Camp cripple creek
tennessee
18 january - 24 june 1863
A Commissary Tent
Pilot Knob
1 - 14 FEBRUARY
SUN. 1 Tolerably pleasant but cloudy
21 -- Charles W. Davis (2 KY D)
29 -- Martin Meyer (1 KY I)
45 -- Thomas G. Brown (2 KY A)
Busbey
...Turn out for roll call under arms after day light. No inspection...[1st Sergt James G.] Lawrence made 2nd Lieut in Co. F. Sergt [ William Joseph] Head of Co. H promoted to Sergt Major. Night clear and cold.
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MON. 2 Pleasant
22 -- Ross Porter Shinkle (1 KY H)
24 -- Aaron Harkless (90 OH B)
27 -- Daniel S. Snyder (90 OH G)
McKee
Regt on Picket
Busbey
...Awake early, have roll call--break ranks, then ordered to form line of battle.
Guard mounted. Men dismissed. The regiment starts down the creek valley
after forage, going but a short distance. The expedition in accordance with
Genl Order No. 30. Frequent roll calls--no pillaging allowed. Our co returns
to camp before noon. Have chicken noodle soup for super. Old Horse cook.
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TUE. 3 Morning cold and frosty FULL MOON
18 -- Samuel Dearth (90 OH B)
18 -- John A Eveland (90 OH G)
22 -- John M. Williams (1 KY C)
43 -- David Barr (90 OH B)
Battle of Dover, TN (also known as The Second Battle of Ft. Donelson)
Busbey
...Col. [David] Enyart and Lou Hoeke arrive in camp.
Lou [is] 2nd Lieut in Co. H--Enyart commands the Brigade.
With 2 co's of the 90[th OH] on Picket taking a post on the left...
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WED. 4 Morning pleasant; afternoon cloudy and cold; sleet and snow in evening
16 -- Edgar Thomas Payne (90 OH G)
19 -- Henry O. Harden (90 OH G)
21 -- Albert Breith (1 KY I)
24 -- Samuel W. Stuckey (90 OH E)
McKee
Regiment went to Gard [sic] train to Murfreesboro
Busbey
Forenoon pleasant--but the sky becoming cloudy and a cold sleety snow falling in the evening. Artillery firing heard to the right all day. Relieved by the 2nd [KY] at 2 o'clock. Find Hunt [by this, does he mean Capt Ralph Hunt who had been put in charge of the Convalescent Camp in Nashville since early Dec 62? It would make sense for him to be there for Guthrie's sword presentation] in camp...[2 Lt John] Guthrie receives a sword--present from the Old Colonel [Does he mean James V. Guthrie, the original colonel of the 1 KY, who was young John's uncle?]
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THUR. 5 Morning stormy; night clear and cold
Birthday
McKee
Co B detailed to Gard [sic] train to Nashville
Busbey
A gloomy, stormy morning. Up at Reveille, but do not awake
the boys till day light. Some trouble in getting in line. Company
well supplied with socks. George Hunt goes to town to see
Phil [Foreman] and Charles [Rice] and returns with a detail
[as] a Division Teamster. Lou Hoeke presented with a splendid
silver fife by Genl Smith [Brig-Genl William Sooy Smith?].
Tonight he gives us a tune. Night clear but vey cold. Fort
Donelson attacked on the 3rd by rebels.
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FRI. 6 Cold
28 (or 32) -- Joseph Phillips (90 OH G)
31 -- Augustine Cook (31 IN H)
McKee
Regt on Picket
Busbey
Morning stingingly cold. In line of battle early but soon stack arms, break ranks. Geo[rge] Hunt reports to QM Shoemaker. Many rather Grapevinish rumors in camp. Longer without letters from home than ever before...
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SAT. 7 Pleasant
35 -- James Sligar (31 IN A)
Busbey
Very pleasant. Relieve the 31[st IN and the] 2nd [KY] on Picket.
Heavy Artillery firing to the right all day. Signal Corps telegraph
"Rebel cavalry near" Keep a sharp lookout: having but little
[camp]fire and that well shaded. Stand a relief from 8 to 10.
Foxes around us by the scores making the grove noisy with
their barking and squalling. The surfaces rocky with fissures.
Good hiding places for them. Hear the rebs were repulsed at
Fort Donelson.
