May 26th. At one o’clock this morning the guard was called out to stop a negro dance, some trouble having broken out, caused by outsiders. The guard must act as police, keep things quiet. At 9 A. M. relieved and returned to camp.

Friday, 26th—It is raining again today, and the roads between our camp and the city are almost impassable. We are poorly fixed here for washing and cleaning our clothing. The long march from Goldsboro, North Carolina, has been pretty hard on our clothes. We have not received any pay since November, 1864, and some of the boys are getting pretty short of change.

May 25.—I wish that I could have been in Washington this week, to have witnessed the grand review of Meade’s and Sherman’s armies. The newspaper accounts are most thrilling. The review commenced on Tuesday morning and lasted two days. It took over six hours for Meade’s army to pass the grand stand, which was erected in front of the President’s house. It was witnessed by the President, Generals Grant, Meade, and Sherman, Secretary Stanton, and many others in high authority. At ten o’clock, Wednesday morning, Sherman’s army commenced to pass in review. His men did not show the signs of hardship and suffering which marked the appearance of the Army of the Potomac. The scenes enacted were historic and wonderful. Flags were flying everywhere and windows, doorsteps and sidewalks were crowded with people, eager to get a view of the grand armies. The city was as full of strangers, who had come to see the sight, as on Inauguration Day. Very soon, all that are left of the companies, who went from here, will be marching home, “with glad and gallant tread.”

Thursday, 25th—It rained nearly all day—at times very hard. We remained in camp all day and nothing of any importance occurred. Now that we are so near Washington, the boys are waiting their turns for passes to go to the city, for since there are so many provost guards there, it would not be safe to go without a pass.

