are here, too; have been to the dentist's to have an impression
taken for my new teeth; am to have them in the morning; went to the
theatre tonight with George and Mrs. Watson; saw the good play of
East Lynne; shall stay with them tonight; very cold and much snow;
am getting worn-out with so much visiting.
FRIDAY, Nov. 18, 1864.
Have had some photographs taken; went up to the State House this
forenoon, and afternoon; had a torchlight parade this evening;
village illuminated; speeches by Governors Holbrook, Dillingham,
etc. General Stannard present; didn't get my teeth.
SATURDAY, Nov. 19, 1864.
Cold with chilly north wind; stayed at Burnham's Hotel last night;
hotel overcrowded; had to room with Mr. Orcutt of Roxbury; Captain
Albert Dodge and wife and Louise Dodge in town; went to the depot
with Mr. Orcutt; expect a visit from him in camp this winter; went
up to the hospital with some ladies; arrived in Barre at 7 o'clock
p. m.; took two degrees in masonry; am a Master Mason.
SUNDAY, Nov. 20, 1864.
Went to church this forenoon. Lester Hanson read a sermon, Mr.
Bliss being in Woodstock, Vt.; went to Henry Burnham's funeral, a
victim of the Civil War, in the afternoon at Williamstown; am at
Uncle Howe's tonight; have called on Aunt Sarah Simons; weather
threatening.
MONDAY, Nov. 21, 1864.
Not very cold; about two inches of snow on the ground this morning;
went with Cousin Pert to Cousin David Smith's this forenoon, and
then to Barre, arriving at Mr. David Mower's at 4 o'clock p. m.;
raining hard to-night; have been to a Masonic meeting; saw Mr. Jones
initiated.
TUESDAY, Nov. 22, 1864.
Northwest wind, cold and cloudy, with snow to-night; went up to
the old homestead this afternoon; called at Mr. Elijah Wheeler's,
also at his sister Susan's; am at Jim Burnham's to-night with Ryle
Seaver; shall both stay here. Aunt Thompson has gone over to Cousin
David Smith's.
WEDNESDAY, Nov. 23, 1864.
Pleasant and not very cold; started for Cousin David's at 9
o'clock a. m.; called at Mr. Flint's, at Rodney Seaver's and on
Cousin Aurora Benedict; found Cousin Abby Howe at Ro's, too; took
Thanksgiving dinner with Cousin Lois and David Smith's family, and
went to Barre. Hattie Burnham is ill with diphtheria.
THURSDAY, Nov. 24, 1864.
Started for the front this morning at 6 o'clock, or rather for
Annapolis, Md. Cousin Pert went as far as Bellows Falls with me;
arrived at Springfield, Mass. at 8 o'clock, p. m., at N. Y. City
about midnight, and daylight found me between Philadelphia and
Baltimore.
FRIDAY, Nov. 25, 1864.
Arrived at Baltimore about 9 o'clock a. m.; remained at the Eutaw
House until 4.40 o'clock p. m.; arrived at Annapolis at about 8
o'clock p. m.; reported to the surgeon in charge at once who ordered
me to report to the Board of Examiners tomorrow morning; am in a
room with two other officers.
SATURDAY, Nov. 26, 1864.
Reported at the Examiners' room at 9.30 o'clock a. m.; was ordered
to report at 9.30 o'clock a. m. Monday; have been up town today;
very dilapidated looking place and dull; hardly know what to do
with myself. Three more officers have been assigned to my room
tonight. There are quite a number of officers here from my Division.
SUNDAY, Nov. 27, 1864.
Warm and pleasant; nothing doing; have been lounging about and
resting up; saw guard mounting this morning at the Marine Barracks
and also at the post; hope I shan't have to remain here long, it's
so dull; shall go to the front in the morning if they will let me.
MONDAY, Nov. 28, 1864.
