invited into the sitting room. They soon engaged in conversation, and
finally fell into a discussion of the issue between the North and South
which lasted until after midnight. The lady, although treated with all
courtesy, certainly obtained no advantage in the controversy, and must
have arisen from it with her ideas respecting Northern soldiers very
materially changed.
2. Started on the return to Nashville at three o'clock in the morning.
The boys being again disappointed in not finding the enemy, and
considerably under the influence of liquor, conducted themselves in a
most disorderly and unsoldierly way.
Have not had a change of clothing since we crossed the Great Barren
river.
6. Regiment on picket.
When returning from the front I met a soldier of the Thirty-seventh
Indiana, trudging along with his gun on his shoulder. I asked him where
he was going; he replied that his father lived four miles beyond, and he
had just heard that his brother was home from the Southern army on sick
leave, and he was going out to take him prisoner.
8. This afternoon the camp was greatly excited over a daring feat of a
body of cavalry under John Morgan. It succeeded in getting almost inside
the camps, and was five miles inside of our outposts. It came into the
main road between where Kennett's cavalry regiment is encamped and
Nashville; captured a wagon train, took the drivers, Captain Braden, of
Indiana, who was in charge of the train, and eighty-three horses, and
started on a by-road back for Murfreesboro. General Mitchell immediately
dispatched Kennett in pursuit. About fifteen miles out the rebels were
overtaken and our men and horses recaptured. Two rebels were killed and
two taken; Kennett is still in hot pursuit. Captain Braden says, as the
rebels were riding away they were exceedingly jubilant over the success
of their adventure, and promised to introduce him to General Hardee in
the evening. Without asking the Captain's permission they gave him a
very poor horse in exchange for a very good one, put him at the head of
the column and guarded him vigilantly; but when Kennett appeared and the
running fight occurred he dodged off at full speed, lay down on his
horse, and although fired at many times escaped unhurt.
Morgan's men know the country so well that all the by-roads and
cow-paths are familiar to them; the citizens keep them informed also as
to the location of our camps and picket posts, and if need be are ready
to serve them either as guides or spies, hence the success which
attended the earlier part of their enterprise does not indicate so great
a want of vigilance on the part of our troops, as might at first thought
be supposed.
9. The enemy made a descent on one of our outposts, killed one man and
wounded another.
16. Went to Nashville this morning to buy a few necessaries. While
awaiting dinner at the St. Cloud I took a seat outside the door. Quite a
number of Union officers were seated or standing in front of the hotel,
when two well, extremely well, dressed women, followed by a negro lady,
approached, and while passing us _held their noses_. What disagreeable
thing the atmosphere in our immediate vicinity contained that made it
necessary for these lovely women to so pinch their nasal protuberances,
I could not discover; certainly the officers looked cleanly, many of
them were young men of the "double-bullioned" kind, who had spared no
expense in decorating their persons with shoulder straps, golden bugles,
and other shining trappings which appertain somehow to glorious war.
After dinner I dropped into a drug store to buy a cake of soap. The
druggist gave me, in the way of change, several miserably executed
shinplasters. I asked:
"Do you call this money?"
"I do."
"I wonder that every printing office in the South does not commence the
manufacture of such money."
"O, no," he replied in a sneering way; "in the North they might do that,
but in the South no one is disposed to make counterfeit money."
"Yes," I retorted, "the Southern people are very honest no doubt, but I
apprehend there is a better reason for not counterfeiting the money than
you have assigned. It is probably not worth counterfeiting."
Private Hawes of the Third is remarkably fond of pies, and a notorious
straggler withal. He has just returned to camp after being away for some
days, and accounts for his absence by saying that he was in the country
looking for pies, when Morgan's men appeared suddenly, shot his horse
from under him, mounted him behind a soldier and carried him away. The
private is now in the guard-house entertaining a select company with a
narrative of his adventures.
