April 27th. What a day! Last night came a dispatch that New Orleans was under British protection, and could not be bombarded; consequently, the enemy’s gunboats would probably be here this morning, such few as had succeeded in passing the Forts; from nine to fifteen, it was said. And the Forts, they said, had not [...]

27th. At 7 A. M. marched to Carthage leaving Co. “G” to guard cattle. Arrested some men in town. Our boys occupied Court House. We (of the staff) set up in a boot and shoe store and boarded at Mr. Hueston’s a little out of town–pleasant people. Issued rations to the boys.

April 27th.–New Orleans gone¹ and with it the Confederacy. That Mississippi ruins us if lost. The Confederacy has been done to death by the politicians. What wonder we are lost. The soldiers have done their duty. All honor to the army. Statesmen as busy as bees about their own places, or their personal honor, too [...]

Harriet Roosevelt Woolsey to Georgeanna. Ebbitt House, April 27. Everybody was delighted with what you left in Washington for the hospitals. Some of the jellies and wine (I found a whole box of it left without orders), and some shoes, I took over to Georgetown to Mrs. Russell, who was just out of all. Mother [...]

27th.–We hear very heavy firing to-day, in the direction of Yorktown, but at night, have not learned the purport of it; though there is a rumor that several of our gun boats arrived there this morning, and that the enemy’s batteries opened on them. Our whole Division is ordered out at 6 A. M. tomorrow. [...]

APRIL 26th.—Gen. Lee is doing good service in bringing forward reinforcements from the South against the day of trial—and an awful day awaits us. It is understood that he made fully known to the President his appreciation of the desperate condition of affairs, and demanded carté blanche as a condition of his acceptance of the [...]

Saturday, 26th–Our regiment is now brigaded with Iowa soldiers, the brigade being completed today. Our brigade is composed of the Eleventh, Thirteenth, Fifteenth and Sixteenth Iowa Infantries, with Colonel Crocker in command.[1] We were inspected today by the general inspector of the army, and had all our accouterments on. [1] The brigade dating from April [...]

April 26th. The Mayor of the city has surrendered it to Flag-officer Farragut, and a battalion of marines, under Capt. J. L. Broome, went ashore to raise the Stars and Stripes, but were opposed by the citizens and returned to the ship. In the afternoon we went up to Carrollton and captured sixty or eighty [...]

April 26th, 1862. There is no word in the English language that can express the state in which we are, and have been, these last three days. Day before yesterday, news came early in the morning of three of the enemy’s boats passing the Forts, and then the excitement began. It increased rapidly on hearing [...]

26th. Sunday. In the morning separated and went by companies. Nettleton and staff went with Co. “G” to “Turkey Creek,” stopped at nearly every house. Took what arms, horses and cattle we could find. The guides deceived several families making them think we were secesh to capture Carthage. All people here are rebels, loud in [...]

April 26th.–Doleful dumps, alarm-bells ringing. Telegrams say the mortar fleet has passed the forts at New Orleans. Down into the very depths of despair are we.

Eliza to Joe Howland. Washington, April 26. Mr. Knapp, of the Sanitary Commission, has just been over and offers to take a note for me when he goes to Yorktown to morrow. We like him so much, and shall be in communication with him all summer if we succeed in going down, and we are [...]

Abby Howland Woolsey to Mother. New York, April 26th. My Dear Mother: We are all bright and well this fine morning. Jane and Charley have gone to the Philharmonic rehearsal and Carry is practicing some of her old music on the piano, in a way to make you, who love to hear it, happy. Mr. [...]

26th.–News reaches us to-night of a pretty severe skirmish two or three miles off, in which it is said about fifty of the enemy were killed. I have very little confidence in these “it is saids.” We lost four men killed. I went to Ship Point to-day, and made the acquaintance of Doctor McClellan, (brother [...]

APRIL 25th.—Gen. Wise, through the influence of Gen. Lee, who is a Christian gentleman as well as a consummate general, has been ordered into the field. He will have a brigade, but not with Beauregard. The President has unbounded confidence in Lee’s capacity, modest as he is. Another change! Provost Marshal Godwin, for rebuking the [...]

Friday, 25th–We struck our tents early this morning and marched about three miles to the southwest, and went into camp again, camp No. 2. We were brigaded over again. It rained all day.

25th. Started south for Diamond Grove. Detachments kept leaving when we approached the grove, so as to surround and enter it from different directions. Nettleton and we of the noncommissioned staff took one course and scouted through the woods. None found any rebels. Went to the farm of a Mr. Holsell, a notorious rebel. Boys [...]

Growing Tired. April 25. We have now been several weeks in the city and the boys are beginning to tire of it. This every-day, humdrum life is getting irksome, and the boys are anxious for a change. Frequent changes and excitement are what keeps up the soldier’s spirits. In the dull routine and idleness of [...]

April 25th. Left our anchorage early and proceeded up the river, keeping constantly on the alert for a battery which had been reported in this vicinity. We found the batteries some five or six miles below New Orleans called the Chalmette batteries, and consisting of some ten to fifteen guns. They opened upon us before [...]

Jane Stuart Woolsey to Georgeanna. New York, April 25, ‘62. . . . I always have a little talk with Col. Betts coming out of church, he keeps out such a sharp eye. He predicted all that business of the sub-division of McClellan’s command and the Rappahannock department exactly as it fell out. He predicts [...]

25th.–Still men are occasionally shooting each other along the picket lines, but nothing of general importance.

APRIL 24th.—Webster has been tried, condemned, and hung. Is it not shameful that martial law should be playing such fantastic tricks before high heaven, when the enemy’s guns are booming within hearing of the capital? Note: this hanging actually occurred on April 29, 1862.

Thursday, 24th–No news of importance.

24th. In the morning early, Companies “A” and “G” came in with Major Burnett and staff. At noon fifty men from each of the four companies of Burnett’s battalion left camp, marched twenty miles. Our ride was through a rich country, over Gen. Siegel’s first battle field. Many pretty flowers. Passed a little deserted village. [...]