19th.–I confess to myself to-night, that deeply as I am I interested in the cause for which we fight–the question of government against anarchy–what I have witnessed today has cooled much of the enthusiasm with which I entered the service of this government, which I find so tardy in doing justice to those who are [...]
18th.–I visited Washington to-day, through such rain and such mud, as no civilized country, save this, can sustain, and preserve its character for purity. Am back to-night. On my return, I find on my table the following: ” General Order No. 11. “Headquarters, &c. “When the time arrives for the troops of this Brigade to [...]
7th.–This has been a cold, blustry day, and the Regiment has been out skirmishing. They found no enemy ; bought a little corn, and came home. All is conjecture here as to the intention of our leaders. My conjecture is that outside pressure will compel us to do something within the next fifteen days, or [...]
5th.–I am very hard worked just now. The Brigade Surgeon is sick, and I being the ranking Surgeon in the Brigade, have his duties to perform. In addition, I have charge, at present, of a large share of the Hospital of the 49th Regiment Penn. Vols., the Surgeon being very ill. That regiment is in [...]
2nd.–I think my hospital can boast, just now, the happiest set of sick men I ever saw. I have now twenty-seven of them. This morning, as I was prescribing for them, (all sitting up) some reading the morning papers, and talking loudly over war news, some playing whist, some checkers, some chess, some dominoes–all laughing [...]
A great day of sport to usher in the new year. Amongst other amusements in our army, Hancock’s Brigade “got up a time on its own hook.” At twelve o’clock I went into the parade ground, and found about 10,000 people, soldiers and civilians, collected to witness the sport. Hancock’s Brigade is composed of the [...]
21st.–Did ever husband and father need the comforting aid of the help-meets of home as I need them this evening? See my table. Six full foolscap sheets of letters from home –read, re-read, studied, spelled, and now to be answered. I wonder if any body ever imagines the value of a letter to a soldier. [...]
19th.–To-day I have received the expected letter ; but it relieves no part of my sadness. My dear child at home is no better. I may never meet her again. This in another of the trials of this unholy war; but I am selfish. How many have so much more reason to complain than I? [...]
18th.–I am disappointed to-night, and feel sadly. I had almost no letters from home lately. None yesterday, to-day none. To-morrow I hope I shall hear from home, and get news of the returning health of my family, and then feel better. It is very hard to be shut up here, hundreds of miles from those [...]
17th –This is the anniversary of my advent to this noisy, scheming world of vanity and trouble. What wonderful changes have taken place on this continent, in the life time of a little man like me. I will not attempt to write them here; the changes in myself, are sufficient to keep me constantly in [...]
11th.–I have just received a letter from a lady friend of mine aye, and of the soldiers, too, in which she says she “cannot but think of the suffering patriot-soldier, with nothing but a tent above his head, with no covering but a single blanket, and but so little care when sick.” This induces me [...]
7th.–Eight days ago to-day, the sick list was 144. Today it is 72! I begin to think that a Surgeon may be as indispensable to an army as a Colonel,–that “A doctor skilled our deadly wounds to heal, Is more than armies to the common weal.” Another “speck of war” yesterday. About ten thousand men [...]
6th.–Have received to-day a box of delicacies from the good people of Middletown, Connecticut, for my hospital. It is a great comfort to us to feel that the _____ Regiment is remembered in so many places and by so many good people. The contents are generally in fine order, except that a few of the [...]
5th.–It is now six days since I resumed the charge of the hygiene of the camp. My first work was to have my tent struck and removed from the ground, that the spot on which it stood might be thoroughly sunned and cleaned. I then had the whole sprinkled with disinfectants. Have daily visited every [...]
4th.–The story of yesterday’s fight is all bosh. There were no two hundred prisoners taken–no fifteen killed–no fight–not a rebel seen! Munchausen must have been the legitimate son of a camp, or rather, the camp must be the legitimate progenitor of the whole race of Munchausen. But it is surprising how camp life enhances the [...]
December, 3d.–There is a rumor here to-day that our troops are in possession of both Savannah and Pensacola. I do not believe it. What do our leaders mean to do with us this winter? Here we are, the 3d December, a cold, freezing, windy day, in our open tents, without intimation of what we are [...]
30th.–It is a great relief to my feelings that the difficulties heretofore existing between the Military and Medical Departments in our Regiment are to-day adjusted, and I hope removed by the rescinding the order of the 9th inst, that my directions about the sanitary police of the camps need not be obeyed, and by a [...]
29th.–Since the order of the early part of this month, that my directions in reference to the sanitary measures could be disregarded, I have not visited the camp, or given any directions in regard to cleaning, ventilating, &c., and though it is now but three weeks since that order was made, the sick list, which [...]
20th.–This morning we received marching orders to Bailey’s, to have a grand review of the whole army. Very few had any confidence in that part of the order announcing the purpose–a review. All believed it was to take Fairfax, and then perhaps to move forward on Centreville and Manassas ; but all were disappointed. It [...]
14th.–This morning our Brigade Surgeon ordered me to leave the hospital for a few days, on account of my fatigue and prostration. He said that a regard for my health demanded it, and I must go where I pleased. I rode to Arlington, the headquarters of General King. The Arlington house, I believe, is (unless [...]
13th.–The Regiment received two months’ pay to-day, and to-night are all busy as bees making up express packages, to be sent to fathers, mothers, sisters, sweethearts and wives. To-morrow, all who can get passes to go, will be in Washington buying presents and sitting before a camera to “stain the glass” with reflections from their [...]
9th.–This morning, as I passed through the camp giving directions about cleaning and ventilating tents, whilst the regiment was on parade, my Colonel, seeing me so engaged, gave orders that no directions of mine need be obeyed till he sanctioned them. A very strange order; but as it releases me from responsibility for the health [...]
8th.–Night before last was made hideous by the yells and drunken orgies of officers, who, in obedience to the order that no work should be done on the Sabbath, omitted all duty, but to make amends, employed the day in getting beastly drunk, and the night in howling themselves sober. It is with deep regret [...]
7th.–On the third of September we stopped at Camp Advance, near Chain Bridge, on our way to Richmond. That was nearly ten weeks ago. We are now about four miles nearer to Richmond than we were then. Three weeks to a mile! When shall we close this war? Could we only move once a week, [...]
5th.–I have for some time had as mess-mates Surgeon J____ V____ and his two sons. I find him a most estimable Quaker gentleman, and he is by his courteous and affable manner, doing very much to smooth down the asperities of the rough road over which I am now traveling. Since the removal of camp, [...]