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SUN. 8 Partly cloudy during the day; unseasonably warm after dark
22 -- Pierre J. Maillard (1 KY F)
37 -- Jeremiah Hatfield, Sr. (31 IN H)
Busbey
Pleasant with sky partially clouded. Awakened by Reveille in camp and by [William] Cobaugh talking...Have a good time at night reproducing old stories. [I am not entirely sure what this means, but later accounts make it sound as though Busbey regales his tent mates with stories--both of his own writing or from some of his favorite books. In some cases, it sounds like he might have turned some scenes into tableaux or scripts that the men performed--readers' theatre?] ] Night very warm for the season.
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MON. 9 Day pleasant; night rainy
23 -- John H. Archdeacon (2 KY F&S)
42 -- Muscn. Francis G. Philbrick (90 OH D)
McKee
Regt on Picket[.] Driziling [sic] Rain in the Eavening[sic]
Chilcote
Having been discharged from the hospital [in Nashville], we started on our way to join the regiment at Camp Cripple Creek. Passed through Lavergn [sic] and camped 20 miles from Nashville [on the night of the 8th]...Started again this morning and got to the regiment at Cripple Creek in the evening, and went on picket at night.
Busbey
...Reveille late. At 9 o'clock start a foraging winding miles into the right of Readyville Road. Forage scarce. Rebels near. Reported in Bradyville. The country wild looking. People peculiar. No intelligent men, no pretty women...Another pleasant time with stories.
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TUE. 10 Pleasant during the day, but rainy at night
35 -- Thomas S. Mains (90 OH H)
"Gen. Tom Thumb" (Charles S. Stratton), the dwarf
entertainer made famous by P.T. Barnum, was
married to Lavinia Warren (also a dwarf) in NYC's
Grace Episcopal Church. Stratton (1838-1883)'s
best man was "Commodore Nutt" (George W. M. Nutt,
1844-1881). The bride (1844-1919) chose her sister,
Minnie Warren (1849 - 1878) as her maid of honor.
Chilcote
Was a rainy day. Were relieved and went to camp.
Busbey
Very pleasant. Reveille early and line of battle. Make out New Descriptive Rolls for Tinker, [Cpl Frank] Hodgkins, and Miers [Probably Pvt. Charles Meyers]. (Lt. John A.] Snediker resolves to make effort not to have [Philip] Foreman's Pay stopped. Roberts and Daniels leave the Commissary here for a post in Nashville. At night reproduce for the benefit of the boys "Elsie Venner" by [Oliver Wendell] Holmes and have a good time. The expedition yesterday very orderly--no pillaging allowed. Night inclined to be rainy.
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WED. 11 Warm, cloudy, pleasant
22 -- Francis D. Story (1 OH)
23 -- Adam Barnes (31 IN A)
25 -- John W. Renouard (1 OH)
32 -- George W. Terrill (1 KY A)
32 -- Richard W. Kennard (90 OH B)
Chilcote
This is a very warm, nice day. Went down to the Creek and
washed some clothes. The regiment had dress parade this
evening.
Busbey
...In Picket at 2 o'clock...
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THUR. 12 Cloudy and misting rain at times
19 -- Rufus Hixon (31 IN A)
Chilcote
...It has been a very disagreeable day. Our camp is very muddy and disagreeable.
Busbey
Warm with misty rain at times...Reproduce at night the "Lady of the Lake" [by Sir Walter Scott].
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FRI. 13 [Conflicting reports about the weather--see below]
26 -- Thomas A. Beaton (5 Mid TN Cav)
Friday the 13th
Chilcote
Turned cold. Went on picket today. Traded for some corn bread
out on the picket-line. It tasted good, and was a change from hard-tack.
Busbey
Warm and balmy as Spring...
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SAT. 14 Cloudy and warm; rainy in the evening and overnight
31 -- Cpl/2 Lt John Cook (31 IN A)
Valentine's Day
McKee
On pickett [sic]
Chilcote
The regiment drew two days' rations today. It began raining in the evening and rained all night.
Busbey
Warm with a clouded sky. Brigade Inspector takes names of officers not in line. Couriers fired on last night between here and town. Lou [Lt. John A.] Snediker and [Lt. John] Guthrie give [Capt. Andrew] Hogan [of Co. I] a burlesque serenade last night...Write to Genl Rosecrans in the [Philip] Foreman case. Happy indeed are we tonight. Pledge ourselves to meet two years from tonight if alive and well and compare notes.
Col. David A. Enyart
Ft. Donelson
John Chilcote arrives
in camp from a
hospital in Nashville
15 - 28 FEBRUARY
SUN. 15 Rained all last night, but cleared off this morning
21 -- Stephen Hester (90 OH B)
Chilcote
Still cloudy, but did not rain much. Very muddy in camp.
