New York
Maj. Gen. O.O. Howard
Dear Sir,
Your letter of the 10th, in answer to my inquiry after the late Capt. Dessauer, is received, for which you will please accept my thanks. I have already written to Lt. Col. Asmussen in relation to his effects. If you wish to keep his horse you will please send the value of it to my daughter, Mrs. Dessauer [...] or to me.
Very respectfully yours, G.L. Kraft
Wednesday. Had a Batt. Drill of an hour just after breakfast. The men did admirably, making few mistakes in the movements. Spent most of the day on my quarterly return of Camp & Gun Eq[uipment] for the last quarter. Intend to finish it up tomorrow, if possible, & have it off my hands. Had a very slight shower yesterday & the clouds this p.m. look like rain. A smart shower would be very acceptable; have had no rain to speak of since the heavy shower at Franklin. The weather in the middle of the day is quite hot but we get a fine S. W. breeze every afternoon which is quite cool & refreshing. Yesterday our “Cavalry” under Lt. Putnam started with a provision train for the front. His Company is made up by details—Baker, Blanchard & Ramsdell going from our Company. Just before night a soldier belonging to the 1st La. came in with torn & soiled clothes, saying that he was fired upon by the rebels five or six miles up the bayou & escaped by running his horse into the bayou, & then when his horse got stuck in the mud, taking to the woods & after a roundabout journey, reached here. He said there were both cavalry 7 infantry, & he observed among them several prisoners. We suppose them the have been Dr. Jordan 7 four men who started with him this morning for head quarters. As they must have been some distance behind the train that started yesterday, they could easily be captured by any small body of guerrillas. The Col. at once sent notice of the affair to Col. Chickering at Barre’s landing. Worked on my Qu[arterlyl] Return till about midnight.
Diary of Isaac Winslow Case [Miscellaneous Manuscripts Collection]
Monday. No orders to move have yet come, & we are still encamped where we stopped Saturday night. No salt meat of any kind has been issued to the men for several days & but short rations of fresh, but the boys have. Made up the deficiency in the last by “detailing” swine in the neighborhood of the city. Spent most of the day in reading. In afternoon had a Reg. inspection of arms & ammunition, & a dress parade at 5 ½ o’clock.
Diary of Isaac Winslow Case [Miscellaneous Manuscripts Collection]
West Point
Dear Father,
Your letter of 3d. was received 6th. inst. You seemed quite troubled about my demerits. I do not know how I happened to have so many. I was just as careful as ever. I think I am getting along very well in demerits. Forty for four months is not many. Four or five in the class have got 99. Don’t be alarmed about my demerits, they are not going to hurt me any. I received a very kind letter from Catharine this week. I should have written to her a long time ago, but I can not get any time to write letters. In about five weeks more I expect to be on my way home, only three weeks to study.
Catharine said you expecting Charlie home a little this summer. What did he say about it? Did he say what he expected to do in Limington?
There is a rumor today that Richmond is taken.
Your Affec. Son, Malcolm McArthur
Malcolm McArthur to his father, Arthur McArthur [McArthur Family Papers]
Saturday. Turned out & got breakfast before daylight, but did not start till after sunrise. I staid behind nearly two hours making a descriptive list of Edwin Young, & writing a letter to secure lodgings & board for him at Brashear City, where he is going. He has never entirely recovered from the sickness he had at Baton Rouge, & now has a chronic diarrhea that is reducing his strength. He might get a discharge if the Medical Director were here, or even our own Surgeons, I think, but nothing can be done as things are. After getting through with Edwin I mounted one of the Chaplain’s horses & rode on in company with him after the Reg. but did not come up with it till we got to Washington—five miles from Opelousas. Here the Reg. turned into the woods but the side of the road & stacked arms. We hear today that Commodore Porter is at Alexandria with a portion of his fleet, & that we hold the place. We are to stop here till the arrival of a large provision train from Barre’s landing on the Atchafalaya 12 miles from here. We are to go to guard the train to Alexandria, about 90 miles from Opelousas. Just before dark we marched through the streets to a fine smooth field in the suburbs & encamped for the night. The officers lodged in a fine house that had been deserted by its late rebel occupant, (Dr. Prescott) & where we found beds & mattresses to lie upon. A well of excellent water was found in the yard & fence rails afforded fuel. Much of the splendid furniture of the house still remained, defaced though, by rude hands. A large lot of valuable books lay scattered about the house, exposed to mutilation & plunder. Had a good night’s sleep & did not turn out till after sunrise.
