Showing posts with label Roads. Show all posts
Showing posts with label Roads. Show all posts

Thursday, March 21, 2024

Diary of 1st Lieutenant Daniel L. Ambrose: December 9, 1864

Companies I, E and F, are now mounted—are now moving upon the war path as of old. The non-mounted portion of the regiment are in the advance of the Fifteenth Army Corps. To-day we find the roads all obstructed by the felling of trees, but not enough to check the army; the Pioneers keep the roads all free from impediments. Some skirmishing to-day but nothing serious. The weak rebel forces seem but idle toys for the moment.

SOURCE: Daniel Leib Ambrose, History of the Seventh Regiment Illinois Volunteer Infantry, p. 282

Diary of 1st Lieutenant Daniel L. Ambrose: February 4, 1865

In the evening we cross over into the Palmetto State and go into camp three miles from the river; we doubt if ever an army encountered more difficulties than did Slocum's command and General Corse's Division encounter in crossing the Savannah. The river was up, and for three long miles the army was compelled to build a solid road.

SOURCE: abstracted from Daniel Leib Ambrose, History of the Seventh Regiment Illinois Volunteer Infantry, p. 293-4

Monday, February 26, 2024

Diary of 1st Lieutenant Daniel L. Ambrose: Sunday, November 20, 1864

Before daylight this morning we cross the Ocmulgee River, all the rest of the army having crossed last night. Our division is now in the rear guarding Kilpatrick's train; the roads are very muddy; only succeed in getting ten miles to-day, when we go into camp near Monticello. A cold rain is now falling; the chilling winds, how fierce they blow! The Seventh suffers to-night.

SOURCE: Daniel Leib Ambrose, History of the Seventh Regiment Illinois Volunteer Infantry, p. 279

Monday, October 9, 2023

Diary of Private Louis Leon: January 20, 1864

Hard work until to-day, when we were sent out to lay a plank road. While at work General Lee and his daughter rode by us, and soon after a courier came from his headquarters and gave us some woolen socks and gloves—sent to us from his daughter. Nothing more worth recording this month.

SOURCE: Louis Leon, Diary of a Tar Heel Confederate Soldier, p. 56

Sunday, October 8, 2023

Landon C. Haynes to Jefferson Davis, January 27, 1862

KNOXVILLE, TENN., January 27, 1862.
His Excellency JEFFERSON DAVIS,
        President Confederate States of America:

SIR: The Army of the Cumberland is utterly routed and demoralized. The result is regarded with the profoundest solicitude. Confidence is gone in the ranks and among the people. It must be restored. I am confident it cannot be done under Generals Crittenden and Carroll. There is now no impediment whatever but bad roads and natural obstacles to prevent the enemy from entering East Tennessee and destroying the railroads and putting East Tennessee in a flame of revolution.

Nothing but the appointment to the command of a brave, skillful, and able general, who has the popular confidence, will restore tone and discipline to the army, and confidence to the people. I do not propose to inquire whether the loss of public confidence in Generals Crittenden and Carroll is ill or well founded. It is sufficient that all is lost.

General Humphrey Marshall, General Floyd, General Pillow, General Smith, or General Loring would restore tone to the army and rein-spire the public confidence. I must think, as everybody else does, that there has been a great mistake made. Every movement is important. Can not you, Mr. President, right the wrong by the immediate presence of a new and able man?

Yours, truly,
LANDON C. HAYNES.

SOURCE: The War of the Rebellion: A Compilation of the Official Records of the Union and Confederate Armies, Series I, Volume 7 (Serial No. 7), p. 849

Monday, March 20, 2023

Official Reports of the Campaign in North Alabama and Middle Tennessee, November 14, 1864-January 23, 1865: No. 250. — Report of Col. Charles H. Olmstead, First Volunteer Georgia Infantry, commanding Smith's brigade, of operations December 6, 1864--January 20, 1865.

No. 250.

Report of Col. Charles H. Olmstead, First Volunteer Georgia Infantry,
commanding Smith's brigade, of operations December 6, 1864 –January 20, 1865.

HEADQUARTERS SMITH'S BRIGADE,        
Near Tupelo, Miss., January 20, 1865.

