[from the diary of Jesse Calvin Spaulding of Co. F, 25th Massachusetts]
Monday
April 21
Was put at the back door of the
house where the guns were found
at ten when I went on. After coming
off guard I got a pass for myself. Phineas
and Octavious Brown and [I] went up to the
battlefield. Got pretty tired and also wet as
it rained hard before we got back. Came
over the river when we came back on the
Curlew ferry boat.
MSS 11293
[from the diary of Eliza Oswald Hill, refugee from Wilmington, N.C.]
Monday 21–Raining–Chilly– & gloomy–I have just
finished writing Ellen–No one has ventured out to day
At night 3 gentleman (students) called on Eliza–Mr Yonge– Montague & Mr. Mc(sic)
MSS 6960
[from the diary of William M. Blackford of Lynchburg, Va, former diplomat, bank officer and editor, with five sons in the Confederate Army]
Monday 21 It rained violently nearly
all the day–cold & stormy–as incl
-ment weather as can be imagined
How dreadful must be the suffering
of troops exposed to its fury. We have
various rumors of the movements of Jack
son but none that can be relied upon
–I do not believe he will leave the
valley, nor that he can be driving out
Ewell it is said a falling back
to Gordonsville Letter from Eugene
who writes on 18 that he is in com
mand of a redoubt a pistol shot
in advance of the lines at York Town
exposed night & day to the shells
of the inemy[sic] Letter also from Chas
Minor from Rapidan Station–Charles
had not then reached the company
quite busily engaged at Bank with
a large correspondence. Meeting of [share?]
holders prevented by rain–Eight
hundred sick & wounded have ar
-rived here within the last two or
three days whilst preparations for
not half that number had been made
MSS 4763
Hd Ars Right Wing
Army of P
Lee’s Farm April 21/62
Lt. Col. C. St. Geo. Noland
Mulberry Point,
Sir,
I am
instructed by Major Genl Magru-
der to inform you that Major
Genl Hill Comdr Left Wing has
been requested by him to order
Jno. Young, formerly of Confederate
Navy to report to you at
Mulberry Pt. Jno. Young was
arrested by Col. Winston some
time since under the belief that
he was a dangerous character &
sent to Yorktown–The Commander
of Confed. steamer Jamestown desires
his services, and hence the major
Genl requests that, when he reaches
Mulberry Pt if ordered to report to you
by Major Genl Hill, you will
afford him facilities & send him
at once to report to Lt Barney
C.S Steamer Jamestown
I am, Sir, vry respy:
Yr obt svt
N G Dickinson
AAG
MSS 6463
[from the diary of William M. Blackford, former diplomat and editor, bank officer, with five sons in the Confederate Army]
Sunday 20 Easter Day Attended ear-
ly morning service. Last evening prom
-ised a fine day. the moon was overcast
–Rain let up–cold rain–and a more
uncomfortable day I have not experien
-ced this winter past. It, of course pre-
vented many from going to church. Still
there was a tolerable congregation and
a goodly number of communicants–Service
again at 1/2 past 4. Visited in the eve
-ning the hospital in Bookers factory
some 120 or 30 in ti. None very sick
–they have been thrown here before the
hospitals are ready. They were comfort
-able however, that is as comfortable as
the sick can be when in a large room
they are placed within three of four feet
of each. Saw some who were wounded
at Kernstown and elsewhere. Some eight
hundred have arrived or will arrive
to day & night, from Staunton. We
may expect 2000 sick here. It is no
pleasing prospect and bodes no good
to the health of the town –rumors
about Jackson very contradictory, though
that his falling back is certain. One
story is that he crossed at Swift
Run Gap and that Ewell was
falling back to join him at Gordons
ville. this I think probable. On the
whole our prospect is very discouraging.
Nothing but a decisive victory and
the destruction of McClelland’s army
can save Ricd or prevent the aban
donment of Virginia. I have little
doubt that t his place is considered a
city of refuge–will be in the hands
of the enemy before the 1[s]t June..I
never felt so much dejected before.
