Friday, [September] 5 [6].—As judge-advocate, with General Benham, Colonels Scammon, Smith, et al., I tried two cases. J. W. Trader, etc.
SEPTEMBER 6TH. —We are not increasing our forces as rapidly as might be desired, for the want of arms. We had some 150,000 stand of small arms, at the beginning of the war, taken from the arsenals; and the States owned probably 100,000 more. Half of these were flint-locks, which are being altered. None have been imported yet. Occasionally a letter reaches the department from Nashville, offering improved arms at a high price, for gold. These are Yankees. I am instructed by the Secretary to say they will be paid for in gold on delivery to an agent in Nashville. The number likely to be obtained in this manner, however, must be small; for the Yankee Government is exercising much vigilance. Is not this a fair specimen of Yankee cupidity and character? The New England manufacturers are furnishing us, with whom they are at war, with arms to fight with, provided we agree to pay them a higher price than is offered by their own Government! The philosophical conclusion is, that this war will end when it ceases to be a pecuniary speculation.
Sept. 6.—To-day the National Guard at Conrad’s Ferry, on the Potomac, discerned a body of rebels at work across the river, which, on inspection with glasses, proved to be the erection of a two-gun battery. Word was sent to General Stone’s head-quarters, and a section of a battery was soon provided. The rebels discharged two shells without effect, which were responded to with spherical-case shot, causing a splendid specimen of racing by the rebels. The distance between the two batteries was not less than three-quarters of a mile.—National Intelligencer, Sept. 12.
—Tins morning at eleven o’clock, General Grant, with two regiments of infantry, one company of light artillery, and two gunboats, took possession of Paducah, Kentucky. He found secession flags flying in different parts of the city, in expectation of greeting the arrival of the Southern army, which was reported three thousand eight hundred strong, sixteen miles distant. The loyal citizens tore down the secession flags on the arrival of the national troops.
General Grant took possession of the telegraph office, railroad depot, and the marine hospital, and issued the following proclamation:
I have come among you not as an enemy, but as your fellow-citizen. Not to maltreat or annoy you, but to respect and enforce the rights of all loyal citizens. An enemy, in rebellion against our common Government, has taken possession of, and planted its guns on the soil of Kentucky, and fired upon you. Columbus and Hickman are in his hands. He is moving upon your city. I am here to defend you against this enemy, to assist the authority and sovereignty of your Government. I have nothing to do with opinions, and shall deal only with armed rebellion and its aiders and abettors. You can pursue your usual avocations without fear. The strong arm of the Government is here to protect its friends and punish its enemies. Whenever it is manifest that you are able to defend yourselves and maintain the authority of the Government and protest the rights of loyal citizens I shall withdraw the forces under my command.
U. S. Grant,
Brig.-Gen. Commanding.
—(Doc. 31.)
—Several families of Tennessee exiles arrived at Cincinnati, Ohio, in farm wagons today. They were driven from Jefferson County, Tennessee, on account of their Union sentiments, some weeks since.—Louisville Journal, Sept. 9.
—Captain Strong, of the Second regiment of Wisconsin Volunteers, had a narrow escape from the rebels to-day. He was out on picket duty, three miles in front of the National lines, on the Virginia side of the river, opposite the Chain Bridge above Washington. Being mounted, and in advance of his men, he was suddenly surrounded and taken prisoner by six secessionists, four infantry and two cavalry. After taking him a short distance to the rear, they demanded his pistols. Thinking this his only chance of escape, he drew a revolver, fired, and shot two of his captors, and then, patting spurs to his horse, he started for the camp on a full run. The rest of the party fired upon him, one ball passing through his canteen, another through his coat, grazing the skin, and a third ball went through his left cheek, passing out of his mouth. Nevertheless, he made good his escape, and came into camp. He is ready again to enter upon his duty.—(Doc. 32.)
—The Navy Department at Washington received from the National squadron in the Gulf of Mexico, intercepted letters from the commander of the privateer “Sumter ” and one of his crew, in which is given a list of the vessels captured by that vessel.—(Doc. 38.)
—This day the following general order was issued at Washington, the head-quarters of the army of the Potomac:
The Major-General commanding desires and requests that in future there may be a more perfect respect for the Sabbath on the part of his command. We are fighting in a holy cause, and should endeavor to deserve the benign favor of the Creator. Unless in case of attack by the enemy, or some other extreme military necessity, it is commended to commanding officers that all work shall be suspended on the Sabbath; that no unnecessary movements shall be made on that day; that the men shall as far as possible be permitted to rest from their labors; that they shall attend divine service after the customary morning inspection, and that officers and men alike use their influence to insure the utmost decorum required on that day. The General commanding regards this as no idle form. One day’s rest is necessary for man and animals. More than this the observance of the holy day of the God of mercy and of battles is our sacred duty.
George B. Mcclellan,
Major-General Commanding.
S. Williams, Ass’t Adjutant-General.
Thursday, 5th.—McNairy moved from Camp McGinnis to Livingston, where he remained about five days.
Thursday, 5th—Four men from Company A of the Eighth Iowa were drummed out of camp today. They had refused to take the oath to support the United States Government.
Monday, 5th.—We moved on to Camp Zollicoffer. about two miles north-west of Livingston. Here we found the Twenty-fifth Tennessee Infantry, Colonel S. S. Stanton’s Regiment. And about this time, or soon after, the Twenty-eighth, Colonel J. P. Murray’s Regiment, was organized at this camp. The other three companies of our battalion joined us here. After resting one day at Camp Zollicoffer, the whole battalion took up the line of march again. (Beg pardon, dear reader—right here I find another leaf of my Diary gone.) However, from Livingston the First Battalion marched east to Jamestown, thence south-east to Montgomery, then the county seat of Morgan County, and thence four miles east, through Wartburg, now the county seat of Morgan, to Camp Schuyler, arriving at the last place mentioned on the 14th of August, where we remained one week.
