APRIL 11th.—Rained all night, but clear most of the day. There are rumors of Burnside landing troops on the Peninsula; also of preparations for movements on the Rappahannock—by which side is uncertain. It is said troops are coming from Mississippi, Lieut.-Gen. (Bishop) Polk’s command. The FAMINE is still advancing, and his gaunt proportions loom up [...]
April 11th.–Drove with Mrs. Davis and all her infant family; wonderfully clever and precocious children, with unbroken wills. At one time there was a sudden uprising of the nursery contingent. They laughed, fought, and screamed. Bedlam broke loose. Mrs. Davis scolded, laughed, and cried. She asked me if my husband would speak to the President [...]
April 10th. A cold, damp, disagreeable morning. Passed the Point of Rocks early this morning. Saw that the Potomac River was on a rampage owing to the recent heavy rains. On arrival at Harper’s Ferry formed in line for a march to Camp Hill, Bolivar Heights. During our absence the 34th Massachusetts Regiment was ordered [...]
APRIL 10th.—Rained all night. Cloudy to-day; wind south-west. The Secretary of War must feel his subordination to Gen. Bragg. Gen. Fitz Lee recommended strongly a Prussian officer for appointment in the cavalry, and Mr. Seddon referred it to Gen. B., suggesting that he might be appointed in the cavalry corps to be stationed near this [...]
Scottsboro, Ala., April 9, 1864. Don’t be alarmed and imagine that I have “photos” on the brain. This is in all probability the last remittance of the article that I shall make you. General Corse, our old brigade commander, we think a great deal of, and would like to have you preserve his picture. The [...]
April 9th. Still waiting at the Union Relief Rooms for transportation to our camp. Rain —- cold — disagreeable weather. Cannot leave the place for we don’t know just when a train will be ready for us. Late this P. M. we go on board train for Virginia.
APRIL 9th.—Rained all day. Lieut. Tyler, grandson of President Tyler, is here on furlough, which expires to-morrow. His father (the major), whom he has not seen for two years, he learns, will be in the city day after tomorrow; and to-day he sought admittance to Mr. Secretary Seddon to obtain a prolongation of his furlough, [...]
April 8th. Arrived at midnight last night. Marched to the Union Relief Rooms. Here we wait for transportation to Harper’s Ferry. Wishing we were in our camp.
APRIL 8th.—Bright and warm—really a fine spring day. It is the day of fasting, humiliation, and prayer, and all the offices are closed. May God put it into the hearts of the extortioners to relent, and abolish, for a season, the insatiable greed for gain! I paid $25 for a half cord of wood to-day, [...]
April 7th. Arrived in New York early this morning. Crossed over to Jersey City by ferry-boat. Soon on board train, bound for Philadelphia. Making good time, much better than when home-bound. On arrival had another good dinner at the Cooper Shop, after which we again boarded train for Baltimore. Everything going well, making good time. [...]
APRIL 7th.—A bright spring day. We look for startling news from the Rappahannock in a few days. Longstreet will be there. Gen. Lee writes that the fortifications around Richmond ought to be pushed to completion: 2000 negroes are still at work on them.
April 6th. Soon after noon the regiment formed in line for parade through some of the principal streets. Received a great reception all along the line of march. After the parade marched on board the steamer City of Norwich, which soon got under way and moved slowly down the river. With cheers and waving of [...]
APRIL 6th.—At mid-day it cleared off; wind still northwest, and cool. Beans (white) were held to-day at $5 per quart! and other articles of food in proportion. How we are to live is the anxious question. At auction old sheets brought $25 a piece, and there seemed to be an advance on everything, instead of [...]
April 5th. Governor Wm. A. Buckingham reelected. Pleasing to the boys in blue. The body of William Town, Company A, having arrived, was given a military funeral by the regiment in Greenville, Norwich. Bought one dollar’s worth of postage stamps. Writing letters is one of the pleasing features of the army life. Orders for our [...]
APRIL 5th.—Cold rain all night and all day; wind northwest. The Quartermaster-General now recommends that no furloughs be given, so as to devote the railroads to the transportation of grain to Virginia. The Commissary-General again informs the Secretary of War, to-day, that unless the passenger trains were discontinued, the army could not be subsisted, and [...]
APRIL 4th.—A cold rain all day; wind from northwest. Mr. Ould and Capt. Hatch, agents of exchange (of prisoners), have returned from a conference with Gen. Butler, at Fortress Monroe, and it is announced that arrangements have been made for an immediate resumption of the exchange of prisoners on the old footing. Thus has the [...]
Huntsville, Ala., April 3, 1864. Thunder, lightning and rain are having a little time by themselves outdoors to-night. No audience, but guards and government mules, but that don’t seem to affect the show. We have a right good hotel here, a rather lively party, and have spent a pleasant, highly gaseous evening, Colonel Oglesby, Dr. [...]
April 3d. Sunday. Attended church and Sunday School at Hanover, New London County, where I spent my boyhood days.
APRIL 3d.—The snow has disappeared; but it is cloudy, with a cold northwest wind. The James River is very high, and all the streams are so much swollen that no military operations in the field are looked for immediately. It is generally believed that Grant, the Federal lieutenant-general, will concentrate an immense army for the [...]
APRIL 2d.—It rained furiously all night; wind northwest, and snowed to-day until 12 to a depth of several inches. It is still blowing a gale from the northwest. To-day the clerks were paid in the new currency; but I see no abatement of prices from the scarcity of money, caused by funding. Shad are selling [...]
APRIL 1st.—Cloudy all day, with occasional light showers. No war news; but the papers have an account of the shooting of an infant by some Yankees on account of its name. This shows that the war is degenerating more and more into savage barbarism.
April 1st.–Mrs. Davis is utterly depressed. She said the fall of Richmond must come; she would send her children to me and Mrs. Preston. We begged her to come to us also. My husband is as depressed as I ever knew him to be. He has felt the death of that angel mother of his [...]
MARCH 31st.—Cloudy and cold. No war news, though it is generally believed that Longstreet is really in the valley. A speech delivered by the Hon. J. W. Wall, in New Jersey, is copied in all the Southern papers, and read with interest by our people.
March 31st. Norwich, Connecticut. It is good to be home once more among friends. Wishing the war was over. I am afraid that many more of the 18th Regiment must fall before the end comes. Some will never see home again. These are dark, sad days, but we are trying to enjoy our visit at [...]
March 31st.–Met Preston Hampton. Constance Cary was with me. She showed her regard for him by taking his overcoat and leaving him in a drenching rain. What boyish nonsense he talked; said he was in love with Miss Dabney now, that his love was so hot within him that he was waterproof, the rain sizzed [...]