17th. In the morning, Rob, Thede and I went to the creek and took a bath and changed clothes. Read some in “Guide to the Savior.” At 5 P. M. Mr. Brown preached from “And shew thyself a man.” The companies were out. Gen. Carter and staff were present. Good sermon. Letters from home and [...]
16th. Played at chess in the morning with Chester and Case. Co. returned from scouting. About noon rations came. Issued to the boys. Rushed them through rapidly. Had a shave and spent the evening in quarters. Read the Cincinnati Commercial. Wrote to Lucy Randall and Fred Allen.
15th. Theodore brought over a letter from Melissa. Good. Reported this morning for duty. I am glad we can be together. We now belong to the 1st Cav. Brig. 4th Div. 23rd Army Corps. Another beautiful day. Morgan expected. Thede and Dod got two beef creatures and butchered. Wrote a letter to Minnie. Read some [...]
14th. Went down to H Co. after morning work and played chess. Beat Capt. N. three times and John Devlin four times. Cleaned up my revolvers. Col. Abbey appointed acting Brigade Com. Says Thede can be detailed here. Good. He has been sick with diarrhoea. Getting a little better. In evening read in “Les Miserables.” [...]
13th. Took our horses out. Issued beef. Cleaned up and went over to town. Col. Abbey bought me a good woolen hat. John Ritter moved over to town–Div. saddler–good place. Took Thede some cheese. Diarrhoea. Sorry. Played chess with A. B.–got the worse. Rainy evening. No letters.
12th. Sent a letter to Minnie. Played chess with Chester and Lt. Case, on the whole did well. Short talk with Bushnell. Could have done better in Arkansas. Let our horses into a field to graze. Read the Commercial of the 10th, some in Gazette. Drove up a beef from town.
11th. Issued five days’ rations in the morning. Watched the boys play chess. Had a good visit with Thede and Charley. News in papers a little more encouraging. In the evening heard Co. H boys sing. Enjoyed it much. Capt. Nettleton and Col. Ratliffe told me some news.
10th. Issued beef in the morning. After cleaning up and inspection, Mr. Brown preached. Small audience but good sermon. Psalms 2-11. He seems to study his sermons. Took dinner with Capt. Nettleton and Lt. Case at a widow’s in town. Very genteel and pretty lady. Read. Went to the woods and let Rowena graze.
9th. Killed beef for Sunday. Read considerably in “Les Miserables.” Reviewed “Fantine.” Never read a book which contained so much truth and sense on every page. Rob and I took a good bath and changed our clothes. Wrote home.
Friday, 8th. Clear but uncomfortably warm. The regt. came in during the day. Issued four days’ rations in the morning. Conflicting reports about a battle on the Potomac. Hooker whipped! Richmond taken! etc. All very anxious to get reliable news. Col. Miner in camp. Received no letters from home and Fannie. Wrote in the evening.
7th. Weather still bad. After breakfast ordered to the river. No chance for us today to cross. By orders of Col. Kautz, I went to the Div. train and helped myself to one day’s rations. Lt. crossed over. Robinson, Drake and I got permission to swim our horses and cross. Saddled and went round by [...]
Kentucky 6th. Reached the ford at Waitsboro at noon. Troops were crossing. One boatload of 27th N. J. drowned, 32 persons, Capt. Alexander. Pitiful sight. Camped on the hill. Rainy and chilly. Issued about half rations. Saw an old lady, “Aunt Betsy,” 115 years old, good mind and good heart. Enjoyed hearing her talk. Rheumatism, [...]
5th. Rode into camp bright and early. Made a tent again and got some coffee. Cloudy and dark. Got dinner at a wealthy planter’s. We were all disgusted, so much superficiality. So little soul or mind. Marched towards the river. Ordered back to Somerset. Various reasons given. Many speculations. Got rations after stopping for night. [...]
4th. Sky clear and sun roasting. Blankets steaming. All felt miserable, so wet and such a dreamy sleep. “Boots and saddles” before breakfast. Went to commissary for rations. Could get none. Whole cavalry force went out, some on each road. When at Otter creek learned that the rebels had left Traversville and gone to Jamestown, [...]
Sunday, 3rd. Wet and muddy, disagreeable. Went to Post Commissary and drew rations, 948. Issued to the men in the P. M. Mr. Brown came, bringing the mail. Two letters for me, one from Fannie and one from home. Both did me much good. Fixed up our oilcloth as a tent. Thought it very nice. [...]
Monday, 3rd. Moved on at 8 o’clock having waited for tents to dry off. Passed Catlett Station and reached Warrenton Junction at noon. Burnside’s Hdqrs. here. One Div. here. Passed one at Manassas, at Ferrero and one at Bristol. Drew hay for our feed, also oats for three days. Also 7 wagons. Kept quite busy. [...]
2nd. Major Purington ordered on a scout with 150 men towards Traversville. 7th on the Albany road, I went along. Learned there were 900 rebels in the fight yesterday. Cheke among them. Went to a house and saw another wounded man, wounded in the charge near Monticello, hit in thigh. Rode four to eight miles, [...]
1st. Commenced moving across at 4 and all the regiments over by 9 A. M. Some fortifications on both sides of the river; Zollicoffer’s old huts still there. Moved on and overtook the 1st Battalion at Monticello. H, E, M in advance of column continually. Skirmishing. Four miles beyond M. found the rebels in force [...]
30th. After breakfast, mustered. Issued two days’ rations. Lt. Abbey started for Stanford for rations. Bob, Ritter and I overtook the column five miles from Mills Springs. 103rd, 27th N. J., 112th 1ll. crossed at the upper ford. Commenced crossing at Mills Springs at 10 A. M. Unsaddled and got tea. Skirmishing over the river. [...]
29th. Went out for oats. After breakfast started back to Somerset. Let our horses eat and then followed. Drake, Ritter, Bob and I stopped half way and got a cup of tea. Found reinforcements at S. Issued pork. No mail for me. “H,” “E,” and “M” ordered over the river. In the evening got my [...]
28th. Up at daylight, breakfasted, fed and started on at 6. Gen. Carter passed by. Went but two miles and waited an hour or two. River not fordable. Returned and bivouacked on the ground of the night before. Went out foraging corn, hay, and cornbread and milk. Saw two idiots. Rained again. Got somewhat wet. [...]
27th. Up at 4 and an early breakfast in anticipation of marching. Infantry came in a little before noon. Saw Wattle. Got dinner and then started. Bob, Col. A. and I went. Covil and Dod stayed. Marched by way of “Fishing Creek.” Very high banks. Country quite mountainous. Fun to see the infantry fording. Encamped [...]
26th. Spent the morning cleaning up the tent clothes and boots. At 11 A. M. went to hear Mr. Brown preach. Was much pleased. Quite disappointed. My only objection was that I had seen him smoke. Read some in Independent. Orders to march at daybreak, so went to bed rather early.
25th. Played chess with Chester. One game ahead. Was down to see Charlie, writing to Will Hudson. Mr. Brown preached in the evening at the church. Read Fantine in “Les Miserables.” Much more interested than at first. Splendid. In the evening wrote to Delos. This is his birthday, “B. F.” anniversary.
24th. After breakfast had a visit with Henry Drake. Examination for commissions. Henry went in. None in before allowed. A very pleasant day. About noon rations came. Issued in the P. M. A little slave child buried. Exercises by the chaplain. Serious thoughts. An immortal soul gone out of a poor slave. Wrote to Will [...]