25th.–We have moved our camp about one hundred rods, are out of the mud, on high dry ground, where the tents can be ventilated and the streets kept clean. I look for a great improvement in the health of the regiment from this.

24th.–A little skirmish to-day, amounting to almost nothing. A party of four or five hundred went out in the morning, came upon the enemy’s pickets, and firing on them, drove them in. Then, on returning, our four or five hundred found five men in the field, drawing manure, and well armed with shovels and dung-forks. [...]

22d–Went to Washington to see off a friend who has been spending a few weeks with me, as mess-mate. I felt sadly at the parting, and being lonely to-night, I cannot help thinking of home, of home! Where is it? One child in Connecticut, the other in Wisconsin, my wife in New York, and I [...]

21st –Our camp here was made without consulting the the Surgeons. It was laid out without order, and the tents are so close together that teams cannot pass through to remove its rubbish, its offal, and its filth. My Colonel, too, has interfered much with my sanitary orders, particularly those in reference to ventilation. The [...]

12th.–I find vast trouble in doing justice to the sick, in consequence of the unwarrantable interference of military officers in matters of which they are about as well qualified to judge as would be so many of their mules. The two forts which we built near Chain Bridge, and have left some three miles in [...]

11th.–Sent off ambulances to-day to commence bringing forward the sick of my regiment, and whilst they were gone, after having put my hospital in good order for their reception, I stepped over again to Commodore Jones’ house to see how the guards stationed there had succeeded in carrying out their orders. Till I entered the [...]

10th.–We have commenced moving our camp equipage from Camp Vanderwerken to this place, to be named Camp Griffin–I suppose for Capt. Griffin, of one of the batteries of the regular army. Capt. G., with his battery, has been one of us and with us since we crossed the Potomac. We have had much trouble and [...]

9th.–We have remained bivouaced all day, and there is talk of our moving our camp to this place to-morrow. This will advance us another three miles in the direction of Richmond. On the 8th of August we arrived in Washington– two months ago yesterday. We are now eight miles nearer Richmond than then. At this [...]

8th.–To-day our division made a “recognizance in force.” Marched to Prospect Hill, on the river turnpike, about four miles, and after settling into bivouac two or three times during the day, brought up about 11 o’clock at night at Lewinsville. Having crawled into my ambulance to rest, I note this before dropping asleep.

October, 1st and 2nd.–During these two days the regiment has been busily engaged in moving its camp about four miles. The new camp is to be called Camp Vanderwerken, from the name of a man owning a large property in the immediate neighborhood. Very shortly after crossing Chain Bridge, our regiment was transferred from Gen. [...]

30 h.–During the past week I have been much shocked by the growing tendency to drunkenness amongst the officers of the army. I do not doubt but that if the soldiers could procure spirituous liquors, they would follow the example set them by their much loved officers. I have been somwhat amused for a few [...]

25th.–We had a great time to-day, having sent out this morning some six thousand troops, with about one hundred wagons, on a foraging expedition. This evening they returned, loaded with hay, oats, corn, cows, sheep, hogs, and one Irishman–all captured from the enemy. In this deserted and desolated country, where we have for weeks been [...]

23d.–As a description of the appearance of the country in which we were settled, I here introduce a letter written at this date to a friend: Camp Advance, Sept. 23, 1861. A short time since I undertook, from a single feature in the marred and distorted face of this country, to give you some idea [...]

15th.–I am alone to-night, and tired enough to lie and sleep for twenty-four hours, did not the scenes around call up associations which banish repose, and yet invite it. In the deep, deep woods, in a deep, deeper valley, with a mountain rising high on either side of me, and the semi-roaring babble of a [...]

12th.–Part of the truth relating to the story of yesterday’s fight has come to light. The fact is, these “great fights,” “great victories,” “great number of prisoners,” “great numbers killed,” are the greatest humbugs of the times, and as a specimen I put on record here the stories with the facts of yesterday. At 8 [...]

11th.–Had some skirmishing to-day. Took some prisoners, who state that within twelve miles of us is the center of operations of about one hundred thousand rebels, who are preparing to attack us and march on Washington. This, if true, falsifies all the predictions of this journal, that there is no considerable force of the enemy [...]

10th.–Our regiment has received two months pay to-day, and to-night all are boisterously happy. We had been notified to have our muster-rolls ready, and we should be paid off on the first day of this month. The rolls were ready but the pay was not. We had received no pay since we entered Uncle Sam’s [...]

7th.–On the high land overlooking the Potomac, about six or seven miles above the Navy Yard at Washington, we have, since our arrival here, thrown up a small fort, formed extensive abattis, and made redoubts and fortifications to command the turnpike leading down the river, and the bridge over which any enemy must pass from [...]

6th.–I introduce the following letter to a friend, as sufficiently explicit as to the occurrences since the last date: Chain Bridge, Va., Sept. 6, 1861. I commence this letter with the reiteration, Poor Virginia! That State, which for forty years has stood as the guiding star of our galaxy of States,–that State, which alone could, [...]

2nd.–The following extract from a letter which I have just written to a friend, is the sum and substance of my thoughts, journalized for to-day. “Major _____ will not write his mother whether an attack on Washington is expected. I will tell you what I think: From the dome of the Capitol we can see [...]

September 1st.–I cannot but feel depressed at what seems to be great imbecility in the management of our military affairs. By whose fault, I know not. Here we are with one hundred and fifty thousand troops, and we can stand on our National Capitol and see the rebels fortifying on Munson’s Hill. I wonder if [...]

30th.–It is now between two and three months since our regiment went into camp. We have had nearly three hundred cases of measles, with about as many of diarrhœa, dysentery and fever. Not one quarter of the regiment but has been sick in some way, and yet last night every man who left home with [...]

27th.–On my arrival here, I found our tents pitched on ploughed ground, in a swale. The bottoms of the tents were very damp, and the mud in the streets over shoe-top. I at once set to work to correct this. I had the streets all ditched on either side, the dirt thrown into the middle, [...]

26th.–I was visited by my Colonel to-day. He introduced the subject of reducing my hospital force. I was extra-polite, and replied that I had not the slightest objection, provided it was done with the understanding that it would shift the responsibility of the care of the sick from my shoulders to those of others. The [...]