January 6th. While in town I saw and bought a pair of kip leather boots. Keep them well greased. They are good for walking through snow and water as well as Virginia mud. Try to keep my feet warm and dry. The enemy is reported to be again making raids in this vicinity. The 3d [...]

January 5th. Cold with more snow. Detailed as guard with brigade teams going about five miles out on the Williamsport road for wood. Severe, cold weather. Wood choppers and teams must be kept well guarded. Rebel scouts and guerillas often reported in this vicinity. Wood must be collected for our camp. We pass most of [...]

January 3d. Sunday. All quiet last night. Ordered to our camp early this morning. Weather a little more mild. Cleaned up. Attended church in town. All is quiet at this time. Enemy reported well up the valley. Plenty of snow on the ground.

January 2nd. In line all night. Not much sleep. Prisoners brought in this morning, captured by scouts, report the enemy going south, owing to the severe weather. Late this P. M. all is quiet. Our company ordered on picket for the night. A double picket line will be maintained for the night. Cold weather holds [...]

January 1st. New Year. Last night on second relief, going on post at eleven o’clock. Remained until one o’clock. Saw the old year out and the new in. This morning before daylight the outposts were attacked. A sharp, hot firing. All the forces around town were ordered out, double-quick time. All under arms. Later it [...]

December 31st. Orders received to prepare for a three days’ scout. Reported we go up the valley. A cold rain storm set in before we started. Caused the marching orders to be countermanded. The regiment to remain in camp. I am detailed for picket duty. The last day of the year 1863.

December 30th. On our return regular duty was resumed. Fourteen new recruits came to the regiment from Connecticut. Nine assigned to our company, C. Recruits were known as fresh fish. That was the way they were greeted. Most of them had relations and friends in the regiment. The recruits were always welcome and used kindly. [...]

December 25th. Christmas Morn. The boys made very happy last night over the prospect of returning to our camp. Spent the evening singing, making speeches, having a good time. It was late when the tumult ceased and we lay down for a little rest and sleep. Our second Christmas in the service. We bid goodbye [...]

December 24th. General Averill and his troops returned today after a raid of fifteen days. The boys and horses show the effects of hard service as I saw them pass through town on to Harper’s Ferry. They did an immense amount of damage to the enemy. Hard fighting, fording many streams in extreme cold weather [...]

December 23d. All quiet through the night. This is known as a very loyal town. The Johnnies call it Little Massachusetts, so we were informed by the people, who were very kind to us. With daylight our duty ended. We remained until noontime, when we left for Charlestown. Have been sorry that I did not [...]

December 22nd. Detailed with twenty under the command of Lieutenant John Lilley, Company I, for a night’s scout and picket duty with four cavalry scouts from the 1st New York (Lincoln) Cavalry. Left late this P. M., marching across lots through woods. Ordered to keep very quiet as we went marching on, so that our [...]

December 20th. Bitter cold. Out on picket last night on the Duffield road. Duffield is on the line of the B. & O. R. R. about eight miles from this town. Detailed to go out for wood. Teams going outside of camp must be kept well guarded, owing to bushwhackers and guerillas. While some of [...]

December 17th. A severe, cold storm, rain freezing on the ground and trees. The people in town say the Yankees brought the cold weather with them. Claim the weather is colder than it has been for years. Most of the houses here not built very warm. The people suffer from the cold, have only wood [...]

December 14th. On picket, which comes every other day and night. All things seem to be very quiet. Bought a watch. The first one I ever owned. Paid one of the boys ten dollars. Wrote many letters to friends at home. When off duty visited the many points of interest around the town. Here old [...]

December 12th. Off picket. Cold rain continues, making life miserable. A large campfire near the church. When off duty do some scouting around the vicinity. The 1st Connecticut Cavalry in camp near the town. Visited the cavalry boys at their camp.

December 11th. The morning opened up with a cold rain. I am detailed for picket duty. Posted on a back road, just south of the town. Took possession of an old building for the reliefs and the reserves, when off duty. Manage to keep very comfortable. All quiet.

December 10th. Left camp early this morning. Passed through Martinsburg, going east, bound for Charlestown. Weather good. After a march of about eight miles, came to a halt at Leestown for rest and rations. Again on the march, forded the Opequan Creek. Not very pleasant at this time of year. Soldiers must not stop for [...]

December came in quite pleasant. Weather permitting, drilling is kept up. December 8th. Marching orders received. Must prepare three days’ rations in haversacks. Ordered to Charlestown for duty. We are informed the cavalry under General Averill are to raid upon the enemy’s country. The General is a dashing cavalry officer. He is all right.

November 25th. Thanksgiving Day. Weather fine. Our second one in the U. S. service. Some of the boys received boxes from home containing good things which they divided with others. Connecticut mince pies were all right. We had baked chicken prepared by a baker in town. Our Thanksgiving in camp passed very quiet and pleasant. [...]

October 10th. Our boys who had been prisoners since the fifteenth of June, had been released and exchanged. Lieutenant-Colonel Peale, commanding regiment, ordered to Camp Parole, Annapolis, Maryland, to bring the boys to camp for duty. A happy meeting talking over our past experience. Guns and equipment given out. All were ready for duty. Drilling, [...]

October 1st. Our duty for Sunday, besides picket duty and guard, was Sunday morning inspection, attend church in town, weather permitting. The day’s duty closed with dress parade.

September 27th. Left Hagerstown, leaving a detail for provost duty in town. Marched through Williamsport, wading the Potomac, over into Virginia, pushing along in our wet clothes over very rough roads. After a march of about ten miles, we reached the town, going into camp on the west side. Here we erected our camp and [...]

September 25th. Our regiment with supplies and munitions ordered to Martinsburg, West Virginia. Packing up, getting ready to march.

We only enjoyed our camp near the Potomac for a few days, when marching orders were received, to report at Hagerstown, Maryland, about ten miles from Sharpsburg, or about eight from our camp. At Hagerstown the Seminary and the grounds were used for a rebel prison and hospital, where we were to do guard and [...]