January 9, 1862

Thursday January 9 1862. Steamship Cossack.

I was wakened this morning about six o’clock by the cry of a “man overboard.” That cry is fearful enough at any time, but to be waked out of sleep, in the dark of the morning, and hear it — and the cries of the drowning man, and that gulping noise he makes as he is [be?] swept rapidly by the stern of the ship. However, I was not startled. I got up, however, and tried to look out the window of Shorkly’s berth. He was turned round and said there was no use in getting up; we must get used to these things.I went out to the back window and saw a number of little boats flying about. One husky voice — salty — I remember the first time I heard such a voice, the night we came down from Perrysville to Annapolis last spring, when we were hailed by the Cumberland and ordered to haul under his stern. I have noticed it since in all sailors. This husky voice called out, “Keep the lad up! Keep the lad up!” Then again another, just as husky, cried out, “I’ve got him!” “Heave him up!” “Put your arm around me, lad!” Then I knew he was safe.In the army, when they speak to a man, they say “my man”; [on sea?] “my lad.”The three rockets went up about seven o’clock, then one gun fired, and the first brigade got under way. Then two guns, and our brigade started about a quarter past eight. We have two ships in tow — 7 & 8 — 8 is the Scout with the balance of our regiment.Gen. Burnside, in a small boat with eight or ten oarsmen, went shooting about from ship to ship, cheered by all of us as he passed. He had a common cavalry hat and [gum?] coat. The bands saluted as he passed; we waved our hats; the men cheered. On each ship, as it started, the band commenced playing “Dixie.”I have spent most of the morning out looking at the fleet. How proudly they plough their way. Our vessel seems the staunchest and fastest sailor. I recognized Lt. Col. Potter on one of the ships (3), waved my hat to him; he turned to his men, did something in dumb show — but we heard a cheer burst from them, and we cheered in return.We passed the English [Imolite?] off the lighthouse. England is rousing a terrible feeling in our hearts. There will be a great war some of these days. I can’t keep it down in myself. The officers spoke of it with an ill-concealed glare, that it was an insult to have that lying there. The ill-concealed exultation of the British, and their mentioning with such satisfaction that there are so many French war vessels on our coast, is making up the [desired?] indignation in the breasts of those most opposed to war and least blood-thirsty in feeling.At five bells, at two o’clock afternoon, passed Cove Point, Drum Point, and the mouth of the Patuxet River.This evening, at the request of Bentley, reporter for the Philadelphia Enquirer, I wrote out a list of our company with their residences and took it up to his room. He introduced me to McDonald, the reporter for the Commercial Advertiser. Captain Bennet, captain of my boat, came in and told us to come out and see a beautiful sight. He took us to the stern of the ship, and see the wake of the ship. The moon was not very bright; the waters like dark green glass — a wake as broad as the ship, as straight as an arrow, extending as far back as the ships we had in tow, boiling and foaming white. It was indeed beautiful.We went back to the reporter’s room. Bennet gave us a succinct history of his life — 22 years at sea; master of a ship at 18 years of age; keeper of the Minot Ledge Lighthouse; saved by being accidentally away when it washed into the sea, where he lost all his charts and drawings, having been three times around the world — which were peculiarly valuable to him. Joined his fate with Mayor Wood of New York; captain of the 5th Ward police; went into the Custom House; had his head cut off for his connection with Mayor Wood; and with difficulty, and owing to his personal acquaintance with Welles and Burnside and his position here, he was superintendent of the outfitting of this fleet at New York.He has a little boy, ten years old perhaps, that cried to go along. Burnside happened to be by. The boy said he would carry cartridges and do many other things. Burnside told him to take him along, and he would allow him [?].While we were standing on the hurricane deck this evening, the sky was mottled white, with long dark streaks along the western sky. Bentley came over the sailors’ rhyme:[“A mackered sky and mare’s tails make waves high, and covers the ship’s sails.”]