Civil War Blog

April 6, 1863

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Hd. qrs. 11th Corps
Stafford Court House

My dear Mother,

I believe I have not written you a letter since we came to this Corps.

I have just returned from a Review of all the Cavalry of the army by the President. This morning at 9 we started. Otis & all his Divn. Generals with their various staffs. We rode to Gen Hookers Hd. qrs. about 7 miles and these called on the President – and at 12 we all went out to the Review. It was exceedingly muddy. The day was cloudy – Saturday night we had a snow storm! And though the snow is almost all gone yet it made it very muddy. The cavalry was draw up in lines a mile long and we had a very tiresome ride in reviewing. The Pres. rode with Gen. Hooker. His little boy rode on a pony by his side. The Generals present rode next & then their staffs – which made a big battalion. Afterwards, as always in a Review, the Pres. took a station & all the Cavalry & light artillery passed him in platoons or companies. It took a full hour for it all to pass in this manner. We rode to Gen. Hooker’s Hd. Qrs. again & the Generals gave their staffs permission to go home while they went to dine with the Pres. & Gen Hooker. Mrs. Lincoln was at the Review in a covered carriage. Attorney Gen’l. Bates was with her. He is an old man, with hair very grey. [Read more…] about April 6, 1863

April 5, 1863

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West Point.

Dear Father,

I received your short letter of 29th. inst. on 2d. You spoke of my letter being short. I think we were about even on that point.

The standing for Feb. is posted. I cam out in Math. 48, in French 49, in Drawing 10. I had 15 demerits up to first of March.

I saw in yesterday’s paper the troops were ordered back from Florida. I suppose the 8th Regiment was with them. I am expecting every day to hear of the attack on Charleston. The 8th Regiment will probably be there.

Snow is all gone off and we have commenced drill.

I believe I have no questions to answer in this letter, if there is any more you meant to ask I shall always be ready to answer them.

Your Affectionate Son, Malcolm McArthur

Malcolm McArthur to father, Arthur McArthur [McArthur Family Papers]

April 4, 1863

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6Saturday.  This morning all the companies of the  Regt. marched down to the railroad & brought up the tents, cooking utensils, & other baggage, & then pitched the tents on the ground we occupied last night.  Got the cook’s things out of the boxes & got a warm meal for the men, the first “regular meal” they have had since Monday.  Had dress parade at 5 o’clock.

The weather this weak has been the most delightful we have experienced since we have been in the state.  The sky has been entirely cloudless nearly all the time, the sun was out but not oppressive, & a gentle breeze from the West most of the time, while the evenings made light by the full moon, and just cool enough for comfort in our ordinary clothes, have been charming indeed.  I am almost reconciled to the country, & were it a land of freedom, of free schools, free speech, free churches, & live, industrious, enterprising, moral & intelligent New Englanders, and were all the near friends I have comfortably settled here, I don’t know but I would consent to fix my own residence even here in this land of cotton & cane!!  [Read more…] about April 4, 1863

April 3, 1863

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Stafford Ctt.

Dearest,

I wrote you a tiny letter yesterday and perhaps will not do much better today. I had not finished the above sentence before I was interrupted and it has been two hours since. I am learning the regiments and officers. This command is completely new to me. I will enclose a list of regiments as I have had them drum up, I imagine you and Jamie can pronounce German names about as well as I.

I am going to move Hd Qrts. to the vicinity of Brooke’s Station tomorrow. […]

Lovingly, Otis

Oliver Otis Howard to his wife, Elizabeth A. Waite [Oliver Otis Howard Papers]

April 2, 1863

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2Thursday.

Turned out & got breakfast before daylight.  Our boys had dug a “bean hole” before night, & for breakfast had a fine lot of baked beans.  Started at 7 & marched down through the same rich country that we have been passing through for two days.  Reached Thibodaux, quite a pretty village, about noon, but made no stop there.  Saw huge piles of baggage that had been landed from the steamer.  Kept on to the R. R. Station, three miles distant, & camped in a field a little to the south of it.  This was the hardest day’s march of the three, & several of my Co. dropped behind & sat down by the woodside between Thibodaux & the camping ground.  I could not blame them, for we were hurried along at an unreasonable pace.  The last four miles I carried the knapsack of one of my men, & the last two miles the gun of another.  I was glad when we got the order to halt, though I could have gone further without giving out!  I went & had a pretty thorough wash, & felt better for it.  My feet have stood this three days march wonderfully—have not raised a blister or chafed the skin in a single place, while many of the men have very large blisters on the bottoms of their feet that give them great trouble & pain.  Sergt. North has gone very lame today, tho’ he never complains.

