April 13. — Duplicate copies of the estimate for mules, etc., handed in to-day to Generals Williams and Ingalls. The original that was sent in on March 25 could not be found at headquarters. Preparations are being made for an immediate move. All the pontoon boats have been made tight, and have been caulked and put in complete order. Orders received from headquarters to be ready to move at short notice in any direction. Day pleasant.
War diary and letters of Stephen Minot Weld
April 12. — Captain Clapp came over this morning with his servant and relieved me as assistant adjutant-general. Lieutenant Van Brocklin went out with a detail of 500 men to repair roads near Bank’s Ford. The detail of 250 men that came from the 15th Regiment was half an hour late, much to the disgust of the general. He had two officers placed in arrest, and fumed and fretted the whole day long. Day pleasant.
Headquarters Engineer Brigade,
Camp near Falmouth, April 11, 1863.
Dear Father, — I have been quite busy for the last few days, getting in my monthly, and tri-monthly reports, besides a great deal of other office business. To-morrow, I am glad to say, I shall be relieved from duty as adjutant-general by Channing Clapp. Although I have got along very well with General Benham, I don’t think I should like to be his adjutant-general permanently. He is not at all well posted in regard to office business, and keeps doing things which are irregular, and the blame of which, if any mischief should ensue, would fall upon the unfortunate adjutant-general. I have never got into any scrape with him, except once, and I did it then from following out his orders. I gave a certificate of “muster out” to an officer, in order that he might be mustered in, with his new and increased rank. The general had given me an express order to do so in all such cases, but as it happened, he did not wish this officer to get his new rank as it had been obtained in a rather underhand manner. The officer, too, lied to me in regard to his commission, and so obtained the certificate. The general made me write him (the officer aforesaid) a note, saying that I had given him the certificate without authority, which was not so. I did as he directed, however, as I did not wish to have a quarrel with the general. Of course the proper way for the general to have done would have been to demand the certificate back on the ground that it was fraudulently obtained. As it was, it exposed me to insult, etc., by having my authority to sign a paper called into question, and indeed, I don’t see why any officer might not now refuse to obey any order signed by me, on the ground that I had signed it without authority. Even if I had signed it without authority, it was very impolitic for the general to have a written statement made to that effect, when he could get out of the scrape in any other way. This, and one or two other things of a like nature done to others on the staff, makes me feel rather anxious in regard to the future. If anything the general orders to be done is not successful, I very much fear that the blame may be thrown on his staff officer, whoever he may be, by the general disavowing the act or order. He has constantly thrown the blame of all his former troubles on other people. However, it will only make me more careful and anxious to do my duty faithfully. I don’t wish you to think that I am on unpleasant terms with General Benham or that I have had any serious trouble. We are on the best of terms, and he did not blame me much about the certificate, but, as you know, straws show which way the wind blows, and I, of course, wish to go through this war with honor, and don’t want to render myself liable to any blame. Now, this present position in the Engineer Brigade is a very ticklish one. Any amount of blame and censure has been heaped on the former commander, and should it come on the present one, I prefer that it should not he shoved off on my shoulders. And from seeing General B. not disposed to stand up for his staff, which I have never before known a general not to do, I feel somewhat anxious. Of course, an aide’s reputation, honor and everything is in the hands of his general, and if an aide cannot feel that his general will support the orders he gives him to carry or to perform, why there is an end of him. Now, I think I can easily get on some other staff, and after giving you, in perfect confidence and with a knowledge that you will see it in its true light and keep it perfectly secret, a full statement of the case, I wish to know your opinion about it. I know the general is satisfied with me and has perfect confidence in me, and as a companion he is jolly and agreeable. But then he is very incautious in what he says about others, and censures the acts and abilities and doings of other generals in a way which must get him into trouble, and which has, undoubtedly, in my, opinion, made him enemies in his former campaigns, and led him into many of his scrapes. He is very ambitious, and very conceited. Of course everything here is for your ear alone, and must go no further.
We shall probably move in two or three days. The roads are all dry, and all the preparations are being made for a speedy move, probably down the river. By the time you get this we shall be on our way, unless storms prevent. Parties are at work on the roads fixing the bad holes, etc.
To-day we had an inspection of all our pontoons, and shall have them all in condition by to-morrow night. We have over a hundred of them.
At some convenient time, I will write you a full account of everything here. Don’t be at all anxious about me, as I have always and shall always do my duty. I have spoken to you in perfect confidence as a son would do to his father, in regard to my position and to my feelings. I will again say that I am on the best terms with General Benham, and know everything that is going on from him, which would not be the case if he did not have confidence in me.
I have been mounting Brigade Guard for the last week, and find it quite pleasant. I have at least learned much by my present position, and gained a great deal of useful experience.
April 11 — A detail of 500 men was ordered this evening to report for repairing roads, etc. General Benham sent in to General Butterfield his report on his first reconnoissance. All the pontoon trains were inspected by order of General Benham. Inspected the one in the 15th New York Volunteer Engineers. Day pleasant, as have been all the days in the week.
