Camp near Gordonsville, July 23, 1862. I reached here on yesterday, and now hold the place which I had when I left–volunteer aide to Gen. Jackson. The position is very agreeable, and the only objection to it is that I draw no pay and pay my own expenses. I feel quite at home, and am [...]
This morning there was a most painful scene.1 Annie’s father came into Vicksburg, ten miles from here, and learned of our arrival from Mrs. C.’s messenger. He sent out a carriage to bring Annie and Max to town that they might go home with him, and with it came a letter for me from friends [...]
JULY 22d.—Today Gen. Winder came into my office in a passion with a passport in his hand which I had given, a week before, to Mr. Collier, of Petersburg, on the order of the Assistant Secretary of War–threatening me with vengeance and the terrors of Castle Godwin, his Bastile! if I granted any more passports [...]
July 22d, Tuesday. Another such day, and there is the end of me! Charlie decided to send Lilly and the children into the country early to-morrow morning, and get them safely out of this doomed town. Mother, Miriam, and I were to remain here alone. Take the children away, and I can stand whatever is [...]
Tuesday, 22d–We removed our tents and had a general cleanup of the camp. We made brush brooms, took down all tents, swept the ground, then pitched our tents again.
We lay here two or three days taking in coal, &c., and it was finally arranged that the iron-clad Essex should run down by the batteries, with a prospect of destroying the ram, and of relieving the wooden ships which had already been ordered down the river. Accordingly, on the morning of the 22d we [...]
22nd. Read in “Guy Mannering.” Issued rations for eleven days. Horses got away. Looked all over the country until the next day at 4 P. M., when we marched.
July 17th—Find Lieut. Grier at Dunlop and Moncure Hospital, badly wounded. Glad to see the good man. Ride to camp and spend night on ground. July 18th—Ride to Pa’s. Wife and I visit Lieut. Shaw and find him dying. One of the noblest men I ever knew. We visit Lieut. Grier. July 19th—Walk to Camp [...]
22nd.–I have received letters from my family to-day. One of them says, “We are not feeling well this morning.” “Who is not, and what is the matter? It is a dreadful thought that we must be thus separated from family without the slightest prospect of being able to see them when we know they are [...]
Somewhere about July 14, ’62, Charley and G. must have gone home from Harrison’s Landing, probably in a returning hospital ship. The record is lacking–Sarah Woolsey’s letter of July 22 being the first mention of it. She had been serving all this time at the New Haven Hospital. Sarah Chauncey Woolsey to Georgeanna Woolsey. New [...]
21st.—Mr. _____ sick, but better to-day. This is the anniversary of the glorious battle of Manassas. Since that time we have had many reverses, but our victories, of late, have atoned for all, except the loss of life. We have had another naval fight on the Mississippi, just north of Vicksburg. Our large gun-boat, Arkansas, [...]
JULY 21st.—A Marylander, a lieutenant employed by Gen. Winder to guard the prisoners (the generals and other high Yankee officers), came to me to-day, with a friend who had just arrived from Baltimore, and demanded passports to visit Drewry’s Bluff, for the purpose of inspecting the defenses. I refused, fearing he might (I did not [...]
July 21st. It is impossible to discover the true story of last night’s alarm. Some say it was a gang of negroes who attacked the pickets in revenge for having been turned out of the Garrison; others say it was a number of our soldiers who fired from the bushes; and the most amusing story [...]
Monday, 21st–It is very warm and dusty today. There are some fine orchards around Corinth and the apples and peaches are beginning to ripen now. Fresh fruit will help out our rations and add freshness and variety.
21st. Rested and wrote some.
July 21st.–Jackson has gone into the enemy’s country. Joe Johnston and Wade Hampton are to follow. Think of Rice, Mr. Senator Rice, ¹ who sent us the buffalo-robes. I see from his place in the Senate that he speaks of us as savages, who put powder and whisky into soldiers’ canteens to make them mad [...]
The whole staff of the Wilson Small seems now to have scattered and “fallen back” on Washington. The letter of July 21 is from Miss Katherine P. Wormeley. She and Mrs. William P. Griffin had been delightful friends to us. We were the four “staff” women on the Wilson Small through the whole Peninsular campaign. [...]
JULY 20th.—I am back again, signing passports to the army. But yesterday, during the interregnum, the Beaverdam Depot was burnt by the enemy, information of its defenseless condition having been given by a Jew peddler, who obtained no passport from me.
July 20th, Sunday. Last night the town was in a dreadful state of excitement. Before sunset a regiment, that had been camped out of town, came in, and pitched their tents around the new theatre, in front of our church. All was commotion and bustle; and as the pickets had been drawn in, and the [...]
Sunday, 20th–No news of importance. The weather is very hot. We had company inspection this morning, after which, because of the intense heat, the men remained in their tents. None were out during the day except those detailed on duty.
20th. Reveille at 2 A. M. Marched at 4 A. M. Left Co. “A” to keep up communications. Encamped after 12 miles march. Major Burnett left with an escort for Leavenworth with orders and papers about Wier’s arrest.
Sunday, July 20, 1862.—A little way down the Yazoo on Friday we ran into McNutt’s Lake, thence into Chickasaw Bayou, and at dark landed at Mrs. C.’s farm, the nearest neighbors of H.’s uncle. The house was full of Confederate sick, friends from Vicksburg, and while we ate supper all present poured out the story [...]
JULY 19th.—This morning early, while congratulating myself on the evidence of some firmness and independence in the new Secretary, I received the following note: “RICHMOND, July 19th, 1862. “Mr. J. B. JONES. “SIR:—I have just been directed by the Secretary of War that he has turned over the whole business of passports to Gen. Winder, [...]
Saturday, 19th–Everything is very quiet. With the exception of a few cases, the health of the men in camp is generally good. But the men are becoming restless. All would rather be in active service, for this camp service will never bring the war to a close.
19th. Kept up after eleven and packed up. The circumstances of the trouble with Wier are these: On account of drunkenness and his seeming determination to starve us out, Col. S., all the officers in his brigade and most of the others approving, concluded to arrest him; sent the adjutant with a detail of 100 [...]