March 30th.–Raining rapidly, and warm. Again the sudden change of weather may be an interposition of Providence to defeat the effort of the enemy to destroy Gen. Lee’s communications with his Southern depots of supplies. I hope so, for faith in man is growing weaker. Our loss in the affair of the 25th instant was [...]

March 30th. Nothing special for the past few days. Daily routine is kept up. When off duty tramp through the country, calling at the farms, meeting the old men. The young men are mostly in the army, either in the Union or the Confederate. Religious service is held in the log chapel, conducted by our [...]

March 29th.–Slightly overcast, but calm and pleasant. I am better, after the worst attack for twenty years. The only medicine I took was blue mass–ten grains. My wife had a little tea and loaf-sugar, and a solitary smoked herring–and this I relish; and have nothing else. A chicken, I believe, would cost $50. I must [...]

March 29th.–I was awakened with a bunch of violets from Mrs. Pride. Violets always remind me of Kate and of the sweet South wind that blew in the garden of paradise part of my life. Then, it all came back: the dread unspeakable that lies behind every thought now. Thursday.–I find I have not spoken [...]

March 28th.–Cloudy and sunshine; but little wind. Too ill to go to the department, and I get nothing new except what I read in the papers. Some of the editorials are very equivocal, and have a squint toward reconstruction. The President, and one of his Aids, Col. Lubbock, ex-Governor of Texas, rode by my house, [...]

March 27th.–Bright, calm, but cold,–my disorder keeping me at home. The dispatch of Gen. Lee, I fear, indicates that our late attempt to break the enemy’s lines was at least prematurely undertaken. The Dispatch newspaper has an article entreating the people not to submit “too hastily,” as in that event we shall have no benefit [...]

March 27th.–I have moved again, and now I am looking from a window high, with something more to see than the sky. We have the third story of Dr. Da Vega’s house, which opens on the straight street that leads to the railroad about a mile off. Mrs. Bedon is the loveliest of young widows. [...]

March 26th.–Frost last night. Cloudy, cold, and windy to-day. Suffered much yesterday and last night with disordered bowels –from cold. This, however, may relieve me of the distressing cough I have had for months. After all, I fear Lee’s attempt on the enemy’s lines yesterday was a failure. We were compelled to relinquish the fort [...]

Goldsboro, N. C., March 25, 1865. We were two days coming back from Bentonville. Have a nice camp ground and will enjoy ourselves, I think. Town don’t amount to anything.

March 25th.–Clear and cool. It is reported that Grant is reinforcing Sherman, and that the latter has fallen back upon Goldsborough. This is not yet confirmed by any official statement. A single retrograde movement by Sherman, or even a delay in advancing, would snatch some of his laurels away, and enable Lee to obtain supplies. [...]

March 24th.–Clear and very windy. The fear of utter famine is now assuming form. Those who have the means are laying up stores for the day of siege,–I mean a closer and more rigorous siege,–when all communications with the country shall cease; and this makes the commodities scarcer and the prices higher. There is a [...]

March 24th. The past few days have been windy, with a cold rain, turning to hail and snow. The wind howling through our camp, coming from the North Mountain. Winter is hanging on. Every day we are led to believe that the war is about over with. No enemy has been reported in this vicinity [...]

March 24th.–I have been ill, but what could you expect? My lines, however, have again fallen in pleasant places. Mrs. Da Vega is young, handsome, and agreeable, a kind and perfect hostess; and as to the house, my room is all that I could ask and leaves nothing to be desired; so very fresh, clean, [...]

March 23d.–Clear, with high wind. Nothing further from North Carolina. A dispatch from Gen. Lee states that he has directed Gen. Cobb to organize an expedition into Tennessee, to cut the enemy’s communications. Gen. Wafford, of Kentucky, is in Georgia, with 2000 mounted men, etc. Beef in market this morning sold at $12 to $15 [...]

There are a good many of our soldiers deserting to the enemy, but I am in hopes we will have enough left to keep the Yankees in check on this line. WAGON YARD, COX’S BRIGADE, NEAR PETERSBURG, VA., March 23rd, 1865. My Dear Mother: I received your letter, bearing the date of March 14th, a [...]

Bentonville, N. C., March 22, 1865. The enemy left about 2 a.m. Our brigade was ordered to follow them to Mill creek, about three miles, which we did almost on the double quick, the 26th Illinois in advance pushing their rear guard. The brigade went to Mill creek, but our skirmishers went a mile further, [...]

March 22d.–Rained last night; clear and cool this morning. The report of another battle, since Sunday, in North Carolina, is not confirmed. The “Bureau of Conscription” still lives, notwithstanding the action of Congress! The President himself, who favored its abolition, yet being displeased with some of the details of the act, seems to have finally [...]

March 21, 1865. We moved out this morning just before daylight and got within 50 yards of the Rebel skirmish line, but nothing going forward on our right or left, we returned to our original position. Had one man in Company H slightly wounded. We could have held our advanced line just as well as [...]

March 21st.–Clear and warm. Apricots in blossom. At last we have reliable information that Johnston has checked one of Sherman’s columns, at Bentonville, capturing three guns. This success is a great relief–more as an indication of what is to follow, than for what is accomplished. So Bragg and Johnston have both shown successful fight lately. [...]

Chester, S. C, March 21, 1865. – Another flitting has occurred. Captain Ogden came for me; the splendid Childs was true as steel to the last. Surely he is the kindest of men. Captain Ogden was slightly incredulous when I depicted the wonders of Colonel Childs’s generosity. So I skilfully led out the good gentleman [...]

One and one-half miles from Neuse River, March 20, 1865. We moved about a mile north and then west for five miles. Pushed some Rebel cavalry before us all the time. Our brigade was in advance and lost about 25 men. We are about two miles east of where the battle was fought yesterday by [...]

March 20th.–Sunny and pleasant, but hazy in the south. Cannon heard, quite briskly, south of the city. The papers report that Gen. Hardee repulsed Sherman on the 16th. But the official dispatch of Gen. Johnston says Hardee retired, and Sherman advanced after the fighting was over. Congress adjourned sine die on Saturday, without passing the [...]

March 20th. Pleased with change from Halltown. Everything quiet. We believe the war is about over. Crowds of rebel deserters are coming inside our lines. They are sick and tired of the war, believe their cause is lost. We send them under guard to the Provost Marshal’s office in town. Weather permitting, we drill and [...]

Twelve miles from Goldsboro, and six from railroad, March 19, 1865. Made 15 miles. Only two bad swamps. Very heavy artillery and musketry on our left (14th and 20th Corps) all day. Hear this evening that our men suffered heavily. General Lee is said to be here. Opinion is divided as to our having a [...]