We have much trouble with escaped negroes. In some way we have obtained
the reputation of being abolitionists, and the colored folks get into
our regimental lines, and in some mysterious way are so disposed of that
their masters never hear of them again. It is possible the two
saw-bones, who officiate at the hospital, dissect, or desiccate, or boil
them in the interest of science, or in the manufacture of the villainous
compounds with which they dose us when ill. At any rate, we know that
many of these sable creatures, who joined us at Bowling Green and on the
road to Nashville, can not now be found. Their masters, following the
regiment, made complaint to General Buell, and, as we learn, spoke
disparagingly of the Third. An order issued requiring us to surrender
the negroes to the claimants, and to keep colored folks out of our camp
hereafter. I obeyed the order promptly; commanded all the colored men in
camp to assemble at a certain hour and be turned over to their masters;
but the misguided souls, if indeed there were any, failed to put in an
appearance, and could not be found. The scamps, I fear, took advantage
of my notice and hid away, much to the regret of all who desire to
preserve the Union as it was, and greatly to the chagrin of the
gentlemen who expected to take them handcuffed back to Kentucky. One of
these fugitives, a handsome mulatto boy, borrowed five dollars of me,
and the same amount of Doctor Seyes, not half an hour before the time
when he was to be delivered up, but I fear now the money will never be
repaid.
18. Started for Murfreesboro. The day is beautiful and the regiment
marches well. Encamped for the night near Lavergne. I called on my
friend Mrs. Harris. She received me cordially and introduced me to her
daughter, a handsome young lady of seventeen or eighteen. They were both
extremely Southern in their views, but chatted pleasantly over the
situation, and Mrs. Harris spoke of Sergeant Woolbaugh, the guard
furnished her on our first visit, in very complimentary terms; in fact,
she was surprised to find such men in the ranks of the Federal army. I
assured her that there were scores like him in every regiment, and that
our army was made up of the flower of the Northern people.
19. The rebels having burned the bridges on the direct road, we were
compelled to diverge to the left and take a longer route; toward evening
we went into camp on the plantation of a widow lady, and here for the
first time in my life I saw a field of cotton; the old stalks still
standing with many bulbs which had escaped the pickers.
20. Turned out at four o'clock in the morning, got breakfast, struck our
tents, and were ready to march at six; but the brigade being now ordered
to take the rear, we stood uncovered in a drenching rain three hours
for the division and transportation to pass. All were thoroughly wet and
benumbed with cold, but as if to show contempt for the weather the Third
sang with great unction:
"There is a land of pure delight,
Where saints immortal reign;
Infinite day excludes the night,
And pleasures banish pain.
There everlasting spring abides,
And never withering flowers;
Death, like a narrow sea, divides
This heavenly land from ours."
Soon after getting under way the sky cleared, and the sun made its
appearance; the band struck up, and at every plantation negroes came
flocking to the roadside to see us. They are the only friends we find.
They have heard of the abolition army, the music, the banners, the
glittering arms; possibly the hope that their masters will be humbled
and their own condition improved, gladdens their hearts and leads them
to welcome us with extravagant manifestations of joy. They keep time to
the music with feet and hands, and hurrah "fur de ole flag and de
Union," sometimes following us for miles. Parson Strong attempts to do a
little missionary work. A dozen or more negroes stand in a group by the
roadside. Said the Parson to an old man: "My friend, are you
religious?"
"No, massa, I is not; seben of my folks is, an dey is all prayen fur
your side."
Hailing a little knot, I said: "Boys where do you live?"
"Lib wid Massa ----, sah."
"All Union people, I suppose?"
"Dey say dey is, but dey isn't."
One old woman--evidently a great-grandmother in Israel--climbed on the
fence, clapped her hands, shouted for joy, and "bressed de Lord dat dar
was de ole flag agin."
To a colored boy who stole into our lines last night, with his little
bundle under his arm, the Major said: "Doesn't it make you feel bad to
run away from your masters?"
"Oh, no, massa; dey is gone, too."
Reached Murfreesboro in the afternoon.
22. Men at work rebuilding the railroad bridge. General Dumont returns
to Nashville. Colonel Lytle, of the Tenth Ohio, will assume command of
our brigade.
My servant has imposed upon me for about a month. He arises in the
morning when he pleases; prepares my meals when it suits his pleasure,
and is disposed in every thing to make me adapt my business to his own
notions. This morning I became so provoked over his insolence and
laziness that, in a moment of passion, I knocked him down. Since then
there has been a decided improvement in his bearing. The blow seems to
have awakened him to a sense of his duty.
