Sabbath, July 31 1864

Another regiment went this morning, going to the front.  Mr. Curtis is absent at Pomeroy and Mr. A. J. M^cKimm preached here for him.  Mr. M^cKimm staid all night here, he came to see Ephe, who is an old college friend.

Saturday, July 30. 1864

Friday, July 29 1864

Mr. & Mrs. M^cLean left on the cars to go to Gallia Co.  I wrote to Annie L. Dean.  A Regiment of soldiers passed down going into West Virginia.  They went by Railroad.

Thursday, July 28. 1864

Rev. Mr. M^cLean landed this morning from a steamboat, he is on his way to Gallia Co. where he owns a farm, and wants Kate to go with him.  Kate called on Mrs. G. W. Bailey.  Mr. & Mrs. M^cLean, Mrs. Cutler, and little Sarah went to a tea party at Mr. Blackintons -- Ann Briggs came and spent the afternoon here.  Mrs. S. C. Dawes & Lucy are spending the day here, and Mrs. M^cClure and Emeline came to prayer meeting and all staid to tea.  Nancy was gone all day to Marietta.

Wednesday, July 27, 1864

I wrote to Clara enclosing $30.  Kate went to town this morning, returned on the accommodation train and got off at the Gravel Bank and took dinner at Mr. Dickeys, then went to A. S. Baileys where she & Mrs. Cutler took tea.

Tuesday, July 26 1864

Lucy came on the accommodation train.  She with Kate and little Sarah went to visit at Mrs. M^cClure’s.  A man from Mc Arthur, having some business with Ephe, was here to dinner.

Gen. Crook is said to have been defeated.

Peggy's notes:
The following information is copied from the website:  http://www.civilwaracademy.com/civil-war-battles-in-virginia-1864.html

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Kernstown, Second

Other Names: None

Location: Frederick County and Winchester

Campaign: Early’s Raid and Operations against the B&O Railroad (June-August 1864)

Date(s): July 24, 1864

Principal Commanders: Brig. Gen. George Crook [US]; Lt. Gen. Jubal Early [CS]

Forces Engaged: 23,000 total (US 10,000; CS 13,000)

Estimated Casualties: 1,800 total (US 1,200; CS 600)

Description: Believing that Early’s army was no longer a threat in the Valley, Maj. Gen. Horatio Wright abandoned his pursuit and ordered the VI and XIX Corps to return to Washington, where they were to be sent to Grant’s army group before Petersburg. Wright left Brig. Gen. George Crook with three divisions and some cavalry to hold Winchester.

Under orders to prevent reinforcements from being sent to Grant, Early marched north on July 24 against Crook. After an hour of stubborn resistance at Pritchard’s Hill, the Federal line collapsed and Crook’s divisions streamed back in disarray through the streets of Winchester. Col. James Mulligan commanding Crook’s 3rd Division was mortally wounded. Rutherford B. Hayes commanded a brigade against John C. Breckinridge’s wing. Crook retreated to the Potomac River and crossed near Williamsport on July 26. As a result of this defeat and the burning of Chambersburg, Pennsylvania, on July 30, Grant returned the VI and XIX Corps and appointed Sheridan as commander of Union forces in the Valley.

Monday, July 25 1864

Ephe came on the 11 o’clock train.  Lucy will come tomorrow.

Sabbath, July 24 1864

Eleven years ago today, dear little Annie was born -- it was sabbath, and the day upon which father’s funeral sermon was preached by Prof. E. B. Andrews--

I went to sabbath school to-day, then came home & staid with little Sarah who is sick with hives, while the others went to meeting.  Kate went to meeting here to-day.

Peggy's comment:

Dear little Annie was Julia's niece, Annie Cutler, daughter of William and Lizzie Cutler.  She died January 11, 1864.  Annie was born on the day of the funeral of Julia's father, Ephraim Cutler.  

Sarah and Annie Cutler

Ephraim Cutler

Saturday, July 23. 1864

Kate went to town and returned on the 11 o’clock train & Ephe and Lucy went up on the afternoon train to stay until Monday.
Rufus who has served three years and three months in the army most faithfully and now wishes to retire from the service, finds every obstacle thrown in his way.  They want him to stay on.

Fred. J. Cutter who lived several years with us but has been lately going to school in Cincinnati came to see us.  He expects to enter Marietta College this fall and brother William is going to assist him.

