"Yankees' principal spite to South Carolina—fifteen war steamers have sailed, or steamed out against us. Hot work cut out for us whenever they elect to land.
They hate us, but they fear us, too. They do not move now until the force is immense—'overwhelming' is their word. Enormous preparations, cautious approach are the lessons we taught them at Manassas, Bethel, &c&c. McClellan is to come against us, front and rear.
And now we have many little wars beside the great one.
The Judge raging in tantrums. He speaks to me, but he has ceased to look at me. It is months since I have caught his eye. That means mischief!
The president writes, asking for particulars of that interview 13th July. There were present Col. John S. Preston, General Lee, General Cooper, Mr Chesnut, and the president. General Beauregard says he sent the president by his aide, Colonel Chesnut, a plan of battle which the president rejected.
Are we going to be like the Jews when Titus was thundering against their gates? Quarreling amongst ourselves makes me faint with fear."
Showing posts with label Manassas. Show all posts
Showing posts with label Manassas. Show all posts
Tuesday, September 1, 2015
Saturday, August 29, 2015
29 August 1861,
women as suspects
"Our party of matrons had their shot at those saints and martyrs and patriots, the imprisoned Greenhow and Phillips.
Those poor souls are guarded night and day. It is a hideous tale, what they tell of their suffering.
Mrs Lee punned upon the odd expression 'Ladies of their age being confined.'
These old Washington habitués say Mrs Greenhow had herself confined and persecuted, that we might trust her the more. She sees we distrust her after all. The Manassas men swear she was our good angel.
And the Washington women say: up to the highest bidder, always. And they have the money on us.
Women who come before the public are in a bad box now. False hair is taken off and searched for papers. Pistols are sought for [under] 'cotillions renversés.' Bustles are 'suspect.' All manner of things, they say, come over the border under the huge hoops now worn. So they are ruthlessly torn off. Not legs but arms are looked for under hoops. And sad to say, found. Then women are used as detectives and searchers to see that no men come over in petticoats.
So the poor creatures coming this way are humiliated to the deepest degree. I think these times make all women feel their humiliation in the affairs of the world. . . . Women can only stay at home, and every paper reminds us that women are to be violated, ravished, and all manner of humiliation.
To men—glory, honor, praise, and power—if they are patriots.
To women—daughters of Eve—punishment comes still in some shape, do what they will."
Those poor souls are guarded night and day. It is a hideous tale, what they tell of their suffering.
Mrs Lee punned upon the odd expression 'Ladies of their age being confined.'
These old Washington habitués say Mrs Greenhow had herself confined and persecuted, that we might trust her the more. She sees we distrust her after all. The Manassas men swear she was our good angel.
And the Washington women say: up to the highest bidder, always. And they have the money on us.
Women who come before the public are in a bad box now. False hair is taken off and searched for papers. Pistols are sought for [under] 'cotillions renversés.' Bustles are 'suspect.' All manner of things, they say, come over the border under the huge hoops now worn. So they are ruthlessly torn off. Not legs but arms are looked for under hoops. And sad to say, found. Then women are used as detectives and searchers to see that no men come over in petticoats.
So the poor creatures coming this way are humiliated to the deepest degree. I think these times make all women feel their humiliation in the affairs of the world. . . . Women can only stay at home, and every paper reminds us that women are to be violated, ravished, and all manner of humiliation.
To men—glory, honor, praise, and power—if they are patriots.
To women—daughters of Eve—punishment comes still in some shape, do what they will."
27 August 1861,
Rose O'Neal Greenhow
"A jury of matrons, so to speak, sat here on Mrs Greenhow.* They say Mrs Phillips and Mrs Gwin have been arrested also.
No doubt Mrs Greenhow furnished Beauregard with the latest news of the Federal movements—and so made the Manassas fiasco a possibility. She sent us the enemy's plans. Everything she said proved true, numbers, route, &c&c."
*Rose O'Neal Greenhow led the Washington spy ring that passed Union secrets to the Confederates before Bull Run. On 23 August 1861, Pinkerton agents searched Mrs Greenhow's Washington home, placed her under house arrest, and detained several of her associates, including Eugenia Levy Phillips. The news of Mary Bell Gwin's arrest was false.
