6th. Regt. saddled and moved out into position at 2 o’clock. After breakfast went out to Regt. awhile. Very hot. Firing commenced at daylight. Heaviest again in Sedgwick’s Corps. Burnside over near Chancellorsville. Just about dark firing was very heavy. Various reports in regard to loss. Dreamed last night of Fannie.
Tuesday, May 6, 2014
May 6—Fighting commenced at daylight, and lasted all day. So did it last with their everlasting reinforcements. If General Lee only had half their men, and those men were rebels, we would go to Washington in two weeks. When he has fought such an army for four years it certainly shows we have the generals and the fighting-stock on our side, and they have the hirelings. Look at our army, and you will see them in rags and barefooted. But among the Yankees I see nothing but an abundance of everything. Still, they haven’t whipped the rebels. Several of our boys came in as prisoners to-day, with them Engle of our company. They think I was killed, so does my brother, but as yet the bullet has not done its last work for your humble servant.
May 6, Friday. At the Cabinet-meeting each of the members read his opinion. There had, I think, been some concert between Seward and Stanton and probably Chase; that is, they had talked on the subject, although there was not coincidence of views on all respects. Although I was dissatisfied with my own, it was as well as most others.
Between Mr. Bates and Mr. Blair a suggestion came out that met my views better than anything that had previously been offered. It is that the President should by proclamation declare the officers who had command at the massacre outlaws, and require any of our officers who may capture them, to detain them in custody and not exchange them, but hold them to punishment. The thought was not very distinctly enunciated. In a conversation that followed the reading of our papers, I expressed myself favorable to this new suggestion, which relieved the subject of much of the difficulty. It avoids communication with the Rebel authorities. Takes the matter in our own hands. We get rid of the barbarity of retaliation.
Stanton fell in with my suggestion, so far as to propose that, should Forrest, or Chalmers, or any officer conspicuous in this butchery be captured, he should be turned over for trial for the murders at Fort Pillow. I sat beside Chase and mentioned to him some of the advantages of this course, and he said it made a favorable impression. I urged him to say so, for it appeared to me that the President and Seward did not appreciate it.
We get no tidings from the front. There is an impression that we are on the eve of a great battle and that it may already have commenced.
May 6th. At five o’clock this morning, the battle opened vigorously on the right, and soon heavy musketry firing rolled sonorously along the entire line. Hill’s corps attacked Sedgwick, and a fierce and bloody encounter took place. Getty, Mott, and Birney, of our corps, were soon involved, and heavy fighting raged on all sides except our own front. We were on the lookout for Longstreet, who was reported by prisoners taken as moving down the Cartharpin road and forming on the unfinished railroad in our front. At six o’clock Hancock ordered the line to advance to the Orange plank road and a desperate fight commenced. Wadsworth, with a division, was to the right of the road, and our three divisions to the left, and so they moved forward at right angles to it. For over an hour the fighting was about even; then Hill’s troops gave way and we advanced, capturing several hundred prisoners. From this time until nearly three o’clock, there was a lull in the fighting, our division closely watching for the advance of Longstreet’s men. All of a sudden, while Barlow followed by his staff was riding slowly along the Brock road towards the plank road, a tremendous fire opened all along our front and shortly afterwards some of our troops gave way and came rushing through the woods over the slight breastworks into the road. Mott’s troops behaved rather badly, and there was great confusion, but Brooke’s men stood firm in the woods and repelled all efforts to drive them back. I was with Brooke at the opening fire, which was something fearful. The horses plunged and reared; the balls whistled around our ears, and the noise was simply too terrible to describe, but the gallant Fourth brigade, standing firm, opened fire and never a rebel passed their line. On Birney’s front the enemy drove all before them, and for a few moments it looked as though we were in serious difficulty. The enemy came rushing up to our breastworks, some climbing over them. I saw a rebel officer mount the rampart with a flag in his hand, waving it over the heads of his men. The woods had taken fire in front and now spread to the log breastworks, which added renewed terrors and excitement to the situation. As the rebel flag was flaunting over the burning ramparts, Carrol’s brigade came sweeping up at the double quick, and with a wild hurrah drove the rebels back into the mass of flames and smoke and recovered everything that had been temporarily lost. This ended the day’s serious fighting, no further attempts being made by either side. Again the losses were heavy. General Wadsworth was killed on our side and General Longstreet badly wounded on the rebel side; besides many other officers killed, so we learned from the many prisoners we took. As soon as the enemy was driven back we devoted ourselves to saving the wounded from roasting to death in the woods in front.
This is one of the horrors of fighting in dense woods, where the bursting shells invariably in dry weather set fire to the dead leaves and branches.
by John Beauchamp Jones
APRIL 6TH.(sic)—Bright, warm, beautiful.
We have a sensation to-day, but really no excitement. A dispatch from Gen. Lee (dated last night) says the enemy opened the battle yesterday, and the conflict continued until night put an end to the carnage. He says we have many prisoners, captured four guns, etc., losing two generals killed, one, Gen. J. M. Jones. But our position was maintained, and the enemy repulsed. Doubtless the battle was renewed this morning.
Some fifty-nine transports and several iron-clad gun-boats, monitors, etc., came up the James River yesterday and last night. A heavy force was landed at Bermuda Hundred, within a few miles of the railroad between Richmond and Petersburg.
And the enemy likewise came up the Peninsula, and there was fighting this morning on the Chickahominy.
Thus the plan of the enemy is distinctly pronounced, and the assaults were designed to be made simultaneously. Yet there is no undue excitement.
A dispatch from Gen. Pickett at Petersburg, this morning, to Gen. Bragg, asked if he (Bragg) intended to defend the railroad between Richmond and Petersburg. He said, “the enemy will attack the road to-day, marching from Bermuda Hundred, I think.”
At 3 P.M. we are waiting with anxiety for news from all quarters.
Both my sons marched out in the Department Battalion. Two Tennessee regiments marched down to Drewry’s Bluff yesterday, and Hunton’s brigade, that left there yesterday, were ordered back again last night. It is said troops were passing south through the city all night. And I know heavy forces are on the way from North Carolina. Gen. Pickett likewise has the greater part of his division in supporting distance. So, if the enemy have not cut the road by this time, it is probably safe, and the expedition will be a failure. If Lee defeats Grant, the city will certainly be saved. All the local troops are out.
Gen. Beauregard is expected to-day, but it is reported he is sick at Weldon. On the 3d inst. the following dispatch was received from him:
“KINSTON, N. C.
“GEN. COOPER.
“Orders should be given for the immediate re-establishment of fisheries at Plymouth and Washington, also to get large supplies of pork in Hyde County and vicinity.
“G. T. BEAUREGARD, General.”
On this the Commissary-General indorsed that the matter had been attended to—had, indeed, been anticipated.
The best indication of the day (to me) was the smiling face of Mr. Hunter as he came from the Secretary’s office. He said to me, “The ball is opening well.”
The President and his aids rode over the river to-day: what direction they took I know not; but this I know, he has no idea of being taken by the enemy. And he cannot think the city will be taken, for in that event it would be difficult for him to escape.