Well, this has been an interesting day, a great surprise; have been
treated with great consideration--like a prince--by the board,
and I never saw one of them before, nor had they ever heard of me
that I know of. They made my mouth wound of so much interest it
embarrassed me; I felt as though I was being lionized. The board is
composed of a General and several other elderly medical officers
of rank and age, and they have the consideration and tact--unlike
Dr. Thayer--to treat any wounded officer and especially one who
fought with Sheridan at Winchester, with distinguished respect. The
first one who looked at my wound expressed great surprise at my
"unusually interesting mouth wound," as he termed it, and called for
the doctors in the adjoining rooms to come and see one of the most
interesting of the many wounds that had come before the board.[33]
They all came, each in turn examining it, expressing great wonder,
and asked many questions, indignantly inquiring why the Vermont
doctors had sent me back to the front with jaws in a condition
such as to render it impossible for me to chew solid food when it
was known that hard bread and meats were the principal articles
of food for troops in the field and with the stitches still in my
lip and it not solidly healed. In reply I gave them my experience
with Dr. Thayer of Burlington, Vt., and said I had not gone to
the hospital several times during the war because of my pride and
fear of inconsiderate treatment, although I had ought to have gone
twice before when wounded, but feared I might be criticised if I
did. They continued to examine the wound for some time expressing
astonishment that it should have healed as much as it had so soon
and would leave so little trace or scar externally in the end as it
would, and highly complimented Dr. Rutherford who attended me. They
finally drew aside for consultation, and when the examiner who had
charge of the case returned and said that I could have my choice,
take my discharge or return to the front, I was delighted, and chose
the latter. He seemed surprised, and after hesitating a little
looking steadily at me, said I had better consider the matter well;
but I told him I had, that I could soak my hard bread in water, fry
it with salt pork which would make it both soft and nutritious, and
that I could get along. Seeing that I really wanted to return, he
let me go. I received my discharge from the hospital this afternoon,
have got my transportation, and shall leave to-morrow at 2 o'clock
p. m. Captain Mattison, a fine little fellow, left this afternoon.
We are all in good spirits to-night. But the Annapolis board of
surgeons were clever gentlemen. Their sympathy and consideration was
unusual.
[33] This wound has since cost me several hundred dollars for
skilled medical treatment, and will probably never cease to trouble
me. It was one cause of my retirement from active service in the
regular army. Two or three expert doctors have written it up for
medical journals, and one, Dr. Anderson of Washington, D. C., only
recently for a New York medical journal.
TUESDAY, Nov. 29, 1864.
Left Annapolis for Baltimore on the 1 o'clock p. m. train; waited at
Annapolis Junction an hour and arrived in Baltimore about dark; am
at the Eutaw House to-night; no one here I know; very dull; shall
start for the front to-morrow.
WEDNESDAY, Nov. 30, 1864.
Took the 9 o'clock a. m. train for the west; lots of passengers
going to the front; found a freight train off the track at Ellicott
Mills, Md.; was about two hours late at Harper's Ferry where I stop
over night; shall take the first train to the front in the morning;
no news; very dull here.
THURSDAY, Dec. 1, 1864.
Well, I am a nine months' man! Good (?) I went into General
Stevenson's headquarters and found the Tenth Vermont was at
Petersburg. He ordered me to report to Col. Hunter commanding Camp
Distribution at Harper's Ferry; was ordered to take command of the
Twentieth Company, Sixth Corps--about 200 men; have got to receipt
for clothing, camp equipage, etc.; don't like it, but have to obey
orders. The camp is on a barren, bleak side hill long used for such
a purpose, and it is cold, windy and dirty with a great deal of
dust. I don't like the prospect.
FRIDAY, Dec. 2, 1864.
Cold and windy; no quarters or accommodations of any kind; have been
down to General Stevenson's to get relieved, but he won't listen to
it; went later to Colonel Hunter to get permission to go down town
to sleep, but he won't let me go; am to stay with the Quartermaster
to-night; have drawn fifty-four shelter tents for the men who are
out of everything are blue at having to stay here, and everything's
depressing. I am glad they are good men; wish I was out of this.
