William A Shute

William was the father of Jennie Shute who was the wife of Thomas L McDormand. William served during the Civil War and the following newspaper clipping from the May 1957 issue of the News documents some of his history.

McDormand Diary Gives Intimate Picture of Battle of Bull Run

With two Confederate slugs through his left leg, Private William A Shute, Company I, 13th Massachusetts Volunteer Regiment, lay in the scorched August grass on the edge of the Manassas battlefield and scrawled in his diary one of those rare eyewitness accounts of the Second Battle of Bull Run.

The short paragraph which told of being overrun by the very Confederates his regiment was assigned to charge, was one account in the terse yet prolific diary of the grandfather of the family of Mr. & Mrs. Alfred McDormand. Mrs. Helen McDormand is the secretary, at 8621 Georgia Avenue, to Colonel H C Beaman, USAF (Ret.), Air Force Development Field Representative.

The pocket-sized diaries, well preserved in their black cardboard covers, were found recently here in Silver Spring in the trunk of Mr. McDormand's mother, daughter of the Civil War veteran.

Their light scribbles, nearly all in pencil, were made during short breaks in marches, sometimes during combat or on patrol. To the precious little books, always as close as his breast-pocket, Private Shute confided day by day. They tell of 20 mile hikes in biting Maryland snowstorms, Confederate snipers, skirmish after skirmish, a glimpse of General Lee as he inspected Union prisoners, Army life, short rations, deserters, and hospitalization at St. Elizabeth's in Washington (temporarily a general hospital).

Private Shute's diary opens its story on the first day he entered the service. It was Saturday, July 27, 1861 and he writes: "Went to Fort Independence with M Dadman...enlisted in Company I, 13th Mass. Vol. ...Dressed myself in a military suit and sent my clothes home..."

Monday, July 29: "Started from Fort at 12:30 pm Marched to Faneuil Hall amid rain and great cheers..."

It continues in detail through early duty near Sharpsburg, MD, at a pay of $13.00 a month, then duty near Harper's Ferry where he had his first skirmish with the enemy cavalry. Sharpsburg, MD...Sunday, August 11..."Was on guard duty first time...saw man who was shot by a Maryland volunteer..."

By September, Private Shute was in continual skirmishes, chiefly with Confederate cavalry in area of Harper's Ferry. Harper's Ferry was debatable ground, according to the diary of Mr. Shute. It changed hands so much soldiers on both sides nicknamed it "Harper's Weekly."

Sunday, November 17, 1861..."Called for inspection at 10:00 am after which chaplain read the Proclamation of Thanksgiving, prayed and band played America...(Edit. note: This was Lincoln's proclamation making Thanksgiving a national holiday.)

Tuesday, November 19..."Battalion marched to the village to practice street fighting." Thursday, November 21..."Thanksgiving...Cloudy most of the time...had baseball, football...catching pigs and dancing in the evening..." Saturday, December 7..."On guard (area of Williamsport, MD.) Rebels commenced cannoning Dam No. 5 on Potomac, weather warm..."

Sunday, December 8..."One of company shot through sitdown...Firing (Confederate artillery) continued most of the day..."

Tuesday, December 17..."Started at 9:30 am for (point) 10 miles up Potomac river from Williamsport...Reached locks 1:00 pm, slept in barn...Eighteen of our cannon arrived...(as reconnaissance patrol) marched to dam and found "Rebels" at work..."

Rappanhannock Bridgehead

Thursday, December 19..."Company shelling...routed "Rebels"..."

Shute's story of the Battle of Bull Run actually begins with accounts written early August 1862. He was a part of a small mobile unit assigned to help protect Thorofare Gap, a pass through the Blue Ridge. When he finally got to the Gap he ran into the entire left wing of the Confederate army under General Longstreet. Hartsuff's brigade (his own) went up the gap, lost 100 men and retreated because "there were too many Rebels before us." Hartsuff, although not well known, made a good decision, for Longstreet would have gobbled him up like corn mush.

According to the study made by Fenton C Kennedy, ALP Librarian and Civil War student, Private Shute was in a regiment in the brigade of General Abercrombie. Later it was assigned to General Hartsuff. The brigade was part of General James B Ricketts' Division which served in the Shenandoah Valley under General James Shields. Shortly before the Battle of Bull Run the division was under command of General Irwin McDowell.

Saturday, August 9, 1862..."Reveille at 3:30 am Marched, without breakfast, two miles, drew two days rations...Bank's and other troops were passing all day...heard distant cannonading all afternoon...Our Brigade marched of battlefield near Cedar Creek...Ordered up to within 20 yards of "Rebs"...Both sides shelled till 11 o'clock.

"Rebs" were silenced...Our brigade lay on on their arms all night of the 10th...in a cornfield...Dead buried under flag of truce..."

Wednesday, August 12..."Marched two miles...practiced firing..."

Friday 15th..."At nine this morn' McDowell's division marched from near Cedar run to Madeson's run, about seven miles..."

Saturday 16th..."Carroll shot in breast by "Rebel" pickets..."

Monday 18th..."Lot of recruits arrived...Started for Culpepper camped at Rappahannock..."

Wednesday, August 20..."Bathed in a swamp, swam across Rappahannock at 3 pm. "Rebels" appeared and the 134th Mathews battery advanced across the river...Lay on arms all night..."

Saturday, August 23..."Company I on picket last night...just got in and was ordered to cross bridge. Cannonading soon commenced...Lasted six hours...Lieutenant Godbole lost leg...Marched eight miles; camped three miles west of Warrenton at 4pm...We killed lots of pigs..."

Monday 25..."Stayed in camp, then marched three miles north..."

Thursday, August 28..."Started early...Marched to Thoroughfare Gap (VA)...Hartsuff brigade ordered up the Gap and retreated...To many "Rebs" there before us..."

Friday, August 29..."Started early, went to Manassas Junction...then three miles to the west...slept under an ambulance on battlefield..."

Saturday, August 30..."We were changing position all day...At four thirty pm we were ordered up double quick on a charge...we had a desperate fight...but "Rebs"were too strong and we fell back...I got two balls through the leg...Corporal Smith helped me off one-half mile...I lay in a dooryard...Began to rain...At eight am (Sunday 31) was carried (by Confederate soldiers) into a shed...(Van Pelt farmhouse)...At noon my leg was tied up...The "Reb" army advances."

Monday, September 1..."We lived on cracker and some muddy water most of which we begged from the "Rebs"...The "Rebs" passing al day...Many stopped to talk with us and to trade canteens..."

Tuesday September 2..."At 11 am had my leg cut off. Eighteen dead in this hospital...I was carried into the house...We were paroled by Major Winefield, Medical Director, "Reb" army..."

Thursday, September 4..."General Robert Lee strolled by and looked at us..."

Friday, September 5..."List of wounded with my name reached home..."

The old soldier won much credit for a sacrifice not mentioned in diary. An enemy casualty in the Van Pelt courtyard, he had dragged his shattered body to "fetch" some apples for fellow-wounded who were nearly dead of thirst. For it Private Shute was in later years rewarded with a job as doorkeeper here in the Capitol. Private Shute was moved by the enemy from the Confederate field station at Manassas to the Union hospital and then to St. Elizabeth's Hospital.

He returned to Marlboro, Mass, his leg had healed, and lived until 1927. He died at the age of 83.