CAPTAIN: I have the honor to submit the following report of the operations of this brigade from December 6, 1864, to the present date: On December 6 and 7 the command was busy constructing a second line of works in, front of Nashville, a little to the right of the Nolensville pike. On the morning of the 8th we took up the line of march for Murfreesborough, having been ordered to report to General Forrest near that place. At night-fall went into camp within eleven miles of the place. From that time until December 15 the command did little else than destroy the railroad between Murfreesborough and Nashville. On the 15th marched with Palmer's brigade and a portion of the cavalry to a position considerably to the eastward of Murfreesborough. On the next day, however, we retraced our steps, and (the news of the disaster at Nashville reaching us that night) we immediately started across the country for Pulaski by forced marches. The roads were in horrible condition and the weather intensely cold, so that the sufferings of the men, who were many of them barefooted and all poorly clad, were intense. On arriving at Duck River it was found to be so much swollen by heavy rains as to be impassable. We were accordingly ordered to Columbia, which place we reached late at night on the 18th. Here we remained for three days, receiving orders to report to Major-General Walthall as a portion of the rear guard of the army.

Early on the morning of the 22d the enemy crossed the river in force above Columbia, and [we] commenced our retreat. We retired slowly, forming line of battle occasionally, until we had gotten some six or seven miles on this side of Pulaski, when the enemy pushed us so hard that it was determined to stop and fight them. Accordingly, the line was formed, our position being upon the extreme left of the infantry, with Palmer's brigade upon our right, the cavalry upon our left. The enemy approached boldly, a heavy line of skirmishers preceding them. Upon a given signal our whole line charged, when the enemy retired in confusion after offering but a slight resistance. We captured a number of horses and one piece of artillery, a 12-pounder Napoleon. This was on Christmas day. On the following day the rear guard was again attacked, but this brigade was not engaged in the affair, nor did we again meet the enemy.

On the 28th we recrossed the Tennessee, and on the 1st of January rejoined our division at Corinth, from whence we marched to Tupelo.

The conduct of men and officers in this trying retreat was admirable; they bore the hardships forced upon them unflinchingly, and were ever ready to show a bold front on the approach of the enemy.

I would especially call the attention of the general commanding to the gallant conduct of Private P. Murner, of the First Georgia, and Private A. Vicary, of the Fifty-fourth Georgia. These men carried the colors of their respective regiments, and showed conspicuous bravery in the charge on the 25th.

I am, captain, very respectfully, your obedient servant,

CHAS. H. OLMSTEAD,        
Colonel, Commanding Brigade.
Capt. W. W. HARDY,
        Acting Assistant Adjutant-General.

List of casualties: 1 killed, 2 wounded, 70 missing. The missing were most of them men who broke down physically on the other side of Duck River, and are supposed to have fallen into the hands of the enemy.

CHAS. H. OLMSTEAD,        
Colonel, Commanding Brigade.

SOURCE: The War of the Rebellion: A Compilation of the Official Records of the Union and Confederate Armies, Series I, Volume 45, Part 1 (Serial No. 93), p. 740-1

Sunday, February 12, 2023

Diary of Private Louis Leon: July 14, 1863

The roads are so bad that it is hard work to trudge along. I stuck in the mud several times, and lost one shoe in a mud hole, but of course took it out again. One consolation we have got, it is raining so hard that the mud is washed off our clothing, therefore they were not soiled too bad. But the devil of it is there is no blacking to shine our shoes with. Marched sixteen miles and halted. We are now, thank God, on Confederate soil, but oh, how many of our dear comrades have we left behind. We can never forget this campaign. We had hard marching, hard fighting, suffered hunger and privation, but our general officers were always with us, to help the weary soldier carry his gun, or let him ride. In a fight they were with us to encourage. Many a general have I seen walk and a poor sick private riding his horse, and our father, Lee, was scarcely ever out of sight when there was danger. We could not feel gloomy when we saw his old gray head uncovered as he would pass us on the march, or be with us in a fight. I care not how weary or hungry we were, when we saw him we gave that Rebel yell, and hunger and wounds would be forgotten.

SOURCE: Louis Leon, Diary of a Tar Heel Confederate Soldier, p. 40-1

Wednesday, October 19, 2022

Brigadier-General Felix K. Zollicoffer to Samuel Cooper, November 8, 1861

BRIGADE HEADQUARTERS AT OLIVER'S,        
Twenty-three miles from Montgomery, November 8, 1861.
General S. COOPER,
        Adjutant and Inspector General, Richmond:

SIR: On the 4th instant Lieutenant-Colonel McClellan sent me a dispatch, stating that he had information "entirely reliable" that 6,000 of the enemy—l,500 cavalry and the balance infantry and artillery—were encamped in 5 miles of Monticello, and were advancing towards Jamestown. He stated that he knew nothing of the whereabouts of Colonels Stanton and Murray, and that he had determined to retire with his cavalry force towards Pikeville, fearing he might be cut off if he attempted to retreat towards Montgomery.

