Hannegan, James D. (1862-1863) [Diary of James Hannegan of the 5th Ohio Cavalry]
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Gilder Lehrman Collection #: GLC04129.01 Author/Creator: Hannegan, James D. (1862-1863) Place Written: [various places] Type: Diary Date: 1862 Pagination: 1 v. : approx. 364 p. ; 6.9 x 10.1 cm Order a Copy
Diary is an autograph manuscript signed, neatly written in pencil, covering 1 January 1862-31 December 1862. Writes about the battle being raged at Fort Donelson in his entry of 15 February, reporting that the "citizens are in a terrible state of excitement in regard to the battle now raging at Fort Donelson. The news so far is favorable to the success of the Union forces & no doubt is entertained as to the ultimate result of the contest. This is regarded as the most important battle which has occurred during the war. The position itself is very important one." Adds in the entry for 16 February that "[i]t is reported tonight that Ft. Donelson has surrendered." He discusses the Battle of Shiloh in his entries for 6-9 April, describing in detail the fighting "rag[ing] terribly" and the "shocking sights" he beheld on the battlefield. Discusses the siege of Corinth at some length in his entries for late April, describing how his men helped cut off rebel access to the town.
[draft excerpts]
Battle of Shiloh
6 April: We were attacked this morning by a tremendous force of rebels under Beauregard. This commenced a little after daylight & raged terribly all day. They attacked us on all sides at once & drove us back slowly as our forces were not prepared for them. The slaughter on both sides was dreadful. The battle continued with unabated fury till dark when the rebels had driven us back within a mile of the river. Buell is expected here tonight...with his force & the battle will commence again in the morning. Unless Buell comes tonight I think we will be forced to surrender tomorrow as the rebels are being reinforced & our troops are terribly cut up. We were driven from our camp & tonight we will have to sleep on the ground without blankets & nothing to eat since morning. Tonight our prospect is certainly dark.
7 April: Buell arrived last night with ten thousand fresh troops & attacked the rebels early this morning before they were ready for it. The battle raged terribly until about...3 pm when the rebels began to retreat. Our men gained ground all day though the rebels fought well & disputed every inch of ground. All the cavalry now sent in pursuit of rebels. The artillery played upon them for several miles, leaving the ground with their dead. The rout is complete. The gunboats threw shells all night & killed hundreds of them. The rebels thought that we would surrender in the morning so they didn't destroy our tents or items of any kind for they thought they would fall into their hands. Tonight we slept in our own tents. The rebel prisoners say that they would retreat back a few miles & wait for reinforcements & then attack us again in the morning...
8 April: This morning all of our cavalry started to follow up the retreat. We find the ground strewn on both sides with arms of all kinds, clothing, wagons, & ambulances & also the battery of artillery stuck fast in the mud. The woods also were full of their dead & wounded. One battalion of our cavalry had a brush with some of the rebel cavalry who were covering the retreat. The road presented a scene of the most awful confusion & large numbers of wounded rebels were left on the fields too & all their dead. Went over part of the battleground today & the sight was horrible. The dead were lying in every position and the faces of the rebels were perfectly black as they were nearly all drunk during the battle. In one place where our men charged upon a battery every horse belonging to it was lying dead in one pile & the dead rebels were thick around them. Nearby in a pile of oats layed a dozen wounded rebels & the dead body of their general. It is supposed to be General Johnston. All the prominent rebel generals were here.
9 April: Went over the battleground again today & saw some of the most shocking sights I ever beheld. Men were lying dead in every possible position. Some with their heads torn off, limbs scattered around & the dead horses were in heaps all over the field & today it was quite cool which is very favorable, otherwise this stench would be almost intolerable. Most of the dead bodies have been robbed by our own men. The faces of the dead were perfectly black. Our men have been busy ever since the battly burying the dead but hundreds still unburied. Every house in the neighborhood is filled with wounded rebels. Some have been brought in today who have been lying in the woods since Monday.
Siege of Corinth
29 April: Our men returned to camp tonight. They went to Purdy took possession of the town, destroyed two railroad bridges, thus cutting off another road leading to Corinth. They also captured a train of cars with all aboard. They returned to camp tonight after a very severe march. Several hundred rebel cavalry were in town when our men entered it. Of course they left it in a hurry. Heavy firing was heard today in the direction of Corinth.
30 April: Today again we were ordered to move. At 3 oclock we started our company alone as body guard for Gen. [Lauman]. The rest of the regt. followed in the rear. We moved out about five miles towards Corinth & only a short distance from Monterey. The whole army almost is out here now & are moving continually. We have to bivouack tonight in the woods, tentless & supperless. Our wagons & the rest of the reg't are some distance behind us...
1 May: Today we pitched our tents in a very pleasant place but dont think we will get to stay here long. Our division is ordered to advance tonight & take possession of Monterey. Our company being out on picket guard did not get to go along....
2 May: It seems to be the opinion of our Gen's that the rebels are evacuating Corinth.
3 May: Today I was on picket guard about 2 miles from camp at the house of a real old rebel. He has the finest place I have seen in Tenn. He owns about 20 slaves. Our duty was the guard his house, to allow no white man to go in our out. He has a son in the rebel army. Today we received the news that Yorktown was taken by our forces & Gen. McClellan killed. Hope the latter is not true. Heard heavy firing this afternoon from the direction of Corinth. Expect the battle will commence tomorrow or next day.
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