SATURDAY, Dec. 3, 1864.
Cold as ever; got an old rotten, dirty wall tent and put it up;
took the men's receipts for shelter tents; fingers very cold and
numb from writing; camp dirty; men complaining because they have no
clothes; quartermaster ordered to his regiment; no one to issue
clothing. Oh, dear! When will I get out of this? I'm disgusted with
the management here. General Stevenson wants to put me on his staff
as Depot Quartermaster at Harper's Ferry; sent for me and urged me
to accept; told him I preferred a fighting position to the end of
the war with my regiment at the front; think he was vexed with me,
but I can't help it. I'm no shirk from battle if I have been four
times wounded! I'm no quitter! besides I don't want to be filled
with remorse in years to come that I shirked the front when needed.
I propose to be able to look any man in the eye without flinching on
that score.
SUNDAY, Dec. 4, 1864.
Weather more comfortable this morning; more convalescents, etc.,
reporting in small squads; am feeling some better, but _do_ want to
go to my regiment: men complaining, but I can't help it, there's
no quartermaster; am busy with clothing rolls; looks like storm
to-night.
MONDAY, Dec. 5, 1864.
Cold northeast wind; am told by the Commanding Officer I shall
probably get an order to go to Washington to-night; am hurrying to
finish my clothing rolls; twenty men reported to-night for the Ninth
N. Y. Infantry; don't believe I shall get an order to move after all
to-night. Well I suppose this is all necessary to make a soldier!
TUESDAY, Dec. 6, 1864.
Laid out Company streets and had the men police; got a man to build
me a chimney; don't smoke; am feeling better; men in better spirits,
but anxious to go to their regiments; have had forty men turned
over to my command without tents, overcoats or blankets; had an
interesting, good man report belonging to the Fourth N. J. Infantry,
who can help me, and I like him; don't like being commanding officer
and everything else, though; too much to do to look after a regiment
of men without even a clerk. But they are good, and seem to like to
be with me, for they are all the time wanting to do something for
me--probably because I try to make them comfortable.
WEDNESDAY, Dec. 7, 1864.
Pleasant and warm in the morning, but the wind began to blow about
noon, and to-night it's quite uncomfortable. My clerk has quite an
interesting history, and I like him the more I see of him; got an
order about 3 o'clock p. m. to get my men in readiness for the cars
for Washington; left about 9 o'clock p. m. in a rainstorm.
THURSDAY, Dec. 8, 1864.
Arrived at Washington Junction at daylight; were delayed by freight
trains till 8 o'clock a. m.; arrived in Washington about 10 o'clock
a. m. A man got shot in the foot; got breakfast at the Soldiers
Rest; am in charge of the guard. Colonel Hunter and the Adjutant
are up town looking for General Wright; am to stay in town to-night.
FRIDAY, Dec. 9, 1864.
Stopped at the National Hotel last night; looks like snow this
morning; got my pay this forenoon; returned to the Soldiers Rest
about noon; men in good spirits. Colonel Hunter was relieved this
morning by Major Jones; men started for the front this afternoon
at 4 o'clock; hated to lose them. I leave on the government boat
to-morrow for City Point.
SATURDAY, Dec. 10, 1864.
Stayed at the Kirkwood last night; roomed with Captain Briggs of
the One Hundred and Sixth N. Y. Infantry, but he was out all night;
went to the German Opera at Grover's Theater last evening; about
four inches of snow on the ground this morning; sailed with Captain
Briggs for City Point at 3 o'clock p. m.; dull, and cold wind down
the river.
SUNDAY, Dec. 11, 1864.
Arrived at Fortress Monroe at 7 o'clock a. m.; grand old place;
never saw so much shipping at one time before; left for City Point
at 9 o'clock a. m. arriving about 3 o'clock p. m.; stayed with
Lieut. S. H. Lewis, Jr. till 5 o'clock p. m.; arrived at brigade
headquarters about 8 o'clock p. m.; shall stay with Lieut. H. W.
