me, and finally we came safe to land.
I went out again with Capt. Rust, and enjoyed the last trip more than any. We were followed by an alligator, and Capt. Rust gathered for me some of the curious plants that were floating on the water.
It was late when we started back to the house, and the ride was glorious.
Flora and I amused ourselves by going through the woods and making our horses jump the highest logs we could find.
Fleet was so full of spirit that I could hardly hold him in.
March 5, Sunday
One of the loveliest days I ever saw. We went to a little Methodist church in Starkesville, for the pleasure of the drive.
After dinner we walked to the Bubbling Spring, and killed a big snake on the way. The spring is down in a gully, and is simply the mouth of a small underground stream that comes to the surface there.
It throws up a kind of black sand that rises on the water like smoke from the stack of a steam engine.
The water under ground makes strange sounds, like vo
strict of Cairo (February 14, 1862) on the assignment of General Grant to the command of the District of West Tennessee.
The fact of the occupation was not known at the time of the gun-boat reconnoissance, which included a land force accompanied by General Sherman and by Brigadier-General Cullum.
This detachment landed and took formal possession.
In his report of the occupation, General Cullum speaks of Columbus as the Gibraltar of the West.
See also note, p. 367.-editors.
On the 5th of March, while we were descending the Mississippi in a dense fog, the flag-steamer leading, the Confederate gun-boat Grampus, or Dare-devil Jack, the sauciest little vessel on the river, suddenly appeared across our track and close aboard.
She stopped her engines and struck her colors, and we all thought she was ours at last.
But when the captain of the Grampus saw how slowly we moved, and as no gun was fired to bring him to, he started off with astonishing speed and was out of danger before th
federates in turn of Bowling Green, Nashville, and Columbus; foreseen also that General Grant would straightway establish himself at so unfavorable a base of operations as Pittsburg Landing rather than at Hamburg, which was really about to be made the Federal base of operations when the battle of Shiloh interrupted the movement.
Under no other conditions could there have been a battle at Shiloh Church, a mere log-cabin, unmarked on any map existing in January, 18 62.-G. T. B.
On the 5th of March I formally assumed command of the district, retaining my headquarters for the time at Jackson as the most central point of observation and the junction of two railroads.
General Bragg's forces began to arrive at Corinth on the 6th, when they, with the other troops reaching there from other quarters, were organized as fast as possible into brigades and divisions.
As a material part of the history of the campaign, I might here dwell upon the perplexing, inexplicable lack of cordial coo
Ulysses S. Grant, Personal Memoirs of U. S. Grant, Arrival of the peace commissioners-lincoln and the peace commissioners-an anecdote of Lincoln-the winter before Petersburg-Sheridan Destroys the Railroad — Gordon Carries the picket line-parke Recaptures the line-the battle of White Oak road (search)
the wagon trains and artillery necessary to the efficiency of an army operating in the enemy's country.
The other consideration was that General Sheridan with the cavalry of the Army of the Potomac was operating on the north side of the James River, having come down from the Shenandoah.
It was necessary that I should have his cavalry with me, and I was therefore obliged to wait until he could join me south of the James River.
Let us now take account of what he was doing.
On the 5th of March I had heard from Sheridan.
He had met Early between Staunton and Charlottesville and defeated him, capturing nearly his entire command.
Early and some of his officers escaped by finding refuge in the neighboring houses or in the woods.
On the 12th I heard from him again.
He had turned east, to come to White House.
He could not go to Lynchburg as ordered, because the rains had been so very heavy and the streams were so very much swollen.
He had a pontoon train with him, but it wou
the Yankee press will quiz McClellan!
March 3
But McClellan would not advance.
He could not drag his artillery at this season of the year; and so he is embarking his army, or the greater portion of it, for the Peninsula.
March 4
We shall have stirring times here.
Our troops are to be marched through Richmond immediately, for the defense of Yorktown--the same town surrendered by Lord Cornwallis to Washington.
But its fall or its successful defense now will signify nothing.
March 5
Martial law has been proclaimed.
March 6
Some consternation among the citizens — they dislike martial law.
March 7
Gen. Winder has established a guard with fixed bayonets at the door of the passport office.
They let in only a few at a time, and these, when they get their passports, pass out by the rear door, it being impossible for them to return through the crowd.
