War diary and letters of Stephen Minot Weld

Saturday, July 23. — Day pleasant. Firing quite heavy, and had to get up several times. Nights foggy. Enemy shelled us quite vigorously. Colonel Jarves came out to the front line, and dined. Set the men to work on bomb-proofs.

Headquarters 56th Mass. Vols.,

Near Petersburg, Va., July 1, ’64.

Dear Father, — I wish you would see Henry Wilson, and ask him to get permission from the War Department to have my band mustered as a brigade band. The state of the case is as follows: The men, twenty (20) in number, were enlisted and mustered as privates, with the promise that they should not perform duty as privates, but should be detailed for a band. The officers agreed to pay them $25 a month, and the leader $100 a month. Now that the officers are reduced in number, it makes it very hard for them to pay such a large sum to maintain the band, and we wish to have them transferred as our brigade band, there being none for our brigade. I wish you would get him to put the thing through. All that is necessary is to have an order from the War Department, ordering the transfer.

There is nothing new to report, except an unsuccessful charge made by the Tenth Corps on our right yesterday afternoon. I also hear that Wilson’s cavalry division was all cut up, and almost captured day before yesterday. I hope it is not true.

I hope that we shall be reinforced soon, and heavily, too. We need them immediately, and every exertion ought to be made up North to forward 100,000 men to us, as soon as possible. If people wish this war to come to a successful issue, they should send us men. The trouble is that every one is willing, “à la Artemus Ward,” to have their wives’ relations go, but is unwilling to go himself.

I must stop now, as it is getting quite dark.

July 1.— Captain Howe finished mustering the regiment. Hard at work on our monthly return, and muster-rolls. Heavy picket firing during the night. Day very warm. Court-martial begun. Case of McLeod, D Company.

Near Petersburg, Va., June 30, 1864.

Dear Father, — I send this note by Quartermaster Ladd, who is going home. Am well, and hope you will see Captain Ladd, who will tell you how things are going on here. . . .

Nothing particularly new, except that the rebels amuse themselves more than usual by firing at us. They have put a couple of bullets into the embankment in front of my quarters.

I think that a grand attack will be made in a day or two. I do hope that it will be successful. . . .

June 30. — Sent in our tri-monthly. Captain Howe mustered the companies, but did not finish, as a heavy fire was opened on our right, caused by the Eighteenth Corps advancing their pickets. Soon quieted down, however. Bugler Gallagher was wounded, and during night Sergeant Hanson of F Company was killed by a stray bullet.

[Hanson was lying in a shelter tent, the middle man of three. Any one who knows the size of a shelter tent knows that three men can pack in by lying close together. A bullet came over from the rebs and hit him in the bowels. It skipped the other two.]

Headquarters 56th Mass. Vols.,
Near Petersburg, Va., June 29, ’64.

Dear Father, — We are all very busy indeed, making out our returns for the past month. We are now in the front line again, having relieved the 2d Brigade last night. We occupy the same position that we had when here before, by far the pleasantest on the line, as we have a skirt of woods in our front, which shields us from the enemy’s sharpshooters. I hear that heavy guns are to be mounted along our line to-night.

Everything remains “in statu quo.” There seems to be a head wanting somewhere, if we are going to have a siege. Each corps seems to be working on its own hook, as far as I can see.

I am detailed on court-martial again, and am President of the Court. We meet at division headquarters every day.

I suppose that James has got home by this time. Has he recovered from his fright yet? He was completely disgusted with the army when he left here.

I wish you would please send me the semi-weekly Advertiser once in a while, and at the same time enclose a nice cigar. I find a good many officers get occasional cigars in that way, to help them digest the news.

I think that we shall remain where we are for some time, unless the rebs drive us away, or we take Petersburg. I don’t see any likelihood of either event happening yet awhile.

I am afraid that Jarves will not be able to come back to this regiment. I wish him to hold his position, however, as I think he has lost enough serving his country to entitle him to the place, even if he cannot perform any duty.

We lose men every day from the enemy’s sharpshooters. I have lost but one or two, having been quite lucky.

What kind of a time did you have on Class Day? We were under almost broiling heat, which killed two of our men on picket. I would have given anything to have been at Cambridge then.

Our quartermaster, Captain Ladd, is going home in a day or two, he having been promoted. He goes home to give bonds, etc. I shall ask him to call and see you all. Please ask him to tea, if he comes. He is a very nice fellow, and is half brother to Mr. Upham of Spencer, whom you know.

Please give my love to all the family. I am perfectly well.

June 29. — Began to make out the monthly muster-and pay-roll, etc. Got hold of our regimental desk and baggage. Quartermaster starts for home to-day, his resignation, to accept promotion, having been accepted. Sent a letter to Father by him. Weather moderately cool.

Headquarters 56th Mass. Vols.,
Near Petersburg, Va., June 28, 1864.

Dear Hannah, — I am happy to say that I receive a letter from you every few days. Please keep on writing, as all news from home is very pleasant in this outlandish hole. . . .

We are still here in front of Petersburg, making preparations for a siege. I am glad of it, for I don’t care about charging any more breastworks just at present. It is rather unpleasant work, although it will do by way of pastime once in a great while.

We are in the second line of rifle-pits, but have to go to-night to relieve the brigade occupying the front line. I lose a few men by stray bullets coming over, but on the whole consider the regiment in quite a good position.

I saw John Jones to-day. He is on General Turner’s staff in Tenth Corps. He is very well. Am very well myself, as I have been all along. . . .

The rebels have been amusing themselves this afternoon by throwing mortar-shells at us. We have several going all the time. You don’t know how prettily they look at night. You can see a tail of fire after the shell as it describes an arc in its passage. “Distance lends enchantment to the view.”

What sort of a time did you have Class Day? We were almost melted. I never suffered so from heat in my life. Several men were sun-struck. . . .

Tuesday, June 28. — Weather cool and pleasant. Had a man wounded, the marker Koernberger, under peculiar circumstances. Moved out to the front line, and relieved the 2d Brigade. We occupied our old position on the right. Had a good deal of skirmishing during first part of the night.