Kingsley to-night.
MONDAY, Dec. 12, 1864.
Very cold all day; remained with Kingsley until about 11 o'clock
a. m. and then went over to the regiment some distance away; found
the men stationed at Ft. Dushane doing garrison duty. Colonel W.
W. Henry has sent in his resignation; sorry to lose him; has been
the most popular field officer we have ever had, all and all. Major
L. T. Hunt has gone for good. Colonel C. G. Chandler has been
courtmartialed; will probably go home; shall stay with Dr. Almon
Clark; quarters in a house near the fort; men are without quarters;
have never seen the regiment so uncomfortably fixed.
TUESDAY, Dec. 13, 1864.
Not quite so cold. Captain A. W. Chilton and Lieut. Wheeler came
off picket this morning; no orders to put up quarters; wonder if
some of the officers are not getting faint-hearted and getting out
of it; no one can accuse me of it after declining my discharge at
Annapolis and General Stevenson's offer. I find the army in poor
spirits; needs rest, at any rate Sheridan's Shenandoah Valley part
of it; give it rest and it will be all right for another campaign.
These enormous earthworks in our front seem to give everybody the
nightmare, but I anticipate a weakly manned part of the line will
be found, easily broken, and then, as the enemy is disheartened,
goodbye, Johnny! The next campaign will be virtually the last.
WEDNESDAY, Dec. 14, 1864.
Has been quite warm and comfortable all day; dull in camp, and
no news from Generals Sherman or Thomas; got an order to fix up
quarters this morning which will do the men good as it will occupy
their minds; are getting out timber now; shall be glad when my hut
is fixed; am tired of changing about so much; wrote to Jim Burnham
this evening; expected to go on duty this morning.
THURSDAY, Dec. 15, 1864.
Very warm and comfortable all day; am on duty in the fort; have a
guard of one Sergeant, three Corporals and thirty-six men; duty
easy; rumors from General Thomas this evening but nothing reliable;
got a letter from Cousin Pert to-day; no news from Oakdale, Mass.;
was very sorry to learn of G. B. Putnam's death.
FRIDAY, Dec. 16, 1864.
Warm and pleasant; trains busy drawing hut timber; was relieved from
guard by the One Hundred and Thirty-eighth Pennsylvania Infantry;
am not feeling well; received a letter from David Mower and have
answered it; all well in Vermont; Captain H. H. Dewey and Lieutenant
Daniel Foster, Tenth Vermont, reported for duty this morning from
City Point; have been ill in hospital there; had an undress parade
this evening; good news from Thomas. Lieutenant Alexander Wilkey
starts for home in the morning.
SATURDAY, Dec. 17, 1864.
Fair, comfortable day; men busy putting up quarters; shall commence
my hut when the men finish theirs; good news from Generals Sherman
and Thomas this evening; have written Dr. J. H. Jones this evening;
southeast storm brewing; cannonading towards Petersburg to-night;
nothing unusual.
SUNDAY, Dec. 18, 1864.
Quite comfortable all day. Colonel W. W. Henry's resignation
came back last night accepted; will leave at 7.40 o'clock a. m.
to-morrow; officers gave him a farewell supper to-night. Captain
G. B. Damon comes back to the regiment to-night from the division
staff. I have been recommended for the Captaincy of Company G
overslaughing several other officers, provided he is made Major;
all's quiet.
MONDAY, Dec. 19, 1864.
Colonel W. W. Henry started for Vermont this morning; most of the
officers of the regiment went to the cars to see him off; commenced
raining about 8 o'clock a. m.; didn't rain long; men very busy on
their cabins; got a Washington Chronicle to-night; good news from
Generals Sherman and Thomas, the latter having captured fifty eight
guns and five thousand prisoners.
TUESDAY, Dec. 20, 1864.
