Saturday, February 8. — Wrote an account of a court-martial for Captain Locke. Morning, snowed slightly, cloudy the remainder of the day. Nothing of interest happened. Captain McHarg, brigade quartermaster, said that General Porter would not allow him to get me any flooring. I can’t conceive why he should do so, but I suppose for some good reason.
War diary and letters of Stephen Minot Weld
Hall’s Hill, Va., Feb. 8, 1862.
Dear Mother, — I am now safely fixed in my tent on this hill. The tent is as warm as our parlor and can if necessary be heated to a much higher temperature. I have kept a good fire going all the time in order to dry the ground and get the dampness out. It is now comparatively dry, considering what it was when the tent was first pitched. The ground then was a perfect mud hole, but now is quite decent. For a flooring I have savin boughs, and I intended to have a plank, or rather board flooring put down, but General Porter would not allow me to get one, saying that we should be here so little while that it would not be worth while to get one. By the way, please tell Father of this remark that General Porter made at dinner to-day. After reading the account of the taking of Fort Henry he said that now, unless some terrible blunder was made, we were sure of beating them, i.e. rebels, everywhere we met them. He is not a man who talks much, and reminds me of Uncle Oliver in that respect. One can rely on what General Porter says. He is very kind and pleasant to me and every one, but I should not like to do anything he did not like, for I guess any one who did so would catch a blessing. He is not quick-tempered or anything of that kind, but he has an eye that shows some determination. He is a very handsome man, and reminds me of Tutor Gurney, but without Gurney’s projecting under jaw, and with dark colored beard and whiskers pretty closely cut. . . .
The country round here is pretty desolate looking. As fast as the army advances down go the trees, and soon they disappear in the stoves of the different camps.
There is any amount of quail and rabbits out here, and when I get a good opportunity I shall shoot some of them.
General Porter asked me about my brothers and sisters the other day. He asked me if I was the eldest, as he said there was a baby there when he left, about two or three months old.
Please tell Aunt Eliza that as far as I can find out the soldiers are well provided with everything and do not need anymore mittens. Stockings are always welcome, as they wear out easily owing to the feet slipping so in the mud. In regard to the stockings being ribbed or not, it does not make much difference. I delivered the mittens and socks to the men in my company which is now fully provided. Tell her that her socks are a great comfort to me, being so soft.
There is not much war news here. Our pickets captured 14 rebels the other day and one 4-horse wagon. It is really impossible to realize that we are so near the enemy. In fact, one never can realize it, unless he gets into a skirmish or fight with them.
We have some fine bands here, and it is quite pleasant to hear them play, it being almost the only amusement our soldiers have. The men are all drilling in target practice now and the best shots receive prizes.
Friday, February 7. — Day cloudy. A fair sample of most of our weather when not actually stormy. I rode over to the 22d Massachusetts, and saw Tom [Sherwin] and Dr. Prince. In the afternoon rode over to Miner’s Hill with the general and staff. [Nathan] Appleton and Shattuck were here to-day. Tom Sherwin came over in the evening.
Thursday, February 6. — Stormy again to-day. General Porter came out here from Washington, and was quite kind and pleasant to me when I was introduced to him. He is quite a good-looking man, and I should judge a very pleasant one. My tent gradually begins to assume the comfortable look which some of the other tents have. All I need to make it perfectly comfortable is a floor, and this I hope to have by to-morrow night.
Hall’s Hill, Feb. 5, 1862.
Dear Father, — I have now got my tent all fixed except the floor, which will be put down as soon as I can get the lumber. The mud inside having mostly dried up, I have placed pine twigs on the ground and am getting on quite comfortably. I have just bought me a camp-stove, my former one being a borrowed article, and have fixed me a table, hat-tree (so-called at home), and a place to put my saddle. Of course these articles of furniture are somewhat rudely constructed and would not bear comparison with any of your tenant’s manufacture, but still they answer my purpose as well as any mahogany articles would. My hat-tree is a young savin tree, with the branches cut off short, and the tree fastened to one of my tent-poles. The table is made of the top of my saddlebox placed upon three sticks driven into the ground and crossed so as to form an inverted tripod. It is somewhat shaky as the top is not yet fastened on, it being convenient at times to remove it to make more room. It is wonderful how many conveniences one can always find about him, if he only has to do so. I find no difficulty in keeping my tent warm, except at night, when it gets somewhat chilly after the fire has gone out.
