SEPTEMBER 16th.—Mr. Benjamin’s hitherto perennial smile faded almost away as he realized the fact that he was now the most important member of the cabinet. He well knew how arduous the duties were; but then he was robust in health, and capable of any amount of labor. It seems, after all, that Mr. Benjamin is [...]
Norfolk, September 16, 1861. We are still here at Norfolk and now in camp for we don’t know how long. We got tents the day after the date of my last, and splendid ones they are. They are full 10 feet high and 15 feet across. They each accommodate about 15 men. Since we have [...]
September 16, 1861 Union reinforcements sent to Lexington were captured en route by the Confederates who knew their movements beforehand. Committee of Naval Constructors recommends three plans for building ironclads, Galena, Ironsides, and Monitor A Chronological History of the Civil War in America1 Ship Island evacuated by the C. S. forces and occupied by Union [...]
SEPTEMBER 15th.—And, just as I expected, Mr. Benjamin is to be Mr. Walker’s successor. Col. Bledsoe is back again; and it devolved on me to inform Major Tyler that the old chief of the bureau was now the new chief. Of course he resigned the seals of office with the grace and courtesy of which [...]
September 15, 1861 Confederate forces continued their efforts to capture Lexington. 3,600 Union defenders faced 18,000 Confederate troops. Colonel Mulligan, the Union commander of Lexington, waited for reinforcements unaware that all his messages to General Frémont were being read by the Confederates. A Chronological History of the Civil War in America1 Skirmish near Darnestown, Va.; [...]
SEPTEMBER 14th.—Some of Mr. Walker’s clerks must know that he intends giving up the seals of office soon, for they are engaged day and night, and all night, copying the entire letter-book, which is itself but a copy of the letters I and others have written, with Mr. Walker’s name appended to them. Long may [...]
London, September 14, 1861 Your last letter containing principally suggestions on the cotton matter, reached me this week. Also a bundle of newspapers. At present I am busy in another direction, so that I can’t yet take up the subject you recommend, but when my immediate bubbles have burst, or have expanded brilliantly, I mean [...]
September 14, 1861 A Chronological History of the Civil War in America1 Skirmish near Shepherdstown, Va. A Chronological History of the Civil War in America by Richard Swainson Fisher, New York, Johnson and Ward, 1863
SEPTEMBER 13th.—The Secretary, after writing and tendering his resignation, appointed my young friend Jaques a special clerk with $2000 salary. This was allowed by a recent act.
September 13, 1861 The siege of Lexington, also known as the Battle of First Lexington, was a minor conflict of the American Civil War. The siege took place from September 13 to 20, 1861 between the Union Army and the pro-Confederate Missouri State Guard in Lexington, county seat of Lafayette County, Missouri. The victory won [...]
SEPTEMBER 12th.—Gen. Pillow has advanced, and occupied Columbus, Ky. He was ordered, by telegraph, to abandon the town and return to his former position. Then the order was countermanded, and he remains. The authorities have learned that the enemy occupies Paducah.
Camp Norfolk, September 12, 1861. Agreeable to our very short notice we packed our knapsacks, put three days rations in our haversacks, were carried across the river to Bird’s Point in two boats (our whole regiment), and just at dark started out through the woods. ‘Twas a confounded, dark, dirty, narrow road, and I was [...]
September 12, 1861 Siege of Lexington, Missouri begins September 12 to 15—Battle of Cheat Mountain, Virginia (now West Virginia) Lee, with 30,000 men under his command, expected to fight a force led by the Unionist General Rosecrans at Meadow Bridge, western Virginia. However, at the last moment Rosecans changed his direction of movement and engaged [...]
SEPTEMBER 11th.—The colonel enjoys a joke. He whispered me today, as he beheld Major Tyler doing the honors of his office, that I might just hint at the possibility of his resumption soon of the functions of chief of the bureau. But he said he wanted a few days holiday.
September 11, 1861 Lincoln ordered Frémont to withdraw his order regarding property and slave confiscation in Missouri for anyone who voiced their support for the Confederacy. Lincoln ordered Frémont to come into line with the Confiscation Act passed by Congress. To emphasize his order, Lincoln sent Judge Joseph Holt to St. Louis to push Frémont [...]
SEPTEMBER 10th.—Col. Bledsoe is back again! He says the President refuses to accept his resignation; and tells me in confidence, not to be revealed for a few days, that Mr. Walker has tendered his resignation, and that it will be accepted.
September 10, 1861 Battle of Carnifax Ferry, (W)VA, General William Rosecrans [US] defeats General John Floyd [CS] The Confederacy appointed General Albert Sidney Johnston as commander of the Confederate Armies of the West. George Thomas ordered to relieve Bull Nelson at Camp Dick Robinson. General Nelson is ordered to Eastern Kentucky. A Chronological History of [...]
SEPTEMBER 9th.—Matters in statu quo, and Major Tyler still acting chief of the bureau.
CAMDEN, S. C, September 9, 1861.–Home again at Mulberry, the fever in full possession of me. My sister, Kate, is my ideal woman, the most agreeable person I know in the world, with her soft, low, and sweet voice, her graceful, gracious ways, and her glorious gray eyes, that I looked into so often as [...]
Cairo, September 9, 1861 The refreshments and dry goods from home arrived Saturday. We were at Paducah then and they were taken care of by two or three of the lame and halt, that were not in traveling order and were left behind. We returned this morning and after acknowledging the excellence, profusion, variety, gorgeousness, [...]
September 9, 1861 Lincoln was advised by numerous senior military figures to relieve General Frémont of his command in Missouri. Lincoln did not take this advice but appointed General David Hunter to assist Frémont. Nurse Sally Tompkins is officially commissioned as an officer (and its only woman officer) by the Confederate US Army. Her “Robertson [...]
SEPTEMBER 8th.—Major Tyler has been appointed acting Chief of the Bureau of War.
SEPTEMBER 7th.—The Jews are at work. Having no nationality, all wars are harvests for them. It has been so from the day of their dispersion. Now they are scouring the country in all directions, buying all the goods they can find in the distant cities, and even from the country stores. These they will keep, [...]
London, September 7, 1861 Yours in answer to mine written after the Bull’s Run arrived last night and I answer it at once. Whatever weight your arguments might have had on me in ordinary times, just now they are entirely superseded by the new turn things have taken since that letter was written. I could [...]
London, September 7, 1861 The feeling here which at one time was leaning our way has been very much changed by the disaster at Bull’s run, and by the steady operation of the press against us. Great Britain always looks to her own interest as a paramount law of her action in foreign affairs. She [...]