Sunday, December 18th.–Raining. The old dull sound of bombs down the river. Nothing further from Savannah. It is now believed that the raiders in Western Virginia did not attack Saltville, and that the works are safe. For two days the speculators have been buying salt, and have put up the price to $1.50 per pound. [...]
December 17th.–Warm and cloudy. Quiet below. The President was reported better, yesterday, to my wife, who called. It is said Gen. Cooper, R. Ould, etc. etc. have never taken their compensation in Confederate States Treasury notes, hoping at a future day (which may not come) to draw specie or its equivalent! It was reported on [...]
December 16th.–Clear and pleasant; subsequently cloudy and chilly. All quiet below, save the occasional booming of our guns from the iron-clads. The capture of Fort McAlister, Savannah, has caused a painful sensation. It is believed we have as many men on the Georgia coast as the enemy; but they are not the men of property–men [...]
December 15th.–Cloudy and cool. A dispatch from the West states that the enemy have made a heavy raid from Bean’s Station, Ky., cutting the railroad between Abingdon and Bristol, destroying government stores, engines, etc. Breckinridge and Vaughan, I suppose, have been ordered away. Dr. Morris, Telegraph Superintendent, wants to know of the Secretary if this [...]
Before Savannah, December 15, 1864. First mail goes in 15 minutes. Our 2d Division charged and took Fort McAlister, at sunset, the 13th—19 guns and 300 prisoners; lost 92 men killed and wounded. We will have Savannah, sure.
December 14th.–Cloudy, and thawing rapidly. All quiet below. The bill to employ 40,000 negroes, as recommended by the President, for army purposes, though not avowedly to fight, has passed one House of Congress. So the President is master yet. There ought to be 100,000 now in the field. An effort will be made by the [...]
December 14th.–And now the young ones are in bed and I am wide awake. It is an odd thing; in all my life how many persons have I seen in love? Not a half-dozen. And I am a tolerably close observer, a faithful watcher have I been from my youth upward of men and manners. [...]
December 13th.–Cloudy and cold, but wind southeast. The sullen sound of cannon heard this morning as usual down the river. I hear of no active operations there, although the ground is sufficiently frozen to bear horses and artillery. Rumors of successes on the part of Sherman near Savannah are still in circulation. The rich men [...]
December 12th.–Clear and cold. Ice half an inch thick. Gen. Longstreet is again in the old lines on this side of the river. The reconnoissance, however, is said to have been successful. Only a few were killed and wounded on either side. And Grant’s column was turned back from Meherrin bridge. Results of the movement [...]
December 12th. Report comes this morning that guerillas crossed Sheridan’s railroad last night and captured a train on the Baltimore & Ohio Railroad, near Duffield Station. They passed near our picket posts. Did not molest us, as we did not see or hear anything of them. Trains with passengers, mail, and supplies pass over this [...]
December 11th, Sunday.–Cloudy and melting–snow vanishing rapidly. The thousand and one rumors of great achievements of Gen. Longstreet on the north side of the river seem to have been premature. Nothing official of any advantage gained over the enemy near the city has been received so far as I can learn. Gen. Lee, no doubt, [...]
Before Savannah, December 11, 1864, 8 a.m. Corse’s Division is just on our right. He woke me up this morning by firing a volley of eight 12-pounders, in real old Atlanta fashion. He was answered by three Rebel guns planted on the defenses of Savannah, across a field and swamp from us. We are in [...]
December 10th.–Snowed two inches last night. Cloudy and damp this morning. Guns were heard down the river last night at a late hour. Perhaps it was nothing more than shelling the enemy’s canal. We have nothing yet authentic from Georgia; but many rumors of much fighting. It is said Gen. Hampton has got in front [...]
December 10th. All things have remained quiet as we go through our regular routine of duty from day to day. We get newspapers quite regular from home, furnished by good people, for all of which we are very thankful.
Before Savannah, December 10, 1864. Crossed the Ogeechee near the mouth of the Canoochie, then a canal, and then up the tow path toward the city. All the other divisions of our corps are ahead of us. An awful country to get through, all lakes and swamps. We are now five miles from Savannah. Have [...]
December 9th.–Cold and cloudy; surface of the ground frozen. Cannon heard below. More of Gen. Early’s corps arriving. The papers contradict the report that Howlett’s Battery has been taken. The opinion prevails that a battle will occur to-day. It appears that but few of the enemy’s forces were engaged in the demonstration on the south [...]
Same place, December 9, 1864. The division lay in camp all day. Our regiment marched 12 miles on a reconnoisance, toward the Canoochie river, southwest.. Found nothing, but some good foraging. Cannonading at four or five different points, on our left and front. Citizens say the most distant is at Charleston, Savannah and Fort McAlister. [...]
December 8th.–Rained hard in the night; clear and pleasant in the morning. A letter from John T. Bourne, St. Georges, Bermuda, says he has some 1800 barrels government gunpowder under his care, of which be desires to be relieved. Gen. Lee sent to the Secretary the following dispatch this morning: “2d and 5th corps, Gregg’s [...]
Five miles from James’ Point, Canoochie River, December 8, 1864. Another “Shermanism.” Our 3d and 4th Divisions crossed the Ogeechee river yesterday at Eden. We all supposed that we would follow, this morning, but here we are after 18 miles hard marching. The 2d Division is ahead of us and part of it at the [...]
December 7th.–Raining, and warm. It is said several hundred of the prisoners taken by Rosser in the Valley escaped, on the way to Richmond. A relaxation of vigilance always follows success. How long can this war last? Hon. Mr. Staples procured four and two months’ details yesterday for two rich farmers, Messrs. McGehee and Heard, [...]
Wright’s Bridge, Ogeechee River, December 7, 1864. We have not moved to-day. Sergt. N. Breed, of my company, who was shot through the right lung in the battle of November 22d, died to-day. He has been hauled in an ambulance ever since and improved all the time until the last two days. We were all [...]
December 6th.–Bright and beautiful. Indian summer apparently. All quiet below–but it is anticipated by some that a battle will occur to day, or in a day or so. The enemy’s negro troops have been brought to this side of the river, and are in full view on picket duty. The Signal Bureau reports a large [...]
Eden Ferry, Ogeechee river, December 6, 1864. We lay in camp until 1 p.m. when we suddenly pulled out and made this point, and had works up by dark. There was a good wagon bridge over the river at this point, which the Rebels partially destroyed. But a portion of our 3d Brigade, which had [...]
December 5th.–Bright and beautiful. Anne Samuels and many other ladies, Harrisonburg, Virginia, have petitioned the government for authority to organize themselves into a regiment for local defense. Great excitement was produced in the House of Representatives (Congress) this morning by the entrance of a lady who proceeded vigorously to cowhide the Hon. Mr. V–– , [...]
December 5th. Orders to keep a sharp lookout for guerillas and raiding parties. The Blue Ridge Mountains and hills are in plain view, and the valley for miles. Chaplain Wm. C. Walker returned after a long illness. We were all pleased to welcome the good Chaplain. We believe Sheridan’s notice will be a good thing, [...]