I inferred that the enemy's force would advance towards Loudon Bridge, through Montgomery, and conceived the plan of intercepting them at Winter's Gap, in a mile of this place, or at the pass down the mountain, 18 miles from here, on the road from Montgomery to Kingston. I sent cavalry forward to pass up both roads and ascertain which way they were coming, I got the news two days ago at Cumberland Gap, and reached here this evening with my disposable force, a distance of 71 miles, one regiment having started from that gap and got up to within 15 miles of this position.

Just as I entered the road from Knoxville to Montgomery a messenger was passing from Colonel McClellan to Colonel Wood, at Knoxville, and I found he had a dispatch for me, stating that the information he had given on the 4th was founded in error. This letter is dated yesterday. He says there is a camp of the enemy 5 miles east of Monticello, but he does not know its strength or character. His pickets have been into Monticello. He is encamped at Camp McGinnis, 8 or 9 miles north of Jamestown. He says that he has not heard of Stanton and Murray for two days, but understands they are approaching.

I have determined to fall back to Jacksborough and completely blockade the two wagon roads through the mountains in that neighborhood. I have written to Stanton, Murray, and McClellan to unite their forces, and make a stand in a strong position, if they can find it, where the wagon road ascends the mountain from Monticello to Jamestown, forming intrenchments for the infantry commanding the pass. I left the regiments of Colonels Churchwell and Rains at Cumberland Gap, busily engaged in completing the works there. Within a week or ten days I think the defenses there will be very strong. I think the Jacksborough routes can soon be made effectively impassable, and then I hope to move by the Jamestown route and advance.

If you will examine the topography of the country you will perceive I have passed to this point along a valley at the foot of the mountain. The road is good. To pass from Jacksborough direct to Huntsville or Montgomery or Jamestown direct, I would have to pursue a mountain road, poor and broken, and the mountain is generally 30 or 40 miles wide.

Very respectfully,
F. K. ZOLLICOFFER,        
Brigadier-General.
(Same to Col. W. W. Mackall.)

SOURCE: The War of the Rebellion: A Compilation of the Official Records of the Union and Confederate Armies, Series I, Volume 4 (Serial No. 4), p. 530-1

Friday, September 23, 2022

Brigadier-General Felix K. Zollicoffer to Samuel Cooper, November 22, 1861

BRIGADE HEADQUARTERS,        
Jamestown, Tenn., Nov. 22, 1861.
General S. Cooper,
        Adjutant and Inspector-General, Richmond:

SIR: Heavy rains have made the roads slippery and will somewhat retard our progress. Day before yesterday I ordered Colonel Stanton, with his regiment, Colonel Murray's and Lieutenant-Colonel McClellan's cavalry, encamped about 10 miles north of Jamestown, to make a rapid and stealthy forward movement to capture the ferry-boats at four or five crossings of the Cumberland, and, if practicable, the enemy's cavalry said to be on this side of the river. I have not heard whether the movement has been made. I see it stated in the Nashville newspapers that General Ward has 2,000 men at Campbellsville, 1,200 at Columbia, and a regiment at Lebanon. It is reported to Colonel Stanton that the two or three regiments between Somerset and the river have moved towards Columbia, to join other forces there. He communicates also a rumor of the crossing of the Cumberland by a force of the enemy at Green's Ferry; but all these reports seem to be uncertain.  I have no dispatches from Knoxville since I left there, but hear through various scouting parties that the tories in Lower East Tennessee are dispersed, a number of prisoners taken, a few Lincolnites killed and wounded, and several hundred guns captured. Citizens have turned out in large numbers and assisted the soldiers in scouring the mountains and hunting down the fugitive traitors. They should now be pursued to extermination, if possible.

Very respectfully,
F. K. ZOLLICOFFER,        
Brigadier-General.
[Similar report to Colonel Mackall.]

SOURCE: The War of the Rebellion: A Compilation of the Official Records of the Union and Confederate Armies, Series I, Volume 7 (Serial No. 7), p. 690

Sunday, August 28, 2022

Diary of Private Louis Leon: May 8, 1863

We left here at 8 A.M., to return to Kinston, and got there at 3 P.M.—ten miles—awful road. Waded through mud, water and sand the whole way. My feet are cut up pretty badly.

