April 26, 1861 (Friday)

"Dear Mother...it is hard to go off
without bidding you goodbye...
the thought of how you will feel
when you find me so unexpectedly gone."
---Robert Gould Shaw, Letters to New York

An excellent article, "Letters to New York," by John Lockwood and Charles Lockwood, Disunion--New York Times, April 25, 1861 shares the story of Robert Gould Shaw and the arrival of the Seventh Reg. of New York to Washington DC.  Robert Shaw would eventually be the head of the black 54th Massachusetts Infantry...made famous in the film "Glory."


The narrative of the day -- Civil War Daily Gazette:  "Johnston and Jackson Promoted, Virginia Gets Some Really Bad Ideas, North Carolina's Call to Arms, Delaware's Fence, Delaware's More Southern Side, Free Blacks Should be Accepted Into Military Service."


Diary of a Yankee in the Patent Office, Daily Chronicles of the American Civil War, April 26, 1861.

"This has been a fine day and one of much excitement in the City...about 2000 have arrived today and a large number are expected tomorrow."

A Rebel War Clerk's Diary, Daily Chronicles of the American Civil War, April 26, 1861

"Today I recognize Northern merchants and Jews in the streets, busy in collecting the debts due them.  The Convention has thrown some impediments in the way; but I hear on every hand that Southern merchants, in the absence of legal obligations, recognize the demands of honor, and are sending money North, even if it be used against us.  This will not last long."

And finally, a narrative on the march of troops to Washington DC:  Diary of a Young Officer -- Josiah Marshall Favill, Daily Observations from the Civil War.  (too long to post here...but an excerpt)

"About seven o’clock we were on the alert again, and quickly transformed the nice rail fences into roaring camp-fires, around which we prepared our coffee and ate our breakfast. Afterwards we went foraging, capturing chickens, ducks, pigeons, and whatever was eatable, and had lots of fun; as the government had not provided us with anything to eat here, we were obliged to help ourselves or fast, and under such circumstances we did not hesitate. The natives protested in vain; hungry soldiers must eat, and if the government cannot provide, the country must do so, and the people will be obliged to charge up their losses to the calamity of war.  About five P. M. a long train of cattle-cars came in from Washington, to which we were promptly transferred, and arrived at our journey’s end, Washington, about six o’clock the following morning, marching directly to the navy yard, where quarters were already prepared for us."