It's rumored we are to move camp in a day or two; wish they would
allow us to stay here; had monthly inspection at 3 o'clock p. m.;
men in good condition considering. Captain Day was our inspecting
officer. Captain G. E. Davis has gone to City Point; returned at 9
o'clock p. m.; got me two wool blankets; rumored in camp Jeff Davis
is dead; don't believe it.
WEDNESDAY, Dec. 21, 1864.
Rained hard most of the day from 7 o'clock a. m.; have suspended
work on the huts; expect to move in a few days; very muddy in camp;
clear, cold north wind and freezing at 9 o'clock p. m.; news still
good from Sherman and Thomas.
THURSDAY, Dec. 22, 1864.
Cold and windy; froze about four inches last night. Captain Bartruff
has been over to call on us; says that we will have to move over
with the rest of the brigade to-morrow, but why were we told to
build quarters here? Pretty rough, but we shall have to stand it!
Glorious news from General Thomas to-night; has captured sixty-one
pieces of artillery and nine thousand prisoners. We move at 9
o'clock a. m. to-morrow.
FRIDAY, Dec. 23, 1864.
Moved at 8 o'clock a. m.; weather freezing cold; only seven teams
at work with us; regiment excused from brigade dress parade this
evening. It's _very_ cold to-night; shall sleep on Captain G. E.
Davis's floor; men are without quarters; should think they would
freeze. It's rumored Savannah is captured; doubt it.
SATURDAY, Dec. 24, 1864.
Very cold, but more comfortable than yesterday; commenced putting
up my cabin this morning; not quite up to-night; regimental dress
parade this evening. General Butler's fleet is off Wilmington;
Savannah, Ga. reported captured through rebel sources; have written
to David Mower, and to Washington for my valise; weather moderating;
all's quiet in front.
SUNDAY, Dec. 25, 1864.
Rained all night; very muddy; working hard to finish my house by
to-morrow night; had 10.30 o'clock a. m. Company inspection; various
rumors about General Sherman; news good from General Thomas; good
regimental dress parade this evening.
MONDAY, Dec. 26, 1864.
Received official information from General Sherman this morning
that he had taken Savannah, Ga. with thirty-three thousand bales
of cotton, one hundred and fifty heavy guns, and eight hundred
prisoners; one hundred shotted guns fired in honor of it here;
Thomas reports seventeen thousand prisoners, eighty-one guns, etc.,
taken from General Hood; no news from the Shenandoah Valley; rumored
in camp that the Eighth Corps is at Dutch Gap; hut covered and
banked up; regimental dress parade to-night; mud drying up; reckon
the Confederacy is crumbling rapidly.
TUESDAY, Dec. 27, 1864.
Quite decent under foot; hut about done; shall move into it
to-morrow night. Captain Merritt Barber has been over and turned
over Company E property to me; good brigade dress parade this
evening; had a call from Lieut. Pierce of the Second Division
to-night; have written Levi Meader this evening; am to be brigade
officer of the guard to-morrow.
WEDNESDAY, Dec. 28, 1864.
Mounted brigade guard at 8.30 o'clock a. m. as officer of the guard;
northeast chilly wind; brigade dress parade this evening; Tenth
Vermont worked on breastworks this forenoon; finished my cabin
to-day; wrote brother Charles this evening; received a letter and
diary for 1865 from Cousin Pert; weather very rough to-night.
THURSDAY, Dec. 29, 1864.
Weather has moderated since morning; quite muddy; had two hours
battalion drill; think it a big thing on ice. In my opinion we would
look better in the house, and I am sure we should feel better; got a
letter from Dr. J. H. Jones to-night. He was married Nov. 8, 1864;
received our muster and pay rolls to-day; have commenced a part of
two; hard cold north wind to-night. Sergeant Charles of the One
Hundred and Fifty-first New York is here to-night.
FRIDAY, Dec. 30, 1864.
