Saturday, December 3. — Sherman reported at Millen. All of us anxious to have Dr. Spencer come. Made my application to go to camp. Day pleasant and warm. Belcher on.
Tuesday, December 3, 2013
Henry Adams to Charles Francis Adams, Jr.
St. Leonards on Sea December 3, 1863
Things are going on politically here from complication to confusion. Not that our own affairs are essentially changed, though this last week has been more lively than usual, owing to the rebs having bought a Government war-steamer and sent her out of a Government dockyard to cruise against us. This was cleverly done but I doubt whether it was good policy, any more than the other measures they’ve adopted of late towards England, which are calculated to throw the Ministry a good deal onto our side. I fancy this performance will only strengthen Lord Russell’s hands, should he come before Parliament with his new neutrality bill.
But meanwhile the devil only knows what will happen on the Continent. Certain it is that there is already a violent pressure in the money market, which approaches a panic, and I should not be surprised if something were to blow up before long. People are uneasy enough, and with reason. . . .
3rd. During the day was quite busy getting wheat, etc., together. Ordered to be ready to march this P. M. Got all ready but failed to move. Issued meal and flour till Tuesday. Wrote in the evening. Had some apples to eat. Boys played checkers. Two poor stoves.
Enroute, Thursday, Dec. 3. Moved for Bridgeport, Ala., 7 A. M. All the serviceable horses reported to Lieutenant Harlow of the 12th Battery and were put in the teams. E. P. Dixon took “Reb” for a saddle horse, giving me a pony instead, which exempted my team. Emptied my valise into E. W. E.’s knapsack. My blanket on saddle, Evie’s blanket in valise, saddle by my side, and we started in rear of 12th Battery. Double quicked it for the first two miles after which we came into muddy roads and moved slow. Walked about seven miles, taking railroad. Had to wait three or four hours for Battery to come up at South Sides coal mines. A steep stony hill ahead of us, and a long wagon train loaded with artillery horses stuck on it. The Battery did not get started until after sundown. The horses were entirely jaded out, no feed and hard work. Nearly every piece stalled and obliged to double teams. Tired of waiting and standing in the mud, cold and cheerless we pushed on through the brush until we reached the valley below. We unharnessed and tied to the trees our faithful but hungry steeds, scraped our haversacks for the last crumb, after which we laid down all alone and no “grub” for the morrow, but it worried not our lives.
Thursday, 3d—I went out on picket this morning. An order was read on parade this evening, announcing that all soldiers who will re-enlist for three years or during the war will be enrolled in the Veterans’ Corps, and receive a bounty of $400.00 and a thirty day furlough. Some of the boys signed their names at once.[1]
[1] I was not yet in from picket and so knew nothing of what was going on.—A. G. D.
December 3 — This morning we were ordered back to camp with General Lomax’s Brigade. The brigade moved back to the same camp it occupied previous to the enemy’s recent advance. The camp is on the north side of the Rapidan, one mile below Barnett’s Ford, and on the south side of the Robinson River. We arrived at General Lomax’s camp this evening after dark. We forded the Rapidan at Paton’s Ford; the current of the river there is rapid and the ford is very rough and rocky. This morning we passed the winter quarters of a brigade of infantry. The camp is laid off in regular streets like a town, and the houses are all built of logs, with the interstices neatly and tightly daubed with clay, which make the houses all appear very comfortable. Every house has a fireplace, with a shapely chimney plastered on the outside with mud.
December 3.— Mrs. W. has returned from Mobile, and she brought us quite a number of rags. The Mobilians are as kind as ever. We expected her to bring coffee and tea, but they are too high. The former was fifteen dollars per pound; the latter sixteen dollars. She paid sixty-five dollars for a pair of boots; the most I have paid for the article is thirty dollars.
Dec 3rd 1863
Today we learn that Mead has fallen back (this way) to this side of the “Rapidan.” This creates much disappointment here and the general opinion is that Genl Mead is incompetant. But the whole policy of the forward movement is not publicly understood. Congressmen are now flocking to the City and stowing themselves away the best they can. High prices are paid by them for convenient rooms. $100 pr month is not unusual. There is no news today from Tennessee of importance. Burnside at last accounts from him was at Knoxville besieged by a rebel Army under Genl Longstreet, but in no great danger of being Captured. The Rebels hold about 13000 of our soldiers prisoner in Richmond and from all accounts are litteraly starving them to death. The Rebel Authorities have recently consented that our Govt may send them food and clothing. Exchanges have ceased. They refuse to give up negro prisoners which they have taken, and our Govt insist that they shall. We have now about forty thousand rebel prisoners on hand. The general opinion is that they have sold the negroes, or hung them. They have probably done both.
Camp White, December 3, 1863.
Dear Mother: — We are all here living very comfortably. Webb and Ruddy are learning lessons daily. Webb is a little backward and hates books. The other little fellow is like Birch and takes to larnin’.”
Lucy writes very few letters to anybody and avoids it when she can. She finds a sympathizing friend on this subject in Mrs. Comly, who dislikes it equally. When I am with Lucy, I do the writing.
We are likely to be engaged in pretty active operations here this winter. We are doing all that the weather allows, and have been pretty lucky so far. It will not surprise me if we have some rather severe fighting.
My regiment is re-enlisting daily. There is no doubt that it will be reorganized for three years more before the winter is over. There is a general disposition with officers and men to see the end of the war in the field, if our lives and health are spared. Your letter mailed 30th came last night. Quick time! — My love to all.
Affectionately, your son,
R.
Mrs. Sophia Hayes.
December 3, [1863]. — The recent victory of Grant near Chattanooga seems to be very complete. We have not heard from Burnside, besieged in Knoxville by Longstreet, since the 24th or 25th. We have some apprehensions, but hope that he has been relieved by Grant’s success. Meade has pushed into the heart of eastern Virginia after Lee. I fear the result. The Army of the Potomac has been as unlucky on Virginia soil as the army of Lee on our soil.
Company B left today for home, over three-fourths, fifty-four, having enlisted as veteran volunteers. Companies A, E, and F are likely to follow suit.