Diary of Isaac Winslow Case [Miscellaneous Manuscripts Collection]
Headquarters Eleventh Corps
Near Brook’s Station, Va.,
My dear brother,
You must be aware that for the past week I have had no opportunity to write. Since the furious attack upon our Corps which began about 5 o’clock on Saturday neither my outward circumstances nor my feelings were favorable to letter writing. Sunday, Monday, & Tuesday we were more or less under fire. On Tuesday the Rebels showed a special design upon Otis. Finally shot Col Meysenburg’s horse under him as he was by the General’s side. After that Otis consented to go on foot when on the front and in certain range of the enemy’s rifles.
Sunday, Monday & Tuesday until 3 o’clock Wed. morning we held the left with Gen. Slocum who was upon the extreme left. We were behind rifle pits but all the time expecting an attack and several times during night & day our Pickets were driven in. Continue reading
Thursday. Got into line about 6 ½ o’clock passed through Vermillionville (about 24 miles from New Iberia) & to a beautiful grove on the plantation of M. Mouton, father of Gen. Mouton of the rebel army. Lt. J. & I took dinner in the mansion with Col. J. & his staff, Col. of the 114th, & some other officers—each contributing something for the table—the dishes being found in the house. The men were allowed to help themselves to sugar, ad libitum, & did help themselves to geese, chickens &c. about as they listed. Started again at 1 ½ p.m. & marched some seven or eight miles & camped. Plenty of fresh beef was soon brought in by the hundreds, & frying pans were in great demand, & in constant use till late in the evening. Lt. J. & self slept on the ground—most of the men pitching their tents. Many of the men are pretty footsore but I have stood the march well. The weather has been cool & comfortable.
Diary of Isaac Winslow Case [Miscellaneous Manuscripts Collection]
Wednesday. Reveille beat at 3 o’clock this morning. Turned out & had a warm breakfast of baked beans from the Co. Commenced the march just before sunrise. The road for the first two miles was very dusty, but after that we marched across the prairie, & there being a cool north wind blowing we got along very comfortably. The 114th N.Y. marched ahead of us, & we halted about 10 o’clock in a fine grove of China trees 10 miles from New Iberia. Made coffee & ate our dinners & then many of us lay down in the shade & took a nap. Started about 2 p.m. & marched across the prairie about seven miles further. Stacked arms before sunset & permission being given to draw fresh meat, the boys soon brought in fresh port, & young pigs enough for all. Corp. Herrick went out with Houston & got a fine veal calf, but as we had made a supper on fresh port, kept the veal for breakfast. Lt. J. & Myself camped down in our blankets without any tent & slept well in spite of the fleas that tried their best to keep us awake.
Diary of Isaac Winslow Case [Miscellaneous Manuscripts Collection]
West Point
Dear Father,
Your letter of 26th. was received on 29th inst. I have received two letters from William this week, in one of them $15. He said he sent you $35 which I could have when I wanted by sending to you. I shall want it by the middle of this month to pay for clothes, etc. So you had better send it in your next Sunday letter and then I will get it in time. I expect to be at home in about six weeks.
When William wrote he was on his way to Charleston. It seems they are going to make another attack. I hope it will be more successful than the last.
Charlie has not written me for nearly a year. I can not think why it is. I have written him and sent him several papers.
Your Aff. Son, Malcolm McArthur
Malcolm McArthur to his father, Arthur McArthur [McArthur Family Papers]
Directory | Help
Send Feedback | Print Page
Connect on Bowdoin Social »
Bowdoin College · Brunswick, Maine · 04011 · 207-725-3000