25. So soon as the railroad is repaired, an immense amount of cotton
will be sent East from this section. The crops of two seasons are in the
hands of the producer. We are encamped in a cotton field. Peach trees
are now in bloom, and many early flowers are to be seen.
26. The boys are having a grand cotillion party on the green in front of
my tent, and appear to have entirely forgotten the privations,
hardships, and dangers of soldiering.
The army for a temperate, cleanly, cheerful man, is, I have no doubt,
the healthiest place in the world. The coarse fare provided by the
Government is the most wholesome that can be furnished. The boys
oftenest on the sick list are those who are constantly running to the
sutler's for gingerbread, sweetmeats, raisins, and nuts. They eat
enormous quantities of this unwholesome stuff, and lose appetite for
more substantial food. Finding that all desire for hard bread and bacon
has disappeared, they conclude that they must be ill, and instead of
taking exercise, lie in their tents until they finally become really
sick. A contented, temperate, cheerful, cleanly man will live forever in
the army; but a despondent, intemperate, gluttonous, dirty soldier, let
him be never so fat and strong when he enters the service, is sure to
get on the sick list, and finally into the hospital.
The dance on the green is progressing with increased vigor. The music is
excellent. At this moment the gentlemen are going to the right; now
they promenade all; in a minute more the ladies will be in the center,
and four hands round. That broth of an Irish boy, Conway, wears a
rooster's feather in his cap, and has for a partner a soldier twice as
big as himself, whom he calls Susan. As they swing Conway yells at the
top of his voice: "Come round, old gal!"
28. General Mitchell returned from Nashville on a hand-car.
30. This is a pleasant Sunday. The sun shines, the birds sing, and the
air stirs pleasantly.
The colored people of Murfreesboro pour out in great numbers on Sunday
evenings to witness dress parade, some of them in excellent holiday
attire. The women sport flounces and the men canes. Many are nearly
white, and all slaves.
Murfreesboro is an aristocratic town. Many of the citizens have as fine
carriages as are to be seen in Cincinnati or Washington. On pleasant
week-day evenings they sometimes come out to witness the parades. The
ladies, so far as I can judge by a glimpse through a carriage window,
are richly and elegantly dressed.
The poor whites are as poor as rot, and the rich are very rich. There is
no substantial well-to-do middle class. The slaves are, in fact, the
middle class here. They are not considered so good, of course, as their
masters, but a great deal better than the white trash. One enthusiastic
colored man said in my hearing this evening: "You look like solgers. No
wonder dat you wip de white trash ob de Southern army. Dey ced dey
could wip two ob you, but I guess one ob you could wip two ob dem. You
is jest as big as dey is, and maybe a little bigger."
A few miles from here, at a cross roads, is a guide-board:
"[Illustration: Symbol: right index] 15 miles to Liberty." If liberty
were indeed but fifteen miles away, the stars to-night would see a
thousand negroes dancing on the way thither; old men with their wives
and bundles; young men with their sweethearts; little barefooted
children, all singing in their hearts:
"De day ob jubilee hab come, ho ho!"
On the march hither we passed a little, contemptible, tumble-down,
seven-by-nine frame school-house. Over the door, in large letters, were
the words:
CENTRAL ACADEMY.
The boys laughed and said: "If this is called an academy, what sort of
things must their common school-houses be?" But Tennessee is a beautiful
State. All it lacks is free schools and freemen.
31. Colonel Keifer, in command of four hundred men, started with ninety
wagons for Nashville. He will repair the railroad in two or three places
and return with provisions.
APRIL, 1862.
3. Struck our tents and started south, at two o'clock this afternoon;
marched fifteen miles and bivouacked for the night.
4. Resumed the march at seven o'clock in the morning, the Third in
advance. At one place on the road a young negro, perhaps eighteen years
old, broke from his hiding in the woods, and with hat in hand and a
broad grin on his face, came running to me. "Massa," said he, "I wants
to go wid you." "I am sorry, my boy, that I can not take you. I am not
permitted to do it." The light went out of the poor fellow's eyes in a
moment, and, putting on his slouched hat, he went away sorrowful enough.
It seems cruel to turn our backs on these, our only friends. If a dog
came up wagging his tail at sight of us, we could not help liking him
better than the master, who not only looks sullen and cross at our
approach, but in his heart desires our destruction.
