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Kelly, Michael
Sharon
Second Connecticut Heavy Artillery, Companies F, G and L, Brevet Major
1862 June 29-1865 April 11
ca. 14 Items
Diary, papers and photographs. Collection consists of a manuscript copy of
a diary recopied after Kelly's return from the war, taken from original diary
installments sent home to Sharon while in service. Kelly intersperses his
recopied diary with later commentary. The manuscript provides considerable
detail on camp life and the soldiers in his unit. There are also many interesting
entries pertaining to his adventures as a recruiting agent for his regiment.
Typescript transcription also available. Papers include mainly retained copies
of official regimental papers: military pass; list of quartermaster stores
(1864-1865); charges and specifications (three charges of absence without
leave) against Private William Shepard, Company G; quarterly return of ordnance
and ordnance stores (28 August1865); general orders (24 June1865); account
of materiel retained or lost; some quartermaster's correspondence; inventory
of the effects of Corporal Charles Reed, Company G; and special orders (9
January1865) relating to Private John Reynolds, Company G. Kelly enlisted
on 29 July 1862 and was mustered-in as First Sergeant, Company G, on 11 September
1862. He was promoted to Second Lieutenant, Company F, on 5 March 1864 and
to First Lieutenant, Company L, on 20 December 1864. He was later promoted
to Captain, Company G, on 15 March 1865 and was made Major by brevet on 2
April 1865. Kelly was mustered-out on 18 August 1865.
Location: MS and microfilm copy number 79237
General Collection Information
Diary
Portraits of Michael Kelly
General Collection Information
[Edited and transcribed by K. Nolin, M.L.I.S., Assistant Library Director, The Connecticut Historical Society]
Includes an inventory of the effects of Charles J. Reed (Corporal, Company G): Reed was born in Salisbury and died in action (gunshot wound) at Cedar Creek, VA, 19 October 1864. He was an18 year-old farmer. He is described as 5' 4" tall, with a light complexion, gray eyes and brown hair. Kelly writes: "This is the Corporal who was found after Sheridan came up 11 AM and on the recharge on the Rebs, 4 PM, was found clasped in the arms of his chum or comrade Corp. Page. They crawled quite a distance to each other from where they were hit to die in embraced Arms it was a sad sight They were robed of all their effects... by the Rebs - shoes Pants blouse all that was any good was gone"
Special Orders #13, 9 January 1865, regarding Private John Reynolds, Company G: Reynolds was drummed out of camp and confined at hard labor with ball and chain until the end of the war at Fort Delaware. Kelly writes, "This is the poor fellow who left the picket line - & went into an adjoining cornfield to pick corn &c - was caught in the act by Col. MacKenzie"
Diary
[Edited and transcribed by K. Nolin, M.L.I.S., Assistant Library Director, The
Connecticut Historical Society]
29 June 1862: "A long threatening has come . . . The year of excitement, death and terror. . . . Night and day the last 6 months I was molding shot and shell, Hotchkiss Patent, & could not stand it much longer, so I might as well die in battle as in foundry..."
3 July 1862: "Now for work & to work we go at once."
5 July 1862: "Had quite an interesting day of it, because of the opposition of the women who did [not] wish a husband, son to go [to] war. Some of them showed awful madness, but the more I [was] abused, the harder I worked &c. I don't understand why country women would oppose me so rough, & be so nice to the Yankee officers. It is because I was born in G[r]een Erien. One woman chased [me] with a large meat knife; another daubed in the face with cow manure while talking with her husband in [the] barn yard. Foolish women, I feel sorry for them, their husbands & sons will go anyway.... some of those women would rather their folks would enlist under Henry O. Dean, Lyman Teator, Charles R. Ingersol &c., than to please me."
6 July 1862: "Mrs. Michael Curley, formerly Margaret O'Brian, hit [me] an awful blow [with] a broom, but I go out of her yard before she had a chance to hit the second.
8 July 1862: "Mrs. Sweeney, while talking to her & persuading to join the great army to save the Union, came rushing at me like a tiger & daubed [me] with barnyard stuff. I had to go to Mr. Gay's to wash up."
11 July 1862: "Horse tired & myself weary, &c. So much to contend with, so many recruiting for men, &c."
16 July 1862: "At Millertown, over the line in N.Y. State, was threatened by a booby of a selectman, saying I had no right to cross the line from my own State. I told him my commission empowered me to canvas anywhere in the U.S."
