June 2nd,
1862
Army of the Tennessee
In camp near Corinth, Mississippi &c &c
I was Sergeant of the Guard till 1 o’clock
A.M. this
morning, consequently did not sleep much last night and in the meanwhile, wrote
a letter to sister Mattie. This
morning is cool and pleasant.
Twelve o’clock midnight, preparing to move camp
to the rear, 4 miles close to Brig.
General Jacob G. Lauman’s Headquarters.[1]
One o’clock
P.M., we have
orders to be ready to march at a moment’s warning. Where to go; I am not
informed.
Two o’clock
P.M., orders to
cook rations as fast as possible. Troops are rapidly marching out south and
west.
Two ½ o’clock P.M., orders are to form and
march out immediately; we comply not having time to get rations or anything except
arms and accouterments.
The sky is darkened. The rain begins to fall
ere we get to Corinth. We overtake General Sherman’s division close to Corinth going out also. The rain is falling fast. Come
to Corinth; pass through without stopping. Cross the
Mobile & Ohio R.R.; continue in a southwest direction two miles. Here night
overtakes us; we camp for the night by spreading blankets on the ground. The
rain continues to fall &c.&c.
Eight o’clock
P.M., 79 prisoners
pass by us guarded by cavalry going to General
Halleck’s headquarters.[2] The most of them are in citizen’s dress and I
presume are citizens; were taken 15 miles on the M&C [Memphis & Charleston] R.R.[3] Rumors
that Memphis’ Forts
Pillow and Randolph are in our possession.[4]
June the 3rd,
1862
Two miles southwest of Corinth
Mississippi
The morning call arouses me from my slumbers. I
rested pretty well last night, but feel rather rusty this morning. It rained a
little during the night.
Six o’clock A.M., take up a line of
march; cross the Memphis & Charleston R. R. The first Steam Engine I ever saw in the south I saw this morning
going west.
Seven o’clock
A.M., we have
arrived at the enemy’s entrenchments prior to the evacuation of Corinth. Have to cut a road through the earthworks and fallen timber, in order to
pass our artillery and trains. Seven o’clock A.M., I am sitting on a high stump one rod from the
enemy’s fortifications. I can see some distance along the line both right and
left. The line of works are on one elevated piece of ground, commanding the
county for some distance in front, and would be hard to take either by storm or
bombardment had they been possessed by Patriots instead of Traitors. But the
labor and toil of many days is lost to them and now the Yankees [are] sitting beneath the shade trees around the
great and notable Corinth. Looking at the works of their hands, can
laugh at their calamities and mock when their fear cometh, for they (the
Philistines) have fled before the mighty men of Israel, who have taken their possessions.
Nine A.M., the road is open and we continue to march;
cross a little creek. Here I find some of the finest timber I have ever seen.
The lofty Oakland poplar with a trunk from 50 to 90 feet without a limb, and the smooth bark beech
spreading its green branches far and wide
shading the undergrowth. Mulberry, black berries, and dew berries, each covered
with delicious berries reminds me of times that are past and gone. Passing
through this pleasant grove of timber, we come to a farm on the M & C R.R.
where there is a large field of ripe wheat and is being cut by white men and
slaves. This is the first plantation that I have seen in Mississippi or Tennessee where the inhabitants were attending to their
own business. Passing this farm, we cross the Memphis and Charleston R.R.
The beautiful forests of timber, fine roads and
pleasant weather, through which we are passing, is certainly encouraging to the
way-worn soldier as he tunes “Yankee Doodle” or some other good old tune.
We pass on the south side of the R.R. two miles
west, where we come to a halt; rest and take dinner as one of our teams brought
us some provisions. Send teams back to camp after more of that which keeps soul
and body together.
June the 4th,
1862
Seven miles west of Corinth on M&C R.R.
This morning finds us
just where we stopped yesterday at noon. It rained a little last night,
giving us a good wetting as we lay stretched on the ground under trees and
every other place.
I,
with three others, lay under a large oak tree. Sometime during the night a
large limb broke and fell from the tree, close to our feet. Why it did not fall
on us I cannot tell. If it had, it certainly would have given us many broken
bones.
One
of my companions remarked, that he believed that it was a special act of Providence
in letting a branch of such immense magnitude fall so close without hurting us,
that we might know that He was with us and would preserve our lives while in
the most eminent danger. I endorsed his opinion as I thought it a good
one.