As we approach the Alabama line we find fewer, but handsomer, houses;
larger plantations, and negroes more numerous. We saw droves of women
working in the fields. When their ears caught the first notes of the
music, they would drop the hoe and come running to the road, their
faces all aglow with pleasure. May we not hope that their darkened minds
caught glimpses of the sun of a better life, now rising for them?
Last night my bed-room was as grand as that ever occupied by a prince.
The floor was carpeted with soft, green, velvety grass. For walls it had
the primeval forest, with its drapery of luxuriant foliage. The ceiling,
higher even than one's thoughts can measure, was studded with stars
innumerable. The crescent moon added to its beauty for awhile, but
disappeared long before I dropped off to sleep.
We entered Shelbyville at noon. There are more Union people here than at
Murfreesboro, and we saw many glad faces as we marched through the
streets. The band made the sky ring with music, and the regiment
deported splendidly. One old woman clapped her hands and thanked heaven
that we had come at last. Apparently almost wild with joy, she shouted
after us, "God be with you!"
We went into camp on Duck river, one mile from the town.
5. General Mitchell complimented me on the good behavior and good
appearance of the Third. He said it was the best regiment in his
division. At Bacon creek, Kentucky, he was particularly severe on us,
and attributed all our trouble to defective discipline and bad
management on the part of the officers. On the evening when the
acceptance of Marrow's resignation was read, the General was present.
After parade was dismissed, I shook hands with him and said: "General,
give us a little time and we will make the Third the best regiment in
your division." The old gentleman was glad to hear me say so, but smiled
dubiously. I am glad to have him acknowledge so soon that we have
fulfilled the promise.
At Murfreesboro heavy details were made for bridge building, and one
day, while superintending the work, the General addressed the detail
from the Third in a very uncomplimentary way: "You lazy scoundrels, go
to work! Your regiment is the promptest in the division to report for
duty, but you will not work." At another time he gave an order to a
soldier which was not obeyed with sufficient alacrity, when he yelled:
"What regiment do you belong to?" "The Third." "Well, sir, I thought you
were one of the obstinate devils of that regiment." At another time he
rode into our camp, and the boys failed to rise at his approach, when he
reined in his horse suddenly and shouted: "Get up here, you lazy
scoundrels, and treat your superiors with respect!" Riding on a little
further, a private passed without touching his cap: "Hold on, here,"
said the General, "don't you know how to salute a superior?" "Yes,"
stammered the boy, "but I did not see you." "Hold up your head like a
soldier, and you will see me."
One night I was making the rounds in the Second Ohio with the General.
The guard did not turn out promptly and he became angry; diving into the
guard-tent to rout them up, he ran against a big fellow so violently
that he was nearly thrown off his legs. This increased his fury, and
seizing the soldier by the coat collar he shook him roughly, and said:
"You insolent dog, I'll stand insolence from no man. Officer, put this
man under arrest immediately."
On the same night the guard of the Thirty-third Ohio turned out slowly,
and some of them were found to have stolen off to their quarters. The
General was still in a bad humor. "Where is the officer of the day?" he
asked. "At his quarters, sir," replied a sergeant. "Present him the
compliments of the General commanding, and tell him if he does not come
to the guard-tent at once, I will send a file of soldiers after him."
The officer appeared very soon. I refer to these incidents to show
simply that the men of other regiments received reprimands as well as
those of my own.
6. Late in the evening the officers of the regiment, with the string
band, started on a serenading expedition. After playing sundry airs and
singing divers songs, Ethiopian and otherwise, at the residence of a Mr.
Warren, Miss Julia Gurnie, sister of Mrs. Warren, appeared on the
veranda and made to us a very pretty Union speech. After a general
introduction to the family and a cordial reception, we bade them
good-night, and started for another portion of the village. On the way
thither we dropped into the store of a Mr. Armstrong, and imbibed rather
copiously of apple-jack, to protect us against the night air, which, by
the way, is always dangerous when apple-jack is convenient. After thus
fortifying ourselves, we proceeded to the residence of a Mr. Storey.
His doors were thrown open, and we entered his parlors. Here we had the
honor to be introduced to Miss Storey, a handsome young lady, and
Lieutenant O'Brien, nephew of Parson Brownlow.
