Status - John Baer - 40th Indiana Regiment - Stanley's Corps - Newton's Division - Wagner's Brigade
Atlanta Campaign
Sherman sends a cavalry force under General Judson Kilpatrick to raid south of Atlanta, and try again to cut the railroads and force the Confederates out of Atlanta. This force will be out for several days. In the meantime, Sherman prepares for his circling movement around the city.
Hood's cavalry has moved north and managed to break the railroad at several places in the Union rear areas. This is not terribly successful, as repair parties have become skilled at fixing any damage. The Confederate cavalry are thus away from Atlanta, where they are more needed.
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John Baer Diary Entries - text in white, comments in blue. Entries for August 15th, 16th, 17th and 18th.
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DIARY ENTRY - Monday, August 15th, 1864
True religion and war walk in separate paths. I do not know whether the change at home is rapid as to be noticed, those that are there but two years worked such a change as to make it noticeable to those who had been absent. Truly the change has been very great. Grapevine rumors are below par - scarcely any in circulation.
The rebels have circulated the report that Valandigham has raised an insurrection and has 150,000 organized forces intending to set up a Northern Confederacy. How I long to be at home when that Confederacy is established. I would like to see some of Valandigham’s Generals.
I am not in the habit of complaining of anything the Administration does, but I certainly think they are doing wrong in sacrificing as many men as they are doing daily for the sake of keeping an overplus of rebels out of the field. The ends in my opinion will not justify the means. I know that an exchange would increase their army while it would add but little to ours, but the disparity in numbers now in the field is so great that the difference would scarcely be noticeable, and the change in the mode of living in one month’s time would make the change in our favor. At the end of that time, two-thirds of the men here would be able for the field, while as many of the rebels that are able to take the field now would be unfit for service, besides being an incumbrance to the rebel army.
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Clement Vallandigham was an anti-war Democrat (Copperhead) from Ohio. His speeches during the war caused him to be tried, convicted, and banished to the Confederacy. He then went to Canada and re-entered the North in 1864.
The Union's policy at this time is to refuse to exchange prisoners as they believe that exchanges will help the rebel army much more that that of the Union. On the 18th, General Grant will re-iterate this policy. Whether this policy is wise or not, it certainly imperils the Union prisoners suffering in the camps.
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DIARY ENTRY - Tuesday, August 16th, 1864
What would it take to pay me for the loss sustained in this war? From the precarious condition of my property at the time of capture, I expect that it has all gone by the board, then the pecuniary loss would be something near two thousand dollars, besides three years and a half of the best part of my life which in a pecuniary point of view has realized me nothing, the wages being barely necessary to defray necessary expenses. The foregoing of all the pleasures that might have been enjoyed, and the effect on the physical and intellectual man by the suffering I have endured - and some have even endured more, and not yet more for I have given all but life, and on many fields have even dared to give that - but Providence has spared me for other pains, but whom the Lord loveth he chasteneth and I will not complain or murmur at his mercies.
The powers that be are ordained by God, but whether he controls their individual actions I am inclined to doubt. Man is a free moral agent. It is his to choose or refuse and unless his actions are governed by the Scriptures, they are not controlled by Providence. By this I know the actions of our Administration are not governed by Providence, consequently, I will venture a remark on their conduct.
After suffering and enduring all that we have, and knowing that the truth of our condition has been represented time and time again to high Government officials in the strongest terms that language will permit, and having ocular demonstrations of the misery as they have had by men who have escaped, it seems almost incredible that they could refuse almost any terms to liberate those who are confined in the walls of Sumpter prison.
Last week, in three successive days, there were 335 men carried from the camp to the grave. One hundred and twelve the first day, one hundred and nine the second, and one hundred and fourteen the third. Can the Government expect that if we are left here during the coming winter that any of them who escape the hand of death will ever benefit them any? If so, upon what grounds? Surely not upon the grounds of duty or allegiance. There cannot be any claim on either point. If the Government fails to fulfill its obligations to its brave defenders when it can be done without violating any other obligations, surely they will not exact more service.
Yet there is an undying patriotism that nothing will quench. Thousands have already endure to the end and thousands more are ready and willing to hazard their lives in the field of battle - but the thoughts of being sacrificed in prison is more than many will endure. I will stop writing on this point lest I should be constrained to utter something derogatory to some of our Officials.
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From this entry we learn that John owns a farm and worries that it has probably been defaulted for non-payment. He was also married in the spring and would be concerned about his wife, Jenny, as well.
He then returns to the matter of exchange - to a soldier, the decision against exchange would seem the absolute worst sort of bean-counting, and it does in fact make many despair of ever reaching home. At this time is the worst of the daily death toll at the camp, as John recounts in the fourth paragraph.
On the 14th, something happened that many of the prisoners would consider a gift from heaven - a spring appeared in the camp and began to provide clean, clear water to those inside the camp - it was named the Providence Spring. This must have seemed a miracle; as mentioned before, prisoners up to this time had only rain water to drink.
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DIARY ENTRY - Wednesday, August 17th, 1864
There has been a change in the commander of the prison. This is evident from an order that made its appearance. Although by a Confederate commander I fully concur with him in his opinion that it is for our benefit, and believe in having it enforced to the letter. It shows more signs of humanity than any action that has yet been taken in regard to the prisoners. It is an order for police duty.
I was informed that during yesterday and night before last there were considerable over 100 dead carried from the hospital, besides those that were carried out of the stockade. If we were a superstitious set, this would be almost enough to impress us with a fatality such as used to be common among sailors - but as a general thing we are not so, although I am convinced it exists to a certain extent. There are numbers of men who, when they enter the gates of Sumpter prison feel that the gates of death are closing behind them, and they never expect to see the world again - to such the future affords no fair prospects, and imprisonment is fatal. Others become discouraged after a time, and feel that death would be a relief - and indeed it would be to a great many.
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DIARY ENTRY - Thursday, August 18th, 1864
Had the colic all night and it has been productive of very disagreeable sensations in the vicinity of the stomach - although somewhat relieved, I do not feel as well as I could desire. Weather oppressively hot.
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More Information:
- Link: War Operations, see Volume XXXVIII, Chapter L, Part V, Correspondence, pp. 505-594.
- The Civil War Day by Day, John S. Bowman, Ed. p. 174.
- The Civil War, A Narrative, Vol 1II, Red River to Appomattox, Shelby Foote, pp. 492-520.
- Battles and Leaders of the Civil War, Retreat With Honor, pp. 315-320.
- Decision In The West, The Atlanta Campaign of 1864, Albert Castel, pp, 469-471.
- Personal Memoirs of U. S. Grant, pp. 613-620.
- Memoirs of General William T. Sherman, pp. 572-577.
- Events: 1864
NEXT POST: AUGUST 22ND
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