Our regiment drew some clothing today. I got a blouse.
Busbey
Last night and this morning rain...On Picket at 2 o'clock.
Commence Victor Hugo's "Les Miserables" the book of the time...
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MON. 16 Rainy, muddy, disagreeable
26 -- George Kull (90 OH E)
Chilcote
The regiment worked on the intrenchments [sic] today
in the rain and mud. It was very disagreeable work, but
we had to do it.
Busbey
A rainy day. Several Union families move inside our lines
with our forage train, intending to go north. One man carries
his furniture 5 miles...
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TUE. 17 Rained all day and all night NEW MOON
18 -- George Blackford Henderson (31 IN I)
20 -- Jasper Pennell (90 OH B)
Shrove Tuesday
McKee
Resolutions adopted and approved unanimously Denouncing the
Course of the Legislator [sic] and Butternuts of the State of Indiana.
Chilcote
The regiment went on picket today. We had a rainy time of it.
Rained all day and night.
Busbey
Raining and disagreeable. [Work] Details busy felling trees
and paving the streets...Waked about midnight by the water
surrounding us. Have a serio-comic tableau. Read aloud for
the boys Hugo's "Waterloo".
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WED. 18 Damp and dreary
24 -- Lt Col Charles H. Rippey (90 OH F&S)
44 -- John Towell (90 OH B)
Ash Wednesday
McKee
Regt on Picket
Chilcote
The regiment came in off of picket duty. _____ two day's [sic] rations.
Busbey
Damp and dreary. Streets finished...Have no candle at night and relate reminiscences of former life.
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THUR. 19 Very pleasant after a cloudy start
20 -- Albert H. Adams (1 KY B)
21 -- Josiah Wolf (2 KY A)
24 -- James McGowan (1 KY B)
26 -- Cpl. Elbridge G. Williams (90 OH G)
McKee
All Quiet
Chilcote
Cleared off about 9 o'clock. Stood guard in another man's place.
Busbey
Very pleasant. On Picket at 2 o'clock...
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FRI. 20 Pleasant
18 [?] -- Jared Septer (90 OH A)
40 -- Godfriedt W. Wolf (2 KY E)
Chilcote
This was a very nice day. Got breakfast and did a big washing.
Everything quiet in camp.
Busbey
The pleasantest day of the season. Genl Wood[s] now commanding
our corps visits camp attended by Genl Cruft and others...Finish
"Les Miserables"...Excellent indeed is Hugo in "Les Miserables".
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SAT. 21 Disagreeable and rainy
28 -- Jesse Thomas Longsworth (31 IN I)
RW
Letter to sister about weather, tents
Chilcote
Began to rain about noon, but we had to go on picket,
all the same. It seems it can rain down in this country any time.
It makes it very disagreeable for us who are living in tents and
have to stand out on duty.
Busbey
Disagreeable and rainy. No Reveille at Hd Qtrs and none
in the regiments till long after daylight. No line of battle formed
but merely roll call...At night have quite a time narrating my
adventure after robbers some years ago in the house of
Genl [James William] Denver's father [Patrick Frederick Denver],
near Wilmington, Ohio.
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SUN. 22 Cold and cloudy
26 -- Andrew J. Amerine (90 OH E)
41 -- Dr. Richard H. Tipton (90 OH F&S)
McKee
1st [OH] on Picket to day General Rosecranse [sic]
ordered a Salute of 43 [sic--should be 34] Rounds
fired from each Batry in honor of Washington's Birthday.
Cutter
This being the anniversary of Washington's birth-day,
at sun-down we fired a salute. [Cutter puts this event
as happening on "Sunday, January 22" but Washington's
birthday occurred in February.]
Chilcote
...Wrote a letter while out on picket and another when
I came in. We have to put in the time, some how, to
keep from getting homesick.
Busbey
This great day passed quietly in camp. Reveille early and line of Battle. Co. Inspection at ten o'clock and for once no other duty in camp...At 4 o'clock the companies formed and Genl Rosecrans' Anniversary Order read. At sunset our battery fires a national salute of 34 guns [one for each state in the Union at that time, including the ones that seceded] that echoes to the thunder from Murfreesboro. Never did Old Nature strike "sundown" in a grander Swell. Rehearse at night the story of Cosette. [Part of the novel Les Miserables by Victor Hugo.]