Washington Wednesday May 24^th 1865

Yesterday and today have been “great days” in Washington. The great Military Review closed this afternoon. The Civil Offices of the Gov^t have all been closed during the two days, and but little else has been done in the City but looking at Soldiers marching through the Avenue. The Army of the Potomac, Gen^l Meade. The Army of Tennessee and of Georgia, Gen^l Sherman, were reviewed. Yesterday the Army of the Potomac, and today Sherman^s, the whole numbering about One hundred and Sixty thousand. It took Six hours Each day for them to March by. In front of the White House a Stand was erected (covered) for the Prest and Members of the Cabinet, Gen^ls of the Army (a few only) and the Diplomatic Corps. I succeeded (with Mr John Sherry of S[ag]. H[arbor].) in getting very near the Stand and had a good view of those on it who attracted particular attention. The President sat near the middle of the front seat with the Sec’y of War and Gen^l Grant on his on his [sic] right hand. On the other side of him sat Gen^l Mead, Slocum & Sherman, the latter at the end of the seat. His Army was passing and He only Stood up and rc^d the Salute of the officers. Yesterday Gen^l Grant rc^d the Salute of the Army of the Potomac. While we were there today, there was quite an intervil of time betwen the passing of one Division and another. At such a time the crowd would rush up before the Stand, filling the Street by thousands, and would call for some of the Gen^ls, or for the “Mr Stanton,” or “President Johnson.” (Many of the Spectators did not know which was which as they sat). When one was called he would rise up and bow and the crowd would cheer. I presume that not one half of the Soldiers now in the Service were at this Review. One whole Corps (the 6^th) of the Army of the Potomac are Still on duty in Virginia. Other Corps were not here. Gen^l Sherman and Mr Stanton (the Sec’y of War) are not on good terms as was proved today on the “Stand” of the great Review. When Gen^l Sherman came upon the Stand (before the troops had begun to pass) The President and the other Gen^ls and the Secretaries who were present greeted him very cordialy, each steping forward and shaking hands with him. Mr Stanton offered his hand the same as the rest and Gen^l Sherman slightly bowed and refused to take it. The trouble grew out of the terms which Sherman agreed to in the case of the proposed surrender of Gen^l Johnson in North Carolina. But the Grand Review will long be remembered as the most magnificent spectacle of the kind ever witnessed on the continent. Standing at the Treasury one could see near a mile and a quarter (to the Capitol Gate). This space through the Av^e was filled for Six hours each day with a moving mass of men with polished gun and gleaming bayonet and all the other branches of the Service. First came (yesterday) fifteen thousand Cavalry in a dense mass, the officers (mostly) on Splendid horses (Gen^l Custer on a wild unmanagable one) but generaly the officers and the Staffs rode horses which had been trained to the Service, but there was a great deal of prancing and dashing to and fro of officers on the Avenue. The Sidewalks, the Doors, and windows and the House tops were crowded with spectators who were cheering constantly as some favorite officer or Reg^t was passing but more than all when some of the “Colors” blackened and tattered and hanging in shreds from the Staff was held aloft by the proud color bearers. The Artillery of each Division followed in the rear. In Shermans Army (today) hundreds of negroes with axes and shovels on their shoulders marched after each Corp^s. In the rear of all came the “Bummers” or foragers, without any pretension to order but gave on[e] something of an idea of a Caravan of the Desert, only there were no Camels. They were black and white.  – Many mounted, mostly on mules, some on Jacks, and a few on poneys. Others walking, leading their mules which were loaded down with every conceivable thing in the way of baggage or cooking utensil. Huge bags and Bundles tied on and across the back of the beast. (I wondered whether the contents of some of those bags might not have once graced some of the palatial Mansion[s] at the south, or even the persons of some of the fair dames of the “Palmetto State.” Besides this kind of loading there were living specimens of the country which the Army had passed through in the form of cats and dogs, Coons, opposums, fighting Cocks and other fowls, all perched on the backs of the mules (or rather on the bags and bundles). Then the frying pans, the kettles, the buckets, and tin dishes garnished the sides hanging nearly to the ground. These were the camp followers, the “Bummers,” and numbered hundreds. Some females rode in the Review yesterday and today who I was told had been “through the War.” Some officers and soldiers wives and some “Daughters of the Regiment,” who had followed their Brothers or Fathers or husbands, and shared their dangers, taking care of the wounded, and nursing the sick. One of this Class I am acquainted with, but she left the Army of the Potomac some three months ago, Miss Clara Barton of Worcester Mass. She has been known and called the “Angel of the Battlefield.” She was in Fredericksburgh during the terrible “Burnside Battle” there having crossed the River on the Pontoon Bridge while the Rebels were shelling it. She was there again last summer when the City was filled with our wounded from the Battle fields of the “Wilderness.” She afterwards went with the Army to Petersburgh and administered to the wounded in the field Hospitals being frequently under fire in carrying relief to the Wounded on the field. I am told that she seemed on such occasions totaly insensible to danger. She is highly educated and refined, and few ladies ar[e] as inteligent as She is.

May 23.—We arise about 5:30 nowadays and Anna does not like it very well. I asked her why she was not as good natured as usual to-day and she said it was because she got up “s’urly.” She thinks Solomon must have been acquainted with Grandmother when he wrote “She ariseth while it is yet night and giveth meat to her household and a portion to her maidens.” Patrick Burns, the “poet,” who has also been our man of all work the past year, has left us to go into Mr. McKechnie’s employ. He seemed to feel great regret when he bade us farewell and told us he never lived in a better regulated home than ours and he hoped his successor would take the same interest in us that he had. Perhaps he will give us a recommendation! He left one of his poems as a souvenir. It is entitled, “There will soon be an end to the war,” written in March, hence a prophecy. He said Mr. Morse had read it and pronounced it “tip top.” It was mostly written in capitals and I asked him if he followed any rule in regard to their use. He said “Oh, yes, always begin a line with one and then use your own discretion with the rest.”

Tuesday, 23d—We started at 8 a. m. and by 10 o’clock had passed through Old Alexandria. We went into bivouac within three miles of Washington City. The Army of the Potomac was reviewed by the president of the United States and Lieutenant General Grant. Sherman’s army is to be reviewed tomorrow.