April 10. — Charles Whittier came over here this morning, and after getting my monthly report ready, and having sent it in, and having my tri-monthly report well under way, I started off with Whittier to see John White.[1] We came by headquarters just as the President and General Hooker came out, on their way to review the Eleventh and Twelfth Corps. On our way we came to the camp of the 16th Massachusetts and stopped and saw Captain Amory. We then continued on our way over the corduroy road until we came to the camp of the 1st New York Volunteers. Both sides of the corduroy road were lined by Sickles’s corps, who were out to cheer Father Abraham. We found John in, and spent a very pleasant hour with him. From there we went to Belle Plain, to see about the pontoon boats. I found Major Cassin there, and Captain Wood. Saw the canvas boats, and reported their condition to the general. On my way back I stopped at Rush’s Lancers’ camp, and saw Winsor, Furness, and Davis.
When I arrived here at camp, I found that the general had gone out on a reconnoissance toward and beyond White Oak Church, General Reynolds’s headquarters. He told me in the evening that it was Lieutenant Comstock’s plan to cross the river below Fredericksburg. The general did not seem in favor of such a move. Sent in my tri-monthly report this evening. Day pleasant.
[1] John C. White, my classmate.
April 9. — Day delightful, being a real summer, or rather spring, day. The President reviewed the First Corps to-day. Rode over to see Colonel Eustis in regard to Engineer officers. On my way back, I stopped for Whittier, and went over with him to see Furness on Stoneman’s staff. Had guard-mounting in the afternoon, which passed off quite successfully. The general rode over to Major Spaulding’s in the afternoon, with Lieutenant Van Brocklin.
April 8. — To-day there was a review of the Second, Third, Fifth, and Sixth Corps by the President. It was one of the finest spectacles I have ever seen. The different corps arranged in line, with their flags of all colors, contrasting well with the dark blue of the uniforms, was a very pretty sight. As they passed in review they would come to the shoulder, and then double-quick as soon as past the President. I went over in the evening to see Starr,[1] and had a very pleasant time. Received a letter from Hannah full of interesting items. Mounted guard this evening quite successfully, and I believe made no mistake. This is the third time that we have had brigade guard-mounting. Day very pleasant. Several ladies were at the review, and among others Mrs. Lincoln. The President’s son rode at the head of the reviewing column. It was quite exciting when riding through the lines, as we did, at a full gallop. There were several ditches in the way which we had to leap, and in trying to do so some were stuck in the mud, others thrown, etc. It was quite amusing for those who got through safely.
April 7. —We all started out this morning, except Perkins, to see the review, by the President, of the army. On arriving at headquarters, we found that the review was postponed on account of the mud. Day pleasant.
April 6. — I went over to General Sickles’s headquarters this morning with a letter from General Benham in regard to the difficulty of passing our picket line. General S. sent his compliments to General Benham, and said he would issue a general order on the subject. After leaving there, I went over to the cavalry review of General Stoneman’s corps. It was a fine sight, and almost every one who had a horse was present. As the President came in sight he was saluted with the usual number of guns. General Steinwehr, Major-General Sickles, Meade, Reynolds, Hooker, and Slocum, and Brigadier Generals Pratt, Kane, etc., were present. I saw Waldo Merriam, Scott,[1] Phillips, Martin,[2] Colonel Vincent, and numerous other friends of mine there. Five hundred of our brigade were out on fatigue duty, clearing a space for the infantry review to-morrow.
The President looked very thin and pale, so much so that many people remarked that there was a fair chance of Hamlin being our President soon. We had brigade guard-mounting for the first time to-clay, and I officiated as assistant adjutant-general. A few days’ experience will make the whole thing go off quite successfully. In the evening I went over to General Hooker’s headquarters.
[1] Henry B. Scott, my classmate.
[2] Augustus P. Martin.
April 6. — I went over to General Sickles’s headquarters this morning with a letter from General Benham in regard to the difficulty of passing our picket line. General S. sent his compliments to General Benham, and said he would issue a general order on the subject. After leaving there, I went over to the cavalry review of General Stoneman’s corps. It was a fine sight, and almost every one who had a horse was present. As the President came in sight he was saluted with the usual number of guns. General Steinwehr, Major-General Sickles, Meade, Reynolds, Hooker, and Slocum, and Brigadier Generals Pratt, Kane, etc., were present. I saw Waldo Merriam, Scott,[1] Phillips, Martin,[2] Colonel Vincent, and numerous other friends of mine there. Five hundred of our brigade were out on fatigue duty, clearing a space for the infantry review to-morrow.
The President looked very thin and pale, so much so that many people remarked that there was a fair chance of Hamlin being our President soon. We had brigade guard-mounting for the first time to-clay, and I officiated as assistant adjutant-general. A few days’ experience will make the whole thing go off quite successfully. In the evening I went over to General Hooker’s headquarters.
[1] Henry B. Scott, my classmate.
[2] Augustus P. Martin.