18 July 1862: ".. great abuse from those well versed in tantologistic language... such as Lincoln's hirelings, &c., black republicans, nigerheads..."
30 July 1862, goes to Amenia Seminary, NY, to recruit: "spent 4 years of my life with them, working, studying."
10 August 1862: "Great patriotic meeting at Sharon. Many make remarks & speeches asking every one that can to go to war. Patrick Flanigan hollers out to the speaker, I will go if you do. Great laugh. Mr. F. knew well this speaker would not go, so he tested him good and in a good place. Many shouters wants others to go but won't go themselves."
12 August 1862, Kelly's mother "frets fearful over Tom's wounds, moaning & crying like a child."
13 August 1862: "Mother fearful. Father don't show it but feels bad all the same."
14 August 1862: "Up early, for I could not sleep good listening to Mother moan &c."
15 August 1862: "At about 11 AM we were all amazed at the sight of a tall and portly man equiped from his spurs to his shoulder straps. I[t] was our Lieutenant Colonel Elisha S. Kellogg.... [We] were drilling quiet [sic] awhile when Lt. Col. Kellogg came along & shouts like a tiger at a soldier named Burns who was smoking. 'Take that pipe out of your mouth, Sir, and attend to your drill.' Poor Burns trembled like a leaf. He caught the pipe & threw it with such [force] he never knew to this day where the pipe gone to unknown regions.... Kellogg ... just came from McClellan's Army of the Peninsul[a], brown with sun and hardy, &c."
25 August 1862: "1st Sergeant Coggswell of Co. 'B' very sick last night. I heard groans and went to his Quarters, found [him] rolling in pain (bowels) and as I was going to the Drs. Quarters who did I meet but Col. Kellogg. He cried out to me, go to your Quarters, Sir. I told him my message. He let me pass on. When I got back from the Drs. Quarters, Col. Kellogg was there, doing all he could for Coggswell. Col. Kellogg, if he is rough, he has a great feeling for his men so that he is all right."
27 August 1862: "Oh, ye skys, what an amount of writing. Quick pens men are the ones wanted now, accurate ones..."
29 August 1862: "Great crowd up at the guard house or gate entrance. After getting there, I found they were looking at a soldier, marching up and down in front of the camp ground gate or entrance near the guard. He was caught drunk & a bottle of whiskey found on his person. The Col. gave orders to the officer of the day to look up some bottles & about one hundred were found, all sizes, & mad[e] into three rings-like, by means of ropes thrown over his head, one ring of bottles at hips, on center of back, one on shoulders. He had to keep moving all the time in front of his quarters, bottles gingleing against one another. Twas a great & a funny way to punish a man, rather humiliating. Others was marching with rails on their shoulders for going to town without a pass."
5 September 1862: "Pat Delany 'G' Co. punished for drunkenness &c. Col. Kellogg orders me to pour six pails of water on him. I detail six men to the brook for water. 1 pail, Pat only just stirs a little; 2 pail, he stirs more; 3 pail, he trys to sit up; 4 pail, knocks him down & he shouts &c. &c. 5 & 6 pail, he gets quite ugly, swears, &c. One of the boys says to him, Pat, the Col. wants you wet outside as well as inside. Pat says, I'll knock hell out of him."
17 September 1862, notes his brother Thomas was in the 5th Connecticut Infantry.
12 October 1862: "All the same as usual except [for] a new experience. For the first time Michael Curley was taken into the Fort drunk by an officer of the 153 N.Y. & was met at the gate by the officer of the day, Capt. E. W. Jones. Jones sent for me. Sergt., take this man and spread eagle him to the cannon wheel tied right, first, then left to the spokes; then right foot, then left. The Capt. ordered me to tighten more & more till you hear the bones crack. Mike would groan and grunt. I had to restretch and tighten and pull till I thought I was draging him apart. The officer of the day would say, Stretch him good, Sergeant. I understand he causes you and Capt. Gold a good deal of trouble - Give him such punishment this time so he will remember it all his days, &c. After he was spread eagled, the officer of the [day] ordered six pails of cold water thrown into his face. I go to my Co. Qrs. & detail six men with pails full of water. The officer is there yet at the cannon to see that it is done to the letter. At the regular command the water is thrown. 2 & 3 he begins to feel it & [illegible]; 4 & 5 begins to swear vengance on Capt. Jones; 6 he is pretty well cooled of[f] & hold[s] talk with Jones. Jones orders me to leave [Curley] one hour in that terrible predicament in wet clothes, thousands of flies biting him on his lips, nose, eyes, and the sore spots, &c. After half an hour I came out to see him. He was in great agony, suffering & aching and completely covered with flies, hot sun pouring down on him, all the soldiers coming to look at him & then a look across at the house where Jones sits, &c. Mike would cry out to me, For mercy sake, release [me] from this, &c. I can't; I must obey orders, Mike; you got twenty minutes more to serve. Oh, H-, he would exclaim, I will be a dead man then, &c. After that, I have to take you to the 'bomb proof,' change your clothes, put ball & chain on your right foot, & live on bread and water for two weeks. How do you like that, Mike? Anything but this. I can't stand it. Oh, if I could use my hands, how I would knock those flies, &c. You promised two [days] ago you would cause no more trouble & release you &c. I have too much to do to be annoyed this way. It is painful to me, &c. He would say, I know it, &c."
