May 9—Started again this morning, and passed over the Chancellorsville battlefield. Marched twelve miles to-day. We passed a brigade of negro troops. They gave us a terrible cursing, and hollered “Fort Pillow” at us. I am only sorry that this brigade of negroes was not there, then they certainly would not curse us now. We halted at dark on the plank road seven miles from Fredericksburg.
Friday, May 9, 2014
May 9, Monday. We had yesterday great feelings, deep interest, but little news, —little in the way of detail, though great in importance. Nothing came from General Grant, who is no braggart and does not mean to have tidings precipitated in advance. A dispatch from General Ingalls to Quartermaster-General Meigs calls for forage, which indicates an onward movement. Other incidental information is to the same effect. At least this is my inference and others’ also.
To-day’s news confirms the impression, yet we have nothing specific. All our conclusions, however, are one way, and there can be no doubt the Rebels have fallen back and our forces have advanced.
Mr. Heap, clerk to Rear-Admiral Porter, arrived yesterday from Alexandria on the Red River. He brings a deplorable account of affairs in a confidential dispatch from Admiral Porter and more fully detailed by himself. The misfortunes are attributed entirely and exclusively to the incapacity of General Banks. Neither Admiral Porter nor Mr. Heap admit any mitigating circumstances, but impute to his imbecility the loss of the expedition and the probable sacrifice of the fleet and the army. They accuse him of equivocating, of electioneering, of speculating in cotton and general malfeasance and mismanagement.
I took Heap with me to the President and had him tell his own story. It was less full and denunciatory than to me, but it seemed to convince the President, who I have thought was over-partial to Banks, and I have thought that Seward contributed to that feeling. The President, after hearing Heap, said he had rather cousined up to Banks, but for some time past had begun to think he was erring in so doing. He repeated two verses from Moore, commencing
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“Oh, ever thus, from childhood’s hour,
I’ve seen my fondest hopes decay,” etc.
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It would not do to retain him in military command at such obvious sacrifice of the public interest.
I am not one of the admirers of Banks. He has a certain degree of offhand smartness, very good elocution and command of language, with perfect self-possession, but is not profound. He is a pretender, not a statesman, a politician of a certain description; has great ambition but little fixed principle. It was Seward’s doings that sent him to New Orleans.
Who got up the Red River expedition I know not, otherwise than by Admiral Porter, who writes me he has seen the orders from Halleck. I know that I called on Stanton in company with Seward last summer with a view of getting up an expedition to capture Mobile; that Stanton sent for General Halleck; that the latter, when he came, was not prepared to adopt our views, wanted to hear from General Banks, was thinking of operations west of the Mississippi, etc. Seward surrendered without a word of remonstrance. Halleck was to let us know as soon as he heard from Banks, and I have never had a word from him since.
May 9th. Remained at Todd’s tavern till noon, when ascertaining that the enemy had left our front, we marched down the Spottsylvania road about a mile, then took a wood road to the right, which brought us into fine open ground, commanding the river Po. Here we found the bulk of the army, Warren holding the right, covering the Brock and other roads converging here, Sedgwick next, and Burnside on the extreme left; our corps formed in line of division, in rear of Warren, stacked arms, and prepared for dinner. What a tremendous relief it was to get out of the infernal Wilderness, where for three days we had been fighting for the most part an invisible foe. About ten o’clock our attention was attracted to the opposite side of the river, where a long train of army wagons was passing in full view along the Block House road to Spottsylvania. One of our batteries opened fire on them, which drove them into the woods for shelter. Soon afterwards our division was ordered to cross the river. Brooke took the advance, driving in the few rebel pickets that held the ford, and forming line of battle advanced across the open ground to the edge of the wood from half to three-quarters of a mile in front. Frank’s brigade followed, and then Miles’s. On the left, Brooke advanced and occupied the block house road, over which the rebel wagon train had so recently passed. Birney’s division crossed above us, Gibbon’s below. As soon as our division got over it was advanced to the Shady Grove road, with the intention of crossing the Po again at the block house, and establishing ourselves on Lee’s left flank, but it was dark by the time we got up, and the rebels held the crossing in front, so we bivouacked for the night where we lay. During the night the engineer corps built two or three bridges directly in rear of our position, so that in case of an emergency we could get across, without going back by the route we advanced over.
Monday, May 9th.
It is reported this morning that General Butler has taken City Point and Petersburg, and that General Longstreet’s corps has gone to Richmond, but we have learned to put very little faith in rumors. At half-past six P. M. heavy cannonading is heard in front. At two o’clock Headquarters are moved back to the Chancellorsville and Fredericksburg plank road, and we are marched back two-and a-half miles. It is reported that General Sedgwick, commanding the Sixth Corps, is killed.
by John Beauchamp Jones
MAY 19TH.(sic)—Bright and sultry.
A dispatch from Gen. Lee says the enemy is moving down toward Fredericksburg, and yesterday the advance of our army encountered his right wing at Spottsylvania Court House, and repulsed it “with great slaughter.” Strong language for Lee.
A dispatch received this morning said the enemy was advancing on the railroad. Subsequently cannon could be heard in the direction of Drewry’s Bluff.
The tocsin has been sounding all day, for the militia, which come slowly, after being summoned and dismissed so often. I fear, when they are sent over the river, if all the men at the defenses on the north side are sent over also, that a cavalry raid from the north may dash into the city and burn the bridges on the James; then our army would be in a “fix.” I have expressed this apprehension to the Secretary, and asked him to arm the old men, for the defense of the bridges, public buildings, etc. He awaits events. Mr. Hunter and other public characters are looking very grave.
The following dispatch was received to-day from Weldon, via Raleigh and Greensborough, N. C.:
“May 8th.
The enemy destroyed the wire from Stony Creek to within three miles of Belfield, a distance of about fifteen miles. Our men and employees are repairing it, and we hope to have communication reopened to-morrow. W. S. HARRIS.”
Col. Preston, Superintendent of Bureau of Conscription, has written another letter to the Secretary, urging the promotion of Captain C. B. Duffield, who threatens to leave him for a position with Gen. Kemper, at Lynchburg, where he can live cheaper. He says he has urged the President, to no avail.
The Secretary has roused himself. Since 3 P.M. he has issued a call “To ARMS!” All men capable of bearing arms are requested to report to Gen. Kemper, Franklin Street, to be armed and organized “temporarily” for the defense of the city. Gen. Ransom had previously issued a placard, calling on officers and men on furlough to meet in Capitol Square for temporary organization. This may involve some etiquette, or question of jurisdiction between the generals. Gen. Winder is utterly ignored.
I have just heard that the Departmental Battalion has been marched across Mayo’s Bridge to the fortifications of Manchester, on the south side of the river. The militia regiment will go to the place on the north side heretofore occupied by them.
Another dispatch from Gen. Lee, received since 3 P.M. to-day, says Grant attacked him again yesterday, after the slaughter by our Gen. Anderson, and was handsomely repulsed. Grant’s tactics seem to be to receive his stripes by installments.