Worked all day on muster and pay rolls; mild south wind; storm
brewing. Captain G. E. Davis drilled the battalion this afternoon in
the manual of arms; muddy brigade dress parade this evening; hardly
a gun to be heard on picket to-night; no letters or news; retired at
11 o'clock p. m. tired.
SATURDAY, Dec. 31, 1864.
Well, here I am again in winter quarters, but how different from
twelve months ago. I confess, though, that my prayer has been
answered, the year having been passed as happily by me as could have
been expected under the circumstances. I have been called upon to
pass through a great many ordeals but with God's grace have come
out alive. I shudder when I think how many have been killed out of
our little band, yet I am spared perhaps for some good purpose; I
hope so, anyway.[34] I'm about to commence another year. I feel sad
to bid the old one farewell. It has been a strenuous, eventful and
historic one. May the next end the war, if it is God's will.
[34] Possibly I was spared during the Civil War to be God's medium
to civilize the Indians--the most distinguished service of my
life--as I was greatly honored in 1877-78, by being selected from
the army to study them, and recommend what would be the best thing
to do to civilize and take them from the war path, which I did, and
the government adopted my plan, which was successful, in opposition
to most of the leading generals of the army, as they deemed it
impracticable. The history of this can be found in Addenda No. 2,
pp. 1057-80, Vol. II, Descendants of George Abbott of Rowley, Mass.,
which can be found in most leading libraries.
ADDENDA NO 1.
THE BATTLE OF LOCUST GROVE, VA., Nov. 27, 1863.[35]
[35] No diary was kept at this time by Major Abbott, hence the
details of this battle are given here.
This was the real christening fight of the regiment, and was badly
managed. In the assault on greatly superior numbers, the brigade was
marched in line of battle in quick time through the forest which was
fiercely shelled, as though at drill, the men not breaking--at least
not in the Tenth Vermont--until within about seventy-five yards of
the enemy's unusually strong and favorably posted skirmish line
behind a very high rail fence in the edge of a large cleared field
in the midst of the forest, a corner of which field opposite the
three left companies of the regiment formed an acute angle slightly
less than a right angle, the two long sides of which opposite us
being skirted by a Virginia rail fence eight rails or more in
height, in the edge of the woods, considerably higher than a man's
head.
When in the woods in a ravine running parallel to the long base of
the triangle directly in front--the sharp angle to the right--with
gradually upward sloping ground toward the enemy about seventy-five
yards away, the three left companies under severe fire had
considerably curved to the rear, each being a little further back
than the one on its right, as usual in such circumstances, which
brought Company B being on the left of the regiment, not only
exposed to the severest fire, but the furtherest to the rear of any.
With reason, as unwisely no order had been given to fire in Company
B, and the men being inexperienced and supposing they had got to
await orders to do so as at drill, the line commenced to waver, when
Colonel Albert B. Jewett approached from the rear and cried out
loudly, among other things: "Company B, what's the matter?" or to
that effect. As a matter of fact there _was_ matter enough, which
he soon found after arriving, as he not only wisely sought cover
himself, but someone ordered the men to do so by lying down. There
were no troops immediately on the left of Company B and it drew the
fire of the enemy's Infantry behind the fence, not only in front,
but for some distance to the left; and as the ground occupied by
the enemy was considerably higher the situation was most trying. I
am aware it is claimed that the regiment was in the centre of the
brigade,[36] but if it was, the regiment on its left was out of
sight, and as it was almost a dead level along the ravine as far
as the eye could reach through the woods from Company B which was
on the left of the regiment, it couldn't be seen by me. It is not
probable this and many other similar errors are the faults of the
painstaking and estimable Historian Dr. E. M. Haynes, but it is more
probably due to erroneous official reports of battles of regimental,
brigade and other commanders as well as unreliable verbal reports,
etc., which when once in history are hard to correct.
[36] See Haynes' "Hist. Tenth Regiment Vermont Infantry," p. 54.