I suppose it will interest you to learn how I spend my time. We are quite fashionable in our hours. Breakfast is upon the table about 9 o’clock. There is nothing to be done before that time. Then on a pleasant day there is some brigade drill, which begins at 10 and lasts till about one. After that I ride round to the different camps and see my friends. Then we dine at 4.30, having only two meals a day. For breakfast we have some kind of meat and bread, coffee and tea. For dinner, meat, at times soup, and at times pudding, and always coffee. To-day General Martindale had a brigade drill, and I went with him to learn my duties as far as possible. They consist in carrying orders to the different colonels. The day was a splendid one overhead and pretty fair under foot, as the ground was frozen last night. The drill was quite a success as far as the infantry and artillery were concerned, but I cannot say as much for the cavalry, though the squadron we had was quite an inferior one. The infantry were all in line, with pieces of artillery (Martin’s) between the regiments. The cavalry were ordered to charge down the line, and such a sight I never saw before. No two men were in line, and the ridiculous appearance these small bands of stragglers made excited every one’s laughter. I was within twenty feet of the cannon when they were fired, and was surprised to find that my horse did not move an inch. The musketry fire did not seem to disturb him either, and so far I am entirely pleased with him, except that he interferes behind. I have him shod differently, and hope it will remedy the trouble. If it does not, I shall have to get him an interfering strap. This drill is the first I have been to, and when General Porter returns I suppose he will assign me some other duties beside attending drills.
My time has been well taken up fixing my tent, and will be for a day or two. In the evening I write letters or read the newspapers which we receive every morning. I get a New York paper here the morning after it is published. They are brought here by boys from Washington who have regular passes allowing them to come. . . .
General Porter will not be here till to-morrow morning. . . .
I find camp life agrees with me and I with it. I like it very much indeed. . . .
Wednesday, February 5. — I tried my hand at aide-decamp duty for the first time, to-day. General Martindale[1] had a brigade drill, at which I was present as aide to the general. The day was a glorious one, and the ground, having been frozen during the night, was in pretty fair condition. As it was the first time I had tried my horse, I felt somewhat nervous about riding, expecting to be thrown from him. I got along very well, however, although the horse seemed inclined to shy at anything he saw. He stood the firing very well, not moving an inch. The troops went through the various evolutions very well, and as it was the first time I had ever seen a brigade drill, I was very much interested in it. The drill lasted about two hours, beginning at 11. I met Charles J. Mills[2] on the parade ground, much to my astonishment. He came from Washington. We drove over to see Tom Sherwin, and from there went to the 18th Massachusetts, my regiment. Charles dined with me, and started for Washington as soon as dinner was over. I really enjoyed his visit very much, it is so pleasant to see an old familiar face out here. I have not yet had any feelings of homesickness, and find camp life quite pleasant. I spoke to the brigade quartermaster to-day about getting me some flooring, etc.
[1] General John H. Martindale.
[2] Afterwards adjutant in my regiment; my classmate, and one of my dearest friends.
Monday, February 3. — Received my order to report to General Porter. Slept in Lieutenant [George] Monteith’s tent, as mine was not ready. Stormy again.
Hall’s Hill, Feb. 3, 1862.
Dear Father, — I have been detached from my regiment, and am now at General Porter’s headquarters on the above-mentioned hill. I am occupying for a day or two Lieutenant Monteith’s tent, he being absent in Washington, and am not quite settled yet. I shall make preparations to stay here for a fortnight at least, as we cannot advance before that time, and hardly under a month’s time. General Porter has not yet returned, but will be here to-morrow evening. All his staff whom I have seen are pleasant fellows and are quite kind to me. The Assistant Adjutant-General, Captain Locke from New York, is a very polite, gentlemanly fellow, and is a smart business man. Lieutenant Batchelder is quite pleasant, and Lieutenant McQuade seems to be the same, although I have not seen much of him.
My tent was pitched this afternoon in the midst of a driving snow-storm, and I shall not occupy it till I receive some boards to make a floor, and a stove, both of which I must beg in Washington. It will be quite a comfortable tent when I shall have fixed it up a little. I have not discovered any superfluous article yet which I have brought out here. I am only sorry I did not buy me a bedstead and cork mattress, which I shall have to get. My buffalo robe is the best thing I have. I could not have got along without it, and I thank my stars every night that I have such a comfortable robe.
General Porter every one says is extremely simple in his way of living, etc., which I am glad to find out, as it will save me a great deal of expense. Hautville, who is on Banks’s staff, told me that it would cost me from $45 to $50 a month to live, but I hope to find that he is mistaken.
James gets on quite well, although somewhat slow in his ways. In a week or two I shall have him in good trim, and shall make him quite a good servant. He is somewhat inclined to grumble, but not much so, and this too I shall stop. He seems to take good care of my horse, and on the whole I like him quite well. If he does not suit me I shall discharge him and send on for Tom.
The weather is stormy again, and no prospect of clearing off. Sunday was the first day the sun had made its appearance for 18 days. We had a regular New England snow-storm to-day, but now it seems inclined to change to sleet.
When Colonel Barnes handed me my order to report here, he said he would like me to come over and drill with his regiment whenever I could, and I shall do so, as I think it will be a good thing for me. He was very kind and pleasant to me all the time I was there. I am in first-rate health and have no doubt but that I shall continue so.
Sunday, February 2. — Nothing to do to-day. Sun was out, the first time during 28 days. Dined with Captain Locke.
