June 11, 1862

Qr. Master Sergt. Howe:
From a Letter:
     Baton Rouge, June 11, 1862.
     Dear:
     I wrote a short letter a day or two since. Now, as I have more time, I will write again. I am right glad we have left New Orleans, for, 1 assure you, it is not a pleasant place to live in, and we could not be located in a healthier situation than we have here. Yet, in my opinion, a move will soon be made up the river, perhaps to Vicksburg. The fleet are now arriving from below and, undoubtedly, we shall join them. I don't care how far up we go, for then the chances will be more favorable for us to go home by way of land, when the army is disbanded. An alarm was sounded last night, and the long roll was beat. The boys were in line, ready to march.
     I have but little to do except when on the march. A nice large tent, with a green carpet, is at my disposal, and I live principally on milk, which is very good here. I learned to-night that General Banks had been driven back towards Baltimore. I am afraid this call for more troops and Banks's retreat will tend to keep us in service longer. I received your two letters of May 18 and 19 this afternoon, and was glad to get them. Lizzie and Fran. are to teach! I hope I may arrive home at a future day to visit them in their schools. While I am writing this the band is playing in front of the State House. This is a large building, surrounded by gravel walks and beds of flowers, from which beautiful bouquets are plucked. I expect we shall go up the river within a week. Hoping you are all well, I remain

SON AND BROTHER WARREN.

2d Lieut. Elliot:
Diary:

     June 11-Wednesday

     Very warm and still no Rain. river still high and it is feared that the river will over run the banks of the Levee on June freshet in that case the damage will be fearful.

     Startling news from Gen. Banks division removed defeat of a portion of his army, he crosses the Potomac and runs most of his bag-gage train, his men are murdered all along the route dead men’s heads cut off and wounded men bayonited by the rebels, at Bulls Run and Balls Bluff.

     Tremendous excitement North the old sixths once more on her way to vindicate Mass honor. 2nd Battery Infantry Boston ready to go, and a complete tumult of everybody and all anxious to go for to fight but how many will be more anxious to return.

     7th Vt. Reg’t arrived here to day 2 Men of War gone up the river and an attack expected immediately on Vicksburg.

     Read Gov. Andrews answer to the Presidents call for troops a Black Abolition document endowing Gen Hunters Pro-clamation. Gov. Andrews has changed his mind it would seem and orders out all troops in Mass. to proceed im-mediatly to Washington independent companies, Regiments, Battalions, and Batterys. everything that can be raised.

     John Foster returned to duty to day looks much better

Corpl. B. B. Smith:
Diary:
      Wednesday 11
     Fine morn.  there was 3 men of war
     And 2 gun boats arrived here yesterday
     The river boats Laurie Still[?] here
     And Sunny South Come up from
     Orleans since yesterday morn.  the
     Missisippi left here for N Orleans
     This morn to coal up.  there was
     2 river steamers from Orleans to
     Day.  I got 2 papers from home.

April 26, 1862

2d Lieut. Elliot:
Diary:

     April 26-Saturday

     Quite pleasant very warm.

     Funeral of the two men who died yesterday services about two O Clock P.M. they were buried on shore at the head of the passes on the banks of So. West pass and had a soldiers burial discharge of mustering on their graves. all the honors that can be paid to a poor soldier who dies away from home.

     John is quite sick to day Capt much better is Officer of the day.

     A large fire raft came down upon us last night but fortunately the current took it to one side of us so it done no harm. It floated down and run aground on the flats. it was composed of the hulk of a large vessel of some kind coppered and copper fastened. filled with cotton & tar and other combustible materials

     News from up river is as slow as ever nothing having been recieved as yet to order us up river. Recieved quite a variety of papers dates Mar 26th the latest by the Lewis Yesterday.

Corpl. B. B. Smith:
Diary:
     Saturday 26
     Fine again.  there was 2 deaths on board
     yesterday.  a member of the MRR, and
     One of Co G of this regt they were taken
     On shore and buried.  we had funeral service on
     The ship.  their graves were marked with
     Head Boards with their name &e, there is
     A gang of men on shore to cook 4 days
     Rations.  the rebels have sent 2 flags of
     Truce, but the Com. wont yield a hair.

April 22, 1862

2d Lieut. Elliot:
Diary:

     April 22-Tuesday

     Weather warm and pleasant but remarkably warm.

     Lieut Johnson and I on gaurd to day. We as yet get no news from our fleet but hope to soon for our men are getting discouraged at their long stay on Shipboard & I am very tired of it to say the least.

     To night we have had the most painful occurrences of our trip a sad and melancholy affair the loss of Capt Harry A Durivarge a Gentleman and a true Solider a man who was loved and esteemed by all who knew him both as a soldier and a Gentleman. It was on my tour of duty. I heard a Sentinel cry a man overboard but he did not know where he fell from. or could not tell me anything about it. he heard the splash and cry as he fell. but that was all. I sounded the alarm and went astern. But nothing was to be seen. and he never rose to the surface of the water again. and was never more seen, it was a sad thing and one I shall never forget. it is a loss to our Regiment although he does not belong to it. and a sad loss to his Father who doats upon him. he was his favorite son. and a particular friend of Gen. Butlers. was an aid to him at Fortress Monroe his Father was Francis A Durivarge the Poet.