SOURCE: Louis Leon, Diary of a Tar Heel Confederate Soldier, p. 27

Monday, August 1, 2022

Diary of Private Richard R. Hancock: Thursday, October 17, 1861

Setting out from Bald Hill early in the morning, our battalion soon caught up with the rear of the wagon train.

The road, which was already bad enough, was made still worse by its raining that day. Therefore the train moved very slowly, and “bringing up the rear” was quite an unpleasant job as well as a slow one. We camped for the night about where the head of the columns had bivouacked the night previous, only six miles from Bald Hill.

SOURCE: Richard R. Hancock, Hancock's Diary: Or, A History of the Second Tennessee Confederate Cavalry, p. 56

Tuesday, March 1, 2022

Diary of Private Louis Leon: February 5, 1863

Resumed our promenade at 7 this morning, and for a change it is raining hard. Therefore the snow is melting. Consequently, the roads are nice and soft. Halted at 3 this evening—still raining. We made ourselves as comfortable as possible made a good fire to dry ourselves by, but the worst of it is we have no rations, and the wagons are behind. We went to sleep in our wet clothing, with a cup of coffee as our supper. It rained and snowed all night.

SOURCE: Louis Leon, Diary of a Tar Heel Confederate Soldier, p. 16

Friday, February 25, 2022

Diary of Private Daniel L. Ambrose: Thursday, July 16, 1863

This morning Dick leads the Seventh forth again, heading for West Tennessee. Soon we are winding through the Mississippi forests. The weather is exceedingly warm, and oh! how dusty the roads. None can form any clear conception of the beauty of a ride in July save those who have witnessed in this month a regiment of cavalry or mounted infantry dashing along a Mississippi or Tennessee highway. Arriving at Hamburg, Tennessee river, about dark, we go into camp for the night.

SOURCE: Daniel Leib Ambrose, History of the Seventh Regiment Illinois Volunteer Infantry, p. 179

Friday, January 7, 2022

Captain William M. Duncan to Mary Morgan Duncan, September 7, 1862

Springfield, Sept. 7th.  I never had better health in my life, though we had a hard time[.] While marching from Sedalia to this place—a distance of One Hundred and twenty five miles, which we marched in six days over the most hilly and dusty roads I ever say.  This is doubtless to the poorest country in the west.  The drought has nearly ruined the crops, and it looks little like subsisting a large army here through the winter.

Our troops nearly famished for water on their march, and the roads were so dusty that none could scarcely tell the color of our cloths or even the color of the men.  After crossing the Osage River, we commenced climbing the Ozark Mountains, and had nothing but hills, hollows and rocks from their to Springfield.

Take it, all in all, it is one of the most God-forsaken countries I ever saw.  War has destroyed every thing in its way, houses [tenantless], fences burned, and orchards destroyed.  You can scarcely see a man in a day’s travel, unless it is some old man unable to do any thing.

– Published in The Union Sentinel, Osceola, Iowa, Saturday, October 18, 1862, p. 2

Saturday, January 1, 2022

Diary of Private Daniel L. Ambrose: Monday, April [27], 1863

This morning we move from South Florence, having been ordered to join the main column at Leighton, ten miles from Tuscumbia on the road leading towards Decatur. The roads are very muddy, but we march briskly and strike the road in advance of the column, when we halt to await its advance. Coming up we take position in the brigade and move forward through mud and rain. About four o'clock we come up with the rebels and commence a brisk skirmish. The rebels falling back across Town Creek, we go into camp for the night about one mile from the creek. The soldiers, weary and warm, fall down upon the damp ground and are soon sleeping.

SOURCE: Daniel Leib Ambrose, History of the Seventh Regiment Illinois Volunteer Infantry, p. 151-2