W.C. Newlon
Confiscation
Act
This
morning is cool and pleasant. Two deserters from the Rebel Army near Grand
Junction,
with arms and accouterments on, were brought into camp. They confirm what
others have said about the demoralized condition of the Rebel Army and that
many would be glad to get away.
Lt. Colonel Scott heard their story,
then sent them to General Lauman
after which he gave us his mind with regard the Rebel leaders and the Confiscation Act,[5] denouncing it as one of the most inhumane acts
ever imposed upon a civilized nation when the founders of the rebellion knew
that the life and existence of the whole thing depended upon its popularity.
An
act to force men into rebellion is a sin of the deepest dye and is only
practiced by men of the most treasonable character and them alone. We have had
an opportunity to converse with citizens here. They rejoice at the approach of
Federals, as they are tired of despotism and tyranny.
They
state that provisions are very scarce and that if the north does not send
relief soon that they will suffer coffee $1.50 per pound, bacon 95.00 Dollars,
salt $22.00 per sack and other things in proportion.[6]
June the 5th,
1862
Seven miles west of Corinth on M&C R.R.
All
right this morning, morning cool, health good, and ready for anything. Rumors
this morning of a battle at Richmond.[7]
Day is very hot and unpleasant,
ticks, spiders and lizards by the thousands. How detestable they are.
June the 6th,
1862
Seven miles west of Corinth
Mississippi on M&C R.R.
I am not in military time this morning. Was out
[as]
a scout last night after thirty armed
rebel deserters, who were seen some two miles from our lines. But trying to
avoid us, which they successfully did, as we spent half the night after them
without accomplishing our object.
Twelve
midnight, our
train, camp and baggage arrive. We cross to the north side of the R.R.; go into
camp. Our campground is a beautiful one on an elevated piece of timbered land
close to the Tennessee line.
June the 7th
1862, Saturday
Seven miles west of Corinth
Mississippi on M&C R.R.
Had a big time sleeping last night as I had a tent to sleep in,
some brush for a feather bed, my Cartridge Box for a pillow.[8]
The first thing this morning was to remove the rubbish and sweep
the streets, a very hot day, almost scorching hot. Health good, and not
married. &c &c.
Five
½ P.M., Dress Parade for the first time since the evacuation of Corinth. We were honored by the presence of two Mississippi Ladies; such never before witnessed a parade
by the 3rd Iowa. They were rather good looking, more so than
intelligent.
Papers
of the (just received) [sic]
give an account of the Battle before Richmond, pretty good news. Although I looked for
better.[9]
Uncle Sam is getting the Steam Engines running pretty
brisk on the different roads; not many cars attached to them. Not so hot as it
was. In the middle of the day nothing of importance.
W.C. Newlon
[1] Jacob Gartner Lauman, “born
in Taneytown, Maryland, 20
January 1813;
died in Burlington, Iowa, in February 1867. His early
days were spent in York County, Pennsylvania, and he was educated at the
academy there. In 1844 he removed to Burlington, Iowa, where he engaged in
commerce. He was commissioned colonel of the 7th Iowa regiment in July 1861,
served under General Grant in Missouri, and was severely wounded at Belmont, 7
November 1861. At Fort Donelson, where he commanded a
brigade, he was one of the first to storm and enter the enemy's works. For his
services on this occasion he was made brigadier-general of volunteers on 21
March 1862.
General Lauman commanded a brigade in General Hurlbut's division at the battle
of Shiloh, 6 and 7
April 1862,
and a division at the siege of Vicksburg. He was relieved by General
William T. Sherman after the capture of Jackson, Mississippi, 16
July 1863,
and returned to Iowa.” Available at http://www.famousamericans.net/jacobgartnerlauman/
Edited Appletons Encyclopedia©2001
VirtualologyTM
[2] Major General Henry Wager
Halleck (1815-1872) “...was a United States Army officer, scholar, and lawyer.
A noted expert in military studies, he was known by a nickname that became
derogatory, "Old Brains." He was an important participant in the admission
of California
as a state and became a successful lawyer and land developer. Early in the American Civil War, he was a senior Union Army
commander in the Western Theater and then
served for almost two years as general-in-chief of all U.S. armies. He was "kicked
upstairs" to be chief of staff of the Army when Lt. Gen. Ulysses
S. Grant, Halleck's former subordinate in the West, whose battlefield
victories did much to advance Halleck's career, replaced him in 1864 as
general-in-chief for the remainder of the war.
