Chattanooga, Saturday, March 18. A very beautiful spring day, and I did not go out to the hills, but have been on duty all day, scoring-in the forenoon and nailing shakes on the houses in the afternoon. Quit early and policed camp nicely for Sunday. We have got three shelters covered and three more ready. The new men have been put on duty and seem well satisfied with the change.
March 2015
March 18th.—Bright and windy. The following telegram was received this morning from Gen. R. E. Lee: “Gen. Johnston reports that on the 16th Gen. Hardee was repeatedly attacked by four divisions of the enemy a few miles south of Averysborough, but always (cipher). The enemy was reported at night to have crossed Black River, to the east of Varina Point, with the rest of the army. Gen. Hardee is moving to a point twelve miles from Smithfield. Scofield’s troops reported at Kinston, repairing railroad. Cheatham’s corps not yet up. North Carolina Railroad, with its enormous amount of rolling stock, only conveys about 500 men a day.”
There has always been corruption—if not treason—among those having charge of transportation.
Yesterday the President vetoed another bill—to pay certain arrears to the army and navy; but the House resented this by passing it over his head by more than a two-thirds vote. The Senate will probably do the same. We have a spectacle of war among the politicians as well as in the field!
Gen. Whiting, captured at Wilmington, died of his wounds. The government would never listen to his plans for saving Wilmington, and rebuked him for his pertinacity.
It is now said Sheridan has crossed the Pamunky, and is returning toward the Rappahannock, instead of forming a junction with Grant. Senator Hunter’s place in Essex will probably be visited, and all that region of country ravaged.
It is rumored that Raleigh has fallen!
By consulting the map, I perceive that after the battle of Thursday (day before yesterday), Hardee fell back and Sherman advanced, and was within less than thirty miles of Raleigh.
The President, it is understood, favors a great and decisive battle.
Judge Campbell said to-day that Mr. Wigfall had sent him Mr. Dejarnette’s speech (advocating the Monroe doctrine and alliance with the United States), with a message that he (Mr. W.) intended to read it between his sentence and execution, thinking it would tend to reconcile him to death. The judge said, for his own part, he would postpone reading it until after execution.
Saturday, 18th—We started at 8 a. m. and marched twelve miles, the Third Division being in the advance. We had to cross a swamp four miles wide and the water in places was knee-deep. Our progress was slow because we had to lay a great deal of corduroy so that the artillery and trains could pass over the deep holes. A great many of the men are almost barefooted and their clothing is nearly worn out. The men on forage take everything in the clothing line that is fit to wear, regardless of the cut or color. Some have on white vests and straw hats, and occasionally one can be seen in the ranks wearing a swallow-tailed coat and white vest. This morning our men drew a few pairs of shoes, brought from Washington.
18th. Reveille at 4. Out at 6. Arrived at White House at 11 A. M. Unsaddled and camped. Transports and gunboats. Forage and rations. Beautiful day. Took a bath. Saw a paper of the 16th. Pleased me much. Wrote home. Slaves gathered together.
Camp Hastings, March 18, 1865.
Dear Uncle: — I have very little care or responsibility. My command is exclusively a fighting command. I have nothing to do with guards, provost or routine duty connected with posts. Mine is the only movable column west of Winchester. If an enemy threatens any place, I am to send men there when ordered. My time is wholly occupied drilling and teaching tactics and the like. My brigade furnishes details for guard and provost when needed, but I am not bothered with them when on such duty. My regiments are all large; nearly four thousand men in the four, of whom twenty-five hundred are present at least. General Crook is again out, and we hope he will return to this command. We like Hancock very well. He behaved very handsomely with Crook’s staff, and all of the troops and officers which [that] were particularly favorites with Crook. We were all left in our old positions, although some pressure was brought against it.
I see gold is tumbling. If no mishap befalls our armies, the downward tendency will probably continue. Then debtors must look out. It will not be so easy to pay debts when greenbacks are worth eighty to ninety [cents] on the dollar. My four years are up about the first of June.
Sincerely,
R. B. Hayes.
S. Birchard.
Camp Hastings, March 17, 1865.
My Darling: —. . . You will feel relieved about General Crook. General Kelley is here. General Crook is at Baltimore and will return here in a few days. They were treated in the kindest and most liberal way by the Rebels. The only exception was old Early; he was drunk and insolent. They were furnished with all the money they needed. Crook had no money. His pocketbook was left under his pillow where I found it. Their captors were civil and accommodating. The people at Richmond are whipped and confess it. The West Virginia Rebels at Richmond couldn’t do enough for the generals and in fact, all prisoners there now are courted by the Secesh.
It is an early spring here. We are now enjoying ourselves very much. — Love to all.
Affectionately,
R
March 18. — Great fun — a fine bright night, wind rose unheard of and blew down several hundred tents, etc., etc. Billy’s kitchen, Uncle Joe’s hat, etc., etc., still “absent without leave.”
Mrs. Hayes.
March 18th, 1865.—Do not think we have been neglecting either the knitting, the spinning and weaving or the sewing, while this excitement is going on. Lulu takes my work for me when I go away and she is more capable than I, where the sewing is concerned, though she is not so good at the spinning wheel. My knitting I always take with me, no matter where I may go. I have learned to knit in the dark and that is a very necessary accomplishment these candleless nights. My first diary was a small red morocco book, the pages were not ruled and I had great trouble writing straight. When I needed another I bought a book twice as large, from Mr. McDougal’s bookstore. That one lasted until the war and the blockade had made paper of all kinds very scarce. In 1863 I needed another diary and this, in which I now write, is of the coarse, thick, rough paper, almost like wall-paper. I have to use a pencil because in the first place we have no ink, and in the next place the paper would blot if I tried to use it. We have learned to do without so many things we used to consider necessities. We make a substitute for ink but it fades in a short time and we have not been able, as yet, to make a fast color. So, as I am writing this, for my great-grandchildren, I am using a “No. 1” drawing pencil. Brother Amos got me a dozen in Augusta and advised me to hide them away where nobody could find them. I have taken his advice for I have become so attached to you, my Diary, I would really be distressed to give you up.
Mrs. Lyon’s Diary.
March 17, 1865.—The boat was tied up again last night. We have gone very slowly today, for we go against a strong tide. We arrived at Nashville after dark.
Beaman’s Cross Roads, March 17, 1865.
About 12 miles, more than half of which had to be corduroyed. Roads awful. If a wagon pulls off the corduroy, it drops to the hub. There are two or three inches of black sand on the surface covering quicksand unfathomable. No one need tell me that bad roads will stop an army. The 20th corps had sharp little affair yesterday. Hear their loss if over 400. Everyone is expecting a fight before we read Goldsboro. The whole corps is camped together to-night. Our division has been in rear of the corps two days and has not had a fight in the advance since we left Columbia. I believe I have not heard a hostile shot for 27 days. Howard is here to-night. Whole corps is on this road.
Chattanooga, Friday, March 17. A very pleasant day. Feel excellent. Keeler missed my name for guard this morning but found me in time to go to the woods. A citizen carpenter with help from the Company is at work on the stables. Spring is opening —Today I saw the first flowers of the season. They grew way up Missionary Ridge.
I must not forget to say that twenty-six men from the 8th Wisconsin Battery arrived here this morning with description lists of about as many more, some of them in N. C, others on detached duty. Captain Hood has been to see General Brewer about it. He refuses to receipt for men not to be had. Captain of the 8th sent all of his one-year men and those whose term of service is about out, relieving the veterans of the 3rd. Hood asks to send all the 8th men back and receive the 3rd. They are a good-looking lot of men. Among them one orderly, two sergeants and a corporal.
