[from the diary of Eliza Oswald Hill, refugee from Wilmington, N.C.]
Thursday 10th I have been busy sewing all day tho it has been very warm
Susy & all in the house have received letters but Liza & I–I dont know what to
make of Tom’s silence I hope to morrows mail will bring me a letter.
At 4 o clock it clouded up & we had thunder lightning–& a great deal
of wind-with but little rain. John Rensher spent the evening with the
girls-
MSS 6960
[from the diary of Jesse Calvin Spaulding of Co. F, 25th Massachusetts]
Wednesday
July 9
Went on guard to day, Was
orderly of the third relief.
Lawrence was office of the guard
MSS 11293
[from the diary of Daniel D. Logan, younger brother of General Thomas M. Logan, formerly a Sgt, Co. B, 1st Special Battalion (Rightor’s), now with the Hampton Legion]
Wednesday – July 9th 1862
Went round to Mr Wellfords after
breakfast this morning & saw Mr & Mrs
Warner Taliaferro who promised to
take my letter to Mrs Roy for me
they start tomorrow for [space left blank] with
a large party who are returning to
their lovely deserted homes – Spent the
morning down town on divers little
searches – Went with Bro but could not see
Genl Magruder – Dined & spent the Evening
with Mrs Harvey – after which I
rode round & remained at Mr Dunlops
to tea with Mullie – The family came
up & set with the Capt – Our army
fell back today to within 8 or so
miles of town – got my transporta
-tion today for Camp Moore & will
probably start in a few day for So Ca
Awfully HOT today! [–]
[transcript by Mary Roy Dawson Edwards]
MSS 6154
[from a “war journal” of George Hazen Dana of the 32d Massachusetts as compiled by him from diaries and letters]
Harrison’s Landing.
July 9th 1862.
We are, as you see, at the same post as when I last wrote.
Since then, nothing to disturb us. The rebels are
within a few miles of our advance (in how large force I
do not know), and, as McClellan’s orders read yesterday,
we may be attacked at any moment, and are well prepared.
I think that the guess I made in my last was incorrect.
Everything is kept close here till executed, but from
all we can gather, Burnside’s arrival with re-inforcements
is what “little Mac,” as the soldiers call him, is waiting
for, and then for a grand advance. The solution
of the last movement seems to be this – McClellan,
with his comparatively small army, could not hold
the long line of operations that he had planned and
taken possession of, as the rebels have been strongly re-
inforced by Jackson’s Whole army. – – – The day
before Mac commenced his splendid manouvre (changing
his whole line of operations, and which, had it not been
executed in a masterly manner, would have ensured
the destruction of our entire army.) President Lincoln
visited him, and we probably see, in the arrival of
fresh troops now, the fruits of that visit – I see by
the Boston Journal of July 4th that we lost our
siege guns. It is false – nothing was lost, not a
gun, and McClellan compliments his men to that
effect in his last order – All I hope is to be
able to write you a letter soon from Richmond –
[transcript by Mary Roy Dawson Edwards]
MSS 5130
[from the diary of Charles Hay of the 23rd Ohio]
Pack’s Ferry, Va., July 9th, 1862.
Crossed the river today, and took a walk
in Monroe County. Ascended a mountain
fully a mile, and came across a family
professedly Union, who used us very kindly,
and were quite affable. But, how, in
the name of goodness, any individual can
be content to inhabit the summit of
such a mountain, is more than I can
fathom. Certainly he has never seen much
of the world, to be content with such an
unprepossessing portion of it.
Camp Jones, Flat Top Mt. July 10th.
Returned from Pack’s Ferry today.
