JUNE 15th.—Clear and cool; warm late in the day. It is rumored now that the enemy got to Westtown yesterday, some ten miles below the point on this side occupied by Butler; and to-day he is leaving, either crossing to the south side (probably to cut the railroad), or embarking in his transports for no [...]
JUNE 14th.—Clear and cool. Gen. Grant has changed his base—disappearing from the front of Lee in the night. He is supposed to be endeavoring to get his army below the city, and in communication with Butler on the south side. A dispatch from Gen. Lee says Gen. Hampton has defeated Sheridan. Forrest has gained a [...]
JUNE 13th.—Clear and cool. Gen. Bragg sent to the Secretary of War to-day a copy of a letter from him to the President, yesterday, proposing to send 6000 more troops to Western Virginia, as Breckinridge has only 9000 and the enemy 18,000. Lieut.-Gen Holmes sends from Raleigh, N. C., a letter from Hon. T. Bragg, [...]
JUNE 12th.—Cold and cloudy. Some firing again this morning, supposed to be merely an artillery duel. Heard from Custis, in pencil mark on the back of envelope; and he has applied for and obtained a transfer from ordnance duty in the rear, back to his company in the front. It is rumored that Sheridan has [...]
JUNE 11th.—Sunshine and cloudy—warmer. There is a calm in military matters, but a storm is gathering in the valley of Virginia. Both sides are concentrating for a battle. If we should be defeated (not likely), then our communications may be cut, and Grant be under no necessity of fighting again to get possession of Richmond. [...]
JUNE 10th.—Clear and cool. All quiet round the city; but Petersburg was assaulted yesterday and successfully defended. The battalion of clerks still remains at Bottom’s Bridge, on the Chickahominy. The pickets hold familiar conversation every day with the pickets of the enemy, the stream being narrow, and crossed by a log. For tobacco and the [...]
JUNE 9th.—Sunshine and clouds–warm. No fighting yesterday. It is reported that the enemy’s cavalry and a corps of infantry recrossed the Pamunky this morning, either after Breckinridge, or to guard communications with the Rappahannock. There is a pause also in Georgia. Yesterday the President vetoed a bill exempting the publishers of periodicals, etc. He said [...]
JUNE 8th.—Clouds and sunshine—cool. No war news except what appears in the papers. There was a rumor yesterday that several of the companies of the Departmental Battalion were captured on Monday, but it was not confirmed by later accounts. Our battery of 49 guns was unmasked, and opened on the enemy, who had been firing [...]
JUNE 7th.—Rained in the night, clear and cool in the morning. Gen. Breckinridge’s division started toward the Valley early this morning. All is quiet near the city, but firing has been heard in the direction of Bottom’s Bridge. A man from New Kent County, coming through the lines, reports that Gen. Grant was quite drunk [...]
JUNE 6th.—Clear and hot, but with a fine breeze–southwest. All is quiet around the city. Saturday night the enemy again penetrated Gen. Breckinridge’s line, and again were repulsed by the Floridians. Some of his regiments (as Mr. Mallory, Secretary of the Navy, who stopped in front of my house yesterday, told me) did not behave [...]
JUNE 5th.—Raining. The sudden booming of artillery, shelling our department boys, intrenching at Bottom’s Bridge, was heard until bedtime. I have heard no results of yesterday’s operations. All is quiet to-day, up to 9 A.M. Received a letter from Custis. I have not heard whether he received the food and blanket sent him yesterday; the [...]
JUNE 4th—Showers and sunshine. It is believed Grant has lost 40,000 within the last week! To-day there has been more or less cannonading along the line; but it is not known if any infantry were engaged. The battalion to which Custis (my son) belongs is at Bottom’s Bridge, some sixteen miles distant on the Chickahominy; [...]
JUNE 3d.—Raining gently, and cool. As early as 4 A.M. there was an incessant roar of artillery, the vibrations of which could be felt in the houses. It could be heard distinctly in all parts of the city. And ever and anon could be distinguished great crashes of musketry, as if whole divisions of infantry [...]
JUNE 2d.—Very warm and cloudy. There was no general engagement yesterday, but heavy skirmishing, and several assaults at different points; and a dispatch from Gen. Lee says they resulted favorably to our arms. A dispatch from Gen. Johnston says his men are in good plight, after combats enough to make a battle, in all of [...]
JUNE 1st.—Bright and warm. At 7 ½ A.M. cannon and musketry heard northeast of the city, which either ceased or receded out of hearing at 12 M.; or else the hum of the city drowned the sounds of battle. Up to 3 P.M. we have no particulars. Beauregard is on the right of our line; [...]
MAY 31st.—Clear, with hot sun. Last evening there was some fighting on Lee’s right, and 125 prisoners were sent in. This morning cannon and musketry could be distinctly heard east of my dwelling; but at 3 P.M. I have not been able to learn the extent of it or the result. But the GREAT BATTLE [...]
MAY 30th.—Fair and cool; hot at noon. It is rumored that Mr. Memminger will resign. If he does, it will cause much rejoicing. Mr. Foote censured him severely in Congress; and moved a resolution of censure, which was not laid on the table—though moved, and voted on—but postponed. Gen. Lee has been a little ill [...]
MAY 29th.—Bright and quite cold. There was skirmishing yesterday evening on the Chickahominy. The armies are confronting each other, but Grant is moving gradually to the right of us, as if with an intention to reach the James River; but probably it is with the view of enveloping us with his superior numbers, and the [...]
MAY 28th.—Showers and sunshine. Grant has crossed the Pamunky, and Lee is at the Yellow Tavern—not more than six miles from the city. The hostile armies are only a few miles apart, and the GREAT BATTLE may occur at any time, at any hour; and we shall hear both the artillery and musketry from my [...]
MAY 27th.—Clouds and sunshine; cooler. Nothing additional from the West. Several thousand Georgia mounted troops have arrived during the last 24 hours, in readiness to march to Lee. One Georgia regiment has 1200, and a South Carolina regiment that went up this morning 1000 men. Lee’s army is at Ashland—17 miles distant. The enemy are [...]
MAY 26th.—Sunshine and showers. Senator Henry’s letter was referred to Gen. Bragg, who returned it to-day with the indorsement that the suggested movement had not escaped attention, and a good result might soon be looked for. And sure enough, a dispatch was received from Atlanta to-day, announcing the capture of some 250 of the enemy’s [...]
MAY 25th.—Sunshine and showers. Custis is back again, the battalion of clerks being relieved, after three weeks’ service in the field. Yesterday there was skirmishing between the armies, near Hanover Junction—25 miles distant from the city. Nothing of importance from the south side. But our ironclads are certainly going down the river—they say. To-day it [...]
MAY 24th.—Clear and warm. No fighting yesterday besides small collisions near Hanover Junction. It is said to-day that Grant threatens the Central Railroad, on Lee’s left. This is regarded as a serious matter. We want men. An armed guard is now a fixture before the President’s house. Peas were in market on the 18th inst.; [...]
MAY 23d.—Fair and warm, with pleasant breezes. Gen. Johnston, without a defeat, has fallen back to Calhoun, Ga. Gen. Lee, without a defeat, has fallen back to Hanover Junction, his headquarters at Ashland. Grant is said to be worming his way eastward to the Peninsula, the field occupied by McClellan in 1862. Why, he might [...]
MAY 22d.—Clear and warm, but the atmosphere is charged with the smoke and dust of contending armies. The sun shines but dimly. Custis was with us last night, and returned to camp at 5 A.M. to-day. He gets from government only a small loaf of corn bread and a herring a day. We send him [...]