January 31st. The weather for the past few days has been very bad, making our duty very severe. Picket and guard must be done. These cold storms make the life of a soldier a bitter one. Wood must be brought to camp, trees cut down, then worked up into fire-wood. Must go out about five [...]
Sunday, 31st–Regimental inspection today and the usual dress parade. All things are quiet in camp and no news. I attended church services in the afternoon. Since the arrival here of the large number of reinforcements, the rebels have all left this vicinity, retiring beyond the Black river. In all probability they are informed as to [...]
31st. The day in camp. Read in Atlantic and wrote a letter home. Mr. Brown and a friend made a formal Sunday call. Disgusting–his preaching and practice.
JANUARY 31st.—It rained moderately last night, and is cooler this morning. But the worst portion of the winter is over. The pigeons of my neighbor are busy hunting straws in my yard for their nests. They do no injury to the garden, as they never scratch. The shower causes my turnips to present a fresher [...]
Sunday, Jan. 10—Cold. Prayer meetings in Company quarters. Jan 11—Get a few poles for my chapel. Jan 12—Meet Chaplains at Pisgah. Get poles all cut for chapel. Jan. 13—Haul poles and begin my chapel. Jan. 14—Still at work on chapel. Chaplains of this division met in my tent yesterday. Jan. 16—Get roof and chimneys finished. [...]
Saturday, 30th–We cleaned up our camp for inspection. Troops are still landing here for the purpose of going out on the raid.
30th. Barracks fitted up as comfortable as possible. “I” and “C” officers together. Wrote a line home and to Fannie. Paroled. Moved.
JANUARY 30th.—The Senate has passed a new Conscription Act, putting all residents between the ages of eighteen and fifty-five in the military service for the war. Those over forty-five to be detailed by the President as commissary quartermasters, Nitre Bureau agents, provost guards, clerks, etc. This would make up the enormous number of 1,500,000 men! [...]
A Change of Commanders. Jan. 29. Today we were paraded and invited to give our attention to orders. Major Mulcay of the 139th New York volunteers appeared on the ground, and read his orders relieving Capt. Parkhurst of the command. He then assumed command, and had a short drill and dress parade. Of course we [...]
Friday, 29th–Everything is working fine here at present. We can hear nothing about the army in the East. Some of the brigades have moved out to Black river bridge, since there is a better camping ground at that place; they also have good water there and plenty of wood and provisions. But we are still [...]
29th. Passed through Cincinnati before daylight. Left for Columbus at 7:30. Stopped opposite Camp Chase and walked over. Got supper at boarding house. Boys poor accommodations.
January 28th. This morning the Pennsylvania boys are packing up to leave, they having received marching orders. Ordered to New Creek, West Virginia. Our boys lined up, bid them good bye, good luck, with hearty cheers. These regiments, the 3d and 4th were known as the reserves and the Buck Tails, they having seen hard [...]
Thursday, 28th–Some of the troops that are going out on an expedition to Meridian, started on their way this morning. It is rumored that the Seventeenth and Sixteenth Army Corps are to make a raid across the State of Mississippi for the purpose of destroying the railroad running from Vicksburg to Meridian, and that General [...]
27th. Concluded to bury Extell’s remains in city. Went to Gait House for breakfast. Bought a pair of boots. Evening saw Corsican Brothers, went with company.
JANUARY 28th.—The beautiful, pleasant weather continues. It is said Congress passed, last night, in secret session, the bill allowing increased compensation to civil officers and employees. Mr. Davidson, of fifty years of age, resigned, to-day, his clerkship in the War Department, having been offered $5000 by one of the incorporated companies to travel and buy [...]
Visitors. Jan. 27. We had been here only two days when our common sense and judgment were still further imposed upon by three of our former officers from the News, soliciting enlistments. They probably thought that a fifty mile march and being in a strange city had perhaps taken the stiffening out of us somewhat, [...]
Wednesday, 27th–We have battalion drill now every afternoon, and today our regiment was reviewed by General Chambers. A division of the Sixteenth Army Corps from Chattanooga landed here last night.
JANUARY 27th.—Last night, the weather being very pleasant, the President’s house was pretty well filled with gentlemen and ladies. I cannot imagine how they continue to dress so magnificently, unless it be their old finery, which looks well amid the general aspect of shabby mendicity. But the statures of the men, and the beauty and [...]
January 26th. In camp today we have a visitor, a minister from Woodstock, Connecticut, Rev. Mr. White. The day being fine, our regular routine was carried out. At dress parade, Mr. White delivered an address, a message from home. A pleasure to hear direct from old Connecticut.
Tuesday, 26th–I went on picket today. The weather is quite warm. Vicksburg, on the east bank of the Mississippi, is built on very high ground. It is quite rough and rolling here. There are some nice buildings here—a very fine court house, six good church buildings and a number of very nice dwellings, besides some [...]
26th. Found Extell under seats dead, poor boy. Has suffered much, not been alive for months. Procured coffin. Started from Bowling Green before noon. Slow work. At Louisville at 10:30 P. M. Went to Barracks in city, coffee and bread, poor and nasty barracks.
CAMP FOURTH NORTH CAROLINA REG’T., NEAR ORANGE COURT HOUSE, Jan. 26, 1864. My Dear Folks: Your letter of the 16th inst. received a few days ago. Mr. Christman and the boxes got here Sunday night. Everything came safely, with the exception of Tom Stith’s box, that got stolen passing through Richmond; the practiced thieves around [...]
JANUARY 26th.—Gen. Lee recommends the formation of several more brigades of cavalry, mostly from regiments and companies in South Carolina, and to this he anticipates objections on the part of the generals and governors along the Southern seaboard; but he deems it necessary, as the enemy facing him has a vastly superior cavalry force. The [...]
January 18th-25th. Rain, sunshine, snow, very windy, has been the weather for the past week. At times very disagreeable. Target practise has taken the place of drilling. Daily routine does not change very much from day to day. Many are ill at this time, in hospital. Occasional death takes place.
The Famous March of the Famous Two Hundred. Williamsburg, Va., Jan. 25. Leaving Newport News on the afternoon of the 21st, we made a march of about ten miles, reaching Little Bethel just before dark, when we halted and put up in an old church building for the night. Little Bethel contains beside the church [...]