22 October 1862: "Col. Kellogg went for Capts. Gold, Peck, Sperry & Williams [during drill]. Gold made a mistake in the movements. Col. shouted, Capt., ask any of your privates &c., and he told Capt. Sperry he would drill his Co. ('I') from hell to breakfast, and Peck he called an old woman, & Williams, Turkey Cock. On the whole it was an excitable regimental drill or battallion drill. I tell you the Capts. trembled."
25 October 1862: "I got scolded this morning at guard mounting because Private Albert A. Peck had a dirty neck and his hair was not combed good to suit the Col."
30 October 1862: "If they would give up thinking of home & family, they would not be so many sick. I am getting hard hearted."
7 November 1862: "To the slave pen and liberated Geo. A. Wasson on condition the Co. Commander punish him at the Fort. Capt. ordered him tied up by the knuckles, a very painful office to fulfill but I have to obey. Tied a small rope (for that purpose) around his hands & pulled them over the cross round bar resting on two strong posts until his toes hardly touched the ground, then fastened and stay[ed] until the Capt. gives orders to have him loosened. Its a very severe form of punishment & one the bumbs dread very much. After one hour he was loosened. He could not stand or walk for about ten minutes. Then he was taken to the 'bomb proof' for four days on bread and water. His 'charge' was fighting with a storekeeper in Alexa. that struck him..."
13 November 1862: "Another new way to me for its my first experience. Curley again under arrest for [thought unfinished]. So far, he causes the most trouble &c. Col. Kellogg is mad. Sergt. Kelly, I will give you one hour to get every[thing] ready to spread eagle Curley on the grounds of Battery No. 2. I at once set to work. Sent Ed. Hoffman to the carpenters shop for oak wood spikes 4 feet long, got my ropes, went to the guard house, got Curley from the officer of the guard, took Curley to Battery No. 2. By that time, Hoffman got there with spikes. Per orders, sent Hoffman to notify the Col. I was ready. Col. came down. Here, Sir, on your belly. Curley lay down. Sergt, tigh one of those ropes on right han[d], next left, next right foot & then left foot, then ordered to take up ax, drive those four stakes into the ground 3 feet, 1 foot above ground, then tied each rope unto each stake so tight &c. until you would hear the bones crack almost. Col. said, All right, leave now for two hours; the[n] loosen him & take him to the guard house, let him stay there two weeks on bread & water."
26 November 1862: "Co. 'B' boys arrested... for stealing a side of 'Beef'... ever after they were called Co. 'B' 'Beef Eaters.'
7 December 1862: "Wm. Grady under arrest... for laughing loud in ranks."
8 December 1862: "Pat Delaney... under arrest for scratching his head on dress parade."
10 December 1862: "Just had official notice of the death of Myron H. Hubble.... He was a musician but was always homesick & it got the best of him."
