Tuesday, 30. — Yesterday was a fine, warm, spring-like day. This month has been generally good weather. We are getting our camp in good condition. Yesterday General Ewing received orders to “go South” (as General Banks said) with the Thirtieth and Thirty-seventh Ohio and the Fourth and Eighth Virginia. This breaks up our brigade. We were not very well suited with it. General Ewing has many good qualities but thinks so well of his old regiment (the Thirtieth) that he can do no sort of justice to its rival, the Twenty-third. We are glad also to have no longer any connection with the Thirtieth. The brigade now consists of the Twenty-third, Eighty-ninth, and Ninety-second. Two new regiments with ours. Colonel Nelson H. Van Vorhes will command the brigade. He is a gentleman of character and capacity without any military experience.
I can’t help feeling the injustice in that point of view of putting him over me; but as he is my senior as colonel of a new regiment, it is according to rule and I shall cheerfully submit. Yet it looks hard that he shall get the credit or glory of what Comly, myself, and my regiment may do. For in any emergency it would be to us that all would look for action and advice. But “such is war,” and I am here to do my duty wherever I may be placed — and I mean to do it fully and cheerfully, wherever the credit may go. My impressions of Colonel Van Vorhes are favorable. I have yet to make his acquaintance. General Ewing, it is said, goes down the Mississippi. Good-bye, Thirtieth! We have been with them since they joined us at Sutton, September 8, 1861 — a year and a quarter ago.
Sunday, 28. — On Christmas my wife’s cousins, Lieutenant Nelson and privates Ed and Ike Cook and Jim McKell[1] dined with me; all of Company D, Eighty-ninth Regiment. A. M. of that day the regiment fired by battalion and file. P. M. I offered a turkey to the marksman who would hit his head, and a bottle of wine and a tumbler to next best shot, and a bottle of wine to third best. A bright,- warm day and a jolly one — a merry Christmas indeed.
[The] 26th and 27th, mild days and cloudy but only a few drops of rain. Dr. Kellogg spent the 26th with us — surgeon on General Scammon’s staff. Talked free-thinking talk with him in a joking vein. A clever gentleman. Major Carey stopped [the] 27th with us — of the Twelfth. Told a good one; the Thirty-fourth got a good lot of lumber; put a sentinel over it. After dark the Twelfth got up a relief — relieved the Thirty-four sentinel and carried off the lumber!
[1] Willie McKell. He died at Andersonville 1864. — This written on margin by Mr. Hayes.
December 23. Tuesday. — Soft weather. Reading Buckle’s second volume. What a deep impression his mode of collecting authorities and heaping up facts produces! It shakes one’s faith in the old orthodox notions to read his chapters on Scotch superstitions.
THE DEAD OF SOUTH MOUNTAIN AND ANTIETAM.
Sergeant-Major Eugene L. Reynolds, of Bellefontaine. A bright, handsome, ambitious, soldierly youngster; brave as a lion; so game in appearance and conduct; cheerful, happy, and full of promise! Killed at the close of the day on the mountain top. Taken prisoner, says Captain Williams of the Twelfth, and attempting to escape, shot in the bowels and afterwards bayonetted through the forearm.
Corporal Bull, Company A. A fine-looking, amiable boy, always smiling. Killed at Antietam.
Wilson B. Harper, Franklin County. A Mark Tapley for jollity, large, healthy, industrious, and so anxious to please, he always agreed with you. Wounded badly in thigh at South Mountain and died after amputation a few days after. Cheerful to the last. [List not completed.]
Monday, 22.—-Warm, a shower in the morning. Finished reading “Mysteries of Paris” last night. Not a wicked or obscene novel by a good deal.
Log Cabin Camp, December 21, 1862. Sunday evening.
Dearest: — Dr. Jim got his proper resignation papers today and will leave in the morning. Dr. Joe’s leave of absence from Washington for thirty days from December 18 came to hand a half an hour after he had left on General E wing’s twenty-day leave. He will not regret the ten day’s extension. . . .
I cannot answer all your inquiries about the wounded. Ligget is doing well; is probably at home ere this. I got a letter from Joel tonight. He is the Jew who got eight bullet holes in his person and limbs. He says he thinks he can stand service in a couple of months. He don’t want to be discharged. Ritter writes me in good spirits.
Very interesting, all talk about the boys. . . . Webb’s surprise that learning is needed in western Virginia hits the position of matters more closely than he knew. Sound teeth and a good digestion are more required than education. I do not know but fear to risk the boys in this eager mountain air; not at present, at any rate. So, of your coming,—
Almost ten years. How happy we have been. But you don’t say a word about your health. If that requires you to come, you shall come. Otherwise you perhaps “better not.” Do you comprehend the solicitude I feel? Enough for tonight. — Love [to] all the boys and to Grandma.
Affectionately,
R.
Mrs. Hayes.
Saturday, 20. — Burnside has retreated across the Rappahannock. The Rebels can now set off the battle of Fredericksburg against the battle of Antietam. They retreated back across the Potomac. But I suspect they have a great advantage in having suffered much less than we have. They fought behind entrenchments. When will our generals learn not to attack an equal adversary in fortified positions? Burnside will now perhaps have to yield to McClellan. It looks as if in the East neither army was strong enough to make a successful invasion of [the territory of] the other. If so conquest of [the] Rebellion is not to be. We have now the Emancipation Proclamation to go upon. Will not this stiffen the President’s backbone so as to drive it through? Desperate diseases require desperate remedies.
Friday, 19. — Captain Bottsford and his father stayed with me this evening; a pleasant time. Captains Zimmerman and Rice, also from Mahoning County, helped drink an egg-nog of Mr. Bottsford’s mixing.
Thursday, 18. — A cold, bitterly cold, night but a bright, fine day. Major Mcllrath and Dr. Webb left for Ohio today.
Major under orders from General Ewing goes to Camp Chase with prisoner. Doctor got a leave from General Ewing for twenty days to look after medicines, but this morning came a thirty-day leave from Washington.
Sinister rumors from General Burnside. Telegraph operator reported to say, “Burnside whipped like the Devil”! Ah, if so, sad hearts in the North! Intervention again. So much blood shed in vain! I confess to feeling much anxiety. The crossing of the river at Fredericksburg with so little resistance, looks as if the enemy was willing to let Burnside cross — as if they were leading him into a trap. I trust the sinister report is false.
Wednesday, 17. — Rode with Major McIlrath to General Ewing’s camp near Loup Creek to see about “wants.” Generally satisfactory results. Dined with the general and Mrs. Ewing. A rough day with gusts of snow and the like.
Tuesday, 16. — Rained last night; raw and cloudy with a little snow this morning. Sun shone in the afternoon. We hear today of the crossing by General Burnside of the Rappahannock at Fredericksburg.
