Flat Rock P. O., February 23, 1865. Fifteen miles. Traveled east or northeast. Very rough, hilly country, hills rock topped. No enemy. Passed through a village called “Liberty Hill,” some elegant houses. Forage plenty. No news and don’t know anything.
February 23d.–Raining; the most inclement February for years. It is stated that Gen. J. E. Johnston has been replaced in command of the army in front of Sherman; a blunder, for Beauregard’s friends will raise a clamor. Grant’s men fired salutes yesterday in honor of the Day–22d– and had the Richmond papers read to them [...]
Page’s Ferry, Wateree River, February 22, 1865. It seems to be certain that we have Charleston. Made about ten miles to-day. Our regiment and the 6th Iowa were sent down to an old ferry to make a demonstration. Found no enemy. The 2d and 3d are already across and we cross in the morning and [...]
February 22d. Routed out early this morning to prepare for a review and inspection by General Crook and staff. Report came to camp that Company I, at Duffield Station, had been attacked, but succeeded in driving the guerillas away.
February 22d.–Bright and frosty. A fine February for fruit . Yesterday the Senate postponed action on the Negro bill. What this means I cannot conjecture, unless there are dispatches from abroad, with assurances of recognition based upon stipulations of emancipation, which cannot be carried into effect without the consent of the States, and a majority [...]
February 22d.–Isabella has been reading my diaries. How we laugh because my sage divinations all come to naught. My famous ”insight into character” is utter folly. The diaries were lying on the hearth ready to be burned, but she told me to hold on to them; think of them a while and don’t be rash. [...]
Pleasant Hill, S. C., February 21, 1865. Fifteen miles to-day. Yesterday we traveled the Camden road. To-day we turned northwest. Poor country, quite rolling. Pine, scrub oak and sand.
February 21st. Snow melting very fast. Must wade through the wet snow. Orders to fall in and to report at Bolivar Heights, near Harper’s Ferry, a march of about four miles. When we arrived we were surprised to learn that we must witness the execution of two deserters. Strange that we must march so far [...]
February 21st.–Another bright and glorious morning. Charleston fell on Thursday night last. A large number of heavy guns fell into the hands of the enemy. The confidential telegraph operators remained with the enemy. They were Northern men; but it is the policy of those in possession of this government to trust their enemies and neglect [...]
Sixteen miles northeast of Columbia, February 20, 1865. The Provost Guards were the last to leave town. Fifty families of Columbians accompany us; have no idea how many negroes. Hard day’s march.
February 20th. The deep snow is settling down very fast, weather very mild. General Seward from Martinsburg a visitor in camp. The commander of our brigade and this section of the valley.
February 20th.–Another morning of blue skies and glorious sunshine. Sherman is reported to be marching northward, and to have progressed one-third of the way between Columbia and Charlotte, N. C; where we had “millions of specie” a few days ago. Some of the lady employees, sent by Mr. Memminger to Columbia last year, have returned [...]
February 19th. This morning we find eighteen inches of snow on the ground. Wading through the deep snow reminds me of a picture that I have often seen, Napoleon Bonaparte before Moscow. Duty must be attended to, no matter what the weather may be. The snow makes camp life very unpleasant. The heavy fall of [...]
February 19th.–Another bright and glorious morning. I hear of no news whatever from the South–although I know that important events are transpiring–and the reticence of the government is construed very unfavorably. Hence if Beauregard has fought a battle, it is to be apprehended that he did not gain the day; and if this be so, [...]
February 19th.–The Fants say all the trouble at the hotel came from our servants’ bragging. They represented us as millionaires, and the Middleton men servants smoked cigars. Mrs. Reed’s averred that he had never done anything in his life but stand behind his master at table with a silver waiter in his hand. We were [...]
February 19, 1865. Another block of the city burned to-day. Our regiment was out and stopped the fire from spreading further. Have seen the men work better on other occasions. In destroying some captured ammunition to-day the 63d Illinois, by an explosion, lost three killed and 20 wounded. We captured about 20 cannon here. I [...]
February 18, 1865. Two-thirds of the city burned last night. The colonel and I got up last night and rode through the streets until 3. At 4 this morning the 40th Illinois cleared the streets with bayonets and order again reigned. Our regiment is on Provost duty, and I have just been through the streets [...]
February 18th. A hard snow storm greets us today. Those not on duty are sticking to our quarters, keeping comfortable, while the snow and wind howl through our camp.
February 18th.–Rained last night; but this is as lovely a morning as ever dawned on earth. A gentle southern breeze, a cloudless sky, and a glorious morning sun, whose genial warmth dispels the moisture of the late showers in smoky vapors. But how dark and dismal the aspect of our military affairs! Columbia fallen and [...]
February 18th.–Here I am, thank God, settled at the McLean’s, in a clean, comfortable room, airy and cozy. With a grateful heart I stir up my own bright wood fire. My bill for four days at this splendid hotel here was $240, with $25 additional for fire. But once more my lines have fallen in [...]
Columbia, S. C., February 17th. The 3d brigade of our division marched all night and worked all night before they could get a cable across the river to string the pontoons, and the bridge was not completed until 10 a.m. There was lively skirmishing all the time. Our division crossed first. The 3d brigade captured [...]
February I7th.–Frosty morning, after a rain last night. We have no authentic war news this morning, from any quarter. Congress is at work in both Houses on the Negro bill. It will pass, of course, without some unforeseen obstacle is interposed. A letter from Gen. Lee to Gen. Wise is published, thanking the latter’s brigade [...]
February 16, 1865, 7 a.m. The Johnnies shelled our bivouac all night, but hurt no one, but induced us to extinguish our fires, and killed one of the 48th Illinois. We could hear their cars whistling all night. They had large fires near town. We can see the steeples of the city plainly this morning. [...]
February 16th.–Cloudy; rained yesterday and last night. We have no important news from South Carolina, except the falling back toward Columbia of our troops; I suppose before superior numbers. Branchville is evacuated. The roads will not admit of much movement in the field for some days. But pretty heavy cannonading is heard down the river. [...]
Lincolnton, N. C, February 16, 1865.–A change has come o’er the spirit of my dream. Dear old quire of yellow, coarse, Confederate home-made paper, here you are again. An age of anxiety and suffering has passed over my head since last I wrote and wept over your forlorn pages. My ideas of those last days [...]