14th.—I left the camp to-day, and have determined to make my headquarters at Barnum’s Hotel, for a few days, till I recover some of the strength lost by my sickness and over-exertion. My ward master, on whom I have mainly to rely for assistance as a nurse, has been drunk every night, which has made me much extra trouble. Oh the misery resulting from whisky!
“Boston rockers” were an untold comfort to the men able to sit up. The first of the many sent to us were from Daniel Gilman’s father and placed as follows:—
Alexandria Hospital,
Aug. 14, 1861.
My dear Miss Woolsey: The eight chairs are very thankfully received and shall be disposed of precisely as you proposed.
Yours in haste,
Nurse in charge.
Meridian Hill, Washington.
Aug. 11th, 1861.
My dear Mother:
I have been overjoyed by a visit from Hunt, who has now probably returned home and reports me hearty and well. I have been fortunate in meeting several friends most unexpectedly during the last few days. Miss Woolsey was at our encampment on some errand of mercy yesterday evening. I saw her for a few moments, and promised to call upon her and Mrs. Howland soon, which I shall do if allowed to leave the camp. The laws are very strict though now, and I doubt whether I shall be able to leave the camp for some time to come. We are now going through a stage dreaded by all officers in the army, viz: that immediately following upon pay-day. Notwithstanding the utmost precautions the men contrive to obtain liquor, and when intoxicated are well-nigh uncontrollable, so that the utmost vigilance is needful. As the number of our officers is but small we are kept almost constantly active. When the money is once spent we will then breathe more freely. To-morrow I am to be the officer commanding the Guard, so I am scribbling a few lines rapidly to-night, as I shall be too busy to attend to such things to-morrow, and the following day too exhausted to do much after twenty-four hour’s exertion. You see all the labors of an officer generally are compressed into short seasons of unexampled labor, and long periods of repose. We have now a new Colonel — Governor Stevens of Washington Territory. He seems to be a first class man. His advent among us was inaugurated by an order for us young officers to leave the pleasant rooms we occupied when Hunt was with us, and to return to our tents. This was as it should be; and other strict measures toward officers and men show that he is the right sort of a commander for a Regiment like ours, requiring a strong firm hand to govern it. I trust we may continue to be satisfied with him as our chief officer.
I begin to regard it as a little doubtful as to whether we really return to New York. Military men regard such a movement as unprecedented, and as affording a dangerous example. We will see how it is to end. You ask me regarding Gen’l Tyler! I will answer with all candor that he acted with the utmost bravery on the day of the fight. It was owing to his prompt and energetic action that once, after our Regiment was scattered, when weary and exhausted, having also (Elliott assisting) the additional burden of our wounded Captain to bear away, we escaped a cavalry charge in which many of our men were taken prisoners. When the cavalry came in sight, and all was in confusion, you could hear his quick, sharp voice rallying the disheartened to make such a stand as alone would ensure them victory. The men rallied, poured a volley of musketry into the foe galloping upon us, at the same time giving them two fatal shots from a couple of artillery pieces which luckily were in our possession— at which time I must mention the activity displayed by Ned Harland too. The fire was effective, the cavalry retreated and we marched on unharmed. Such things should shut the mouths of slander. Gen’l Tyler unfortunately played a leading part in a fatal engagement, and consequently must bear an undue share of blame. His great fault seems to have been an overweening confidence in our strength, and a great undervaluation of the enemy. Since the fight I regret to say a spirit of bitterness pervades his conversation as well as his official report of the battle.
I have just seen Lieut.-Col. Elliott, and feel more reason to hope we may return, as was before promised. Give the best of love to all,
And believe me,
Very Affec’y-,
William T. Lusk.
August 14th.—Last night there was a crowd of men to see us and they were so markedly critical. I made a futile effort to record their sayings, but sleep and heat overcame me. To-day I can not remember a word. One of Mr. Mason’s stories relates to our sources of trustworthy information. A man of very respectable appearance standing on the platform at the depot, announced, “I am just from the seat of war.” Out came pencil and paper from the newspaper men on the qui vive. “Is Fairfax Court House burned?” they asked. “Yes, burned yesterday.” “But I am just from there,” said another; “left it standing there all right an hour or so ago.” “Oh! But I must do them justice to say they burned only the tavern, for they did not want to tear up and burn anything else after the railroad.” “There is no railroad at Fairfax Court House,” objected the man just from Fairfax. “Oh! Indeed!” said the seat-of-war man, “I did not know that; is that so?” And he coolly seated himself and began talking of something else.
Our people are lashing themselves into a fury against the prisoners. Only the mob in any country would do that. But I am told to be quiet. Decency and propriety will not be forgotten, and the prisoners will be treated as prisoners of war ought to be in a civilized country.
August 14. Wednesday.—The weather has changed to cool, and although the sky is still clouded I hope this long rain is now over. Our prisoners turn out to be Hezekiah and Granville Bennett, cousins of the notorious James and William Bennett, aged forty-nine and twenty-two, father and son, and Moss and George W. Brothers, aged fifty-eight and forty-eight. Our information is not definite as to their conduct. One or more of them belonged to the Southern army, and all are accused by their Union neighbors with divers acts of violence against law-and-order citizens.
Last evening Lieutenant Milroy came over from Glenville reporting that Captain R. B. Moore feared an attack from three companies of well armed Secessionists in the region west of them, say Spencer, and was fortifying himself. The people immediately around him are friendly, he having conducted himself with great prudence and good sense and by kindness and justice made friends of the people of all parties.
AUGUST 14TH.—Zollicoffer has been appointed a brigadier-general; and although not a military man by education, I think he will make a good officer.