23 December 1862: "The Col. found out who was brave in his command. His manufactured scare at 1 PM a great success, great sport, great excitement, great cold, great everything, loss of sleep, rest, sore &c. Three miles in front great firing. Col. sends orders to each Co. commander fall in double quick. Capt. Gold is wild, shouting & jumping, orders his men [to be] brave & show their grit now that we have a chance... Capt. Peck, 'K' Co., pulls of[f] his shoulder straps so the rebs would not pick him out to shoot at him. Capt. Sperry, Co. 'I' (Woodbury Co.) would say, No loud talking; Close up, men, & as soon as you get the order to fire from the Col., fire with a will, spare no cartridges on rebs. Just then a volley came right in front of us about 45 muskets. Capt. Ells had (blank cartridges). Gold, Peck, Sperry, Bissell & Williams was wild because Col. Kellogg would not give the order to fire. Jus[t] as we got near an old breast work w[h]ere Ells & his 45 men was, they let bang 45 cartridges. Such confusion and fear &c. &c. Col. cries out, Reserve you[r] amunition, fix bayonets, charge and forward double quick. Such a race & hollering ove[r] the breast works or ditches &c. Rebs retreated to the wood. Kellogg surrounds them & captures them for the[y] looked like rebs, more like bushwhackers, as the[y] had falls [false] mustashes, different [illegible] or colors, all kind of [illegible] clothes. Kellogg called for 3 cheer[s] for his brave Regt. Those Capts. names braged all the way home. Gold would say, Co. 'G,' you have done nobly, you have shown your grit &c.; Peck would [say], Brave men of Co. 'K,' you are brave as lions. Capt. Sperry, Woodbury boys, done nobly; Capt. Hubbard, Co. 'B,' the Beef Eaters, are the greatest fighters &c. The boys & officers all knew (except the Staff) nothing about it till daylight when we all went to see the captured rebs, & then found out we captured our own men. Col. Kellogg done the job good."
26 December 1862: "Great battle between Col. Kellogg & 1/2 the Regt., & Major Smith & 1/2 Regt on sides. My Co. 'G' was in Major Smith's Battalion. The battle commenced 2 1/2 PM (snow balling). Snow was in good order for balling, the sun came out hot &c. I had my eyes black, head, shoulders, back, all over hit. This was just the case with every man or soldier who took part. Some worse, so bad they could not get up next morning to go on duty. Col. Kellogg hit me three awful snow balls in head & knocked me down. I watched my chance of him, came up behind him & hit him just back of the head & knocked of[f] his fatigue cap. I was better pleased than a 20 dollar bill. Terrible bragging of the Capts. &c. Draw battle at 4 1/2 PM. We used up all the snow on the parade ground & everywhere."
29 March 1863, brigade drill between Forts Ward and Sedgwick, in front of Governor Buckingham, General Barry, etc. all under Gen. R. O. Tyler. It was very windy and dusty and the men became quite tired and dry: "one man cries out, My teeth is full of dust; I am chewing it . . . . ever afterwards it was called the sand drill."
13 April 1863: "Patrick Troy turn[ed] on me [illegible] this morning when detailing for guard mounting and accused me false of put[t]ing [some] on duties more than others. I reported him to Lt. Gregory. He sent him to the guard house for 48 hours on bread & water. Pat says he would rather go on guard. G. says no good now, you got to go in the guard house."
20 April 1863: "Frazier, Curley, Delaney, Jones, Lapham, Prout, Doherty, Flood & others formed a bums club & sent a committee to the city to buy a rocking chair & a box of good sigars for the Col."
22 April 1863: "At dress parade Frazier steps out 3 paces in front & calls for 3 cheers for Col. All hands obeyed Frazier just as if he was a high officer in rank. Billy Frazier was happy & proud to think he was obeyed; he expected to be arrested instead... Poor Frazier means well, one of the best men in the regt., but, Oh! that liquor, (scotchman)."
27 April 1863: "Lt. O'Brien of the first H'y Art'y. instructor today. He walked on top of the middle magazine where his voice could be heard from Battery [illegible] in all the fort. He used no textbook, seemed to have the whole book of heavy Art'y. tactics on the end of his tongue &c." [see O'Brien, John]
25 May 1863: "Lt. O'Brian was very exact in every detail, even the very smallest. He says or said target firing was very important and of great consequence to the soldier. The soldier should know the different parts of his gun - heavy, light or the Infantry musket; be able at any time to give or explain its nomenclature, how to take it apart and put it together and should know the best methods of preserving them and keeping them in good order; should know the exact method of loading guns, muskets, above all, must thoroughly know and understand the rules of firing and aiming; must study or be taught the use of the hausse, to regulate it on his gun according to the distance from the enemy or target. The soldier must be taught to measure distance, he must hold his musket with ease, he must know how to resist the recoil, not to move the rear sights to right or left. The soldier must learn how to pull the trigger, lanyard, and he says the good marksman ought to hit the object every time at 6 & 700 yards, very good sharp shooter 12 to 1400 yards &c. Great day, learned many things or good ideas so we can study them."
12 June 1863: "Grady come in to my Qrs. & say, Here Sergt. It was a bundle of 15 yds of mosqueto bars or covering with 3 yds of tape & tacks & small hammer. I thinks its very good of Grady to remember so kindly a present that just come in time."
