MAY 21st.—Sun all day, but a little hazy; perhaps a battle. There was quite a battle yesterday on the south side. The accounts in the morning’s paper fall short of the whole of our success. The enemy, it is said to-day, did not regain the works from which they were driven, but are now cooped [...]
MAY 20th.—Fog; then sunshine all day, but cool. Troops have been marching through the city all day from the south side. I presume others take their places arriving from the South. Barton’s brigade had but 700 out of 2000 that went into battle last Monday. Our wounded amount to 2000; perhaps the enemy’s loss was [...]
MAY 19th.—Sunshine and showers, the former predominating. Gen. Lee sends a dispatch saying the enemy’s attack yesterday was repulsed easily—our loss very light. It is said, however, that the enemy have Guinea’s Station, 12 miles this side of Fredericksburg. Gen. Beauregard intends shelling Butler in his fortifications to-morrow. From the West, in Georgia, and beyond [...]
MAY 18th.—Showers and sunshine, the first preponderating. Our killed and wounded in Beauregard’s battle amount to some 1500. The enemy lost 1000 prisoners, and perhaps 1500 killed and wounded. Railroad men report heavy firing this morning near Fredericksburg, and it is believed another battle is in progress. From the West we have a report, derived [...]
MAY 17th.—Sunshine and showers. The battle yesterday decided nothing, that I am aware of. We captured 1000 prisoners, stormed some of their intrenchments; losing altogether probably as many as the enemy. But we drove them back to Bermuda Hundred, behind their fortifications, and near their ships. Gen. Johnston was attacked at Dalton by 80,000 men [...]
MAY 16th.—Warm—sunshine and light showers. Memorable day—not yet decided at 2 P.M. Early this morning Gen. Beauregard attacked the enemy on the south side of the river, and by 9 A.M. he had sent over to the city Gen. Heckman and 840 prisoners, the entire 27th Massachusetts Regiment. Subsequently it is said 400 were sent [...]
MAY 15th.—Clouds, sunshine, and showers. The tremendous cannonading all day yesterday at Drewry’s Bluff was merely an artillery duel—brought on by the heavy skirmishing of pickets. The batteries filled the air with discordant sounds, and shook the earth with grating vibration. Perhaps 100 on each side were killed and wounded—”not worth the ammunition,” as a [...]
MAY 14th.—Warm, with alternate sunshine and showers. With the dawn recommenced the heavy boom of cannon down the river. It was rumored this morning that our right wing at Drewry’s Bluff had been flanked, but no official information has been received of the progress of the fight. I saw a long line of ambulances going [...]
MAY 13th.—Cloudy and showery all day. Last night my youngest son Thomas came in, furloughed (unsolicited) by his officers, who perceived his exhaustion. The enemy disappeared in the night. We suffered most in the several engagements with him near the city. I suppose some sympathizer had furnished him with a copy of our photograph map [...]
MAY 12th.—Thunder, lightning, and rain all day. The report of Gen. Lee’s victory was premature, and Butler has not gone, nor the raiders vanished. On the contrary, the latter were engaged in battle with Stuart’s division late in the afternoon, and recommenced it this morning at 3 o’clock, the enemy remaining on the ground, and [...]
MAY 11th.—Bright and pleasant–breezy. This has been a day of excitement. At midnight the Departmental Battalion were marched from the south side of the river back to the city, and rested the remainder of the night at CampLee. But at 9 A.M. they were marched hurriedly to MeadowBridge. They came past our house. Custis and [...]
MAY 10th.—Bright, but windy and dusty. There is an excitement at last; but it is sullen rather than despairing. No one seems to doubt our final success, although the enemy have now some 200,000 in Virginia, and we but little over half that number. We have nothing from Lee to-day, but it is believed he [...]
MAY 19th.(sic)—Bright and sultry. A dispatch from Gen. Lee says the enemy is moving down toward Fredericksburg, and yesterday the advance of our army encountered his right wing at Spottsylvania Court House, and repulsed it “with great slaughter.” Strong language for Lee. A dispatch received this morning said the enemy was advancing on the railroad. [...]
