ARMY OF THE POTOMAC (10/14/1864)

New York Times - Times Machine ^ | 10/14/1864

[Homer_J_Simpson]

From Our Own Correspondent.

HEADQUARTERS FIFTH CORPS, WELDON RAILROAD, Tuesday, Oct. 11, 1864.

"Nothing new is news," said an old attaché of the TIMES to me, the other day, as I was leaving Washington for this army, and as the gentleman is good authority in such matters, and as he seemed anxious that I should keep the readers of the TIMES posted when there was "nothing new," as well as when everything was active and exciting, I have sat down to-day to tell the "news." An officer, pretty well up among the "stars," speaking about army correspondents, said that they ought to describe the incidents of the siege; but he forgot that nearly every bullet whistles alike, and that shells and mortar bombs only differ from each other in their voices -- the one shrieks discordantly as he passes through the air above your head, and then plunges into the ground only to reappear in a dozen fragments, throwing the sand wildly about, like the dying whale spouting bloody water. The bomb is fond of "surprises," and would make a very agreeable member of the daily "surprise parties" on our front, only that he has en extraordinary manner of "breaking things" -- that is anything but pleasant.

Besides, one becomes so habituated to the sound of shot and shell, that anything less than a general bombardment, or a regular fusillade along our lines, falls to elicit comment, and the monotonous crack of the picket's rifle or the occasional boom of cannon are passed by with as little comment as the roar of vehicles in Broadway.

I was the spectator, the other day, to the firing of a battery in one of our numerous forts, and it was striking to witness the listlessness and nonchalance with which the gunners rammed whole

[Homer_J_Simpson]

Free Republic University, Department of History presents U.S. History, 1861-1865: Seminar and Discussion Forum
The American Civil War, as seen through news reports of the time and later historical accounts

First session: November 21, 2015. Last date to add: May 2025.
Reading: Self-assigned. Recommendations made and welcomed.

Posting history, in reverse order

https://www.freerepublic.com/tag/by:homerjsimpson/index?tab=articles

To add this class to or drop it from your schedule notify Admissions and Records (Attn: Homer_J_Simpson) by reply or freepmail.

Link to previous New York Times thread

https://freerepublic.com/focus/f-chat/4270687/posts

[Homer_J_Simpson]

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[Homer_J_Simpson]

Army of the Potomac – 2
From Natchez, &c. – 2
From St. Louis – 2
United States Steamer Vanderbilt – 2
Launch of the United States Steam Frigate Chattanooga – 2
From San Francisco – 2
From Cairo-Rebel Depredations in Southeast Missouri – 2
From New-Orleans: Arrival of the Cahawba – 2-3
Southern News: Various Comments on Jeff. Davis’ Macon Speech – 3
News from Washington – 3-4
Death of Chief Justice Taney: Obituary Notice – 4
Editorial: The Death of Roger B. Taney – 4-5
Editorial: The Georgia Campaign – Sherman’s Report – Grant, Sherman, McClellan – 5
A Dismal Picture – 5
Straight in Line – 5
News from Captured New-Yorkers – 5
Union Meeting in the Twentieth Ward – 5