7 July 1863: "Everything growing easier and better. It is astonishing what a difference when each one, officer to private, does his duty."
8 July 1863: "...Col. Kellogg leave[s] no stone unturned to raise the Regt. to a high degree of discipline."
9 July 1863: "...we saw in the Richmond & Washington papers the Prayer of Rev. Charles R. Read, Deacon Read's son of Sharon Valley. Its just as well the Father is in Richmond. Its the first I heard of it. If he was in Sharon among so many relations & such high connections, the old Deacon would feel bad, especially at the idea of Deacon Smith, his brother-in-law, taking down his son's (Rev. C .R. Read) picture of[f] the wall in his parlor & going to the door & give it a kick in a thousand pieces. We were glad when we heard of it. We gave three cheers for Deacon Smith. Great joy here. Who would suppose Charley Read would turn out so, getting his education North &c. After he is ordained, he gets a large church in Richmond, marry a rich planter's daughter, to make such a prayer for the welfare of the South, Jeff Davis &c., so hard against the North was worse than the most extreme southerner ever made. If we caught him here making such a prayer, he would get a worse draging to the slave pen & get shower bathed worse than the minister a few Sundays ago here."
23 August 1863: "Lt. Gregory orders John McLaughlin on top of a barrel for two hours. Pretty hard place to stand. John says, I can't do it; I was there before. He talked in the ranks."
16 September 1863: "It was laughable to see the mighty charges made up hills, because one person could be seen. No shot from him. When we get there, we get some poor fellow trembling for his life, the scaring he got because of our loud cheers and charge. He is a poor deserter from the Army. Away south east of Ocoquan we hear cheering. It's just the same as our command under Capt. Jones. Capt. Ell's command charge, cheer & run, & captures 3 Rebels. A person would think all Lee's Army was taken." [The unit was responding to a call that Mosby had been spotted near Oak Road. A few men complain of diarrhea and Dr. Andrews tells them to chew white oak bark as he had brought no medicines along, only carrying surgical instruments]
17 September 1863: [The men of the unit are getting tired and sore from their new strenuous duty, which they found quite a contrast from garrison duty], the boys began to "holler 'white oak bark' every time Dr. Andrews pass by. He get[s] mad at them. They cheer &c."
23 September 1863: "Doherty ordered under arrest & be punished to ride the wooden racer & beat the drum."
11 October 1863: regarding the resignation of Col. Wessells, "a good man, tender heart, kind, sociable, humble & easy to get along with. Recommendations and qualifications not essential to or promotive to the advancement of military science or warfare."
28 October 1863: "...by sentence of Court Martial Arthur B. Newey of Co. 'J' was drummed, bayoneted, kicked and musiced out of camp, for being a continuous nuisance, good for nothing, troublesome to officers and men, yes, many more charges. The court decided it was best [to] kick [him] out. A guard with fixed bayonets in the form of a square, Newey in center, bayonets within 2 to 3 inches of his body so he had to walk pretty careful. He looked terrible scared. Guard walked just ahead of the band 5 to 6 paces & played the usual music appropriate for such occasions. As they played before the regiment from right to left about 15 paces in front, when it got back to the right Col. Kellogg had Capt. Sperry (of Co. 'J') there. He ordered the Capt. to kick Newey away out of the parade grounds. Capt. gives the command, open ranks, takes hold of Newey and gives him 2 great kicks on the back side. Before the 3 kick Newey got away & run. The Capt. run after him. At one time he most hit him with his sword, but Newey outran him. Capt. was mad & tired. Then Newey got at a safe distance, he put his hand to his nose & cried out to the Capt, If I ever catch you home in Woodbury, I will knock the Sperry head of[f] you. It was a great time, the greatest time since we left Conn. Officers & men cheered & lost our heads at the run &c."
31 December 1863: "It has been a year of wonderful work for our Regiment - the number if miles, abatis, intrenchments, breast works of all kinds, forts, bastions, block houses, stockades, chevaux De Frize, bridges, log huts, corduroy roads, streets, walks, Demilunes, mortelloes, in a word we have help[ed] build all kinds of work in the defence of Alexandria, Washington, south of the Potomac, under the greatest engineers of the country."
21 February 1864: [It was hinted that Kelly would receive a promotion if he would join the Freemasons, but Kelly refuses as Jesus Christ] "teaches me my body is for the State and my soul is for God." Kelly receives a promotion to 2nd Lt., Company F, on 5 March 1864.