Peggy's note:
Rufus Dawes, Julia's nephew, volunteered to serve with the Sixth Wisconsin for three years.  Now that his time was up, he very much wanted to return home to Marietta to his new wife, Mary.  But the Union army was short of experienced officers and was endeavoring to persuade him to continue to serve.  They promoted him to Colonel and promised him a well-manned regiment. . . .and slowed the paperwork for mustering out.

Friday, July 22. 1864

Very smokey weather -- don’t know where the smoke comes from.  It is so cold that we had fire made in our sitting room, and made additions to our clothing.  Nancy went over home this afternoon.

Thursday, July 21, 1864

I went with little Sarah blackberrying -- we took the signal glass, but found the atmosphere too smokey for looking abroad.  Kate, Lucy, Ephe & little Sarah took dinner at Mr. Burgess.  Sarah was so much beaten with her walks that she has broken our with hives.  

Prayer meeting here.  Mrs. W. D. Bailey & Emeline were here.

Wednesday, July 20 1864

Kate went to town with Ephe.

Tuesday, July 19. 1864

I think today has been hotter than yesterday.  Miss Betsey Bailey & Mrs. Dickey called.  

Lucy and Ephe came on the evening train.  He has had two or three bones extracted by the doctor which was a painful operation.  I am constantly wondering at Ephe’s patience and fortitude, he endures suffering and privation as very few could do.

Monday, July 18, 1864

Mr. Marshall, Hanna Carlin, & George Cutter, went away this morning on the train.  We are now busy haying.  Have about a dozen hands at work.  They use a mowing machine & horserake, but several men are cutting down the grass with scythes.  Nancy is washing & I got dinner.  The day has been very hot, the thermometer at 112 & at 92 in the shade.  Kate & Sarah came home on the evening train.

Horserake

Sabbath July 17, 1864

Rev. Mr. Brice from Indiana, a very uninteresting man, preached and took up a collection of about one hundred dollars for the Freedmen.  He was here to tea also Hannah Carlin.

Saturday, July 16, 1864

Lucy went home, Kate and Sarah with her, to spend the Sabbath.  Mr. Marshall of Amestown came to try to buy the “Carter farm” but it was not for sale.  He and George Cutter are here & will stay over the sabbath.

Friday, July 15, 1864

Kate, whom we have so wished to see, came this morning, surprising us at last, for she came up having come by the way of Grafton & Parkersburg --  She will stay two or three weeks.

A large number of worn down Army horses forded the river here to day coming into Ohio to be pastured & recruited.

Thursday, July 14, 1864

Prayer meeting here.  Mrs. Burgess & Lucy Dawes here.  Just as the meeting closed Prof E. B. Andrews drove up with Clara and Cutter.  He went over the hill to find William & did not get back until after tea.  But we gave him some on a waiter.

Letter from Rufus Dawes to his wife, Mary, July 13, 1864

Before Petersburg

July 13^th, 1864

We are busy making the papers for the muster out of our men, whose terms of service expire, and they are nearly wild at the prospect of seeing once more their long separated families and their homes.  The men who go now were not on the veteran furlough, and few of them have seen their homes for more than three years.  Some have passed through twenty battles and nearly all have marks of wounds received in battle.  I am myself the only man who as passed unharmed through every battle and skirmish of the regiment. 


Peggy's comments:
Tomorrow, the entries in Julia Cutler's journal resume.

Despite his promotion to Colonel, Rufus expected to be mustered out within the month.  His brother, Ephraim, continued to stay at the Old Stone House with the Cutlers while he recovered from the wound to his jaw.

Letters from Ephraim Cutler Dawes, June 11, 1864

Peggy's notes:
Rufus Dawes's brother, Ephraim Cutler Dawes was serving with the 53rd Ohio on Sherman's march in 1864.  On May 28 he was severely wounded in the jaw.  He made his way by train to Nashville, and then to the Old Stone House in Warren Ohio where his aunt Julia and uncle William lived.  He recovered from his injury under their care and the care of his sister Lucy.  

On June 11, he wrote letters to his father in Wisconsin and his brother Rufus who was near Petersburg.
These letters are now at the Newberry in Evanston, Illinois.

June 11, 1864, Marietta

Father,

At the battle of Dallas Ga my Regiment was hotly engaged and I was severely wounded.  A minnie ball entered the left side of my lower jaw -- out the right carrying away the bones of my chin and most of my lower teeth and badly tearing the flesh and lip.



