May 18, 1862

May 18, 2012: At Vicksburg, Mississippi, Flag Officer David Farragut demands the surrender of the city and its fortifications. Maj. Gen. Smith, in command, sends back the reply that Mississippians do not know how to surrender. Farragut does not have any choice, since the heavy guns at Vicksburg are two hundered feet high on the bluffs, and can fire down on them, whereas the naval guns cannot elevate to shoot that high. Vicksburg is garrisoned with 8,000 troops, and Farragut has only about 1,000 with him.

—Gen. Halleck’s Grand Army (actually being commanded in the field by Gen. Pope) has moved 3 miles in ten days, toward Corinth. Halleck sends a dispatch in hopeful tones to the effect that his "whole line moved up yesterday to within 2 miles of enemy’s works, driving back their advance guards, which made strong resistance. . . ."

—Surgeon Castleman records an incident similar to yesterdays, but much worse, of Gen. McClellan’s timidity about advancing:
18th.—Last night, after we had retired, the aids-de-camp of the several brigades, rode through the camp, and calling up the company commanders, read aloud: "Orders from Headquarters. Roll will beat at 5 in the morning. Army will move at half-past six, precisely." All was bustle. The chests and boxes which had yesterday been packed for a move, in the morning, Unpacked in the afternoon, were again packed at night, which showed how eager our soldiers are to get to work. The roll, at 5 this morning, instead of calling them from their beds, summoned them to breakfast. They were ready, but had not finished their hurriedly prepared meal, when it was announced through the camp, "Order of last night, to move this morning, is countermanded." If the oaths then perpetrated were recorded in heaven, the recording angel would certainly have been justified had he have "dropped a tear upon the page and blotted them out forever." Our army swore terribly, but their ruffled feelings are now being calmed by the beautiful notes of Old Hundred, exquisitely performed by our band, and recalling, oh! how many sweet recollections of homes where many of us have, for the last time, had the warring elements of our souls soothed into quiet submission by the "peace, be still," of this master piece of sacred music.

—Mary Boykin Chestnut of South Carolina writes in her diary:
May 18th.—Norfolk has been burned and the Merrimac sunk without striking a blow since her coup d’état in Hampton Roads. Read Milton. See the speech of Adam to Eve in a new light. Women will not stay at home; will go out to see and be seen, even if it be by the devil himself.

Very encouraging letters from Hon. Mr. Memminger and from L. Q. Washington. They tell the same story in very different words. It amounts to this: "Not one foot of Virginia soil is to be given up without a bitter fight for it. We have one hundred and five thousand men in all, McClellan one hundred and ninety thousand. We can stand that disparity." . . .

There is said to be an order from Butler turning over the women of New Orleans to his soldiers. Thus is the measure of his iniquities filled. We thought that generals always restrained, by shot or sword if need be, the brutality of soldiers. This hideous, cross-eyed beast orders his men to treat the ladies of New Orleans as women of the town—to punish them, he says, for their insolence.

Footprints on the boundaries of another world once more. Willie Taylor, before he left home for the army, fancied one day—day, remember—that he saw Albert Rhett standing by his side. He recoiled from the ghostly presence. "You need not do that, Willie. You will soon be as I am." Willie rushed into the next room to tell them what had happened, and fainted. It had a very depressing effect upon him. And now the other day he died in Virginia.