26 February 1864: "Left for Alexandria & put up at the Jackson [Marshall] House for that night so I could have it say I slept in the house where Col. Ellsworth lost his life..."
4 March 1864, notes that after three days absence without leave a soldier is dropped from the rolls on the fourth day and marked as a deserter.
13 March 1864, returning from Burke's Station with wood: "Started for the city, each man loaded with good things to last for a week. Soon got to the city. All along both sides wood cut down some places miles from the track, both sides. Some cases, looked like prairies, showing clearly that whenever Uncle Sam's men travels, they leave their mark, very painfully, too, as a result of rebellion on the part of disloyal citizens."
1 May 1864: "Many visitors in camp, Mr. & Mrs. Burkley Hotchkiss called to see us. Was glad to [see] them. Mrs. Burkley [Hotchkiss] asked me is I think of the Gerick family. I said I was very much occupied & did not have much time to think over matters of the past, but the case she spoke about would never leave my memory. Father & Mother and six children all taken down with scarlet fever and diptheria. For nine days and nine nights I was up with them to my care. Mrs. Burkley Hotchkiss was the only one that gave them good assistance twice a week. She would bring a large basket of clean clothes of all sizes for men, women & children and twice, she with her colored woman she hired for the purpose, would take all dirty clothes to the brook or pond & have them washed by the colored woman. They would all come back as white as snow. Dr. Shears & Deming would come every day. She ordered, when opening the little mouths of the children with a silver instrument, they left me to stand the windward side & he smoking a cigar (they bought me a box of the best havana cigars, the first time I ever smoke cigars, and French Brandy) to smoke while giving the children & the old folks medicine. The nights seemed long & lonesome. Maria, a very nice girl, helped me much through, but she was taken & after a few days died. It was a sad sight to see the mother & father embrace her as I carried her out to be placed in the coffin at 7 1/2 PM as the rule was to bury such cases at night. She was 14, a beautiful boy 9 years old next day, & next day a 6 year old boy died, half the children of [the] family. We saved the old couple & 3 children. I was denied association with all, could not go in my own house. Father & Mother & all was so frightened, it prevailed so bad in the valley. All honor to Mrs. H. She done well by me. No wonder. She has luck. She had it when she refused $40,000 if she would sign a divorce when Burk proved nasty, old country style (titles &c.) to discard his noble wife to many a lady B-.
Burk died in Paris, $40 or 50,000 man. Mrs. Hotchkiss the first got it all, mostly because she did not sign a divorce & Mrs. Hotchkiss 2 got none.... How glad I was when that good woman was so lucky she built in Sharon a beautiful library & furnished, & colleges in Lakeville &c. Good for her. I can't describe all she done for Patrick Gerik & his family & all other families in the valley in the spring & summer of 1862."
2 May 1864: "Lt. Ryan in charge of the slave pen, told me he had an unpleasant duty to perform at 3 PM per or[der] of Gen. Slough, viz. - dance 3 men he detected in a place not fit for soldiers. He invited me, so I took advantage & was there at 3 PM as I saw no one get a shower bath in 8 months. It was [a] little bad to see those men thrown up in blankets & caught as they came down so many times. They were about exhausted when the last toss up was given as they had to go up as often as the order said."
19 May 1864, the 2nd Connecticut Heavy Artillery was ordered to join the 6th Corps as infantry: "Marching through fields, green fields, dust, fields strewned with dying, hospitals, all ways to Fredericksburg, every bit of it, sidewalks, every floor, from cellar to attic, barn & shed a hospital."
26 May 1864: "Here I meet Capt. Wadhams. He was crying. Whats the matter, Capt.? Oh, my brothers all gone. He was coming from paying a visit to his Bro. 14th Regt. 2 Corps., but found him not. He was killed the day before at Hanover Junction & buried in the field. He had another brother in the 8 Regt. killed at Forts Wagoner [Wagner] or fort Darling, I think, 16 instant."
1 June 1864, at Cold Harbor: "Red house (used as hotel) & a few negro shanties was all I saw in C. H. I wish we never got there.... Our Brigade over open field we were met with Hurrycane from the Heavens, it seemed.... the brave Capt. Luman Wadhams who a few days before was crying for his brothers of 14 & 8 Regts, all killed."