Warren, June 11, 1864
Dear Rufe, 
My last news from you thru your wife, is up to June 1”.  I trust you are still safe.
The Johnnies picked me at Dallas Ga two weeks ago today -- the ball went in the left side of my lower jaw, took out the chin bone, the whole of the part of the face -- lower teeth from double to double -- leaving I guess maybe 3 on each side.  It makes a horrible looking wound and will disfigure me considerably I think -- tho the doctors seem to think they can easily fix it.  It will be slow healing.  Our Regt has been doing some splendid fighting and made for itself as good a reputation as anybodys Regt.  We lost 50 men at Resacca and I suppose about the same at Dallas.  I haven’t heard from the Regt since I left -- I am able to be up and around the house, go to walk out doors all day -- sleep tolerably well and take things as philosophically as I can.  Have concluded to quit smoking and singing and whistling and all such frivolous amusements.
Came pretty near concluding to quit talking and eating the first few days.  I nearly died -- couldn’t scarcely swallow.  Then the trip up to Nashville was awful hard.
I am going up to Marietta Monday and will then see Mary.  She will give you all the particulars.
Eph

Reckon I’ll leave the Army but they’ve got to discharge me, I won’t resign.

Ephraim Cutler Dawes, prior to being wounded

Excerpt of letter from Rufus Dawes to his wife, Mary on July 8, 1864

Before Petersburg

July 8^th, 1864

General Cutler’s plan is to consolidate the second, fifth and sixth regiments, which he wishes me to command as Colonel.

Letter from Rufus Dawes to Mary Dawes, July 7, 1864

Before Petersburg

July 7^th, 1864, 8 P. M.

We are back again in the woods, where we are exposed only to rebel shell, which occasionally come howling over.  There is a battery of thirty-two pounders, which fires directly over us, and that draws the enemy’s fire.  

I was detailed to-day by order of General Meade as President of the commission to investigate the ‘capacity, qualification, propriety of conduct and efficiency of such officers of the fifth army corps as may be brought before it.’  This is the highest honor of my military service.

Letter from Rufus Dawes to Mary Dawes, July 5, 1865

In the Trenches before Petersburg

July 5^th, 1864

We have entered into a treaty of peace with the ‘Johnnies’ and men on both sides stand up in fearless confidence in each other’s good faith.  To the right of us Burnside’s negroes occupy the trenches.  Master and slave meet on equal terms and the hostility is implacable.  They fire night and day on both sides.  

A lady came up to our front line this morning.  About a thousand rebels got up on their works to stare at her, and at least two thousand of our men.  The quiet is very pleasant, and I hope that the continual whizzing of bullets will not again be heard.

Letter from Rufus Dawes to Mary Dawes, July 4, 1864

Before Petersburg

July 4^th, 1864

General Cutler is anxious to make up a Colonel’s command of eight hundred and forty men for me, and have me muster in for three years, on my commission as Colonel, which will be issued by the Governor.

Our chaplain was sick and some where in the rear of the army he found a cow.  Now that he has gone to the general hospital, the cow has reverted to me.  I draw rations for the cow as a mule.  Dr. Hall and I have plenty of fresh milk and we unite in gratitude to the Chaplain.

We are to go up to-night for two days’ duty in the trenches.

The boys who go out of the service on the fifteenth of this month are becoming anxious.  The Pennsylvania Reserves were in battle the day after their tie had expired.  Twelve days is a short time, but much history can be made here within that period.

Letter from Rufus Dawes to Mary Dawes, July 2 1864

Before Petersburg, VA.

July 2^nd, 1864

We are again out of those hot trenches and back in the woods.  If the army remains here, in six days we will go out again for a tour of duty in the trenches.  There is not so much shooting now, although every few moments a huge mortar shell fired by the rebels, comes straight down from the clouds and bursts with a terrific explosion in our lines.  The weather is very hot, but I get ice every day and plenty of it.  There is an ice house on our skirmish line.  I have some boys who have the nerve to go out and get the ice at night, in spite of the fact that rebel sharpshooters keep a constant fire on the ice house.  There is one good thing, corps headquarters can’t put a guard over it and gobble it away from us, and appropriate it to their own use.  William wants very much to come home with me.