Tuesday, 15th–Started early this morning for the Southern coast, somewhere, and we don’t care, so long as Sherman is leading us. The Army of the Tennessee forms the right, while the Army of the Cumberland is moving off in the direction of Milledgeville, Georgia. There are about sixty thousand men of all arms, and they [...]
November 15th.–Fair and cold; ice. Quiet below; rumors of further successes in the Southwest, but not official. Congress did nothing of interest yesterday in open session, but spent most of its time in secret session. There will probably be stringent martial law, for the strong hand of unlimited power will be required to correct abuses, [...]
15th. Tuesday. In camp. Read some and did company business.
November 15, 1864. Went up to Covington to-day to pay the Confederate tax. Did not find the commissioners. Mid [a slave] drove me with Beck and the buggy. Got home about three o’clock. How very different is Covington from what it used to be! And how little did they who tore down the old flag [...]
Headquarters Military Division of the West1 Tuscumbia, November 15, 1864. General Forrest, ……………..Commanding Cavalry, & c.: General: It is the direction of General Beauregard that you make to these headquarters, as early as practicable, a report of the number of scouts you have employed, where operating, how employed and organized and supplied with provisions, how [...]
November 14, 1864. Troops are coming in to-day on all the roads. ‘Tis said that we will be ready to move to-morrow. So be it. The cracker line is cut now and we don’t want to lie still eating up our precious rations. I was again over the old position we occupied before Atlanta. I [...]
Monday, 14th–This morning was cool and pleasant. We started early and marched five miles, going into camp a mile south of Atlanta. We tore up the railroad tracks through Atlanta and burned all the public buildings. There was a fine large station here, and a splendid engine house, but both were burned. Very few citizens [...]
November 14th.–Clear and cold. Lincoln is re-elected, and has called for a million of men! This makes many of our croaking people despondent; others think it only a game of brag. I saw the President to-day in earnest conversation with several members of Congress, standing in the street. It is not often he descends from [...]
14th. Monday. Lay in camp. Wrote home, to Sarah and Ella Clark.
November 13.—The “military situation” seems very much the same. Some cheering intimations from Georgia. Hood has made movements on Sherman’s flank, and Forrest upon his rear, which it is thought promise most valuable results, but nothing final has been yet accomplished, and we may be too sanguine. General Price is still successful in Missouri. In [...]
White Hall, two miles west of Atlanta, November 13, 1864. We made 15 miles to-day very easily. Coming through Atlanta the smoke almost blinded us. I believe everything of any importance there is on fire. Understand that all the large buildings are to be burned. Tremendous smoke also rising over the site of Marietta. It [...]
Sunday, 13th–We started early this morning for Atlanta and after marching twenty miles went into camp for the night. A detachment of the Twentieth Army Corps is stationed at the railroad bridge crossing the Chattahoochee river. They will soon destroy the bridge, and also the track clear to Atlanta. All is quiet in the front. [...]
13th. Sunday. Reconnoissance by all cavalry to Cedar Creek. No enemy. Very cold.
Saturday, 12th–Our corps marched out on the railroad between Marietta and Big Shanty and tore it up, burning all the ties and bending the irons. The iron rails were thrown into the fires and then twisted up. The last train went North about noon, and no more mail will be sent out from this part [...]
November 12, 1864. The Rubicon is passed, the die is cast, and all that sort of thing. We to-day severed our own cracker line. At 11 a.m. ours and the 17th Corps were let loose on the railroad, the men worked with a will and before dark the 12 miles of track between here and [...]
November 12th. After an all night’s ride, arrived at Baltimore this morning. Marched through Pratt Street to the B. & O. station, Camden Street. Up to this time nothing special occurred to make mention of. All are anxious to reach camp. Leave Baltimore tonight.
November 12th.–Bright and pleasant. The rumor is revived that Mr. Seddon will resign. If he really does resign, I shall regard it as a bad sign. He must despair of the Republic; but, then, his successor may be a man of greater energy and knowledge of war. We are destitute of news, with an awful [...]
12th. Saturday. Gen. Rosser attacked 1st Conn. on reconnoissance. 2nd Ohio charged to help them. Both driven back after several charges, in some confusion. Brigade out and drove rebs back–at Shells–hand-to-hand encounter–charge after charge. Col. Hull killed. Drove rebs over the creek, four miles. Rebel brigade came in rear and picked up many stragglers. 2nd [...]
November 12, 1864. Warped and put in dresses for the loom. Oh, this blockade gives us work to do for all hands!
Nov 12—Arrange to get Capt. Moore’s body up the Valley. Quarter-master gave me a wagon, team and driver. The Colonel of my Regiment detailed a man to assist me. Army was retreating. We pushed on to the grave. It was now dark and snowing. There were two graves! The good man living near by told [...]
Nov. 2—Preaching every night in Lutheran and Methodist Churches. At 11 a. m. a few penitents at prayer meeting. Nov. 3—I preach in Lutheran Church at night. Rain. Nov. 4—Wind and rain Regiment goes on picket. I get a furlough of 30 days from 17th instant to visit my family and attend my Annual Conference. [...]
Friday, 11th–All is quiet in camp. We have company drill twice a day now for the purpose of drilling our conscripts. We received orders that the last mail would leave for the North tomorrow morning and that all who wanted to write farewell letters home would have to attend to it before that time. The [...]
November 11th.–Clear and pleasant. All quiet. No doubt, from the indications, Lincoln has been re-elected. Now preparations must be made for the further “conflict of opposing forces.” All our physical power must be exerted, else all is lost. Mr. Sparrow, Louisiana, chairman of the Committee on Military Affairs, introduced a measure, yesterday, in the Senate, [...]
11th. Friday. On picket in P. M. Letter from home. Rebs around.
Thursday, 10th–All is quiet in camp. I borrowed $25.00 from William Barrett until next pay day. Several trains came in from the North this morning. We received a large mail. All men unable to stand the march on our Southern expedition are being sent North. Each regiment will be allowed but one wagon, and the [...]