26th. Had a very good view of McClellan’s defensive works. Good. Moved up the river and crossed at Deep Bottom. An occasional shot. Heard of taking in 2,700 rebs in front of Petersburg. Camped, at Bermuda Hundred.
March 2015
March 26th, 1865.
I have just read the President’s Inaugural. I consider it the most remarkable state paper of modem times. Beautiful in its simplicity; grand and majestic in its expressions of lofty faith in the “Great Ruler of Nations;” it resembles more the production of one of Israel’s ancient rulers than the Inaugural Address of a modern politician. I gathered strength and courage from its perusal. Our camp has settled down to its usual quiet. Nothing remains to remind the casual observer of the strife of yesterday.
Our men are busily engaged, under cover of night, in repairing the damage done our works. Part of our regiment went to Hatcher’s Run today, and returned with the news that the Sixth Corps advanced, and now hold one line of Rebel works, and that they took about two thousand prisoners.
Poor, old, misguided Robert; every effort to shake off the strangling grip with which Grant has throtteled him but serves to tighten it. This attack and failure proves his weakness beyond a doubt.
Mrs. Lyon’s Diary.
March 26, 1865.—Went through Chattanooga and the mountains today. Saw Lookout Mountain, where General Hooker fought and bled above the clouds. The scenery here is very grand. We saw Mission Ridge also. The city is built in the valley near Lookout Mountain. We had our dinner here. The boys built fires and made coffee in a few minutes. We had hard tack and coffee and a little cold meat.
Near Loudon we were going through a ledge of rocks that extends out over the Tennessee river, when an axle broke and two or three of the cars were wrecked. They were smashed into pieces as small as kindling wood. The engine and tender, and I think some baggage cars, went through this ledge of rocks all right. The cars loaded with supplies were broken up the most. A car that the mules were in stood on one end and the poor animals were jammed into the lower end of the car. The regiment were riding on the top of the cars, and when they saw there was something the matter they turned the brakes and ran to both ends of the train and there was not a man hurt. Their thoughtfulness in turning the brakes saved the rest of the train. The caboose that we were in just hung over the river. It was a miraculous escape. They thought that some of the mules would be dead, but they chopped the car open as soon as they could, to get them out. As they got them out they would shake themselves and walk off. Some limped, but none were killed. We went back to Loudon and stayed until the track was repaired.
March 25.—A very beautiful day. I feel very low-spirited regarding our cause. A friend, Dr. —— has just called, and has not served to dispel the gloom. He denounced President Davis, and said that, in putting negroes into the field, he should have given them not only their own freedom but that of their families. He added, that Davis’s last proclamation was the essence of despair, and that he and all in congress know that our cause is gone, and that we soon shall be subjugated. I contended against him to the best of my ability, and said, that if even both our armies were scattered we would not then give up. I could not help feeling there might be some truth in what Dr. —— said.
Goldsboro, N. C., March 25, 1865.
We were two days coming back from Bentonville. Have a nice camp ground and will enjoy ourselves, I think. Town don’t amount to anything.
Chattanooga, Saturday, March 25. Night quite cold, day is pleasant. Bunks are being put up in the new houses to-day. Many of the boys have moved in. I did not do much to-day but read State Journal received from home. Griff has gone to cooking instead of Bob Grey. Sorry for it, I fear he will work himself sick again. Five trains passed to-day loaded with from twenty to thirty ambulances apiece, each one with the triangle of the 4th Corps painted on its side. They go to Knoxville and look ominous.
March 25th.—Clear and cool.
It is reported that Grant is reinforcing Sherman, and that the latter has fallen back upon Goldsborough. This is not yet confirmed by any official statement. A single retrograde movement by Sherman, or even a delay in advancing, would snatch some of his laurels away, and enable Lee to obtain supplies. Yet it may be so. He may have been careering the last month on the unexpended momentum of his recent successes, and really operating on a scale something more than commensurate with the forces of his command. Should this be the case, the moral effect on our people and the army will be prodigious, and a series of triumphs on our side may be the consequence.
The Northern papers chronicle the rise in flour here—to $1500 per barrel—a few days ago, and this affords proof of the fact that every occurrence of military importance in Richmond is immediately made known in Washington. How can success be possible? But our authorities are confirmed in their madness.
There were some movements yesterday. Pickett’s division was ordered from this side of the river to the Petersburg depot, to be transported in haste to that town; but it was countermanded, and the troops now (9 A.M.) are marching back, down Main Street. I have not learned what occasioned all this.
The marching and countermarching of troops on this side of the river very much alarmed some of the people, who believed Lee was about to evacuate the city.
Eleven A.M. Gen. Lee attacked the enemy’s fort (Battery No. 5) near Petersburg this morning, the one which has so long been shelling the town, and captured it, with 600 prisoners, and several guns. This may interfere with Gen. Grant’s projects on his left wing, against the railroad.
It is rumored that Gen. Grant is moving heavy bodies of troops toward Weldon, to reinforce Sherman.
Saturday, 25th—We remained in camp all day. Large foraging parties were sent out to get feed for the mules and horses. Our train loaded with supplies returned from Kingston, down on the river. A construction train came in from Kingston, repairing the railroad. The Twenty-third Corps from Schofield’s army has been moved to Kingston. All the troops are in camp in and around Goldsboro, and it will be but a short time until all our supplies will be brought in from the coast by the railroad. The Thirteenth Iowa received three hundred recruits today.
25th. Ready to march at 6. Took my pockets full of mail to the landing. Dismounted men went by boats. Our regt. in rear of Div. and train. Crossed the Chickahominy on pontoons and reached Harrison’s Landing in evening. Fortifications.
Camp Hastings, March 25, 1865.
Dear Mother: — We have had a sudden and severe change of weather. For the first time this month the ground is white with snow, and the mountains look like midwinter. The wind blows our tents down once in a while, and makes a little trouble. In other respects the change does not trouble us much.
General Crook has been exchanged and given a command under Grant before Richmond. He was placed in command of his old Department a few days to show that Grant had not lost confidence in him. He came out to my camp, where the troops gave him a most enthusiastic reception. . . .
We are ready to move from here at any time. It is not known, I think, by anybody where [and] when we shall go. . . .
Affectionately, your son,
R.
Mrs. Sophia Hayes.