2 June 1864: "Patt. Delany is sleeping. I says, Patt, wake up, the rebs might jump over on us. He says, half asleep, Let them jump & kill & Gora damn, I would as lieve get killed as to be kept waken to die for want of sleep." [Kelly writes from 2nd Brigade, 1st Division, 6th Corps, Army of the Potomac]
3 June 1864: "Poor John McGrath got killed today by a sharp shooter on picket. I felt sorry for the old man. Col. Hubbard is going to give him a month's furlough when the authorities allows the body home by boat & water. We will pay the expenses, Co. 'F' & 'G.' 4 of one family, father & 3 sons, is quite an honor. Poor old man. We all felt very sorry to see how he felt. After John, he was always with John every [day?]. John used to carry his musket & rations when the old man could not keep up.... On the charge evening [June] 1. Capt. McCormick, a friend of mine in 65 N.Y., was mortally struck. Just as he fell, a Penn Irish Regt. passed over where he lay. They had a green flag with stars and stripes. He yells out so all around could hear him, 'I wish that great green flag was floating over dublin castles'....I saw a great many heart rending scenes but none so effected more than my dear, dear & best friend Col. Kellogg. It was sad to see such a noble form with so many wounds. He was blood all over." [Some of the men and officers of the regiment circulate a petition to have Capt. McKenzie of General Grant's staff be assigned Colonel].
19 June 1864, crossing the Appomattox: "Here a pontonier was washing his red shirt of the side of the pontoon. Mule wagon crossing scared the nigh mule. He pushed the off one and the other two & wagon load and all contents into the river. Now was a great time getting guy ropes, ropes of all kinds attach[ed] to wagon & mules, hall them up out of the water and on to dry land. It was done in quick time.... The mules was not hurt a bit. Some of the goods lost, I think it was coffee."
20 June 1864, in contact with rebel pickets: "One man dared to cook coffee, he was so thirsty and hungary, but before he had it cooked he was hit. He stood straight up & raised his right hand towards the rebels & said, God damn ye did not give me time to cook my coffee. Fell right backwards dead. Poor fellow, it was sad."
22 June 1864: "Col. MacKenzie had two fingers shot of[f], boys after that called him 2 Finger Jack."
12 July 1864, marching through Washington, responding to General Early's threat: "men not allowed to fall out or look to the right or left.... Jubal Early saw the G-d d-n 6 Corps red cross & left the scene.... Poor Sergeant David Soule lost his chevron stripes because allowed Corporal Wheeler to go for a canteen of water. He (Col. MacKenzie) ordered Co. 'G' to up at 'attention' for 10 minutes because one of the men hollered out 'coffee' as the Col. rode by."
10 August 1864, regarding General Sheridan: "He is a quick, fiery, active, live go ahead, bony little man."
19 September 1864, battle of Winchester: "Timothy O. Callahan of New Milford was laying on my left. A ball from the sharp shooters struck him just under right ear & went through his head. The blood poured out on to my left shoulder & neck. The poor fellow never moved.... Sheriden like a meteor, a flash of lightning in the sky all a blaze, reins thrown across a silver hook attached to his uniform coat, hat in one hand, sword in the other, guiding his horse with his feet & going like lightning speed, crying out, Give them Hail Columbia, boys, whack it into them, drive them.... Capt. Gordon has just told me he [General Grant] never said a word yesterday but held his cigar in his hand, head bowed while Sheridan was telling what would do if he give permission. All he said, Go in, Phil, my boy - jumped on his horse and away he went." Kelly goes to take command of Company B, and meets Sgt. Charles Traver: "Poor Charley, he looked very bad & cried. I counted color guard. 5 was wanting, 2 Corp. & 3 privates." These men were either killed or wounded. Kelly takes command of the Company: "Poor Charley Traver fell and I supposed he was hit & shouted to the ranking Corp., Take up those colors, Baldwin, and come forward. We must be first in those rebel works. Charley jumped up and said, No, Lt., I only stumbled. Awful glad Charley come forward."
The same day, Kelly pays homage to the cavalry, as he saw them at Cold Harbor: "No language that I can use can describe the movements of the cavalry. They are a wonderful aid in battle, even the horses seemed to vie with each other, eyes aglare or gleaming with determination, ears straight & backward movements, feet ploughing mother earth with rage & fury, snorting nostrils, blood & foam, rage, war & fury in every movement of their exterior body on the move in battle, saber cuts & parries. They move, bite, do everything to help their master on their back. On the go or movements in battle they move as cautious as a man on soft ground, swamps, through rocks, over fences, ditches, intrenchments, breastworks, brooks, rivulets and all such like bad places. They ease up & go careful, nice, while the master, be he a Gen. down to a private, is safe with hat in hand & sword in the other, while reins is fasten[ed] to hook or button in lapel of coat. The noble animal does his duty many times, through a fight. I saw the Gen. or staff officer stumble or fall, the horse would stand as quick as a wink & look back at his master, pawing the ground with his fore foot & would seem to say to his master, Mount quick, the battle is raging, I must take you to the front. Of course, always when an accident of this kind happens the soldiers rush to the aid of horse and man."