Corpl. B. B. Smith:

Diary:

      Tuesday, April 22, 1862
     A fine morn not quite so cool as it
     Has been.  the battle still raging at the
     Forts.  we are getting tired of stopping
     Here right where we can hear the
     Battle and have no chance to help.
     There is boats come alongside with
     Oysters to sell.  they are the largest
     I ever see.  Our captain sent us a ???
     Of ginger cakes this morn.  Bully for him
[Mem]
     I bought a dipper of baked beans
     Of the cook for 10 cts.  they werefirst
     Rate.  the missisippi has gone up
     Towards the forts.  we had bean water
     For dinner.  a pint of beans to a
     Bucket of water.  rather too rich
     For soldiers.  there was a gunboat
     Went down this morn.  the battle
     Still raging

April 16, 1862

2d Lieut. Elliot:
Diary:

     April 16-Wednesday

     Pleasant weather for our voyage.

     Got under right about 5 O Clock A.M. under tow of the Saxon most all day. No news but now commences another monotonous life for of all life’s to lead a soldiers on a transport is the hardest. no comfort, no pleasure but plenty of grumbling, poor food & ½ enough at that. sailors and soldiers always hate one another and try to annoy each other all they can.

     Officers seem to have a regular bill of fare consisting of poor ham & hard bread with some slops which they call coffee and tea.

     Our Routine on transport consists of Roll Call at 6 A.M. Breakfast all 7 A.M. Gaurd mount 9 A.M. (which has 1 Captian Officer of the day 2 Lieuts. of Gaurd, 3. Serg’t. 3 Corp’l. and 45 men. a very strong gaurd for Shipboard) Roast beef 12 M. Inspection in full Marching order at 6 A.M. and 4 P.M. supper at 6 P.M. Tattoo 9 P.M. taps 9:15 P.M. we have as many calls as we would in camp and our Police duty is more than in any camp. We manage to keep busy all the time nearly. All Officers are to be present at roll call in full equipment.

Corpl. B. B. Smith:

Diary:

      Wednesday, April 16, 1862.
     A fine morn.  we all turned
     Up on deck in heavy marching
     Order.  i felt rather stiff &
     Old after sleeping on the floor
     With a knapsack for a pillow
     Had Hard bread and cold water
     For breakfast a first rate
     Breakfast for a dyspeptic
     Had coffee hard bread and salt
     Horse for dinner.  and[?] again
[Mem]
     The Missisippi made fast[?]
     To us and about 12 Oc turned[?]
     Round the point about 10 Oc
     We started off with a fine
     Moon for a light the other
     Transports are all on their
     Way.  there is 7 in all.  ships
     And steamers

March 10, 1862

Qr. Master Sergt. Howe:
From a Letter:
Portions from this letter moved  to the dates that they refer to (treated as thought they were a diary entry. 

     Ship Island, March 10, 1862.
     Dear:
     As there is a mail going to-morrow, I will write. My last was sent in the South Carolina, by way of Key West. I wrote you of the scouting party to Horn Island, which island used to be a breeding ranch, owned by Southerners. I received a letter dated March 6, by way of Fortress Monroe, dated February 12, directed to father.
...March 7
...March 9
     March 10, 1862. Troops are being landed; all is confusion on the wharf. I have pitched the tents for our tenth company. The ship Ocean Pearl arrived with horses, of which they lost ten on the passage. Captain Jones has been discharged for knocking down a contraband on the steamer; father knows him. Parker has received his papers as Postmaster. We have quite a large fleet here now, and I don't think we shall stop here long after the General arrives. I think it will be a pity if Colonel French has to go home, after he has worked so hard to drill the regiment. We had a brigade drill this afternoon, consisting of four regiments; it was a grand sight. We draw ten days' rations to-morrow for the regiment.
...March 11

     SON AND BROTHER WARREN.


2d Lieut. Elliot:
Diary:
     March 10-Monday
     Morning salty and very warm Idaho still by aground although they have thrown a number of Barrels of provisions from on board into the sea. Salt Beef, Rice etc. this seems a pity when there are a many men on the Island
     This morning another War Vessell arrived here but not the one long looked for in which is Gen. Butler Barney McCabe came on shore to day and is now in our Company he was arrested in Sewall just before the Idaho sailed. Ansart has not arrived yet.
     The Maine & Vermont Batterys have both come ashore to day and camped on our parade ground. the Connecticut and Maine Regiments have Encamped on the South shore of the Island up above the 26th Reg’t. we must now have some 8,000 men on the Island. this makes quite a force. but I do not think enough to take New Orleans. though I think we may have an opportunity to see before long.
     Today we had our first experience in Brigade drills. 4 Regiments under command of Brig. Gen’l Phelps, it must have been a fine shore for a Spectator we had a very nice drill though a little severe for our first attempt.
     Today I finished my equestrian portrait of our honorable Gov of Massachusetts, his excellency John A Andrews. who has sent us out a lot of his young aspirant for military honors Bah= all in my eye. I don’t see it in that light. Cilligians and Greek Scholars are not the men for our expedition it wants different kind of Stock, especially when they acknowledge thy have no military experience whatever.
     This day seems winding up with a Thunder shower and rains quite fast.

Corpl. B. B. Smith:
Diary:

     Monday 10

     A fine day again i go on fatigue

     Duty to day with the guard.

     There is a great many arrivals[?]

     Of strangers here every day

     There is a large gang of men

     Here to work on the fort and

     Build other large buildings.

     There was 4 Mules landed Saturday

     For working here in carts.