Headquarters Army Of The Potomac Letters for the years 1862 thru 1864

Headquarters Army Of The Potomac - 18 August 1862

Please say a kind word to my army, that I can repeat to them in general orders, in regard to their conduct at Yorktown, Williamsburgh, West Point, Hanover Court-House, and on the Chickahominy, as well as in regard to the (7) seven days, and the recen

Headquarters Army Of The Potomac, VA - 3 September 1863

Behold me, installed in solemn state! having thus far lost no limb. Betimes, at seven this morning, I was duly at the Alexandria ferryboat with horses, Silas and Albert.

Headquarters Army Of The Potomac, VA - 6 September 1863

I promised to tell you how I invited General Meade to go with me and see General Sykes. If I didn't know any thing, I looked like a Commander-in-Chief, for I had the best horse and the best accoutrements

Headquarters Army Of The Potomac, VA - 9 September 1863

In my last I forwarded a landscape with Headquarters of the 3d Corps in the verdant background. In this, I will describe the Review, at which, as the Gauls say, "I assisted."

Headquarters Army Of The Potomac, VA - 11 September 1863

The conversation of the officers is extremely entertaining, as most of them have been in a good many battles. They say that General Meade is an extremely cool man.

Headquarters Army Of The Potomac, VA - 17 September 1863

Perhaps you would like to hear about our little cavalry performance. Of course there was not hard fighting, and a hundred or so will cover all the killed and wounded; nevertheless, as the whole was new to me

Headquarters Army Of The Potomac, VA - 22 September 1863

Yesterday came General Buford, commander of the second Cavalry Division, and held a pow-wow.

Headquarters Army Of The Potomac, VA - 29 September 1863

I see such flocks of generals now, that I do not always take the pains to describe them. On Sunday there arrived General Benham, one of the dirtiest and most ramshackle parties I ever saw.

Headquarters Army Of The Potomac, VA - 1 October 1863

Yesterday we had a sword presentation (nothing else to do now, you know) .

Headquarters Army Of The Potomac, VA - 4 October 1863

Yesterday there was a poor farmer, that filled me with admiration. He had travelled a thousand miles from his place in Indiana to get the body of his only son, killed in our cavalry skirmish of the 13th September.

Headquarters Army Of The Potomac, VA - 11 October 1863

Uncle Lee has concluded that we have stared long enough at each other, and so is performing some fancy antics, though whether he means to fight, or retreat after a feint, or merely take a walk, I know not.

Headquarters Army Of The Potomac, VA - 12 October 1863

our great object is Uncle Lee's army (one might properly say our only object), we have to watch and follow his movements, so as, 1st, to catch him if possible in a good corner; or, 2d, to prevent his catching us in a bad corner

Headquarters Army Of The Potomac, VA - 16 October 1863

The Rebels toward evening went feeling along our line about three miles from here with cavalry and artillery, and kept up a desultory cannonade

Headquarters Army Of The Potomac, VA - 19 October 1863

we saw a spectacle such as few even of the old officers had ever beheld; namely, 2500 waggons, all parked on a great, open, prairie-like piece of ground, hundreds of acres in extent.

Headquarters Army Of The Potomac, VA - 23 October 1863

we drove in great state to General Halleck's office; where General Meade went in and held a solemn pow-wow; the two came forth presently and walked over to the White-House, where they held another pow-pow with the President.

Headquarters Army Of The Potomac, VA - 26 October 1863

Did I tell you that Lee passed through Warrenton and passed a night. He was received with bouquets and great joy.

Headquarters Army Of The Potomac, VA - 1 November 1863

Buford was here last night, and said he thought he could just "boolge" across the river and scare the Rebels to death; which would certainly be a highly desirable event, for we should have quite a chance of a visit home.

Headquarters Army Of The Potomac, VA - 3 November 1863

some two weeks, I have had a tent-mate, a Swede, one of those regular Europeans, who have been forever in the army, and who know no more about campaigning than a young child.

Headquarters Army Of The Potomac, VA - 7 November 1863

This morning, forward march! horse, foot, and artillery, all streaming towards Dixie; weather fresh and fine, nothing to mar but a high wind, and, in some places, clouds of dust.