Monday evg., May 22.—I went to Teachers’ meeting at Mrs. Worthington’s to-night. Mrs. George Willson is the leader and she told us at the last meeting to be prepared this evening to give our Opinion in regard to the repentance of Solomon before he died. We concluded that he did repent although the Bible does not absolutely say so. Grandmother thinks such questions are unprofitable, as we would better be repenting of our sins, of hunting up Solomon’s at this late day.

Monday May 22^nd 1864 [1865]

This forenoon I went down to the Old Penitentiary and visited the Military Court in session there trying the conspirators. I had a fair opportunity to view the prisoners who all sat on a raised platform which ran across across one side of the room. The room was not very large perhaps 25 or 30 feet square. There was nothing very striking about any of the prisoners excepting Paine, the one who attacked Mr Seward. He is a splendid specimen of a Man (physicaly 6 feet 1½ inches) but his countenance indicated the desperado which he probably is. Herold looks rather weak minded or silly. Azterot like a low villin. Spangler has an Italian look. Dr Mudd is a very ordinary looking man with red hair or (rather Sandy hair and beard). Sam^l Arnold does not look like a bad man. [M^c]Laughlin might be one. Mrs Suratt sat at the end of the row by herself [draped?] in deep black and veiled. Gen^l Hancock was there as a spectator.

Monday, 22d—It is quite warm. Still in camp, and there’s nothing of importance. We had company inspection at 2 o’clock this afternoon.

May 21st. As we have plenty of rations we trade with the farmers, coffee, sugar, hardtack, for butter, eggs, and vegetables, and some milk. The cows eat garlic which gives to the butter and milk a bad taste, but we manage to eat the stuff, if we don’t really like the taste. We paid money for some things to the farmers. They were always anxious to get hold of a little ready cash. Some soft bread was furnished us in place of hardtack, but could most generally get hardtack. While we suffered much from hunger and thirst, we had good feed whenever near our base of supplies.

Detailed for guard duty in town. Charge of the third relief. When off duty could get excused for one hour. Visited a bookstore for something to read. Surprised to ?nd a copy of the History of Connecticut. Paid one dollar for it. The Waverly magazine was quite a favorite with the boys. Much pleasure working out the enigmas, and reading the short stories and the poetry.

May 21st, 1865.—We have found out about the gathering of negroes at Centreville yesterday. More than a week ago a notice was sent to all the negroes in this and adjoining counties to come and bring well-?lled picnic baskets. Lieutenant Zachendorf and the soldiers under his command had a message to them from the President of the United States.

When a large crowd had assembled Lieutenant Zachendorf proceeded to announce, in the name of President Johnson, the freedom of the entire negro race. They were told that they must show their appreciation of the great boon bestowed upon them by refusing to work any longer for those who had formerly held them in slavery. He proclaimed to these poor ignorant creatures the perfect equality of the races. He told them they were at liberty to help themselves to any property belonging to their former owners.

“You made it,” he said. “It is all yours.” This is outrageous. What the outcome may be none can know. Already we see a change in the demeanor of those around the house; a sullen air they have not had before. If this goes on, and we have no way to stop it, what will the end be? The terrors of San Domingo rise before our eyes.

May 21st.—They say Governor Magrath has absconded, and that the Yankees have said, “If you have no visible governor, we will send you one.” If we had one and they found him, they would clap him in prison instanter.

The negroes have flocked to the Yankee squad which has recently come, but they were snubbed, the rampant freedmen. “Stay where you are,” say the Yanks. “We have nothing for you.” And they sadly “peruse” their way. Now that they have picked up that word “peruse,” they use it in season and out. When we met Mrs. Preston’s William we asked, “Where are you going?” “Perusing my way to Columbia,” he answered.

When the Yanks said they had no rations for idle negroes, John Walker answered mildly, “This is not at all what we expected.” The colored women, dressed in their gaudiest array, carried bouquets to the Yankees, making the day a jubilee. But in this house there is not the slightest change. Every negro has known for months that he or she was free, but I do not see one particle of change in their manner. They are, perhaps, more circumspect, polite, and quiet, but that is all. Otherwise all goes on in antebellum statu quo. Every day I expect to miss some familiar face, but so far have been disappointed.

