Diary of Brigadier-General William F. Bartlett: Thursday, September 1, 1864

Off at last. I gave Arthur all that I had, money, etc., gave him a good breakfast with me, took note for J. D., borrowed $20 of Captain Fox, Thirty-fourth Massachusetts, gave Arthur $10, Sedgwick $10, Arthur my watch-chain. He is very well. Twenty other officers go. Go down to boat in ambulances of boards. An order comes from Colonel Ould. I cannot go. It is a bitter, bitter blow after getting so far. I must go back to prison. Ould says General Walker was not sent up. There is some other reason, I think. This is a sad disappointment. My heart sinks at coming back here. I must wait patiently and believe He doeth all things for the best. Poor mother, if she only knew!

SOURCE: Francis Winthrop Palfrey, Memoir of William Francis Bartlett, p. 133-4

Edward Everett Hale to Charles Hale, July 25, 1862

The recruiting goes on perfectly steadily. William Loring my old parishioner, who is Lt. Col. commanding the 34th wrote down to me to ask me to be chaplain of his regiment and I was sorely tempted, I confess. I suppose if I was at even a regiment's headquarters, the feeling that all was ill done would be rather worse than it is in this blissful ignorance in which we live.

SOURCE: Edward Everett Hale Jr., The Life and Letters of Edward Everett Hale, Volume 1, p. 329

Colonel Charles Russell Lowell to Josephine Shaw Lowell, October 15, 1864

Cedar Creek, Oct. 15, 1864.

I've only ten minutes to write to you; I was out all this morning visiting, junketing at the various headquarters, and only came home to dinner at two o'clock. Since that, has come an order to get in light marching order, and be in readiness to move. I conjecture a raid is on foot for our Division, — perhaps to Charlottesville, — if so, you will not hear from me again for a week or even ten days.

I think Sheridan will have to fight one more battle here, probably while we are gone, — I am sorry to miss it, but perhaps we shall be of more use where we are going. You will know that I am safe, at any rate, — so safe do I feel to-night that I shall be riding Berold; I rode him this morning, too, in making my calls. I heard for the first time that poor Colonel Wells of the Thirty-Fourth Massachusetts was killed in the attack the Rebs made on our camps day before yesterday, —  he was considered an excellent officer.¹

What a letter this for the last one for ten days, but you know how I am when I have anything on foot, I'm all distracted.

_______________

¹ George Duncan Wells, a faithful and gallant Massachusetts soldier. He graduated at Williams College, 1846, and at the Harvard Law School, 1848, and practised law until the outbreak of the war. As Lieutenant-Colonel of the First Massachusetts Infantry, he served at Bull Run and in the Peninsular Campaign. In July, 1862, he was commissioned Colonel of the Thirty-Fourth Massachusetts Regiment, and served in Western Virginia. In July, 1863, he commanded a brigade with General Naglee, with credit. Next year, in the Shenandoah Campaign, he commanded the First Brigade, in General Crook's First Division, and did good service in many fights in the Valley. He received the personal congratulations of General Sheridan, on the field of battle at Winchester (Opequan). On October 12, 1864, he was mortally wounded, and died next day, in the hands of the enemy. His commission as Brevet Brigadier-General dated from the day of his last fight.

SOURCE: Edward Waldo Emerson, Life and Letters of Charles Russell Lowell, p. 360-1, 473-4

Diary of Private Charles H. Lynch: May 15, 1864

Rain. Rain. On picket, wondering why we do not get relieved. It is past time for the relief to show up. Lieutenant Kerr sends a detail to camp to learn the cause. Returned in a short time, reported the regiment had left for parts unknown. The Lieutenant called in the pickets to the reserve headquarters in the woods. Formed company and were ready for action as we marched out of the woods to the pike, expecting to meet the enemy's scouts. Instead we met our own cavalry scouts who reported our regiment left in the night, going up the valley towards New Market. We started on after them, making a forced march, wet, tired, hungry, well used up. Some misunderstanding of orders was the cause of our being left on picket. It was a wonder to us that we did not meet the rebel cavalry and have a hot time, as they had been in this vicinity, scouting all around us. We were determined to put up a hot fight, had we met the enemy. Lieutenant Kerr kept urging us on, making a forced march up the pike. Duty having been so severe, and the lack of rations for the past few days, we were near used up. The last two miles of the march we ran, and joined the regiment as they were going into action, having made a march of sixteen miles with hardly a rest, and very little to eat.

Colonel Moore, Commander of our brigade, pushed our regiment and an Ohio regiment, with a section of a battery, two field guns, about six miles in advance of the main army, bringing on a general engagement. We could not hold the enemy in check as they advanced with a long line of battle. Our battery fell back. The Ohio regiment followed, when our commander, Lieutenant-colonel Peale, gave the command to our regiment, “By the right of companies, to the rear in column,” so we continued to march until we met the 34th Massachusetts Regiment, coming running up with a battery, taking a good position. The enemy was held in check, but for a short time. Sigel managed to get his main force in line, batteries posted, so the enemy was held in check. Our brigade suffered heavy loss. Some of the field pieces had to be abandoned as the horses had been killed and we were in too much mud to draw them away, or back to the main line. It looked to us like a case of mismanagement.

SOURCE: Charles H. Lynch, The Civil War Diary, 1862-1865, of Charles H. Lynch 18th Conn. Vol's, p. 59-61

Diary of Private Charles H. Lynch: April 10, 1864

A cold, damp, disagreeable morning. Passed the Point of Rocks early this morning. Saw that the Potomac River was on a rampage owing to the recent heavy rains. On arrival at Harper's Ferry formed in line for a march to Camp Hill, Bolivar Heights. During our absence the 34th Massachusetts Regiment was ordered to take our place, so took possession of our camp. We were forced to take quarters in old buildings until camp could be located and tents put up. A large mail was waiting for us. I received a number of letters.

SOURCE: Charles H. Lynch, The Civil War Diary, 1862-1865, of Charles H. Lynch 18th Conn. Vol's, p. 52

Adjutant General Thomas reports...

...Col. Hawkins’ Brigade of 5000 colored soldiers at Milliken’s Bend, as in excellent condition and its commander avers it can whip any 5000 rebels now in Arkansas. General Thomas thinks by spring there will not only be negroes enough in the field to guard the banks of the Mississippi its whole length but also to give a large surplus for duty at other points, or in the field.

An expedition, to co-operate with Gen. Averill, consisting of two regiments of infantry, 400 cavalry, and a battery of six guns, the whole force numbering 1,400 in all, under the command of Col. Geo. D. Wells of the 34th Massachusetts infantry returned to Harper’s Ferry without the loss of a man. After penetrating to Harrisonburg. When Averill has finished his work, after Wells had accomplished his diversion, strictly according to orders, he found himself confronted by from 7,000 to 10,000 of Lee’s forces and with Gen. Bosser’s brigade and a part of Stewart’s cavalry in his rear at Front Royal, but by clever strategy and forced marches he escaped the former and avoided the latter forces, and reached his post with his men and munitions unharmed. So desperate, at one time, seemed the chances of the expedition that the rebels in Winchester offered to bet that not a man would return. One hundred rebel prisoners were safely brought off.

- Published in The Union Sentinel, Osceola, Iowa, January 9, 1864