Lieutenant O'Brien is an officer of the rebel army. He accompanied
Parson Brownlow to Nashville under a flag of truce, and has been
loitering on his way back until the present time. He wears the
Confederate gray, and when we entered the room was seated on the sofa
with Miss Storey. After being introduced in due form, I placed myself by
the young lady and endeavored to at least divide her attention with my
Confederate friend. The apple-jack dilated most engagingly on the
remarkable beauty of the evening, the pleasantness of the weather
generally, and the delightfulness of Shelbyville. There was a piano in
the room, and finally, after having occupied her attention jointly with
O'Brien for some time, I took the liberty to ask her to favor us with a
song; but she pleaded an awful cold, and asked to be excused. The
apple-jack excused her. The Storeys are pleasant people, and I trust
that, full as we were, we did nothing to lessen their respect for us.
From Mr. Storey's we went to the house of Mr. Cooper, President of the
Shelbyville Bank, but were not invited in, the family having retired.
Our last call was at the residence of Mr. Weasner, whilom member of the
Tennessee Legislature. The doors were here thrown open, and a cordial
invitation given us to enter. A pitcher of good wine was set out, and
soon after Miss Weasner, a very pretty young lady, appeared, and played
and sang many patriotic songs. When finally we bade this pleasant family
good night, it was bordering on the Sabbath, and we returned to camp.
7. Colonel Kennett, at the head of three hundred cavalry, made a dash
into the country toward the Tennessee river, captured and destroyed a
train on a branch of the Nashville and Chattanooga Railroad, and
returned to camp to-night with fifteen prisoners.
8. Party at Mr. Warren's, to which many of the officers have gone.
9. Moved at six o'clock in the morning. Roads sloppy, and in many places
overflowed. Marched sixteen miles.
10. Resumed the march at six o'clock A. M. Reached Fayetteville at noon.
Passed through the town and encamped one mile beyond. General Mitchell,
with Turchin's and Sill's brigades and two batteries, left for
Huntsville on our arrival.
There are various and contradictory rumors afloat respecting the
condition of affairs at Shiloh. The rebel sympathizers here are jubilant
over what they claim is reliable intelligence, that our army has been
surprised and defeated. Another report, coming via Nashville, says that
a part of our army was terribly beaten on Sunday; but reinforcements
arriving on Monday, the rebels were driven back, and our losses of the
first day retrieved.
A courier arrived about dark with dispatches for General Mitchell; but
they were forwarded to him unopened.
13. Confused and unsatisfactory accounts still reach us of the great
battle at Pittsburg Landing.
It is strange what fortune, good or ill, our division has had. Taking
the lead at Green river, we doubted not that a battle awaited us at
Bowling Green. In advance again on the march to Nashville, we were sure
of fighting when we reached that place. Starting again, the division
pushed on alone to Murfreesboro, Shelbyville, Fayetteville, and finally
to Huntsville and Decatur, Alabama, at each place expecting a battle,
and yet meeting with no opposition. With but one division upon this
line, we looked for hard work and great danger, and yet have found
neither. As we advanced the honors we expected to win have receded or
gone elsewhere, to be snatched up by other divisions. The boys say the
Third is fated never to see a battle; that the Third Ohio in Mexico saw
no fighting; that there is something magical in the number which
preserves it from all danger.
14. The Fifteenth Kentucky remains here. The Third and Tenth Ohio moved
at three in the afternoon. Roads bad and progress slow. Bivouacked for
the night near a distillery. Many of the men drunk; the Tenth Ohio
particularly wild.
15. Resumed the march at six in the morning. Passed the plantation of
Leonidas Polk Walker. He is said to be the wealthiest man in North
Alabama. His domain extends for fifteen miles along the road. The
overseer's house and the negro huts near it make quite a village.
Met a good many young men returning from Corinth and Pittsburg Landing.
Quite a number of them had been in the Sunday's battle, and, being
wounded, had been sent back to Huntsville. General Mitchell had captured
and released them on parole. Some had their heads bandaged, others their
arms, while others, unable to walk, were conveyed in wagons. As they
passed, our men made many good-natured remarks, as, "Well, boys, you're
tired of soldiering, ar'n't you?" "Goin' home on furlough, eh?" "Played
out." "Another bold soger boy!" "See the soger!"