Mrs. Huger we found at the hotel here, and we brought her to Bloomsbury. She told us that Jeff Davis was traveling leisurely with his wife twelve miles a day, utterly careless whether he were taken prisoner or not, and that General Hampton had been paroled.

Fighting Dick Anderson and Stephen Elliott, of Fort Sumter memory, are quite ready to pray for Andy Johnson, and to submit to the powers that be. Not so our belligerent clergy. “Pray for people when I wish they were dead?” cries Rev. Mr. Trapier. “No, never! I will pray for President Davis till I die. I will do it to my last gasp. My chief is a prisoner, but I am proud of him still. He is a spectacle to gods and men. He will bear himself as a soldier, a patriot, a statesman, a Christian gentleman. He is the martyr of our cause.” And I replied with my tears.

“Look here: taken in woman’s clothes?” asked Mr. Trapier. “Rubbish, stuff, and nonsense. If Jeff Davis has not the pluck of a true man, then there is no courage left on this earth. If he does not die game, I give it up. Something, you see, was due to Lincoln and the Scotch cap that he hid his ugly face with, in that express car, when he rushed through Baltimore in the night. It is that escapade of their man Lincoln that set them on making up the woman’s clothes story about Jeff Davis.”

Mrs. W. drove up. She, too, is off for New York, to sell four hundred bales of cotton and a square, or something, which pays tremendously in the Central Park region, and to capture and bring home her belle file, who remained North during the war. She knocked at my door. The day was barely dawning. I was in bed, and as I sprang up, discovered that my old Confederate night-gown had to be managed, it was so full of rents. I am afraid I gave undue attention to the sad condition of my gown, but could nowhere see a shawl to drape my figure.

She was very kind. In case my husband was arrested and needed funds, she offered me some “British securities” and bonds. We were very grateful, but we did not accept the loan of money, which would have been almost the same as a gift, so slim was our chance of repaying it. But it was a generous thought on her part; I own that.

Went to our plantation, the Hermitage, yesterday. Saw no change; not a soul was absent from his or her post. I said, “Good colored folks, when are you going to kick off the traces and be free? In their furious, emotional way, they swore devotion to us all to their dying day. Just the same, the minute they see an opening to better themselves they will move on. William, my husband’s foster-brother, came up. “Well, William, what do you want?” asked my husband. “Only to look at you, marster; it does me good.”

May 20th. Our regular routine has been kept up for the past few days. Guard duty, drill, dress parade, Sunday morning inspection. When at liberty continue to take long walks out into the surrounding country. Call on the farmers. They laugh about the Yankee soldiers making friends with the cows. We tell them that’s because we like milk. We found out the cows would eat hardtack. We fed and petted them while they were out to pasture. Women do the milking in this section. I heard a woman say that she was a good milker but the Yankees could beat her and milk into a canteen at that.

May 20th, 1865.—It is late at night and this has been a perfectly horrible day. For three days Sister Mag has been very ill; last night death seemed very near and this morning her dead baby was laid in a little white casket and buried in God’s Acre. She does not know. She has known nothing for hours and the doctors give us little hope. Nellie and Fannie are nursing her. She may never be conscious again. Mother and Father do not leave her and poor Brother Amos is wretched.

Jane left this morning without bathing and dressing Rebecca, so that job fell to my share. I usually dress Eddie myself anyway but Rebecca is badly spoiled and it is difficult. I coaxed them out in the ?ower garden and then Mother sent me with some directions to the cook. Now, this cook is my own Emeline, who has always professed to love me dearly. I went to the kitchen, but she was not there. I looked around but could not see a single one of the servants who were generally, at that hour, busily employed, each one, in his or her portion of the day’s work. I went on to Emeline’s house and she was standing in the middle of the ?oor, tying on a sash of blue ribbon, which would complete quite a stunning toilet. “Emeline,” I said, “Sister Mag is so sick and Mother sends the key-basket to you and she says have a good dinner, for Dr. Betton and Dr. Gamble will be here and she is leaving everything to you. Imagine how I felt when she answered thus:

“Take dat basket back ter your mother an’ tell her if she want any dinner she kin cook it herself.”

