Monday, June 27th.
Captain Eddy of Company B resigned to-day, and I would resign also were it not for the fact that I induced so many men to enlist in the battalion or the Eleventh Heavy Artillery, which was consolidated with the Fourth, and it would seem like deserting those men, instead of standing by them as I am in honor bound to do, though I do not now command the company which I recruited. As expected, details from the battalion were sent out on picket in the afternoon.
Camp on Mud Creek, Monday, June 27. Lay in our bivouac all day awaiting transportation by rail to take us to the front. 3rd Brigade and 12th Battery started at noon. Weather very oppressive. B. F. Runyan was sunstruck this afternoon. Raved all last night in greatest agony. Will be sent North tomorrow if he survives. Five of our boys and negro Anthony tied to the wheels all day to-day for straggling. “The way of the transgressor is hard”. Wrote a letter to folks, waiting with all anxiety for our evening mail, but it did not come.
Monday, June 27. — Went over to corps headquarters, and saw General Burnside, and got him to accept the resignations of Captains Redding and Thayer. Received notice of Priest’s death. Captain Hollis sent for an extension of his leave for 20 days from the 22d. Had a letter from Raish. In the afternoon we had quite a pleasant shower. No firing of any account during the night.
June 27—We renewed our march this morning, and about the middle of the day we crossed the Appomattox River and passed through the western edge of Petersburg. The Yankees were shelling the eastern part of the city when we passed through.
Petersburg is twenty-two miles south of Richmond, and situated near the south bank of the Appomattox River and on the north edge of Dinwiddie County. It is about ten miles from City Point, where the Appomattox empties into the James. The country around Petersburg is level, and where the city stands it is almost as level as a floor and not much above tide-water. The weather is oppressively hot at present, and the ground is dry and dusty; this afternoon as we crossed the low dusty fields lying just south of Petersburg the hot sunshine poured down with scorching intensity, and as I looked across the low, level expanse the quivering heat danced like as if it were playing around the roasting point. I am truly glad that I am a horse artilleryman, for I do not perceive how our infantrymen can endure the oven-like heat in the trenches.
We are camped to-night one mile south of Petersburg.
June 27th. Again on the march. I will be thankful if I can hold out until we get rations. Progress is very slow over these mountains. Roads are badly washed by the heavy rains. This is no time to repair roads. They are very dangerous, not only for the men, but also for the poor horses and mules drawing the cannons and heavy army wagons. Very few houses and not much settlement along these mountain roads, so that we see very few people.
After a forced march, about eighteen miles, came to a halt at the foot of the mountains. In the distance we saw what looked like wagons coming towards us. It proved to be farm wagons. The farmers offered their services to bring us rations. How thankful we were to meet them. Each man received two hardtack and a small piece of fresh meat. We were a foot-sore, hungry, ragged, dirty crowd of Uncle Sam’s soldiers. Our suffering has been intense, over the mountains. The farmers informed us it was reported that Hunter’s army was starving in the mountains. Raining very hard tonight.
June 27, 1864, daylight.
The battle comes off to-day. It will be opened on the flanks at 6 a.m. We do not commence until 8 a.m. Our brigade and one from each of the other two divisions of the corps are selected to charge the mountain. The 17th A. C. will try the left hand mountain. If we are successful with a loss of only half our number in this mountain charging, I will think our loss more than repaid. I believe we are going to thoroughly whip Johnston to-day, and if we fail I do not care to live to see it.
27th. Moved out early in the morning. Encountered rebs about noon. Encamped an hour. 2nd Ohio on picket. Moved nearly all night. Stopped from 1:30 till 3. 8 miles from Lawrenceville.
June 27—Received money to-day from home, but they gave me sutler’s checks for it, as we were not allowed any money, for fear we would bribe the sentinels and make our escape.
June 27, Monday. I sent Mr. Eames to New York last evening to consult with Mr. Wilson in the New York and Boston cases, giving my views in each. Henderson will struggle hard to get clear, and no effort must be spared to elicit the truth. Scofield’s case must be straightened, or rather court must be straightened in his case. In the case of the Smiths at Boston, I fear there has been unnecessary harshness. Olcott has made an ostentatious display of authority and been, I apprehend, tyrannical and oppressive. He is a harsh, rough instrument, and I shall be glad when he shall have done service with me. Yet in saying this I admit from what I have seen he has some good qualities as a detective. I have seen nothing to doubt his honesty; he is industrious and indefatigable, but vain, reckless, regardless of private rights, and all his qualities have been exercised in the case of the Smiths, who are shrewd, piously honest, self-righteous, and wary as well as sharp. It will not surprise me if they prove an overmatch for him and the lawyers.
I have a very earnest letter to-day from William C. Bryant in behalf of his partner and publisher, Henderson. It was handed to me by Mr. Odell, Representative from Brooklyn, and inclosed was also an open letter to the President, which he wished me to deliver. Mr. O. is, like H., a prominent member of the Methodist Church. They are of opposite politics. Of course Mr. H. stimulated Mr. B. to write these letters, and, having got them, sends them through his religious associate. Mr. B. evidently believes H. innocent and injured. This is natural. Odell knows he is not. Morgan believes that both Bryant and Godwin are participants in the plunder of Henderson. I have doubts as regards B., who is feeling very badly, and thinks there is a conspiracy in which Seward and Thurlow Weed are chiefs. I am supposed to be an instrument in their hands, and so is the President. But it so happens that neither of them knew any of the facts until the arrest of Henderson and his removal were ordered.
It grieves me that the Evening Post and Mr. Bryant should suffer by reason of the malfeasance of Henderson. As regards Godwin, I cannot say that my faith in him is much greater than in Henderson, and yet I know but little of him. The Evening Post does not sustain the character which it had under Bigelow and Leggett. Bryant is a good general editor in many respects, but the political character of the paper has been derived in a great degree from others. Of late there have been some bad surroundings. Opdyke, J. G. C. Gray, D. D. Field, and others of like complexion have been the regents and advisers of Godwin, until the paper is losing some of its former character, – perhaps more than any of us are aware.
I dined to-day with Attorney-General Bates, and after my return this evening wrote a reply to Bryant’s letter, disabusing his mind of some of its errors, provided his convictions are open to the truth.
Mrs. Franklin J. Smith of Boston sends me through Senator Sumner a touching and affecting letter in behalf of her husband. I gave Mr. Bryant’s letter to the President, who read it aloud to me and said he would reply.
by John Beauchamp Jones
JUNE 27TH.—Bright and hot—afterward light showers.
By the papers we learn that President Lincoln has been on a visit to Grant’s army. If Grant does not accomplish some great wonder in a few days, his campaign will be noted a failure, even in the North.
We learn to-day that gold is now at $2.15 in the North.
The raiders are beginning to pay the penalty of their temerity; besidesHampton’s fight with them, on this side theJames River, we learn that W. H. F. Lee has struck them a blow on the south side.
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