July 19, 1862. I don’t know whether I have any business sending such a document as I enclose, but guess its no difference. Two spies came in to-night and report that there are not more than 15,000 or 20,000 of the enemy left at Tupelo and Saltillo. Bragg took a large force with him and [...]
Joseph Howland kept up constant communication with the 16th and his commanding generals, always in the hope of going back, in spite of all discouragements. Gen. Henry W. Slocum writes to him: Harrison’s Landing, July 19, ’62. My dear Colonel: Yours of the 16th has just come to hand. I am sincerely glad that you [...]
JULY 18th.—To-day several ladies applied in person to the Secretary of War for passports to Norfolk and Baltimore, and he sent me written orders to grant them. They next applied to Gen. Winder to go with the flag of truce, exhibiting their passports. He repudiated them, however, and sent the ladies back to me, saying [...]
Friday, 18th–The weather is very hot. Colonel Hare took the regiment out on the drill ground for battalion drill, but we remained out only a half hour, since four or five men were overcome with the heat and had to be taken back to their tents.
18th. Ordered to commence on half rations. Visited Capt. Nettleton. Sick since going to Fort Gibson, weak. At 11 P. M. orders came to march at 2 A. M. Second Battalion in advance. Colonel Wier under arrest and a prisoner, Colonel Salomon commanding.
18th.–I regret exceedingly to feel that there may be too much truth in the following extract of a letter received today: I would not libel my fellow officers, but I have no hesitation in declaring that, notwithstanding I have spent fifty years of a life of excitement in this little world, I have witnessed more [...]
Friday morning, July 18, 1862. (House of Col. K., on Yazoo River.)—After leaving the raft yesterday all went well till noon, when we came to a narrow place where an immense tree lay clear across the stream. It seemed the insurmountable obstacle at last. We sat despairing what to do, when a man appeared beside [...]
JULY 17th.—The people are too jubilant, I fear, over our recent successes near the city. A great many skulkers from the army are seen daily in the streets, and it is said there are 3000 men here subject to conscript duty, who have not been enrolled. The business of purchasing substitutes is prevailing alarmingly.
Thursday, 17th–It rained all last night and everybody is thankful, as it has become so dry and dusty. There are a few cases of sickness in our regiment, due to the extremely hot weather—a few cases of typhoid fever and some are suffering from chronic diarrhea.
17th. Played a little chess. Wrote to Aunt Luna. Slept on the prairie. All the horses of the regiment were out.
July 17th, Thursday. It is decided that I am to go to New Orleans next week. I hardly know which I dislike most, going or staying. I know I shall be dreadfully homesick; but – Remember – and keep quiet, Sarah, I beg of you. Everything points to an early attack here. Some say this [...]
Camp at Rienzi, July 17, 1862. I think there is more point and policy in that General Order 92 than in any one that has yet been issued in the West, or East either for that matter; but still I do not think it remarkable for perspicuity, and it is neither as strong nor as [...]
Thursday, July 17, 1862. (On a raft in Steele’s Bayou.)—Yesterday we went on nicely awhile and at afternoon came to a strange region of rafts, extending about three miles, on which persons were living. Many saluted us, saying they had run away from Vicksburg at the first attempt of the fleet to shell it. On [...]
Wednesday, 16th–Our regiment went out on picket. I went on camp guard.
16th. Wednesday. Boys returned from Fort Gibson, no enemy there. Enemy four miles below on the south side of the Arkansas, at Fort Davis. Expecting artillery. Boys rested.
JULY 16th.—Gen. Lee is hurrying up reinforcements from the South, old regiments and conscripts, and pays very little attention to McClellan on the Peninsula, knowing no further enterprises will be attempted by the enemy in that quarter for some time to come.
July 9th—Willie is doing well. McDugald about to die. Lieut. Shaw very low. Swift Galloway doing well. Visit D. H. Neal, Piper, and Horace Morrison. July 11th—Rain all the morning. Walkout through mud to camp, and find regiment returned after seven days in fighting and suffering. Glad to see Col. Parker once more. Return weary [...]
Wednesday, July 16, 1862. (Under a tree on the bank of Steele’s Bayou.)—Early this morning our boat was taken out of the Mississippi and put on Mr. Fetler’s ox-cart. After breakfast we followed on foot. The walk in the woods was so delightful that all were disappointed when a silvery gleam through the trees showed [...]
Mecklenburg County, July 15.—Mr. _____ and myself summoned here a short time ago to see our daughter, who was very ill. Found her better—she is still improving. Richmond is disenthralled—the only Yankees there are in the “Libby” and other prisons. McClellan and his “Grand Army,” on James River, near Westover, enjoying mosquitoes and bilious fevers. [...]
July 15th.—Gen. Pendleton has given McClellan a, scare, and might have hurt him if he had fired lower. He planted a number of batteries (concealed) on the south side of the river, just opposite the enemy’s camp. The river was filled with gun-boats and transports. At a signal, all the guns were fired, at short [...]
Tuesday, 15th–No news from Richmond.
July 15th. Has changed the affairs of the fleet materially. Before daylight a firing of cannon had been heard up the river, and a gunboat had been dispatched to reconnoitre. As time passed, the firing neared us, and soon cannon balls could be seen dropping into the river below a-bend which hid objects from our [...]
15th. Stayed in camp and read “Guy Mannering,” good story. Pastured my horse and Brownell’s.
Tuesday, July 15, 1862.—Sunday night about ten we reached the place where, according to our map, Steele’s Bayou comes nearest to the Mississippi, and where the landing should be, but when we climbed the steep bank there was no sign, of habitation. Max walked off into the woods on a search, and was gone so [...]
July 14th.—Jackson and Ewell and Stuart are after Pope, but I learn they are not allowed to attempt any enterprise for some weeks yet. Fatal error, I fear. For we have advices at the department that Pope has not now exceeding 20,000 men, but that all the rolling stock of the Baltimore and Ohio Railroad [...]