Saturday, May 21st.
We broke camp list night and marched all night with the Fifth Corps batteries of Artillery, Co. H in the lead, passing through Guinia’s Station to-day, crossing the Mattapony River at Downer’s bridge and halting near a house in a cornfield. The men were thoroughly tired out and as hungry as bears, having had nothing to eat on the long march of twenty-five miles. While on the march I observed some horsemen in the distance, flitting about in the woods to our left and front, and suspecting that they might belong to the enemy, I halted the column and sent Corporal Richard E. Rhodes forward to reconnoiter. Rhodes was a splendid, plucky little fellow, and as he went straight for the woods I stood watching him with a good deal of anxiety, having prepared to throw the company into line and follow him in case of any hostile demonstration. Scarcely had he covered two-thirds of the distance when a single horseman rode out to meet him, and in a few moments he rejoined us and reported that the men we had seen belonged to a detachment of our own cavalry, sent out, without notice to us, to picket our line of march. Starting on again with lighter hearts if not more elastic steps, we reached the cornfield, stacked arms and lay down among the little corn-hills to rest.
Saturday, 21st—Reveille sounded at 3 o’clock and at 5 we took up the line of march, our company being rear guard for the brigade. We marched seventeen miles and went into bivouac several miles beyond Elkhorn, which we reached at 1 o’clock. Here we waded the Elkhorn[1] river, which is from three to five feet deep and two hundred feet wide. The boys had a great deal of fun in wading across. The country is very rough and rocky, and the hard turnpike over which we marched most of the day made our feet very sore.
[1] Now called Elk river. The town which our diarist calls Elkhorn was probably what is now Aspen Hill.—Ed.
[Diary] May 21.
Charlie and Harriet Ware rowed us over to Hunting Island, Ellen taking an oar. We saw the splendid new lighthouse, blown up by rebels, the magnificent beach with trees washed and standing on their roots high above water, or lying, roots in the air. I tried to row coming home, and persisted a long time so as to do my share of the work, but it was rough and I grew frightened so I gave the oar to Ellen. When we came under the shores we had a lovely row home.
While we were away here, Morgan Island[1] was visited by the rebels and all the people carried off! There is great alarm here, the point is so exposed. The Winsors rowed over to the blockading boat to give the alarm. The captain replied that he was put there to blockade and not to defend the coast, and he would do nothing. They say he has not half force enough to work his boat. It is not Captain Dutch. A month or so ago the Kingfisher went down! Captain Dutch had begged again and again to be relieved, so that his ship might be repaired, but no permission came, and at last, in making some necessary move, she struck a new sandbar, recently formed in the channel, and went down so suddenly that the men lost their clothes. They say she had been leaking so badly for some time that men had to be kept at the pumps. Captain Dutch was energetic, hated the enemy, was a good protector to the islands, and made himself the terror of the rebels along the coast. We are sorry to lose him, and this raid proves that his successor is not feared.
[1] A small island lying north of St. Helena Island.
Saturday, May 21. — Morning pleasant. At noon we received orders to be ready to move at a moment’s notice. Our pickets were driven in during the afternoon, and we were sent out to support them. When we came back, we started again for Richmond by a flank movement. Marched all night. Had a heavy shower in the afternoon, which wet me through. Marched about 4 miles before I could get my horse.
May 21 — This morning we left the field of Spottsylvania Court House and marched for Milford, a station on Richmond and Fredericksburg Railroad; Milford is situated near the center of Caroline County. The Yankees took possession of Milford to-day, and late this evening we encountered them two miles west of the station. They were in a pine thicket, and we fired some six or eight shell into their covert, in order to draw them out and show their hand, and also to ascertain their strength and intentions; but they took our fire in silence, behaved themselves, and remained in the thicket.
We are camped this evening about four miles southwest of Milford, on the Hanover Junction road. The country we passed through to-day is rolling and the land is apparently of a rather poor quality.
Huntsville, Saturday, May 21. Mail distributed, giving me three fat letters which did me much good. Good news from Sherman. Boys busy in the afternoon damming up the creek in front of camp to make swimming pond. Had a refreshing bath in the evening.
May 21st. Colonel Ely and other officers who have been prisoners since June 15th, 1863, returned and assumed command of the regiment. We are again in good condition for any kind of duty that we may be called upon. A good rest here, near Cedar Creek.
21st. Regt. back at F. All trains leaving on Bowling Green. Got off at dark. 4 miles during the night.
May 21—I heard to-day that my brother Morris was a prisoner at Fort Delaware, Pa. I asked for a parole to-day to go and see my parents in New York, but they could not see it.
May 21, Saturday. Last night I was at a party at Mr. Chase’s, or his daughter Mrs. Sprague’s, and late in the evening he spoke to me of the great abuses in cotton speculations. It was a new and singular theme for him, and I said it could not be otherwise than demoralizing. He said, “Yes, your whole fleet out West is infected; Porter devotes his attention to getting cotton and has a boat to himself, with a piano and his pipe, on these cotton raids.” I replied this could not be so. The naval men could capture and retain nothing, which the courts do not adjudge to be good prize. We were interrupted at this point. I conclude the Committee on Commerce have notified Chase that they disapprove of his “Trade Regulations,” and this outburst on the Navy is to turn off attention from his officials. But we shall see.
Lieutenant-Commander S. L. Phelps has been with me this evening and given me many interesting details concerning the Red River expedition and the incompetency of General Banks. Among other matters he relates some facts in regard to cotton speculations by persons connected with General Banks — some of his staff — that are exceedingly discreditable. Among others whom he specially mentions is one Clark from Auburn, New York, who appears to be managing director of the cotton operations.
Our gunboats are detained above the falls at Alexandria and we may lose them, though it is possible there yet may be a rise before June. The expedition has many bad features, of which we shall be better informed hereafter.