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MON. 23 Clearing and turning colder after dark
28 -- Lt. Charles E. Adamson (31 IN I)
34 -- Morris Mullaly (1 KY D)
McKee
Bill Antibus Returned to Regt
Cutter
Captain Standart started for home, having obtained a
short furlough. [He would return 14 Mar.]
Chilcote
Company's [sic] H and E went out foraging today for
mule feed. We also concluded we wanted some feed
for ourselves, and finding some hogs, killed four of them
while the wagons were being loaded.
Busbey
Last night rather cold. Mud freezing. Remain up till long after bed time. This morning damp and cloudy. Afternoon clear and pleasant, night cold and frosty. Our regiment on Picket, the 2nd [KY] on a foraging expedition. Nothing important occurring. Passers by give some trouble. The country people come as usual to trade pies, biscuits &c for coffee...A shot fired on [Cpl. Jacob] Miller's Post.
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TUE. 24 Sunny
24 -- 1 Sgt. William H. Busbey (1 KY C)
25 -- John Gutjahr (2 KY K)
Territory of Arizona organized
Chilcote
Stayed in camp and rested from our foraging trip
yesterday, and enjoyed eating some of our fresh
pork. It tasted very good.
Busbey
My Birth Day. Beautiful and full of sunshine. Go early to [Cpl. Jacob] Miller's Post and learn the shot was accidental. Have a hearty laugh at his discomfiture. Camp very quite [sic], seeming like some monster, lazy and half asleep. Night full of dim and gentle moonlight. Dim as the past is growing, uncertain as the future now. I am satisfied with life.
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WED. 25 Rainy afternoon
35 -- William Martin Connerly (31 I I
Chilcote
Ordered to be ready to go on picket at 7 o'clock, to relieve
those on duty so they could go to camp and draw their pay.
It began raining, as usual, when we got there.
Busbey
A disagreeable day--rain commencing about noon. The
regiment paid for two months by Maj. Griffin. Pay [John]
Guthrie the one dollar borrowed and receive three
dollars of [Samuel] Duff...At night relate the story of "The Unionist's
Daughter" [by Mrs. Metta Victoria Victor]. Night very
stormy and the tents leak like riddles.
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THUR. 26 Rainy
23 -- Thomas William Given (1 KY G)
27 -- William C. Fritts (2 KY A)
31 -- Joseph B. Sockwell (1 KY F)
McKee
On Picket to day Not allowed any fire by order of Col. [D. A.] Enyard [sic]
Commanding 1st Brigaded [sic] 2nd Division
Chilcote
Came in off picket, drew three day's [sic] rations, and got orders to go on
a foraging expedition tomorrow. We may get some more fresh pork, or
something else good to eat.
Busbey
Reveille early--no line of battle but ordered to be ready to go a foraging
at 8 o'clock. Rain still continues. The streams all rushing torrents and
the order is countermanded. [John] Guthrie goes to Murfreesboro and I
complete another pay roll. Right or wrong I write some verses half
serious and half comic. At night relate a tale of my own, one of my
Ideal Dreams "The Forest Queen or Three in One".
Pay $7.50 for pair of boots.
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FRI. 27 Beautiful morning; rainy afternoon
27 -- John McFarland (31 IN K)
McKee
Commenced raining at 1/2 past 1 o'clock today.
Chilcote
After scouting the country for forage, started back for camp, arriving about 3 o'clock
Busbey
A beautiful day. Our regiment on picket at 8 o'clock. Under direction of Brigade Engineer an old stable fixed up as a rallying point for the pickets...Read the particulars of Tom Thumb's marriage Feb 10, at Grace Church, New York to Lavinia Warren the ["]Little Queen of Beauty'. [Maj. Alva] Hadlock returns to camp.
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SAT. 28 Rainy
Birthday
McKee
Payd by Major Griffin 28 dollars and 85 cents
Chilcote
The regiment cleaned up guns and accoutrements for inspection. Also policed our quarters. It was so wet we had a hard time of it. Drew five day's [sic] rations. The regiment was paid off today. It was a busy day and we were mustered for our next two months' pay.
Busbey
Rainy and disagreeable. Relieved at 8 o'clock and return to camp and get ready for Genl Muster at 10 o'clock. Mustered by Lieut Tooley, Brigade Inspector. The muster coinciding with the morning report. At night sleepy and tired and to bed early. At the marriage of Charles S. Stratton, Commander Nutt and the Bride's Dwarf Sister were the attendants. The wedding in grand style--the event of the season.
General Thomas J. Woods
General Charles Cruft