March 8
Gen. Winder has appointed Capt. Godwin Provost Marshal.
March 9
Gen. Winder has appointed C
years, and authority to declare martial law whenever he pleases.
The Herald shouts for Lincoln — of course.
We must fight and pray, and hope for revolution and civil war in the North, which may occur any day.
Our cavalry, under Gen. Jones, has done some brilliant skirmishing recently in the vicinity of Winchester; and as soon as the March winds dry the earth a little, I suppose Hooker will recommence the On to Richmond.
We shall be weaker the next campaign, but our men are brave.
March 5
Yesterday the government seized the flour in the mills and warehouses; and now the price has risen from $30 to $40 per barrel.
I wrote to the Commissary, in view of the dissatisfaction of the people, and to prevent disturbances, advising him to seize the 5000 barrels in the hands of the small speculators, and to allow so many pounds per month to each inhabitant, at the rate paid by government.
This would be beneficent and popular, confining the grumblers to the extortioners.
But he w
desired, and its place filled with troops from South Carolina, etc., where operations will probably soon cease.
The Secretary sent this to the President.
The President sent it back to day, indorsed, How can Pickett's division be replaced?-J. D.
Henly's Battalion returned this evening; and Custis can resume his school, unless he should be among the list doomed to the rank in the field, for which he is physically incapable, as Surgeon Garnett, the President's physician, has certified.
March 5
Clear and pleasant, after a slight shower in the morning.
The raid is considered at an end, and it has ended disastrously for the invaders.
Some extraordinary memoranda were captured from the raiders, showing a diabolical purpose, and creating a profound sensation here.
The cabinet have been in consultation many hours in regard to it, and I have reason to believe it is the present purpose ta deal summarily with the captives taken with Dahlgren, but the sober second thought will
ir families with them, under the belief that the city may be suddenly evacuated, and the impossibility of getting transportation.
I do not share the belief — that is, that the event is likely to occur immediately; but if it should occur, I know my wife and children will remain — for a season.
We faust pray that our flight be not in the winter.
Gen. Lee was closeted with the Secretary of War several hours to-day.
It is reported that Gen. L.'s family are preparing to leave the city.
March 5
Bright and cool; some frost this morning.
I saw an officer yesterday from Early's command.
He said the enemy entered Charlottesville on Friday at half-past 2 o'clock P. M., between 2000 and 3000 strong, cavalry, and had made no advance at the latest accounts.
He says Gen. Early, when last seen, was flying, and pursued by some fifteen well-mounted Federals, only fifty paces in his rear.
The general being a large heavy man, and badly mounted, was undoubtedly captured.
He intimated
le read the story of his humble beginnings, and how he had risen, by dint of simple, earnest work and native genius, through privation and difficulty, first to fame and leadership in his State, and now to fame and leadership in the nation, they grew quickly into symbols of a faith and trust destined to play no small part in a political revolution of which the people at large were not as yet even dreaming.
Another feature of the campaign also quickly developed itself.
On the preceding 5th of March, one of Mr. Lincoln's New England speeches had been made at Hartford, Connecticut; and at its close he was escorted to his hotel by a procession of the local Republican club, at the head of which marched a few of its members bearing torches and wearing caps and capes of glazed oilcloth, the primary purpose of which was to shield their clothes from the dripping oil of their torches.
Both the simplicity and the efficiency of the uniform caught the popular eye, as did also the name, Wide-Aw
gn, and I am surprised that General Buell should hesitate to reinforce me. He was too late at Fort Donelson ... . Believe me, General, you make a serious mistake in having three independent commands in the West.
There never will and never can be any cooperation at the critical moment; all military history proves it.
This insistence had greater point because of the news received that Curtis, energetically following Price into Arkansas, had won a great Union victory at Pea Ridge, between March 5 and 8, over the united forces of Price and McCulloch, commanded by Van Dorn.
At this juncture, events at Washington, hereafter to be mentioned, caused a reorganization of military commands, and President Lincoln's Special War Order No. 3 consolidated the western departments of Hunter, Halleck, and Buell, as far east as Knoxville, Tennessee, under the title of the Department of the Mississippi, and placed General Halleck in command of the whole.
Meanwhile, Halleck had ordered the victoriou