20 September 1864, 11:45 AM: "I caught one man, Ambrose Negus, in the act of shooting off his big toe of right foot so he could say it was shot while on picket, but the poor coward was caught nicely" Later, "Sheridan asked me what was in front of me. I said in loud military tone, A lot of hell born rebels, Gen." And, "Just when we came in a little fellow, was a Co. 'B' boy, straddle of a cannon, trying to make it go or jump after the fleeing rebels. Col. Mac. came up & looked up at him & said, What is your name? My name is Billy O'rork, Co. 'B' 2 CVA, 2 Brigade, 1 Div., 6 Corp. By G-d, get up, get up you[r] G. D. iron horse, he said again, & shoot hell out of Jubal & his rebs. Come down, said Col. Mac., & report to your Capt. with my compliments & tell him you are a Corporal from this time forward. Ah, begorra, Col., he said, I could be a Corp. a year ago if I could read & write. I don't care a damn, said Mac., you are a Corp. from this day out. How did you get up here ahead of us, said Mac. I crawled up on hands & knees, took hold of everything & put my bayonet into the mountain side, it helped me up. When old Jubal & men saw I was so determined after trying so many times to shoot the head of[f] me with musket & cannon, they gave up the job & took to their heels. Its well they did. If they waited until I came up & all 2 heavies, we would pitch them down the steep rocks. Was there many ahead of you? said Mac. I was about the first one up, says Billy. I wish you had the colors, said the Col. again. I wish to God I had, said Billy, they would be first to wave on those awful heights." [This conversation] "was the first & last time I ever seen or knew him [Colonel MacKenzie] to smile or laugh. 11 1/2 Who just come along but John Tully with rations enough for a squad. Poor fellow felt bad, & tears in his eyes. I told [him] I knew it & said its not your fault, I heard from you. Now that we have such great victories, let there be no more gloom, so he went on and told me about his wandering ever since 4 PM yesterday, all night, all day."
23 September 1864: "Billy Rourk, with his chevrons & stripes as red & new as scarlet, he feels as proud as a Gen. & he give orders to the boys. They all have a great time with him. He wants them all to salute him. He says the Col. must salute him first, so all watched for the Col. whenever he would pass along to inspect his Regt. All was silence now & looked at Billy, all marched at shoulder arms, no, no Corp. salute by Billy. He looked at the Col., Col. looked at him and admired his new chevrons & stripes & saluted. Billy returned salute & was happy to think the Col. saluted first & didn't say nothing to him for doing so. Col. knew what was up by the signs of the men."
27 September 1864: "a beautiful young officer whom we all liked on the staff of Sheridan was taken prisoner while he was on duty maping or taken survey of the country around Mount Crawford. Sheridan missed him at the regular hour when he is usually in camp after taking notice of the country rout[e]s & approaches to all towns and cities. As he was an engineer of great repute & the promise of a famous one, Sheridan felt bad, set out his scouts & found him hung to a tree with a sheeps leg in his mouth down his throat."
20 October 1864, following the battle of Cedar Creek: someone "show[ed] me the spots where Corporal Charles I. Read and Corporal George W. Page was hit & the distance they crawled to each other, embraced, & was found dead in that position. It was so sad, two nice young fellows."
23 October 1864: "You folks fret more than we do here. You got used to it and don't think nothing of those things you speak about. In battle when a minnie or musket ball, cannon ball, be it shell or canister, is fired & bursts or kills from 1 to 5 or 6 wounded we, the officers & sergeants acting as file close[r]s cry, Steady men, keep your places in the ranks, only 2 killed & 4 wounded; its hard but its our duty." Regarding those who advocated peace in the north, "Its mule kick mule."
15 February 1865, rebel and union pickets holding conversation the previous night: "Reb: Hellow, Yank, have you got any coffee? Plenty. Have ye got any Johnny cake? Reb: Plenty, & plenty of butter. Yank: Well, then, grease your backsides & slide into the Union."