We found that a majority of the men through this portion of East Tennessee had either crossed over into Kentucky to join the Federal army or hid out in the woods. It was reported, before reaching Montgomery, that we would meet a considerable force of “Home Guards” at that place, but they left before we got there. We saw one woman and one child as we passed through the county seat of Morgan County, but not a single man was to be seen. A “Union” man who remained at home and attended to his own business we did not molest, but we arrested those who were hiding out from home or thought to be preparing to go north, if we could find them.
THURSDAY 5
It has rained nearly all day and there has not been much stir in the streets. Soldiers were moveing all last night, it is said that fifteen thousand passed over the River. Fresh troops are coming in all the time and going into camp. There does not appear to have been any “fight” yesterday, but the report of cannon on the other side is heard almost every hour of the day. I spent an hour or two at the Pat office but have been at home most of the day.
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The three diary manuscript volumes, Washington during the Civil War: The Diary of Horatio Nelson Taft, 1861-1865, are available online at The Library of Congress.
Sept. 5th.—Raining all day. McClellan abandoned his intention of inspecting the lines, and I remained in, writing. The anonymous letters still continue. Received one from an unmistakable Thug to-day, with the death’s-head, cross-bones, and coffin, in the most orthodox style of national-school drawing.
The event of the day was the appearance of the President in the Avenue in a suit of black, and a parcel in his hand, walking umbrella-less in the rain. Mrs. Lincoln has returned, and the worthy “Executive” will no longer be obliged to go “browsing round,” as he says, among his friends at dinner-time. He is working away at money matters with energy, but has been much disturbed in his course of studies by General Fremont’s sudden outburst in the West, which proclaims emancipation, and draws out the arrow which the President intended to discharge from his own bow.
Camp Trenton, 1861.
Miss Woolsey, Ebbitt House: I have the honor to acknowledge your favor of the 2nd inst., and would beg leave to say in reply, that the stores will be most acceptable, and in order that you may have no further trouble in the matter, an order signed by our Surgeon, Dr. Grant, will be presented you by our regimental wagoner, who will take charge of the goods for us.
With many thanks for your interest in behalf of the regiment, I have the honor to remain
Your obedient servant,
SAML. L. BUCK,
Major 2nd Regt. N. J. V.
SUTTON, OR SUTTONVILLE, VIRGINIA, September 5, 1861.
DEAREST:—We are in another camp of fine views. This is the last stronghold of our army as we advance toward the enemy. We are now part of an army of from six to eight thousand and are pushing towards an advancing enemy stronger in numbers, it is said. Some time will perhaps elapse before we meet, but we are pretty certain to meet unless the enemy withdraws. This, I think, they will do. I like the condition of things. Our force, although not large, is of good regiments for the most part: McCook’s Ninth, Colonel Smith’s Thirteenth, Lytle’s Tenth (Irish), are all here; also Colonel Moor’s Twenty-eighth (Markbreit’s regiment), Colonel Lowe’s Twelfth, our regiment, and Colonel Porshner’s Forty-ninth (Wilstach regiment) coming; also one part company of Regulars; four companies artillery, four companies cavalry. An army about as large as can well manœuvre in these mountains. General Rosecrans is in command in person with General Benham of the Regular Army to second him. We are camped on both sides of Elk River, connected by a beautiful suspension bridge. Camps on high hills; fortifications on all the summits. “A gay and festive scene,” as Artemus Ward would say, especially about sundown when three or four fine bands are playing in rivalry.
Elk River empties into Kanawha, so that the water now dripping from my tent will pass you, perhaps, about a fortnight hence; the clearest, purest water it is too. From the tops of the high hills you can see the rocks in the river covered by ten or twenty feet of water. Nothing finer in Vermont or New Hampshire.
I have just got a letter from Dr. James [D. Webb]. Say to him, let all my letters be opened, and if any are important, send them; otherwise, not, unless from some especial friend. Send me some stamps and tell me how you are off for cash. We expect to be paid soon; if so, I can send you some three hundred to six hundred dollars.
We are to have a bore here in a few days—a court-martial on some officer in the Tenth or Twelfth, and I am to be judge-advocate, unless I can diplomatize out of it, which I hope to do.
We got today papers from Cincinnati—the Times of the 28th and the Commercial of the 2d. Think of it; only three days old! It has rumors that General Rosecrans is captured. Well, not quite. He is in good health, and the Twenty-third Regiment is his especial guard. No force can get him here without passing my tent.
Among the interesting things in camp are the boys. You recollect the boy in Captain McIlrath’s company; we have another like unto him in Captain Woodward’s. He ran away from Norwalk to Camp Dennison; went into the Fifth, then into the Guthries, and as we passed their camp, he was pleased with us, and now is “a boy of the Twenty-third.” He drills, plays officer, soldier, or errand boy, and is a curiosity in camp. We are getting dogs too, some fine ones; almost all the captains have horses and a few mules have been “realized”—that’s the word—from Secessionists.
It is clearing off, so we shall be happy again. I am sorry you are unwell. Don’t get down-spirited. We shall get through and come home again. Love and kisses for all the boys. Affectionate regards to Grandma. Jim’s letters will be very acceptable. Goodbye, darling.
Affectionately,
R. B. HAYES.
P.S.—If you could see the conveniences (?) I have for writing, you would see how such a scrawl as this becomes a possibility. I have found out the day of the week and month; it is Thursday, the 5th September, 1861.
MRS. HAYES.