I do not admit the possibility of ulti
mate su[b]jection, but what a dreadful
loss will Virginia be to the Confederacy
and what a horrible condition we
shall be in. It is but a poor compen
sation to reflect that success on the part
of the Yankees is ruin to them. The
annals of the world may be consulted
in vain for a parallel to the overthrow
and ruin brought upon a giant na-
tion by contention[?] discord & evil war
in the course of little more than a
year. The re-establishment of the Union
under the old constitution is an idea
which I suppose no sane mind indulges
The whole character of the government
must be changed before the north &
south can be held together.
MSS 4763
[from the diary of Jesse Calvin Spaulding, Co. F, 25th Massachusetts]
[from the diary of Jesse Calvin Spaulding of Co. F, 25th Massachusetts]
Sunday
April 20
Was on guard to day, so I could not
go to church. Was on the first division
No. 17, but was taken and put over a house
that was suspected to contain arms, and
staid there till my first beat was out.
They searched a house right opposite, and
found several guns, powder, &c.
MSS 11293
[from the diary of Daniel D. Logan, younger brother of General Thomas M. Logan, and a Sgt., Co. b, 1st Special Battalion (Rightor’s), Louisiana Infantry]
Sunday, April 20th 1862
Rose at six, breakfasted at Lizzies
& wrote a letter before breakfast to
Julia – waiting at Capt Vaughans [Cap. Robert H. Vaughan]
I took the chance of writing to
Mrs Roy, Emmett Ross, & Harry
Fairchild, in answer to this
Epistle of late date – Walked
out to Camp Rightor today & sent
in all the Knapsacks & chests
of my mess – Miss Galt Kindly
offering to take charge of them
for me – Dined with [J. L]. Norwell [Logan]& Mr
Hazard – the old Camp looks
terribly lonely – find Norwell better –
he talks abt going to Camp tomorrow –
he gave me letters from his sisters, Burton
Charles Dow [?] & others to read – No later
News however than Apl 4th – We are yet
ignorant as to the safety of our
friends at Corinth – Sallie’s letter
of Mch 28th gives me very satisfactory
acc’ts of herself & the others at home –
Walked back to town this Evening
& put up at Miss Galts – am anxious
abt going back to camp, fearing the
boys may get into a fight without
me. It rained today, & the roads
are again bad – Heard heavy firing
down below today –
[transcription by Mary Roy Dawson Edwards; family note by great grand niece Sally Rice Forsyth Donnelly]
MSS 6154
[from the diary of Samuel Johnson of the 1st Massachusetts Independent Light Battery]
April 20
To day. D. Co. 2nd N. Y. Artillery
disembarked their battery, the other
batteries will do the same tomorrow.
Very cool and quite unpleasant.
[transcript by Mary Roy Dawson Edwards]
[from the diary of Eliza Oswald Hill, refugee from Wilmington, N.C.]
Sunday 20th Easter Day–We all went to church & heard
an excellent Easter sermon from Mr. Hilliard. It
was communion day & there was a baptism also–
Mr Car waited on Eliza to church at night– Tom
is improving–& talks of leaving us soon again
for his regiment–Mrs. Davis and Guthrie both sick in
bed. Mr. Davis has returned–Also Mrs. Downey’s husband
MSS 6960
[letter of Hiram Cash of the 5th Maine begun on April 15th continues]
Since I wrote this first there has been
quite a change our whole division on the
17th were ordered to go on board the transports
and go down the Potomac to join McClellan
the river was full of steamers and schooners
all loaded with men horses and provision
of all kinds we got under weigh about noon
and went down about 6 miles and stoped all
night waiting for four schooners they got
along early in the morning and were fastened
to our steamer then we started on we had
a nice sail and we saw a great many new
[page 4]
things on the way we arrived last night
off ft Monroe this morning we started for
your river about noon we arrived to a place
called ship point about 10 miles from
yorktown it has been so foggy for two
days we cannot see much but I think
it is a pleasant place we have not
landed yet and may not for a day or two
our cooks and pioneers have gone on
shore with orders to cook two days
rations and bring on board the steemer
we are expecting a mail steemer along soon
to take our letters I look for a letter from
you that I should have got Thursday then
I shall write again. i want you to name
the date of all the letters you recieve from
me so I shall know if you get them I have
not time to write any more this time so
I must close. I shall write as often as I can
so try and not worry if you do not get a
letter every week write as often as
you have any thing to write
Your son Hiram M. Cash.
MSS 12916