MAY 8th.—Bright and hot. The tocsin sounded again this morning. I learned upon inquiry that it was merely for the militia again (they were dismissed yesterday after being called together), perhaps to relieve the local battalions near the city. The Secretary of War received a dispatch to-day from Gen. Lee, stating that there was no [...]
MAY 7th.—Bright and warm. The following is Gen. Lee’s dispatch, received yesterday morning—the italics not his. “HEADQUARTERS ARMY NORTHERN VIRGINIA, “May 5th, 1864. —————“HON, SECRETARY OF WAR. —————“The enemy crossed the Rapidan at Ely’s and Germania fords. Two corps of this army moved to oppose him—Ewell by the old turnpike, and Hill by the plank-road. [...]
APRIL 6th.(sic)—Bright, warm, beautiful. We have a sensation to-day, but really no excitement. A dispatch from Gen. Lee (dated last night) says the enemy opened the battle yesterday, and the conflict continued until night put an end to the carnage. He says we have many prisoners, captured four guns, etc., losing two generals killed, one, [...]
MAY 5th.—We have many rumors to-day, and nothing authentic, except that some of the enemy’s transports are in the James River, and landing some troops, a puerile demonstration, perhaps. The number landed at West Point, it seems, was insignificant. It may be the armies of the United States are demoralized, and if so, if Grant [...]
MAY 4th.—Bright, beautiful, and warmer; but fire in the morning. The following dispatch from Gen. Lee was received by Gen. Bragg to-day and sent to the Secretary. “ORANGE C. H., May 4th, 1864. —————“Reports from our lookouts seem to indicate that the enemy is in motion. The present direction of his column is to our [...]
MAY 3d.—A cold, windy day, with sunshine and clouds. It is rumored that Grant’s army is in motion, and the great battle is eagerly looked for. The collision of mighty armies, upon the issue of which the fate of empire depends, is now imminent. The following dispatch was received to-day from Gen. Johnston: “DALTON, May [...]
MAY 2d.—A cool day, sunshine and showers. To-day Congress assembled, and the President’s message was delivered, although he buried his youngest son yesterday, who lost his life by an accidental fall from the porch on Saturday. We have abundance of good news to-day. First, the Florida has captured one, and destroyed another of the enemy’s [...]
MAY 1st.—Cloudy and showery, but warm, and fine for vegetation. My lettuce, cabbage, beans, etc. are growing finely. But the Yankee corn and lima beans, imported by Col. Gorgas, Chief of Ordnance, have rotted in the ground. No war news. Yesterday a paper was sent to the President by Gen. Pickett, recommending Gen. Roger A. [...]
APRIL 30th.—Federal papers now admit that Gen. Banks has been disastrously beaten in Louisiana. They also admit their calamity at Plymouth, N. C. Thus in Louisiana, Florida, West Tennessee, and North Carolina the enemy have sustained severe defeats: their losses amounting to some 20,000 men, 100 guns, half a dozen war steamers, etc. etc. Gen. [...]
APRIL 29th.—A letter from Major-Gen. Hoke, dated Plymouth, April 25th, and asking the appointment of Lieut.-Col. Dearing to a brigadiership, says his promotion is desired to lead a brigade in the expedition against Newbern. The President directs the Secretary to appoint him temporarily “for the expedition.” Soon we shall know the result. By flag of [...]
APRIL 28th.—After a slight shower last night, a cool, clear morning. The ominous silence or pause between the armies continues. Lieut.-Gen. Longstreet, it is said, is “hidden.” I suppose he is working his way around the enemy’s right flank. If so, we shall soon hear thunder. It is also supposed that Lee meditates an incursion [...]
APRIL 27th.—Another bright and beautiful day; and vegetation is springing with great rapidity. But nearly all my potatoes, corn, egg-plants, and tomatoes seem to have been killed by the frosts of March. I am replanting corn, lima beans, etc. The other vegetables are growing well. One of my fig-bushes was killed—that is, nearly all the [...]