Huntsville, Monday, March 21. Reveille sounded at 4 A. M. Fed and harnessed before breakfast, and prepared for the march, two days’ rations in haversack, three days’ in wagon. As soon as it was light, hitched up on the sixth piece, the caisson to be left behind; seven cannoneers. It was very cold, windy morning. Waited until 8 A. M. when the order came to unhitch and unharness, the expedition over, which was gladly obeyed by all except the recruits, they being yet anxious to taste the poetry of war. The day continued very cold and very uncomfortable for the sick, which are daily increasing. T. J. Hungerford continues very low, yet the doctor speaks cheerfully. He was visited by the medical director of the Division to-day. A heavy mail received, of which I received two goodly ones. Corporal Dixon was to-day made sergeant of our Platoon, vice Hamilton promoted. E. W. Evans promoted to corporal to fill vacancy, in which capacity he had been acting for over a year. Sat up with Tommy till 1 A. M., giving him powders every three hours; stimulants, liquors, every two. All alone, a time for sad reflections and longing thoughts.
Friday, March 21, 2014
21st. Packed up in the morning. Went to Cleveland on the P. M. train. George went to the depot with me. Thede rode the horses. Saw Will, took supper with him. Went to the depot and around somewhat, expecting Fred. Good visit with Delos. Put up at Forest City Hotel. Saw most of the Co. Boys. Half of 2nd O. V. C. on a drunk.
March 21 — Renewed our march this morning and moved to within two miles of Gordonsville, and camped.
Gordonsville is a little railroad town situated in the southwestern edge of Orange County, and at the juncture of the Virginia Central and the Orange and Alexandria railroads. The country right around the little town is level, and some of the land seems to be of good quality; but on the east side of town the chincapin bushes are close by, which is not a very good indication of a deep or fertile soil.
Diary And Memoranda, 1864
Mar. 21st. On account of slight illness I have been unable to keep my book. On the 16th, Co. B moved to Fort Woodbury. I like it very well. Col. T. is trying to get the reg’t into the field as Light Infantry; I hope he will succeed. I intend to re-enlist tomorrow.
Monday, 21st—We reached Cairo at 4 o’clock this morning and I went ashore with my comrades to the Soldiers’ Home for breakfast. We then went to the provost marshal’s office for our railroad transportation from Cairo to Davenport. We boarded the train at noon and arrived at Centralia at 5 o’clock. We had to lie here until after midnight when we took the Illinois Central for La Salle, Illinois. The train was so crowded that in order to get a comfortable place, we bought sleeping berths. The weather is cold here, and we saw snowbanks for the first time in two years.
March 21, Monday. Wilson returned from New York on Saturday. Called to-day and made report in case of the contractors. Says the evidence is strong and conclusive against them; will be ready with charges and specifications in about a week. I told him it was my wish there should be a speedy trial; I also desired that the wives and counsel of the prisoners might visit them. Whiting, Solicitor of the War Department, called. My letter to the Secretary of War, requesting him to direct Whiting to give this Department his assistance and advice in criminal transactions was objectionable. The Secretary could not direct him, and he would not communicate with the Secretary because the word “direct” was in the note. Told him the mere misuse of a word should not be permitted to embarrass a public measure. That I was willing to substitute another word. He said he would prepare something to meet the case. Tells me that Seward refers questions to him, some affecting Navy captures. This is an eye-opener. The two are cunning, but they expose each other.
Tom (Thomas G. Welles, son of the Secretary) has gone with Admiral Dahlgren to Fortress Monroe after the body of his son Ulric, expected from Richmond.
March 21.—A battle occurred at Henderson’s Hill, La., between a portion of General A. J. Smith’s forces, under the command of General John A. Mower, and the rebels under General Richard Taylor, resulting in the defeat and rout of the latter, with a loss of five guns with caissons, four hundred horses, and about two hundred and fifty men, in killed, wounded, and missing. In a skirmish previous to the battle, Colonel II. B. Sargent, of General Banks’s staff, was wounded severely.—(Docs. 90 and 131.)
—Last night a body of rebels made an attack on the Union pickets, near Jenkins’s Island, South-Carolina, but were repulsed at every point by the Seventy-sixth Pennsylvania regiment, Colonel Campbell, doing duty at that point. The rebels approached in eight large flatboats, and came in force, evidently with a view of cutting off the pickets. Another attempt to gain a foothold on the island this night was baffled by Captain Kness’s company of the Seventy-sixth, which fired several deadly volleys into the boats, and drove them off. No casualties occurred on the Union side in either affair.—The steamer Chesapeake, surrendered by the British authorities, arrived at Portland, Maine.
—The rebel steamer Clifton, formerly the United States gunboat of that name, while attempting to run the blockade at Sabine Pass, with over a thousand bales of cotton, got aground on the bar. She remained immovable, and was burned to prevent her from falling into the hands of the Nationals. — The rebel schooner Wild Pigeon was captured by the Hendrick Hudson.
by John Beauchamp Jones
MARCH 21ST—Although cloudy, there was ice this morning, and cold all day.
Yesterday another thousand prisoners were brought up by the flag of truce boat. A large company of both sexes welcomed them in the Capitol Square, whither some baskets of food were sent by those who had some patriotism with their abundance. The President made them a comforting speech, alluding to their toils, bravery, and sufferings in captivity; and promised them, after a brief respite, that they should be in the field again.
The following conversation took place yesterday between the P resident and some young ladies of his acquaintance, with whom he promenaded:
Miss.—Do you think they will like to return to the field?
President.—It may seem hard; but even those boys (pointing to some youths around the monument twelve or fourteen years old) will have their trial.
Miss.—But how shall the army be fed?
President.—I don’t see why rats, if fat, are not as good as squirrels. Our men did eat mule meat at Vicksburg; but it would be an expensive luxury now.
After this, the President fell into a grave mood, and some remark about recognition caused him to say twice—” We have no friends abroad!”
March 21st, 1864. —The party at Goodwood was a grand success. The general and his staff were magnificently attired in new uniforms, just from Paris, via. Zeigler’s Blockade Runner. As many of Colonel Scott’s Battalion as could be spared at one time came in from Camp Randolph. There are quite a number of strangers in town and Captain Oliver, a wounded officer from a Maryland Regiment who is staying at Goodwood, was the lion of the evening. He has a lovely baritone voice and accompanies himself on the guitar. He sang “Maryland, my Maryland,” so feelingly that it brought tears to many eyes.
General Cobb’s band played for us to dance and we had a delightful time—as every one does when at Goodwood. I wore the crepe lisse dress and aunt Sue pinned white hyacinths in my hair. That grown-up person said they were perfectly lovely. The boys may not be able to make such pretty speeches but I still like them best.
