The Diary of John Wesley Caldwell, 1865: Thursday, April 27, 1865

Another very pleasant warm day. I have done but little today except to read, play checkers, rig up a table to get ready for writing. We are deprived of mails for some reason and I feel lonely enough without my regular mail. Arrangements have been made to let a squad of men go to the city each day undercharge of a Non-Comm officers and spend the day but I shall have so much to do I cannot go for some days to come. We hear painful news of Gen'l Sherman's trying to make peace with Gen'l Johnson but Grant has gone to set things right. Hope all will yet be well.

More on John Wesley Caldwell

From the book, John Caldwell and Sarah Dillingham Caldwell... by Augustine Caldwell (1904) Maine Historical Society call number 929.2

"In the Civil War, he was one of the Six Sons of Wesley and Margaret Cushman Caldwell, who volunteered for three years ; four of whom became fatal victims. He enlisted Aug. 28, 1862, in the 8th Maine Vols. Inf. Co. B. Served three years ; mustered out at Richmond, Va., June 18, 1865, by General Order of War Dep't. He was in the expedition to Florida, when Jacksonville was taken; also in the Department of the South at Hilton Head and Beaufort, S.C. until April, 1864 ; then to Virginia, and was with the army of the James, at the taking to City Point and Bermuda Hundreds ; at Weir Bottoms Church, Drury's Bluff, Cold Harbor, Chapin's Farm, second battle of Fair Oaks, Spring Hill : all the fighting around Richmond, Petersburg and capture of the same ; also the pursuit and capture of Gen Lee and his army at Appomatox, Va., April, 1865. At the return to Richmond he was mustered out as before stated, and then came the return to the home at Sherman Mills. Since the War he has held the offices of Postmaster, Trial Justice and Justice to the Peace."

"...Asbury Caldwell, the ninth child in the foregoing Family Record, was a brave Volunteer of the Civil War; the blood chills to read the brief story of his burial: He was shot in the battle before Petersburg. His brother, John Wesley Caldwell, was in the fight. He sought and found the body of Asbury. He entered a rebel house at night, and with the light of candles obtained a mantel, and inscribed the name of his soldier brother upon it, and placed it at the head of the hastily made grave. The rebels soon destroyed it. He also engraved the name in a Sycamore, close by. While at work upon the mantel, the bullets of the enemy were freely sprinkled upon the house, and the work had to be completed in the security of the cellar. "

The Diary of John Wesley Caldwell, 1865

Thursday, April 27, 1865

No comments:

Post a Comment