylvania cavalry.
He destroyed a number of tents and a quantity of salt. The men helped themselves to a wagon-load of tobacco, weighing about five hundred pounds.
The Union loss was two men killed, three wounded and three missing. — General Sullivan’s Despatch.
—Corpus Christi and Aranzas Pass, Texas, were captured by the National forces under the command of Major-General Banks. Yesterday afternoon at about three o’clock, the gunboat Monongahela, with a fleet of nine vessels, transports, etc., arrived at the bar and commenced landing troops through the surf on the south point of Mustang Island. This morning at sunrise, the Thirteenth and Fourteenth Maine regiments, Thirty-fourth Iowa, Eighth Indiana, and company F, First Missouri artillery, with a part of the Twentieth Iowa volunteers, were ashore and in column en route up the beach toward Aranzas Pass. About eleven o’clock the Monongahela opened her two hundred-pound Parrott on the enemy’s battery, which was planted behind the sand-hills so as to completely cover the channel and southern point of St. Joseph’s Island. In the mean time the Thirteenth and Fourteenth Maine, the two advance regiments, succeeded in getting in the rear of the works within two miles, without being discovered. The armed transport McClellan, Captain Gray, drawing less water than the Monongahela, worked up close on to the battery, soon making it untenable. They abandoned the battery, sought shelter from the sand-hills, until their flag of truce was discovered, when they were permitted to surrender without terms. Their battery consisted of three twenty-four-pounders and one eight-inch sea-howitzer. The force of the garrison consisted of one company of regular artillery and two companies of drafted Texan militia, in all, about one hundred and fifty men.
Wednesday, 17th—Got breakfast, paid two dollars for it and crossed the River. Came on to Spring Place, got heel plates put on. Came out seven miles and staid all night. Camped.
Tuesday, 17th—Went to Grandpaps this morning and got breakfast. Jim stopped at Mr. McDow’s to see Reuben Stround. Came on and we started from Grandpaps. Came up to Mr. Curtis and turned off to the right. Came up to Silvacoa and camped; got corn from a field.
Tuesday, 17th—The report in camp this morning was that General Sherman had been killed and his force captured on a railroad train east from Memphis. Another report this afternoon says that the train was attacked by the rebel cavalry, but that the troops formed a skirmish line and routed the rebels, and that Sherman is safe; but men were killed and wounded on both sides.