About sunset we had orders to pack up & be ready to take the [railroad] cars in ten minutes!  We struck & rolled up tents, & got ready to go, but were at last ordered to pitch them again to start at 6 in the morning.

Had a good nights sleep, but the men got up rather tender footed, and went limping about camp as they have not been obliged to do before.

Diary of Isaac Winslow Case [Miscellaneous Manuscripts Collection]

April 1, 1863

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Hdqrs 11th Corps
Stafford Court House

My dear brother, [Rowland B. Howard]
in accordance with an order rec’d yesterday assigning Otis temporarily to the command of the 11th Corps – we left Hd. Qrs. 2nd Divn. Right after Breakfast this morning and rode over here about 10 miles.Had to search somewhat to find the place. Found Gen. Carl Shurz in command. Hd. Qrs. At a house. He was very gentlemanly – is tall, full broad forehead – curly brown hair – reddish whiskers – wears spectacles & gives the impression of being a man of ability as he undoubtedly is. It is a bright moonlight night. Last night the whole army were April-fooled to say the least and I got scarcely any sleep. Had to get up to carry orders between 2 & 3 A.M. Had not been in bed an hour when wakened. It was said (telegraphed from Gen. Hd. Qrs) that the report had come from Sickle’s Pickets that the enemy were advancing on the Archwood road.

It now proves to be all a fiction but I am very tired & could not write a decent letter. Have ridden nearly all day. Gen. Shurz rode to all the Divn’s with us. He returns to his Divn for the present – Steinwehr has the 2nd – McLean the 1st. This last has two thirds American Regiments I believe. Every body at these Hd. Qrs (nearly) speaks German. Carl Shurz speaks German, French & English equally well. Otis is in the house – Stinson & I in tent. Leaves are granted again so we will not move at present.

Goodnight – I am ready to fall asleep.

Charles Henry Howard to his brother, Rowald Bailey Howard [Charles Henry Howard Collection]

March 31, 1863

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Hdqrs. 2nd Divn. 2nd Corps
Near Falmouth Va.

Dear Mother,
This is probably the last letter I shall date at these Hd. qrs. The order assigning Otis to the 11th Corps (Siegel’s) temporarily arrived this afternoon and we will take our departure for Brook’s Station tomorrow morning near which is the 11th Corps – about 6 miles to the rear of this place. One of the General of Divisions is the celebrated Carl Shurz orator and warm patriot & it is said a very gentlemanly man. Steinwehr is another and McLean the third.

Your letter came the day I wrote my other, and today another from you arrived just after the order. This contained the photograph which no one here thinks as good as the one I had taken in Philada.

[Read more…] about March 31, 1863

March 30, 1863

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Monday.

Sent off the tents & baggage to the steamer “Empire Parish” late in the afternoon, & pitched shelter tents to spend the night in.  the weather today has been cool, & this evening there is a very cold wind from the north.  Stowed ourselves in the little tents & passed a tolerable night, tho’ some of the men suffered with the cold.  The Chaplain returned yesterday from B[aton] Rouge & informed me of the death of Corp. Titcomb.  He died at the Measles Hosp. & the Chaplain attended his funeral.  Lt.  Richards took charge of his effects & will send them to Titcomb’s uncle in Bangor.  Wrote a letter to T. H. Wiggin of Levant, informing him of T’s death, & giving him some account of his sickness.  I also wrote to Mrs. Gerald in regard to the sickness & death of her husband.
Finished my letter to Father, & sent it off.

Diary of Isaac Winslow Case [Miscellaneous Manuscripts Collection]

March 29, 1863

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Sunday.

Had a Reg. inspection in the morning & no other duty for the day.  No religious services, the Chaplain having returned to baton Rouge yesterday.  Wrote a long letter to Father in [the] afternoon.

At Donaldsonville the Bayou Lafourche flows out of the main river to the S. W. & South entering the Gulf considerably to the west of the principal mouths of the Mississippi.  We are to march from this place to the N. O. O .& G.W. Railroad, near Thibodaux, some thirty odd miles distant, our tents & baggage to go by steamer.

Diary of Isaac Winslow Case [Miscellaneous Manuscripts Collection]