Thursday, November 11, 2021

Diary of Private Daniel L. Ambrose: Friday, February 6, 1863

This morning the boys are compelled to wend their way to the woods to obtain fuel. It remains extremely cold. Hark! what do we hear? Marching orders with three days rations, says one. Back to the Davenport Mills, can it be possible? Yes! cries the orderly, we will start at 1 o'clock. Twenty miles to go to night, and load one hundred teams with lumber; rather a hard task says one, but we suppose it is honest. The drums beat; and with our equipments, rations, &c., strapped to our backs, we move out from Corinth. We are soon joined by the Ninth Illinois and Sixty-sixth Indiana; the Ninth takes the advance, the Sixty-sixth the center, and the Seventh the rear. After going a short distance we get into the wagons and ride; the roads are desperate; but on we go slash! slash! through the wilderness of pines. Along the road we meet families, men, women and little children wending their way to Corinth to seek protection under the old flag. We arrive at the mills at 1 o'clock A. M. After stacking our guns we proceed to make some coffee, and after drinking it we all lie down to obtain a few hours of sleep, but soon “rub dub, rub dub” goes the drum, the soldiers give a groan and then commence railing out upon the drummer for waking them so soon, but there is no use of whining-up we must get and that “instanter,” as we are promised the advance back to Corinth. The teams are now all loaded. The Seventh feel slighted in not being called upon for their services. The teams are soon moving, the Seventh taking the advance; but before going far we are halted by the Colonel of the Sixty-sixth Indiana, commanding forces, and informed that he had promised the Sixty-sixth the advance. Captain Lawyer is then ordered to march with the Seventh in the center. We move on briskly and arrive in camp 5 o'clock P. M.

SOURCE: Daniel Leib Ambrose, History of the Seventh Regiment Illinois Volunteer Infantry, p. 141-2

Sunday, September 19, 2021

Diary of Private Daniel L. Ambrose: Monday, January 26, 1863

This morning our regiment together with the 27th Ohio, 81st Ohio, 7th Iowa and the 52nd Illinois are ordered to escort a forage train to Hamburg Landing and return. The 27th Ohio takes the advance and the Seventh the rear. We find the roads in a desperate condition, the mud about knee deep, and soon it begins to rain. We arrive at Hamburg about dark—mud, mud, and rain, rain; how terribly dark. The regiment is ordered to take shelter in the surrounding houses and stables—the horses being turned out to grope their way in the elemental storm. The boys tear down fences to make fires to dry their drenched clothes. The houses and stables for the regiment are limited and in consequence they are densely crowded. No sleep for the soldier to-night-no place to rest his weary body.

SOURCE: Daniel Leib Ambrose, History of the Seventh Regiment Illinois Volunteer Infantry, p. 134

Monday, August 2, 2021

Major Charles Wright Wills: May 7, 1865

Petersburg, Va., May 7, 1865.

Twenty miles to-day, and the longest kind of miles. Had some bad road in the morning. We struck the Weldon railroad two or three miles below Ream's Station, where the 6th Corps was whipped last June, and came right up to the city. Saw hardly any signs of fighting the whole way. Ours and the Rebel works where we came through are fully two and one half miles apart, and the skirmish line further from each other than we ever had ours when we pretended to be near the enemy. I think the whole army

Part of it got here last night. We lie here tomorrow. The 17th A. C. goes on to Richmond.

SOURCE: Charles Wright Wills, Army Life of an Illinois Soldier, p. 378

 

Charles W Wills,103rd IL INF,

Wednesday, July 21, 2021

Diary of Private Daniel L. Ambrose: Friday, October 10, 1862

This morning the army begins to countermarch. They have done their work-have routed the rebel army in Mississippi. The morning has been cloudy. At noon it commences to rain. At one, P. M., our division moves on the backward track towards Corinth. The road is muddy. We march briskly, and succeed in making nine miles. Go into camp near Jonesborough. To-night it is dark and gloomy. A drizzling rain is falling. But the fence rails are plenty, and the camp fires are made comfortable. The Seventh succeed in getting some straw from a stable close by, and upon this straw under their rubber blankets-notwithstanding a stormy wind is blowing and a rain falling-we sleep soundly.

SOURCE: Daniel Leib Ambrose, History of the Seventh Regiment Illinois Volunteer Infantry, p. 113

Monday, June 14, 2021

Major Charles Wright Wills: March 11, 1865

Davis Bridge, Rockfish Creek, March 11, 1865.

Ten miles to-day, full seven of which had to be corduroyed. The worst road I ever saw. The 17th corps occupied Fayetteville to-day. The foragers took the place. It is as large as Columbia and has a large arsenal. Heard of two or three men being captured by the Rebels yesterday and a couple today. They also made a little dash on our rear to-day on the 3d division without accomplishing anything. I do wish you could see the crowd of negroes following us. Some say 2,000 with our division. I think fully 1,000.

SOURCE: Charles Wright Wills, Army Life of an Illinois Soldier, p. 360