Halleck
was a cautious general who believed strongly in thorough preparations for
battle and in the value of defensive fortifications over quick, aggressive
action. He was a master of administration, logistics, and the politics
necessary at the top of the military hierarchy, but exerted little effective
control over field operations from his post in Washington,
D.C. President Abraham
Lincoln once described him as ‘little more than a first rate clerk.”
Wikipedia Encyclopedia. Available at http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Henry_W._Halleck.
[3] “The Memphis and Charleston (M&C) Railroad was the
last link in a chain of early railroads connecting the Atlantic Coast to the Mississippi River. Its route from Memphis to Chattanooga across Tennessee, Mississippi, and Alabama is still an important rail
line as part of the Norfolk Southern system....
The M&C was strategically important to the Confederacy. The railroad was the scene of heavy fighting early in the Civil War; the April 1862 battle of Shiloh was fought near it, and it was inevitable that the line would be a target for destruction. The war completely demolished much of the railroad....”
The online edition of the Tennessee Encyclopedia of History and Culture, a definitive and comprehensive reference work on the Volunteer State co-sponsored by the University of Tennessee Press and the Tennessee Historical Society. Available at http://tennesseeencyclopedia.net/imagegallery.php?EntryID=
The M&C was strategically important to the Confederacy. The railroad was the scene of heavy fighting early in the Civil War; the April 1862 battle of Shiloh was fought near it, and it was inevitable that the line would be a target for destruction. The war completely demolished much of the railroad....”
The online edition of the Tennessee Encyclopedia of History and Culture, a definitive and comprehensive reference work on the Volunteer State co-sponsored by the University of Tennessee Press and the Tennessee Historical Society. Available at http://tennesseeencyclopedia.net/imagegallery.php?EntryID=
[4] “...Fort Pillow was located eight miles
above Memphis, and Foote's Flotilla of ironclads began
shelling it on 14 April. Despite attempts by a fleet of Confederate ramming
ships, Foote captured Fort Pillow on 4 May, followed by Fort Randolph, a little further down on
the river. He was able to defeat these rams, which were essentially swift
steamboats mounted with a few guns due to the aid of a similar group of eight
Union ramming vessels with no guns and some iron plating under the command of
Colonel Charles Ellet Jr. These ramming vessels were designed to outmaneuver
slower gunboats and ram into them. The swifter Union rams combined with fire from
‘Foote's Flotilla’ was able to sink the rebel rams...” C. Ron Virts, “History
of Civil War Ironclads and Gunboats”, 2000. Available at http://www.civilwarships.com/history.html.
[5] The CSA Confiscation Act of 16
April 1862: …”The act…obligated all white males between eighteen and
thirty-five to three years’ service or less, should the war end sooner;…”,
Emory M. Thomas, The Confederate Nation:
1861-1865. (New York: Harper & Row, 1979),
152-3.
[6] “1862 – bacon, 75¢ per pound; beef, 12.5¢ per
pound; butter, 75¢ to $2 per pound;
coffee, $1.50 to $4 per pound; cornmeal, $3.50 per bushel; flour, $16 to $40
per barrel; tea, $10 to $20 per pound”, Michael J. Varhola, Every Day life
During The Civil War. (Cincinnati, Ohio: Writer’s Digest Books, 1999), 88.
[7] Perhaps early “Phase 1 of the Seven Days’
Battles”. James M. McPherson, ed., The
Atlas of the Civil War. (New York: MacMillan, 1994), 70.
[8] A
leather cartridge box, approximately 5”x8”, with a shoulder strap. Issued at
the beginning of the Civil War, the box had a stamped “US” brass plate and an Eagle
brass breast plate on the strap. Toward the end of the war the boxes were
issued without the metal plates as a cost cutting measure. The letters “U.S.” were embossed on the
leather flap instead. Inside two tins held 20 paper cartridges, each with a .58 caliber Minié ball. An inside pouch
stored gun tools. Photo available at www.espd.com/oxhill/Artifacts/cartridgebox/cartridgebox.htm
[9] On 30 May CSA General Stonewall Jackson with
a force of 15,000 learned that he was about to be cut by a pincer movement in
the Strasburg-Front Royal area, forty miles to his rear. US General John Frémont, coming
from western Virginia, was only twenty miles from
the westerly town of Strasburg and General James Shields
occupied Front Royal. Their combined forces numbered 25,000 and were thirty
miles apart. For the next week or two there were several skirmishes between
various units and commands. See Sword
Over Richmond for a fuller account. Richard Wheeler, Sword Over Richmond. (New York: The Fairfax
Press, 1986), 245-265.