Headquarters Army Of The Potomac, VA - 9 November 1863

Two regiments, the 6th Maine and 7th Wisconsin, just at sundown, as the light was fading, charged up a long, naked slope, in face of the fire of a brigade and of four cannon, and carried the works at the point of the bayonet.

Headquarters Army Of The Potomac, VA - 13 November 1863

Here we continue to dwell in our pine wood, in grave content, consuming herds of cattle and car-loads of bread with much regularity.

Headquarters Army Of The Potomac, VA - 15 November 1863

A little before one o clock came a telegraph that four officers of the "Ghords" were coming in the train, and that we were to send an officer, with ten men, also four led horses, to bring them up.

Headquarters Army Of The Potomac, VA - 19 November 1863

By Brandy Station we came across a line of rifle-pits that the Rebs had thrown up, probably on the Saturday night of their retreat, so as to cover the trains falling back on the Rapid Ann.

Headquarters Army Of The Potomac, VA - 25 November 1863

I write a line, merely to say that the entire army is under marching orders, for daylight to-morrow; the men in high spirits.

Headquarters Army Of The Potomac, VA - 27 November 1863

From Rapid Ann Station to Morton's Ford, the Rebels have a strong line of entrenchments, but, beyond that, it is practicable to force a crossing, because the north bank commands the south.

Headquarters Army Of The Potomac, VA - 10 December 1863

ll the officers are inclined to be petulant and touchy, for they think that winter quarters are coming and are all stretching out for "leaves," which they know only a part can get.

Headquarters Army Of The Potomac, VA - 12 December 1863

I am more and more struck, on reflection, with General Meade's consistency and self-control in refusing to attack.

Headquarters Army Of The Potomac, VA - 16 December 1863

The peaceful dolce far niente of the forenoon was suddenly broken by a telegraph, announcing a Russian invasion nothing less than a legion of Muscovite naval officers pouring down, to the number of twenty -four, in a special train, on our devoted hea

Headquarters Army Of The Potomac, VA - 23 January 1864

Yesterday came General Humphreys, to my great content. His son, with Worth and myself, rode down to bid him welcome.

Headquarters Army Of The Potomac, VA - 29 January 1864

If you saw the style of officers wives that come here, I am sure you would wish to stay away.

Headquarters Army Of The Potomac, VA - 31 January 1864

As I was riding the other day, I came on a rare bird, a real old family nigger; none of your lying, stealing, camp contrabands, but a real, grey-headed, old-fashioned Virginian nigger.

Headquarters Army Of The Potomac, VA - 12 February 1864

In this epistle I shall describe to you the whirl of fashion, the galaxy of female beauty, the grouping of manly grace. Behold, I have plunged into the wild dissipation of a military dinner-party.

Headquarters Army Of The Potomac, VA - 22 February 1864

General Meade is in excellent spirits and cracks a great many jokes and tells stories. You can't tell how different he is when he has no movement on his mind

Headquarters Army Of The Potomac, VA - 24 February 1864

I went yesterday to a review of the 2d Corps gotten up in honor of Governor Sprague.

Headquarters Army Of The Potomac, VA - 1 March 1864

For some days General Humphreys has been a mass of mystery, with his mouth pursed up, and doing much writing by himself

Headquarters Army Of The Potomac, VA - 5 March 1864

Pa Meade is at Washington but I hope to have him back to-morrow.

Headquarters Army Of The Potomac, VA - 30 March 1864

There have been marvellous changes within these three weeks. Generals Sykes, Newton, French, and Pleasonton are ordered off.

Headquarters Army Of The Potomac, VA - 12 April 1864

Yesterday we all rode to Culpeper, and saw General Grant, who went last night to Washington, and did go thence to Annapolis.

Headquarters Army Of The Potomac, VA - 18 April 1864

I have seen some high-bush blackberries that already had wee leaves, just beginning to open; and the buds of the trees are swelling; and hundreds of little toads sing and whistle all night, to please other hundreds of Misses toads.

Headquarters Army Of The Potomac, VA - 15 May 1864

Well, to be more or less under fire, for six days out of seven, is not very good for the nerves, or very pleasant. But now that there is a quiet day, I thought I would make a beginning of describing to you the sad, bloody work we have been at.

Headquarters Army Of The Potomac, VA - 16 May 1864

I will continue the letter of this morning, describing our first day's fight.