I was hurt and dazed. I had not slept all night and I pleaded weakly, “Don’t say that Emeline, Sister Mag is so sick, the doctors think she will die.”

“Dey do? Well, what is dat ter me? I ain’t make her sick, is I?”

Silently I left her house. They are free, I thought; free to do as they please. Never before had I had a word of impudence [continue reading…]

May 20^th 1865

The Trial of the assassins is now in progress at the old Penitentiary (near the Arsenal) where rooms have been fitted up for the Court which is a Military Commission. Gen^l David Hunter is President and Joseph Holt Judge Advocate. The Court is trying eight persons who are accused of being actors in the Murder, and attack on Mr Seward, or of complicity with the assassins. Mrs Suratt, Paine, Azterot, Herold, Spangler, Sam^l Arnold, Dr Sam^l Mudd, and one other, M^cLaughlin. The trial is public and the proceedings are reported and published in the papers every day. The trial commenced a week ago and the testimony of the Witnesses is of absorbing interest to the whole country. The Prisoners have the best of Counsel and will have a fair trial. J Wilkes Booth the assassinator of the President was Shot before capture and lived but a few hours. It was not far from Port Royal, V.A. Herold was taken then. The “Army of the Potomac” and Gen^l Shermans Army and in fact all the Soldiers that could be readily got together are now assembling here for a Grand Review which is to take place next week Tuesday and Wednesday, 23^rd and 24^th In^ts. Some thirty Major Gen^ls are now in the City and Brigadiers without number. President Andrew Johnson two or three weeks ago offered a reward of $100,000 for the capture of Jefferson Davis. (He is implicated in the conspiracy to assassinate the President). He was captured by some Cavalry about a week ago in Georgia and is now confined at Fortress Monroe. It is expected that His trial will come off soon. Gov Vance of N.C. is now a prisoner in this City. None of Jeff Davis Cabinet have as yet been captured except the PM Gen^l Reagan. They are seeking safty in flight.

Saturday, 20th—There are three armies in camp here, the Army of the Potomac under General Meade, and the Armies of the Tennessee and of Georgia, both under General Sherman. We received orders that the Army of the Potomac would be reviewed by Lieutenant-General Grant on the 23d inst., and the armies under General Sherman on the 24th. The review is to take place in Washington City. It rained all day and it is very disagreeable in our camp on the commons of Alexandria. The firewood is so wet that it is almost impossible to get a fire to cook our food.

Near Alexandria. Va., May 19, 1865.

Rained all night. Reveille at 2 p.m., and started off before daylight. Men waded two or three creeks to their middles. March miserably conducted. Passed the church that Washington attended, built in 1783. It has nearly all, except roof and walls, been carried away by relic maniacs. Our division marched through Mt. Vernon by the vault and residence.

Thus closes this diary of one of the most memorable year’s campaigns in the history of modern times.

__________

We remained in camp between Alexandria and Arlington until the 23d, when we crossed the Potomac river, of which we had heard so much, and the next day (the 24th), participated in the Grand Review of the Grandest Army that ever was created.

Finale

Friday, 19th—Started at 10 a. m. and after marching fifteen miles, went into camp within four miles of Alexandria, Virginia. Sherman’s entire army arrived today and all, including the artillery, which we kept with the infantry all the way, are in camp near Alexandria.

Occoquan Creek, May 18, 1865.

Another day’s march. Heavy rain and thunder storm commenced ten minutes before our wagons got in, and then the wind blew so hard that we could not get our tent up for an hour, and everybody got thoroughly soaked.

Thursday, 18th—Some of the troops started quite early this morning, but our division left later, taking up the rear today. We marched fifteen miles and went into bivouac after crossing the Acon river, wading it just below the mouth of Bull Run creek, which empties into it. There are some fortifications here, it being near where the battles of Bull Run were fought.