Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1906-10-10

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away. Our monitor, the Onondaga, backed
down the river and showed the white
feather for which her commander is re-
| leved, by telegraph. 1 was out to see the
| fight. Ran a line. two miles of wire, to
kantz's cavalry on our right Sent DAVIS
| there.
Could Not Phase the Ironclads.
Wednesday, January 25.-At am. the
confederate ironclads started up the river
| with sign of life visible. They moved
| slowly and regularly, appearing in the
| darkness like huge phantoms of a dis
ordered dream. Fort Brady again opened
| fire on them with it's 200-pounder and other
| heavy guns. Our rifiemen shore could
| see our heavy shot strike fire against the
! iron sides of the monsters. but they paid
no more heed to it than they would to SO
| many hailstOnes. They kept on. not deign-
ing a reply. S. P. Blair came into our
| lines from Richmond Peace els not in
sight. John Thompson, lineman at Fort
Powhatan, killed by the enemy while re-
| pairing the line near Cabin Point. Two
| letters from James. Sent him one. Col.
| milford ordered before the military COM
| mittee of Congress.
Thursday, January 26-Sent horse, bride,
| saddle, etc, with Woodbury. to Fort Pow
hatan. Sent Mason to headquarters 18th
Corps. John reported to Gen. Rawlins at
| City Point. l want him here; he was de-
| layed on the way up from Fort Monroe:
got aground. q cut loose for the front on
! special order of Cen Grant for one of us
| operators at Fort Monroe to come up to
watch the confederate rams. j. Picket fir
ing on our left. Its Of no account. The
| 1ronsdes aground. Atlanta up. (Armored
gunboats. j. No mail. Gold on 23d 2o6h4
l opened another office at Broadway Land
Ing at 10 am. Placed Rand there.
| Friday, January 27.-John and Tinney
| started from Grants headquarters; Rhodes
| joined them at Hatcher's. l started with
Huyck to meet them. Met them on the
pontoon bridge at Aikens' Landing: They
| had given John an uncommonly good horse.
| ct had been captured in battle and had
killed two of our men by running away
with them. Richards Lucy was good
| one, too, j. Glad to meet the boy. We cele-
| brated the reunion by a race from the river
Neck and neck for mile with the other
| far behind, and then 1 began to see that
John could not pusl in his horse, so [
| pulled Lucy sharply to the right among the
| bitches of an old camp and she went down
| like a shot Struck on my head and turned
| complete somersault Was right under
her feet when l scrambled up. but she did
not move an inch or l might have been
| severely hurt. Got off miraculouslS with
only few bumps my head. (This may
| seem ignomnious, but Gen. Grant was
| lame at Shiloh from a similar accident. j.
We went to Dutch Gap. and were treated to
big shell or two from Hewlett House
battery, which astonished John.
Hope of Peace.
Saturday, January 2s-John went to City
Point, reporting again to Caldwell, who
kindly let me have him, and returned to
Bermuda for present duty. Nichols went
to City Point. Gen. Singleton and five
southern ladies came from Richmond and
went on to Washington. Perhaps the
southern beauties may make an impression
on the heart of "Old Abe" and thus
smoothe the way to peace negotiations!
Those southern girls have a winning way
about them. l hope they may be success
l.ful. 1t is time that Americans should
each hat no
almost as logical to think of two kings in
heaven as of two governments between the
Guf of Mexico and Canada. 1t must and
will be Union.
Sunday, January 29.-Alexander II. Ste
vents, Hunter and Judge Campbell applied
to come through our lines, claiming to have
an understanding with Gen. Grant who is
absent at Fort Fisher The matter is re-
ferred to Washington. No decision yet
Cen Ord hesitates to take the responsibility
of letting the southern commissioners
through. Old Ben would not have hest
tated in such case. l can almost forgive
Buffers many faults in admiration of
his original and decisive legal talent One
drawback in this struggle has been the,
fear of generals to take responsibility
Orchard soon saw that as good q man as
Gen. Sherman got into serious trouble by
| assuming responsibility in regard to peace
negotiations. We were all terrible critics
in those days. j.
Monday, January 30.-Secretary of War
Stanton replied that a messenger would be
mond papers speak openly of their Gepar-
ture for Washington. but profess to have
little faith in the mission. Ord teegraphs
corps commanders to have all ready for q
move. He thinks the enemy may attack.
John up. Rode over the lines with him
Received a barrel of oysters from DR.. |
Suckley. Tom Morrison left for Washing
ton. D here. Don't think much of his |
operating capacity. McGili left. Sent |
Rand to Jones Landing office, Sabin to
Broadway Landing.
Tuesday, January 31-Rode over lines to
Bermuda. The pontoon bridge is very
dangerous on account of floating ice. Re
ceived an important cipher while at Hach-
er's and made Lucy fly back, coming !
four miles in twenty-five minutes. incIad- J
ing walking across the pontoon. The cipher
will upset our affairs considerably but
trust for the best. Some troops leaving for !
Gen. Terry. Gen. Grant returned from Fort
Fisher to City Point and means to go to {
work at once. He may possibly be ordered /
to Wilmington. Gen. Ord wants me to I
place. my operators under oath. have per-
feet faith in them.
Wednesday, February 1, 1S65.-Maj Eek
ert and superintendent of the military tele-
graph up from Washington. Gen. Turner I
told me thought there would no: be move |
soon co. Letter from James