Camp Harmon, August —, 1861.
I had a chance to show my gallantry last week. I was directed one night to pass a Mr. Pendleton and his party through, our line of sentinels. I reached the party about ten o’clock, and found the party consisting of an old gentleman driving the carriage, and in it the wife of his son with three or four children. She told me they were going to stay a mile beyond, with a lady to whom she had a letter, and were on their way to Virginia from Washington. Knowing the difficulty they would have in passing the sentinels of the other camps, I volunteered to accompany them. But when they reached the house where they expected to stay all night I delivered their letter and was told they could not be taken in, as the house was full of sick people, and that there was no other house in the village where there was any prospect of getting them in. The only chance then was to take the road and run the chance of getting into a farm-house or travel all night. I went with them, and succeeded in getting them lodging at a farm-house three miles further on. She was profuse in her expressions of gratitude, and I took leave of them and walked back four miles to our camp, which I reached about one o’clock, well paid for my trouble in feeling conscious that I had done a good deed.
August 14.—Jefferson Davis, at Richmond, Va., issued a proclamation, notifying all residents of the “Confederate” States, who do not acknowledge the authority of the same, to leave the “Confederacy” in forty days from the date of the proclamation.—(Doc. 182.)
—Robert Muir, of Charleston, S. C., and cousin of the British consul at Now Orleans, was arrested on board the steamer Africa at New York, just as she was leaving, as bearer of despatches from Jeff. Davis to the British Government. Several papers, showing he was such a person, were found on him.—National Intelligencer, August 16.
—Col. Farnham, of the N. Y. Fire Zouaves, died this evening at Washington of wounds received in the battle of Bull Run.—Idem.
—Proclamation of martial law, as follows, was made in St. Louis, Missouri:
Head-Quarters Western Department,
St. Louis, August 14.
I hereby declare and establish martial law in the city and county of St. Louis. Major J. McKinstry, United States Army, is appointed provost-marshal. All orders and regulations issued by him will be respected and obeyed accordingly.
(Signed) J. C. Fremont,
Major-General Commanding.
Provost-marshal McKinstry thereupon issued a proclamation calling upon all good citizens to obey the rules it has been deemed necessary to establish, in order to insure and preserve the public peace, accompanied with the assurance that the civil law will remain in force, and the military authority only be used when civil law proves inadequate to maintain the public safety; and that any violation of the order will be followed by prompt punishment, regardless of persons or positions.—(Doc. 183.)
—This afternoon at St. Louis, Provost-marshal McKinstry suppressed the publication of the War Bulletin and the Missourian, two newspapers which had been “shamelessly devoted to the publication of transparently false statements respecting military movements in Missouri.”—St. Louis Democrat, August 15.
—General Fremont ordered a re-organization of the United States Reserve Corps in St Louis, to comprise five regiments of infantry, with a reserve of two companies to each two squadrons of cavalry, and two batteries of light artillery, the troops to be required to enlist for the war, subject to the same regulations and receive the same pay as volunteer regiments.—N. Y. World, August 15.
—The First Fire Zouaves (Eleventh N. Y. V.) arrived in New York City, and were discharged on furlough. Previous to the discharge they were addressed in front of the City Hall by Gen. Prosper M. Wetmore.—N. Y. Evening Post, August 15.
—A mutiny broke out in the camp of the New York Seventy-ninth Regiment near Washington. Among their alleged grievances are, that it is proposed to attach them to the Sickles Brigade to which they object, and that they were promised a furlough in order to see to the comfort of their families, to reorganize, and to elect officers to fill existing vacancies; and as it appeared likely that this furlough would not be given, they refused to obey orders. A detachment of regular soldiers was sent to their camp, to act as circumstances might require. The result was the arrest of forty or fifty who took a more active part in the insubordination. These were taken into Washington City about eight o’clock P. M., and confined as prisoners, whilst the remainder of the regiment were marched to the Navy Yard under a strong guard of cavalry. —(Doc. 184.)
—The First Regiment of Minnesota Volunteers, numbering nearly eight hundred muskets, passed through Baltimore, Md., this morning, on their return home after three months’ service in the cause of the General Government. They have been operating in the region of country near Harper’s Ferry, Va.—Baltimore American, August 14.
—Bishop Whittingham of Maryland issued a pastoral letter to the clergy and laity of his diocese, with reference to the approaching fast-day.— (Doc. 185.)
—The question of retaliation and the exchange of prisoners is agitated in the Southern States. New Orleans papers of to-day contain an elaborate article on the subject.—(Doc. 186.)
13th.—H. S. S. arrived at my hospital to-day, with orders, as I was sick, to take charge of and bring forward all the men left here. From the tenor of our Colonel’s letter of instructions to his messenger, I should take him to be a little “miffed” at the men’s not being sent forward earlier. What in the name of heaven can he wish to do with sick men in camp? However, I have no discretion, but shall turn over the men to S., and see how he will carry out instructions. I had already sent forward to-day, before his arrival, quite a number, leaving me only ten here.
TUESDAY 13
News today of the battle at Springfield Missori and death of Genl Lyon. My son Frank was in his Army, Co. E, 2nd Regt US Infantry, Capt Steel. Have been at the Camp much of the day seeing the soldiers pack up and get in readiness to leave. They go tomorrow morning. Doct Barnes here to tea. He presented Julia with a beautiful pocket pistol, “Elliotts self cocking” (very small) Six Shooter. I was at “Willards” an hour today, not a great crowd there. The City is patroled daily and nightly by mounted men.
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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.
