Camp Oliver. June 6. We are now in a neatly arranged camp on somewhat elevated ground at the west side of the city, and about a quarter of a mile to the rear of Fort Totten, a large field fortification mounting twenty heavy guns. A back street runs along the left flank, on which is [...]

June 6th.–Paul Hayne, the poet, has taken rooms here. My husband came and offered to buy me a pair of horses. He says I need more exercise in the open air. “Come, now, are you providing me with the means of a rapid retreat?” said I. “I am pretty badly equipped for marching.” Mrs. Rose [...]

6th.–Yesterday I resumed my duties in hospital actively. On examining the Steward’s Department, I found almost nothing to feed the starving five hundred men on my hands –absolutely nothing suitable to feed them on; that for days there had not been a cooking utensil belonging to the hospital, for these five hundred sick, larger than [...]

Georgeanna Woolsey to her mother. June 6, Wilson Small. We have on our boats nine “contraband” women from the Lee estate, real Virginia darkeys but excellent workers, who all “wish on their souls and bodies that the rebels could be put in a house together and burned up.” “Mary Susan,” the blackest of them, yielded [...]

JUNE 5th.—I reopened my office in the department.

Thursday, 5th–We received marching orders with one day’s rations. It is reported that General Buell will move with the Army of the Ohio into central Tennessee. It is clear and hot today.

June 5th. Last night I determined to stay. Miriam went after our trunks at daylight. A few hours after, Lilly wrote we must go back. McClellan’s army was cut to pieces and driven back to Maryland, by Jackson; the Federals were being driven into the swamp from Richmond, too. Beauregard is undoubtedly coming to attack [...]

June 5th. Learned and ordered the number of pounds of beef needed, also issued it. Issued rations for the five days’ expedition under Doubleday. Took us till “taps.” Orders came from Col. Wier, Tenth Kansas, to delay further movements. The Colonel (Doubleday) resolves to resign immediately, so enraged at the intrigue and rascality of Kansas [...]

June 5th.–Beauregard retreating and his rear-guard cut off. If Beauregard’s veterans will not stand, why should we expect our newly levied reserves to do it? The Yankee general who is besieging Savannah announces his orders are “to take Savannah in two weeks’ time, and then proceed to erase Charleston from the face of the earth.” [...]

5th.–This day Franklin’s Corps crossed from the left to the right bank of the Chickahominy, and encamped near Goldon’s farm. I was again ordered to the charge of Liberty Hall, Surgeon Jayne and most of my assistants withdrawn. This is as I expected. Our wing of the army has crossed, no doubt in anticipation of [...]

Eliza Woolsey Howland to her husband, Colonel Joseph Howland:– I enclose some comments about Casey’s division, and we all agree here that justice was not done to the men. It is surely hard enough to lose as terribly as they did without being reproached for cowardice. Abby says in a late letter– “Anna Jeffries came [...]

June 4, 1862. No. 10. We’ve been living out here a week without any tents until to-night, and General Pope is ripping and swearing because we dared to move them up here without orders. He says we shall not move a thing back. The colonel I am with is a regular army officer and he [...]

JUNE 4th.—Col. Bledsoe sent word to me to-day by my son that he wished to see me. When I met him he groaned as usual, and said the department would have to open another passport office, as the major-generals in the field refused to permit the relatives of the sick and wounded in the camps [...]

Wednesday, 4th–Nothing of importance. Some of the troops are returning to Pittsburg Landing, a part of them to go down the Tennessee river and then up the Cumberland to reinforce the army in eastern Tennessee, and the others are to join the forces going down the Mississippi.

June 4th. Miriam and Mattie drove in, in the little buggy, last evening after sunset, to find out what we were to do. Our condition is desperate. Beauregard is about attacking these Federals. They say he is coming from Corinth, and the fight will be in town. If true, we are lost again. Starvation at [...]

4th. Wednesday. Reveille at 3:30 A. M. Breakfast and under way at 6 A. M. After riding ten miles, troops rested. Lieutenant Lisering of Doubleday’s staff met us with the news that Col. Salomon had been made brigadier and Col. Weir of the Tenth Kansas had the command of the expedition. All seemed astonished. Lt. [...]

June 4th.–Battles occur near Richmond, with bombardment of Charleston. Beauregard is said to be fighting his way out or in. Mrs. Gibson is here, at Doctor Gibbes’s. Tears are always in her eyes. Her eldest son is Willie Preston’s lieutenant. They are down on the coast. She owns that she has no hope at all. [...]

2d, 3d, 4th.–Taking my ease and riding about the camps, not having received any further orders as to duty. The army remains in “statu quo,” the large hospital, or rather its patients, in suffering state, though Surgeon Jayne seems to be using every effort to improve the condition of things.

Some of the hurried notes in the small blank books we carried about with us (G’s tied to her belt) are characteristic, and somewhat mixed at the distance of 36 years. “78 pillow-cases, and 4 mattresses. Whiskey for 10, brandy for 4. W. T., 49th Ga., Co. D. C.G., both legs; handkerchiefs, arrowroot, bay-rum. V. [...]

JUNE 3d.—Gen. Lee henceforth assumes command of the army in person. This may be hailed as the harbinger of bright fortune.

Tuesday, 3d–The weather is very hot. We have no picket duty now, but get plenty of exercise by regular drills, having company drill twice a day. We also get exercise in keeping the camp clean; have to sweep it every morning.

Baton Rouge, June 3d. Well! Day before yesterday, I almost vowed I would not return, and last evening I reached here. Verily, consistency, thou art a jewel! I determined to get to town to lay both sides of the question before mother; saving home and property, by remaining, thereby cutting ourselves off forever from the [...]

3rd. Arose at 4 A. M. First Battalion off at 5 to join Doubleday, 35 miles. Loaded provisions from citizens to mule teams. Infantry, as usual got the start, artillery next. Had a pleasant march. Long time crossing the Lightning Creek. Narrow roads for the wagons through the woods. Grazed often. Encamped with Ninth Wisconsin [...]

June 3d.–Doctor John Cheves is making infernal machines in Charleston to blow the Yankees up; pretty name they have, those machines. My horses, the overseer says, are too poor to send over. There was corn enough on the place for two years, they said, in January; now, in June, they write that it will not [...]