January 22, 1863: The
Mud March (cont.) – As the morning breaks, the rain continues
unabated. All wagon trains are bogged
down, artillery is immovable, and the men---the ones who are able to march on---turn
into bands of marauders ransacking supply wagons anchored in the mud. Fighting (among the soldiers) breaks out
everywhere. Gen Hooker, beside himself
with rage---and likely drunk, too, as are most officers who can get their hands
on liquor---openly condemns the Government, and says that the nation needs a
dictator and that he willing to take the job.
Finally, toward the end of the day, Gen. Burnside cancels the campaign, but the soldiers are still stuck.
---Horatio Nelson
Taft writes in his journal about the dreadful storm lashing the army:
Washington
Wednesday Jan’y 21st 1863
No
snow storm but a cold, windy, rainy day. All last night it seemed to pour
down, and as the wind drove the rain against my window I could not help
thinking of the thousands of poor Soldiers who must be lying on the ground with
only a partial shelter from the storm, and had I been as young and vigorous as
I was twenty years ago I should have felt almost guilty as I drew the
covering around me in my warm bed, so comfortable and secure from the hardships
and dangers which I should have felt it my duty to share in the present crisis.
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