CAMP NEAR MORTON’S FORD, VA., December 3rd, 1863. My Dear Mother: I know you are anxious to hear from me, so I thought I would write, if not but a few lines, to let you hear from me and to know that I was well and safe. We left this place to-day was one week [...]
DECEMBER 3d.—Meade recrossed the Rapidan last night! This is a greater relief to us than the enemy has any idea of. I hope the campaign is over for the winter. And we have authentic advices of a terrible check given the enemy at Ringgold, Ga.; their killed and wounded being estimated at 2000, which caused [...]
DECEMBER 2d.—No battle yet, though still hourly expected on the old field near the Rappahannock. And we have nothing definite from the West. The appointment of Beauregard to succeed Bragg is not officially announced; and the programme may be changed.
December 2d.–Bragg begs to be relieved of his command. The army will be relieved to get rid of him. He has a winning way of earning everybody’s detestation. Heavens, how they hate him! The rapid flight of his army terminated at Ringgold. Hardie declines even a temporary command of the Western army. Preston Johnston has [...]
DECEMBER 1st.—This morning the ground is frozen hard. There was no battle yesterday, only heavy skirmishing. Both armies were drawn up in line of battle, and the front lines slept on their arms. Some froze to death. This morning the enemy opened with artillery—but no battle ensued that we are aware of. At the last [...]
Monday, November 30th. Our distress about Gibbes has been somewhat relieved by good news from Jimmy. The jolliest sailor letter from him came this morning, dated only the 4th instant from Cherbourg, detailing his cruise on the Georgia from leaving England, to Bahia, Trinidad, Cape of Good Hope, to France again. Such a bright, dashing [...]
NOVEMBER 30th.—It is clear and cold. The boat in which my son and the battalion of clerks went down the river yesterday, sunk, from being overloaded, just as it got to the landing. It is said some of the boys had to wade ashore; but none were lost—thank God! This morning early, Lee and Meade [...]
November 30, 1863, The New York Herald Our latest news from the Army of the Potomac is up to Saturday morning. It was reported that General Kilpatrick’s cavalry had attempted to cross the river at Raccoon Ford on the day previous, under the fire of the rebel batteries, but were driven back. Severe skirmishing [...]
November 30th.–I must describe an adventure I had in Kingsville. Of course, I know nothing of children: in point of fact, am awfully afraid of them. Mrs. Edward Barnwell came with us from Camden. She had a magnificent boy two years old. Now don’t expect me to reduce that adjective, for this little creature is [...]
NOVEMBER 29th.—The clerks were marched out into the muddy street this morning in a cold rain, and stood there for hours, while the officers were making up their minds when to start for the boat to convey them to Drewry’s Bluff, whence they are to march to Chaffin’s Farm, provided the officers don’t change their [...]
NOVEMBER 28th.—It rained last night. To-day there is an expectation of a battle near Chancellorville, the battle-ground of June last. Meade is certainly advancing, and Pickett’s division, on the south side of the James River, at Chaffin’s Farm, is ordered to march toward Lee, guarding the railroad, and the local defense men are ordered out. [...]
Richmond, Va., November 28, 1863.–Our pleasant home sojourn was soon broken up. Johnny had to go back to Company A, and my husband was ordered by the President to make a second visit to Bragg’s Army.[1] So we came on here where the Prestons had taken apartments for me. Molly was with me. Adam Team, [...]
NOVEMBER 27th.—Dark and gloomy. At 10 o’clock Gov. Vance, of North Carolina, telegraphed the Secretary of War, asking if anything additional had been heard from Bragg. The Secretary straightened in his chair, and answered that he knew nothing but what was published in the papers. At 1 o’clock P.M. a dispatch was received from Bragg, [...]
November 26th. Yes! It is so, if his own handwriting is any proof. Mr. Appleton has just sent Brother a letter he had received from Gibbes, asking him to let Brother know he was a prisoner, and we have heard, through some one else, that he had been sent to Sandusky. Brother has applied to [...]
NOVEMBER 26th.—The weather is clear and bright again; but, oh, how dark and somber the faces of the croakers! The following dispatches have been received : [BATTLE AT LOOKOUTMOUNTAIN.] (OFFICIAL DISPATCH.) “MISSION RIDGE, Nov. 24th, 1863. “To GEN. S. COOPER. “We have had a prolonged struggle for LookoutMountain today, and sustained considerable loss in one [...]
NOVEMBER 25th.—We have an unintelligible dispatch from Gen. Bragg, saying he had, yesterday, a prolonged contest with the enemy for the possession of Lookout Mountain, during which one of his divisions suffered severely, and that the manœuvring of the hostile army was for position. This was the purport, and the language, as well as I [...]
November 25th. Thanksgiving Day. Weather fine. Our second one in the U. S. service. Some of the boys received boxes from home containing good things which they divided with others. Connecticut mince pies were all right. We had baked chicken prepared by a baker in town. Our Thanksgiving in camp passed very quiet and pleasant. [...]
NOVEMBER 24th.—The President is expected back today. A letter from Gen. Lee indicates that the Commissary-General has been suggesting that he (the general) should impress supplies for his army. This the general deprecates, and suggests that if supplies cannot be purchased, they should be impressed by the agents of the Commissary Department; and that the [...]
NOVEMBER 23d.—Nothing of moment from the armies, although great events are anticipated soon. On Saturday, Gen. Winder’s or Major Griswold’s head of the passport office, Lieut. Kirk, was arrested on the charge of selling passports at $100 per man to a Mr. Wolf and a Mr. Head, who transported passengers to the Potomac. W. and [...]
Sunday, November 22d. A report has just reached us that my poor dear Gibbes has been taken prisoner along with the rest of Hayes’s brigade.
NOVEMBER 22d.—We have nothing additional to-day, except another attempt to take Fort Sumter by assault, which was discovered before the crews of the boats landed, and of course it was defeated. Since then some shells have been thrown into the city of Charleston, doing little damage. This morning was bright and warm, the clouds having [...]
NOVEMBER 21st.—We have further reports from the West, confirming the success of Longstreet. It is said he has taken 2200 prisoners, and is probably at Knoxville. The President left the city this morning for Orange Court House, on a visit to Gen. Lee and the Army of Northern Virginia. We are a shabby-looking people now—gaunt, [...]
NOVEMBER 20th.—We have reports of some successes to-day. Gen. Hampton, it appears, surprised and captured several companies of the enemy’s cavalry, a day or two since, near Culpepper Court House. And Gen. Wheeler has captured several hundred of the enemy in East Tennessee, driving the rest into the fortifications of Knoxville. Gen. Longstreet, at last [...]
NOVEMBER 19th.—Miss Harriet H. Fort, of Baltimore, has arrived via Accomac and Northampton Counties, with a complete drawing of all the defenses of Baltimore. The Medical Purveyor’s Guards have petitioned the Secretary for higher pay. They get now $1500 per annum, and say the city watchmen get $2300. Gens. Banks and Taylor in the West [...]
NOVEMBER 18th.—We have no news whatever, except some damage reported at Charleston, done to two monitors yesterday. The bombardment has assumed no new phase. A letter from Gen. J. E. Johnston, Meridian, Miss., indicates that the Secretary has been writing him and saying that he was responsible for the outrages of the impressing agents in [...]