LT: March 4, 1865 Theodore Lyman

March 4, 1865

Yesterday the rain gave over partly, and so, in the afternoon, Rosie and I mounted and rode forth to see the new line to the left. The mare knew me and greeted me, in her characteristic way, by trying to kick and bite me. I felt quite funny and odd at being once more on horseback, but had a fine time, for the mare was in great spirits and danced and hopped in a festive manner. Rosie was very proud to show me all the last battle-ground, and to explain the new roads; for he has a high opinion of his ability to find roads, at which, indeed, he is very capable. So we jogged along, sometimes in danger of sticking in the mud, and again, finding a sandy ridge where we could canter a little. This last addition, which goes to Hatcher’s Run, makes our line of tremendous extent; perhaps a continuous parapet of eighteen miles!¹ The Rebs are obliged to draw out proportionately, which is a hard task for them. As we rode along the corduroy we met sixteen deserters from the enemy, coming in under guard, of whom about a dozen had their muskets, a sight I never saw before! They bring them in, all loaded, and we pay them so much for each weapon. The new line is a very handsome one, with a tremendous sweep of artillery and small arms. To eke out this short letter I enclose the report of the Court of Enquiry on the “Mine.”² You see it gives fits to Burnside, Ledlie, Ferrero, and Willcox, while the last paragraph, though very obscure, is intended, I fancy, as a small snub on General Meade.³,⁴

***

Source/Notes:

SOPO Editor’s Note: Lyman and fellow ADC Frederick Rosencrantz were visiting the site of the Battle of Hatcher’s Run, fought February 5-7, 1865 while Lyman was still away on leave. Lyman is discussing the extension of the Union lines from Fort Cummings to Hatcher’s Run. ↩
SOPO Editor’s Note: Early in February 1865, George Meade had been miffed at the findings of the Congressional Committee on the Conduct of the War, which had blamed Meade for the disaster at the Battle of the Crater, fought on July 30, 1864. He immediately asked Grant and Secretary of War if he could publish the findings of the Court of Inquiry convened by the Army of the Potomac to find out who was responsible for that disaster. Lyman enclosed this latter report with this letter to his wife. ↩
Editor’s Note: Theodore Lyman was General George G. Meade’s aide-de-camp from the fall of 1863 through Lee’s surrender at Appomattox. An intelligent and outspoken individual, Lyman’s letters to his wife provide great insight into the happenings at Meade’s headquarters. These letters, taken from the now public domain book Meade’s Headquarters, 1863-1865; Letters of Colonel Theodore Lyman from the Wilderness to Appomattox and written by Lyman to his wife, appear here at the Siege of Petersburg Online exactly 150 years to the day after they are written. Since this site is concerned solely with the Siege of Petersburg, the letters start on June 12, 1864 and end on April 3, 1865. See the bottom of this and every other letter for a list of all the letters which have appeared to date. ↩
Agassiz, George R. Meade’s Headquarters, 1863-1865; Letters of Colonel Theodore Lyman from the Wilderness to Appomattox. Boston: The Atlantic Monthly Press, 1922, pp. 309-310 ↩

Tagged as: battle of hatcher’s run, battle of the crater, frederick rosencrantz, july 30 1864, letter, march 3 1865, march 4 1865, theodore lyman

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LT: March 4, 1865 Theodore Lyman

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