Monday, 26th—The camp of the Seventeenth Army Corps is four miles south of town. We have a very nice camp here, the boys having built good bunks out of old lumber, in their wedge tents. Our tents had been stored at Huntsville, Alabama, and after the fall of Atlanta were sent forward. General Sherman’s entire army is in camp here, and strongly fortified, just south of Atlanta. The army is to be paid off while in camp, the muster rolls having been sent in to the paymaster. All is quiet.
Etowah Bridge, Monday, Sept. 26. Everything was so very still this morning that I did not wake up till roll call, and then there were but very few to be seen, only thirty-four for duty, which will be very heavy. Worked hard all day cleaning the stables. Boys have not left yet, as no train came from the front. Griff and I were down with them this evening for a while.
Blicks Station, Va., September 26th, 1864.
The Ninth Corps is in motion, being gradually withdrawn from the front. Various rumors are in circulation. That which seems to be the best authenticated is: “We go to Baltimore and report to General Burnside.” It is amusing to hear these matters discussed by men who are supposed to know nothing but to obey orders.
We have heard nothing definite from Burnside since his return from his pleasure trip to the Green Mountains. I am positive he will not serve longer in this army, and equally positive he will have a command somewhere, and that where he is, the Ninth Corps will go; soon as it can be spared from here with safety.
Paymasters are here, and will begin paying off today or tomorrow. There is some doubt about our regiment being paid this time. Our payrolls were wrong, and were sent back from Washington. I made them out anew, and they were sent off last Friday. If they receive prompt attention they may be returned in time. I cannot reconcile myself to the disappointment. I have had no pay in eleven months, and through no fault of my own. I am grieved for my family’s sake, and am really vexed at the wrong done me.
Then Fremont has “sold out?” What a miserable thing is his letter announcing the important fact. How much it reads like Vallandigham’s speech “ratifying” McClellan’s letter of acceptance.
Harrisonburg, Virginia, September 26, 1864.
Dear Uncle: — You have heard enough about our great victories at Winchester and Fisher’s Hill. I will say only a word. No one man can see or know what passes on all parts of a battle-field. Each one describes the doings of the corps, division, or what not, that he is with. Now, all the correspondents are with the Sixth and Nineteenth Corps and the cavalry command. General Crook has nobody to write him or his command up. They are of course lost sight of. At Winchester at noon, the Sixth and Nineteenth Corps had been worsted. In the afternoon, General Crook (who is the brains of the whole thing) with his command turned the Rebel left and gained the victory. The cavalry saved it from being lost after it was gained. My brigade led the attack on the Rebel left, but all parts of Crook’s command did their duty. The Sixth Corps fought well, the Nineteenth failed somewhat, and the cavalry was splendid and efficient throughout. This is my say-so.
My division entered the fight on the extreme right of the infantry, Merritt’s splendid cavalry on our right, and Averell still further on our right. We ended the fight on the extreme left. The Rebels retreated from our right to our left, so that we went in at the rear and came out at the front, my flag being the first into and through Winchester. My division commander was wounded late in the fight and I commanded the division from that time. It is the Second, General Crook’s old division.
At Fisher’s Hill the turning of the Rebel left was planned and executed by General Crook against the opinions of the other generals. My division led again. General Sheridan is a whole-souled, brave man (like Dr. Webb) and believes in Crook, his old class and roommate at West Point. Intellectually he is not General Crook’s equal, so that, as I said, General Crook is the brains of this army.
The completeness of our victories can’t be exaggerated. If Averell had been up to his duty at Fisher’s Hill, Mr. Early and all the rest would have fallen into our hands. As it is, we have, I think, from the two battles five thousand Rebel prisoners unhurt — three thousand wounded, five hundred killed; twenty-five pieces of artillery, etc., etc.
In the Fisher’s Hill battle, the Sheridan Cavalry was over the mountains going around to the rear. This, as it turned out, was unfortunate. If they had been with us instead of Averell, there would have been nothing left of Early. General Averell is relieved.
I lost one orderly, my adjutant-general, Captain Hastings, and field officers in all regiments, wounded. No officers especially intimate with me killed. I had my scene which I described in a letter to Lucy.
Sincerely,
R.
S. Birchard.
Harrisonburg, Virginia, September 26, 1864.
Dearest: — Another victory and almost nobody hurt. The loss in my division (you know I now command General Crook’s old Division, Twenty-third and Thirty-sixth Ohio and Fifth and Thirteenth Virginia, Thirty-fourth and Ninety-first Ohio and Ninth and Fourteenth Virginia) is less than one hundred. Early’s Rebel veterans, Jackson’s famous old corps, made our Bull Run defeat respectable. They ran like sheep. The truth is, General Crook outwitted them. The other generals opposed his plan but Sheridan trusts him absolutely and allowed him to begin the attack on his own plan. But I have written all this.
Love to the boys. Regards to Uncle Scott and all on the hill. I got his good letter just before our last fight.
Affectionately ever,
R.
Mrs. Hayes.
Monday, September 26. — At camp near Harrisonburg. Receive Sheridan’s telegraphic report of our last battle. Crook’s command gets proper credit for once.
Monday, September 26. — Captain Senn’s letter in reply to the article “Outrage” in the Carolinian, appeared in the Guardian. Last night chilly. Weather to-day delightful. Some more car-jumpers[1] brought in.
[1] Prisoners who had escaped from the cars, and were recaptured while trying to get back to the Union lines.
September 26 — To-day we heard some artillery firing to the westward beyond the Blue Ridge, in the direction of Waynesboro. There is actual war on the wing not far away.
Colonel Lyon’s Letters.
Huntsville, Ala., Mon., Sept. 26, 1864.—Forrest, with a large force, is raiding in this region, and I have been up nearly all night for two nights, moving troops, telegraphing, etc. He captured Athens, 25 miles west of here on the railroad, Saturday, and yesterday captured and burned a long trestle work a few miles north of Athens. Reinforcements came down yesterday from Chattanooga to go to General Granger at Decatur, but I received orders from General Sherman’s headquarters to turn them about and send them to Nashville, which I did. I infer from this that Forrest is moving north. We hear all sorts of reports about what his intentions are, but can not form any definite idea about it.
We have a good fort here, considerable artillery and some troops, and will try to give a good account of ourselves if attacked. A train was captured at Athens which had on it a mail. The road to Nashville via Stevenson is still open, but will probably be broken, and we shall have another blockade. I send this to Stevenson and hope it will get through.
I took all the troops that I could possibly spare from the railroad and sent them to General Granger yesterday. Colonel Chapman took about 300 of the 13th. I do not hear a word from my horses. Two companies of the 18th Michigan were captured at Athens.
Now, do not worry about me. I, as well as you, am in the hands of a kind Father, who does all things for the best, and we can trust Him without a fear or doubt. I do not disguise from you that we are environed with perils, but I will try to do my duty and leave the event.
I hear that recruiting is lively all over the North. This is good news for us, for the men are needed.
26th. Monday. Marched to Staunton, 3rd Div., Regular brigade 1st and 2nd Div. went to Port Republic.