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| Rose O'Neal Greenhow (c. 1815-1864), pictured with her daughter |
No doubt Mrs Greenhow furnished Beauregard with the latest news of the Federal movements—and so made the Manassas fiasco a possibility. She sent us the enemy's plans. Everything she said proved true, numbers, route, &c&c."
*Rose O'Neal Greenhow led the Washington spy ring that passed Union secrets to the Confederates before Bull Run. On 23 August 1861, Pinkerton agents searched Mrs Greenhow's Washington home, placed her under house arrest, and detained several of her associates, including Eugenia Levy Phillips. The news of Mary Bell Gwin's arrest was false.
Friday, August 28, 2015
18 August 1861,
the subject of desertion
"Two Yankee officers who fought or figured at Manassas have since deserted and come over to us.
I can understand how deserters should be detestable, come they from East or West, North or South.
They, the deserters, are going into our army. General Walker* said, 'If I had a brother killed at Manassas, I could shoot down these two man at sight.'
Mr [Robert Woodward] Barnwell gave that little twittering, nervous laugh of his.
'And then you'd be hanged.'
'Never. Twenty thousand Georgians are here. They would create a counter-revolution before they would permit a hair of my head to be touched.'
Mr Barnwell repeated his offensive little laugh.
'Then you would be hanged. You ought to be hanged if you commit murder.'
This he fired off at regular intervals, and Shot-Pouch Walker literally raved.
'No, no. My Georgians would know the reason why, &c&c.'
Mr Barnwell grew very quiet but continued his fatuous smile and to the last stuck to his original proposition.
'You'd be hanged.'
This made me wretched. Mr Barnwell was right, but why would he say it anymore?
I was so uncomfortable—as soon as silence prevailed, I left the table. I made a good deal of commotion in leaving the table, on purpose—dropped things to be picked up: fan, handkerchief—all to divert them from their madness or folly. And a man is always in such a faze about his dignity—what is due his own self-respect, &c&c&c, and so contemptuous of feminine folly!"
*Brigadier General William Henry Talbot Walker of Georgia received extensive gunshot wounds in both the Seminole and Mexican wars. Each time, doctors held out no hope of recovery. He was subsequently given the nickname "Shot-Pouch."
I can understand how deserters should be detestable, come they from East or West, North or South.
They, the deserters, are going into our army. General Walker* said, 'If I had a brother killed at Manassas, I could shoot down these two man at sight.'
Mr [Robert Woodward] Barnwell gave that little twittering, nervous laugh of his.
'And then you'd be hanged.'
'Never. Twenty thousand Georgians are here. They would create a counter-revolution before they would permit a hair of my head to be touched.'
Mr Barnwell repeated his offensive little laugh.
'Then you would be hanged. You ought to be hanged if you commit murder.'
'No, no. My Georgians would know the reason why, &c&c.'
Mr Barnwell grew very quiet but continued his fatuous smile and to the last stuck to his original proposition.
'You'd be hanged.'
This made me wretched. Mr Barnwell was right, but why would he say it anymore?
I was so uncomfortable—as soon as silence prevailed, I left the table. I made a good deal of commotion in leaving the table, on purpose—dropped things to be picked up: fan, handkerchief—all to divert them from their madness or folly. And a man is always in such a faze about his dignity—what is due his own self-respect, &c&c&c, and so contemptuous of feminine folly!"
*Brigadier General William Henry Talbot Walker of Georgia received extensive gunshot wounds in both the Seminole and Mexican wars. Each time, doctors held out no hope of recovery. He was subsequently given the nickname "Shot-Pouch."
Tuesday, August 25, 2015
July 1861
"The [New York Daily] Tribune soothes the Yankee self-conceit, which has received a shock—the national vanity, you know—by saying we had 100,000 men on the field at Manassas. We had about 15,000 effective men in all.
And then the Tribune tries to inflame and envenom them against us by telling lies as to our treatment of prisoners.
They say when they come against us next, it will be in overwhelming force."
And then the Tribune tries to inflame and envenom them against us by telling lies as to our treatment of prisoners.
They say when they come against us next, it will be in overwhelming force."