Headquarters Army Of The Potomac, VA - 17 May 1864

Just at dark there occurred a most disgraceful stampede in the 6th Corps a thing that has been much exaggerated in the papers, by scared correspondents.

Headquarters Army Of The Potomac, VA - 18 May 1864

I have no right to complain: I have less hardship, more ease, and less exposure than most officers, and, if I must be with the army in the field, I have as good a place as one can well expect.

Headquarters Army Of The Potomac, VA - 19 May 1864

Near Piney Branch Church we halted, pitched tents and had something cooked. Meanwhile there was firing towards Spotsylvania, an ill omen for us. The Rebels were there first and stood across the way.

Headquarters Army Of The Potomac, VA - 20 May 1864

These men are incomprehensible now standing from daylight to dark killing and wounding each other by thousands, and now making jokes and exchanging newspapers!

Headquarters Army Of The Potomac, VA - 22 May 1864

We are camped, this lovely evening, in a great clover field, close to a large, old-fashioned house, built of bricks brought from England in ante-revolutionary times. The band is playing "Ever of Thee I m Fondly Dreaming" - so true and appropriate

Headquarters Army Of The Potomac, VA - 23 May 1864

The Rebels were firing a great many explosive bullets, which I never saw before. When they strike they explode, like a fire-cracker, and make a bad wound; but I do not suppose, after all, that they are worse than the others.

Headquarters Army Of The Potomac, VA - 23 May 1864

Grant, mounted on the purloined black pony, ambled along at a great pace, but General Meade, who got his pride up at Grant's rapidity, set off at a rate that soon raised a cloud of dust

Headquarters Army Of The Potomac, VA - 24 May 1864

If you want a horrible hole for a halt, just pick out a Virginia church, at a Virginia cross-roads, after the bulk of an army has passed, on a hot, dusty Virginia day!

Headquarters Army Of The Potomac, VA - 25 May 1864

Burnside's Corps, hitherto a sort of fifth wheel, was to day incorporated in the A. of P., and so put under Meade

Headquarters Army Of The Potomac, VA - 27 May 1864

Last night Russell's trusty division of the 6th Corps set out on a very long march, as our advanced guard in a flank movement to the Chickahominy

Headquarters Army Of The Potomac, VA - 28 May 1864

We now had struck a classic ground where the old McClellan men began to have "reminiscences," worse than you and Anna Curtis, when you get together.

Headquarters Army Of The Potomac, VA - 30 May 1864

there was a quite sharp fight at evening on our left the Rebels badly used up. The people in Richmond must hear plainly the booming of our cannon

Headquarters Army Of The Potomac, VA - 31 May 1864

The armies lay still, but there was unusually heavy fighting on the skirmish line the whole time; indeed there was quite an action, when Birney, Barlow, and Wright advanced and took the front line of the enemy.

Headquarters Army Of The Potomac, VA - 1 June 1864

General Meade was in one of his irascible fits to-night, which are always founded in good reason though they spread themselves over a good deal of ground that is not always in the limits of the question.

Headquarters Army Of The Potomac, VA - 2 June 1864

Sharp as steel traps those Rebs! We cannot shift a hundred yards, but presto ! skirmishers for ward! and they come piling in, pop, pop, pop; with re serves close behind and a brigade or two hard on the reserves, all poking and probing

Headquarters Army Of The Potomac, VA - 3 June 1864

We had very severe fighting this morning, all along the lines.

Headquarters Army Of The Potomac, VA - 4 June 1864

The slightest movement would provoke a volley, and any unusual stir would open a battery. This is characteristic of troops in a new position. When they have remained awhile, they begin to be more quiet

Headquarters Army Of The Potomac, VA - 5 June 1864

This afternoon I carried a flag of truce quite an episode in my military experiences.

Headquarters Army Of The Potomac, VA - 7 June 1864

After extraordinary delays an armistice was concluded between six and eight P.M. this evening.

Headquarters Army Of The Potomac, VA - 12 June 1864

General Grant has appeared with his moustache and beard trimmed close, giving him a very mild air and in deed he is a mild man really.

Headquarters Army Of The Potomac, VA - 13 June 1864

Last night, at dark, the whole army was in motion for "Charles City" on the James River (there is no "city" there, but I believe a house and a barn).