[transcript by Mary Roy Dawson Edwards]
MSS 13925
District of West Tennessee
Office of the Provost Marshal General
Memphis Tenn July 10th 1862
Special order No 14
The constant communication kept
existing between the rebel arm rebel army
and their friends and sympathizers in
the city of Memphis has constrained
the issuing of the following order–
all the families of all persons
in the so ca army of so called Confed-
erate army and of all persons
holding office under the so-called
Confederate Arm Government and
of all persons holding office under
state, county or city municipal officeswho have left the city and claiming
allegiance to the said so-called confederate
Government and also and who arenow have absented themselves from the
city of Memphis
[draft ends abruptly at this point and another begins:]
The constant communication
existing between the so-called confederate
army and their friends and sympathizers
in the city of Memphis, despite theeffort made to real orders heretofore
issued and the efforts to supress them
have constrained the issuing of the
following order–
The families of the follow nowres of now residing in the city of
Memphis of the following persons are
go South beyond our lines
required to leave the city within five
days from the date hereof–
1st Persons holding commissions in the
Confederate army or who have vol
untarily enlisted in the confederate service
2nd all persons holding office or in
under or in the employ of the so-called
Confederate army-Government
3d all persons holding state, county
or municipal offices and claiming allegiance
to the so-called confederate army and
are absent from the city-
[from the diary of James dinsmore Templeton, musician and private of the 23rd Ohio]
Wednesday, July 9, 1862
Guard mounting
after which practice then
procured pass
for myself & another
near noon went
with Leff [?] down to
Mr Harris. found on
the road a rattlesna
ke killed and after
extracting his
fangs skinned him
He had 8 rattles which
Leff[?] took
have his skin tanning
got some rattles
Came in Parade this
evening & Drill
Clear very warm
cook was [borrowed?] out
to Mrs Brames. Had a little
fuss with Fox about his drunk
P.S. got some stamps
from John Benton
MSS 10317
[from the diary of Ephraim Wood, Co. C., 13th Massachusetts]
Wednesday July 9th /62
Strict orders have been [word lined through]
issued this morning, in regard
to the Soldiers leaving Camp, as
a great many complains have
been made of the bad conduct
of some of the troops. A double
guard had been order to be
put on, and no one to leave Camp
without a pass. I thought I would
get out of Camp before Guard Moun-
-ting, so at seven Oclock I started
I went to the brook and had a
bath after which, I went off for
a walk, taking a different
direction from what I went
yesterday. After walking about
a mile I found a splendid
Cherry tree. The fruit looked to
tempting to pass, so up the
tree I went, and eat my fill.
I walked about a mile farther
and came to a road that branched
off to the right. I followed this
rode till I came to a house,
which belonged to a Widow Women
by the name of Edmunds. There
was a number of Women in the
House, and several young Ladies.
I went to the door and asked
for a drink of Water, which was
given me. They were siting at
the door, and they handed me
a chair, and asked me to sit
down. I asked them if they
had been troubled any by the
Soldiers, and I found that they
had been served about as hard
as their Neighbors. In our conversa-
-tion, the Old Lady mentioned a Clock
that She had that wanted repairing.
I told her that I used to repair
Clocks once, and would look at
it if she wanted me to.
The Clock was brought into the
Entry and lay upon a table.
It was an old Wooden Clock.
I took it to pieces and found
the trouble was with the rope
attached to the weight. It had
got off of the wheel and got
twisted up. I fixed it and oiled
it a little, and set it to running
which pleased the old Lady very
much. She wanted to pay me,
but I told her I wanted nothing
that she was welcome to services
that I had done her. She
persuaded me to stop to dinner.
One of the Young Ladies name was
Parrott, and lives in Alexandrier.
She came here to visit, about a year
ago, and had not had an opportunity
of returning home yet. They all
complimented me, on being the
most Gentlemanly Soldier they
had yet seen. They sympathized
with the South, but did not
know what Secession meant
any more then, the Old Dog Corporal
that is here in the Regt. (There is
a dog here that we call Corporal)
The next house I came to was a
Log Cabin, in which lived a man
about the age of fifty that had
been a cripple for seven years.
He was a Cobbler, but could work
but very little. His wife had to
do most of the work. They said that
they made between them, fifty
to seventy five cents a day which
supported them. He had not walked
for seven years and his spine was
crooked, the effects of Rhumatism
I thought, if I only had
the means to place them in
a more comfortable position.
what a happy man it would
make me. I reached camp about
five Oclock. After Dress Parade I bought
some Coffee of the Sutler, and went
to the House where I dined
yesterday. Mr Vowells. I gave them the Coffee
and got two Canteens of milk.
They said the Soldiers troubled
them yesterday, after I left guarding
then they did when I was there
The Gen had furnished them with
two guards. As I was coming away,
they stoped me and made me
take Supper with them. They said
they wished I was on guard
there. I got back to Camp at half
past eight just in time to
answer to my name at role
call. Mitchell and myself made
some Cornstarch pudding, using
milk instead of water. We
layed it aside for Breakfast.
Pleasant all day, very warm
[transcribed by Mary Roy Dawson Edwards]
MSS 12021
[from the diary of Jonathan B. Hager of the 14th U.S. Regulars as copied and annotated by him at a later date]
July 9 Not well to day & ordered on sick list by the doctor.
the water here was miserably bad & induced summer
complaints. My diarrhea increased in intensity &
I became very sick & debilitated to such an degree that
I had to apply for a sick leave. My first appli-
cation was disapproved– I again applied and on
the 8th of August I obtained a leave of twenty days.
Hager will resume his account on August 9th
MSS 9044
[letter of Robert, an unidentified soldier in the 1st Massachusetts Heavy Artillery, begun on July 7, continues]
Wednesday July 9th
Dear Priscilla,
We are still having very hot and
sultry weather, Lat night was the hottest night
that I ever experienced. I am very glad to
know that you are in Chealsea (or have been)
You had better keep on “doing so” and go the
rounds now you have got started. I think
it will be good for your health and for the
children’s also.
Robert’s letter will continue on July 10