Monday, August 24, 2015
24 July 1861, Richmond
"Here Mr Chesnut opened my door—and walked in. Of the fullness of the heart the mouth speaketh. I had to ask no questions. He gave me an account of the battle as he saw it.... Told what regiments he was sent to bring up.
He took orders to Colonel Jackson—whose regiment stood so stock-still under fire they were called a stone wall.* Also, they called Beauregard 'Engine' and Johnston 'Marlboro' (s'en va—en guerre.) Mr C rode with Lay's cavalry after the retreating enemy, in the pursuit, they following them until midnight. There then came such a rain—rain such as only known in semitropical lands."
*For this stand, Thomas Jonathan Jackson, a former West Pointer and instructor at Virginia Military Institute, received a promotion to brigadier general as well as his enduring nickname: "Stonewall."
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| Thomas Jonathan "Stonewall" Jackson (1824-1863) |
He took orders to Colonel Jackson—whose regiment stood so stock-still under fire they were called a stone wall.* Also, they called Beauregard 'Engine' and Johnston 'Marlboro' (s'en va—en guerre.) Mr C rode with Lay's cavalry after the retreating enemy, in the pursuit, they following them until midnight. There then came such a rain—rain such as only known in semitropical lands."
*For this stand, Thomas Jonathan Jackson, a former West Pointer and instructor at Virginia Military Institute, received a promotion to brigadier general as well as his enduring nickname: "Stonewall."
Sunday, August 23, 2015
22 July 1861,
First Bull Run
"Mrs Davis came in so softly that I did not know she was here until she leaned over me and said–
'A great battle has been fought–Jeff Davis lead the center,* Joe Johnston the right wing, Beauregard the left wing of the army. Your husband is all right. Wade Hampton is wounded. Colonel Johnson of the Legion is killed–so are Colonel Bee and Colonel Bartow. Kirby Smith is wounded or killed.'
I had no heart to speak. She went on in that desperate calm way to which people betake themselves when under greatest excitement. 'Bartow was rallying his men, leading them into the hottest of the fight–died gallantly, at the head of his regiment.
'The president telegraphs me only that "it is a great victory." General Cooper has all the other telegrams.' Still I said nothing. I was stunned. Then I was so grateful those nearest and dearest to me were safe still.
Then she began in the same concentrated voice to read from a paper she held in her hand.
'Dead and dying cover the field. Sherman's battery taken, Lynchburg regiment cut to pieces. Three hundred of the Legion wounded.'
They got me up. Times were too wild with excitement to stay in bed."
*On 24 July 1861 Mary Chesnut noted, regarding First Bull Run:
"The president took all the credit to himself for the victory—said the wounded roused and shouted for Jeff Davis and the men rallied at the sight of him and rushed on and routed the enemy. The truth is, Jeff Davis was not two miles from the battlefield, but he is greedy for military fame."
'A great battle has been fought–Jeff Davis lead the center,* Joe Johnston the right wing, Beauregard the left wing of the army. Your husband is all right. Wade Hampton is wounded. Colonel Johnson of the Legion is killed–so are Colonel Bee and Colonel Bartow. Kirby Smith is wounded or killed.'
I had no heart to speak. She went on in that desperate calm way to which people betake themselves when under greatest excitement. 'Bartow was rallying his men, leading them into the hottest of the fight–died gallantly, at the head of his regiment.
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| The Battle of First Bull Run, fought near Manassas, Virginia, 21 July 1861, the first major battle of the American Civil War |
'The president telegraphs me only that "it is a great victory." General Cooper has all the other telegrams.' Still I said nothing. I was stunned. Then I was so grateful those nearest and dearest to me were safe still.
Then she began in the same concentrated voice to read from a paper she held in her hand.
'Dead and dying cover the field. Sherman's battery taken, Lynchburg regiment cut to pieces. Three hundred of the Legion wounded.'
They got me up. Times were too wild with excitement to stay in bed."
*On 24 July 1861 Mary Chesnut noted, regarding First Bull Run:
"The president took all the credit to himself for the victory—said the wounded roused and shouted for Jeff Davis and the men rallied at the sight of him and rushed on and routed the enemy. The truth is, Jeff Davis was not two miles from the battlefield, but he is greedy for military fame."
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