Nashville, Saturday, Jan. 7. Turned cold last night. Snowed and blew wickedly. The day seemed very long to me. Did hope to get a letter to-day, but was dissappointed. The theme of discussion in camp is the reduction of “Coly”. He was a favorite of the boys, and as he lost his position by favoring one of our number, we can but sympathize with him. He is an ambitious young man, but got entangled in “red tape” and fell. This is the second reduction since I have been in the Battery, more noticed because unfrequent. Health good. Ate our last bit of butter for supper. We must now forget home luxuries once more. The bread rations hold out well. So far so good.
January 2015
7th. Saturday. Letter from home. Sarah Felton.
Saturday, 7th—This morning we found that during the night our ship was driven by the high wind upon a sand bar in the bay. Here we lay, a cold northwest wind blowing across our deck forty feet above the water. But we fared better than the boys below, for, on account of their being so sick, it was reported that their floor was difficult to stand on even after the ship had stopped. They ran a small side-wheel steamboat alongside of the ship and set a tall ladder on the wheelhouse, reaching up to our deck, and one by one we climbed down the ladder to the other boat, which hauled us to the shore. We were glad to leave that ship. Some of the boys declared that they would rather walk the entire distance than ride on any ship. We marched out about two miles from town and went into camp in a heavy pine timber. Here we have plenty of wood with which to build a good fire, as a cold rain commenced to fall this afternoon.
January 6th.—Cloudy and thawing.
No war news,—but it is known Sherman’s army is not quiet, and must soon be heard from in spite of the interdict of the government.
It is said Mr. Trenholm, Secretary of the Treasury, is in the market buying gold, and that the fall has already been from $50 to $30 for one.
Corn-meal has risen from $50 up to $75 per bushel. Flour to $500 per barrel.
Vice-President Stephens has not left the city, but presides in the Senate.
Messrs. B. Woolley, Hart & Co., Nassau, N. P., write most pressing letters for the liquidation of their claims against the Confederate States Government. Perhaps they are becoming alarmed after making prodigious profits, etc.
Conner’s brigade and other troops are en route for South Carolina from Lee’s army.
Judge Campbell, Assistant Secretary of War, was smoked out of his room to-day, and came into mine.
The judge, however, does but little more just now than grant passports into the enemy’s lines; permission to speculators to bring into the city supplies for sale, often under pretense of being intended for their own use; exemptions, details, etc. If he were disposed, he could realize a million of dollars.
It is said the Hon. A. R. Wright went North to get his son paroled, who is in prison there.
Judge Campbell talks of resigning.
Colonel Lyon’s Letters.
Huntsville, Ala., Fri., Jan. 6, 1865.—On Wednesday I went up the river to where Paintrock bridge was burned by the rebels on the Saturday before, which used up the day. On my return I found the Fourth Army Corps, commanded by General Wood, coming here for the purpose of refitting for the next campaign. It is about 12,000 to 15,000 strong, and is encamped outside the city. Helping to get them settled, assigning quarters to officers, etc., is what has kept me so busy. General Stanley is the permanent commander of this corps, but he was wounded at Franklin and is absent. I find General Wood a very pleasant gentleman. The presence of the corps here does not affect my command at all.
Company G loses 37 men captured at Paintrock bridge. The bridge will be repaired tomorrow.
I think the army will soon be reorganized, and I feel as though they ought to let us go into the field in the next campaign. I am satisfied that the 13th would be better off today had it gone with Sherman last spring than it is now.
Henry Adams, private secretary of the US Minister to the UK, to his brother, Charles.
London, January 6, 1864 [1865]
In one sense society is much more agreeable now than it used to be. I no longer feel any dread of conversation about our affairs. The name of Sherman has of late placed us who are abroad, in a very commanding position, and our military reputation is at the head of the nations. You can imagine that this relieves us of our greatest discomfort, and in fact we now receive compliments where we used to hear nothing but sneers. Even the Times is converted, and gives us a long leader full of praise of Sherman. The fall of Savannah is needed to complete the opinion of the world here, and I suppose Savannah will fall of its own weight very soon. Then the final struggle will begin, and these good foreigners will learn a new page in history. . . .
Nashville, Friday, Jan. 6. Disagreeable and rainy night. On guard. Wet slushy day. Spent it pleasantly writing and reading Ballou’s Monthly, received from Sanitary Commission. A little difficulty occurred in camp to-day. Quartermaster Malish visited stables. Found B. Reynolds refusing duty as guard. Ordered Dziewanowski, sergeant of the guard, to “tie him up” which he refused to do. It was reported to Captain Hood and ended in reducing “Coly” to the ranks, appointing Corporal Hutchinson sergeant of the 3rd Platoon, Ed Hayes corporal.
6th. Friday. Worked on house some. Uncomfortable day.
Cumberland, Maryland, January 6, 1865.
Dear Uncle: — We are getting into very pleasant quarters. The town is a fine one, plenty of parties, balls, etc., etc., for the beaux — fine mountain scenery — good water and wood convenient.
There are still odds and ends of business to be finished, and then no reason that I can see why I should not go home. I expect quite confidently to be at home within two weeks. . .
The reason for my promotion, etc., has been officially announced “for gallantry and meritorious services in the Battles of Opequon, Fisher’s Hill, and Cedar Creek” and dates from the Battle of Cedar Creek, October 19. All very satisfactory.
Sincerely,
R. B. Hayes,
S. Birchard.
Friday, 6th—We left our camp this morning at 8 o’clock and marched down to the coast about four miles below Savannah. At 2 o’clock we embarked on the transports for Beaufort, South Carolina. Our regiment is on board a ship built in England as a blockade-runner for the Southern Confederacy, but which was finally captured by our navy at Savannah. It rained all forenoon, but by noon it had cleared off with a high wind blowing in from the ocean. Our ship, not having enough ballast, rocked frightfully in the gale, upsetting tables in the dining room and frightening many of the boys lest we should be turned over. The sailors only smiled at our discomfiture. The rough sea made a great many of the boys sick, but our company being on the hurricane deck, did not become so sick. We reached Beaufort at 11 p. m., but cannot land, and so have to remain on the boats all night.
