WEDNESDAY, FEBRUARY 6, 1861.
A pleasant day overhead but muddy under foot. Wm H [Burridge or Burniage?] of Cleveland Ohio dined with us today, Chas also. Public affairs look brighter than they did before the Virginia Election. The Peace convention now in Session here sit with closed doors, but as far as known everything with regard to it looks favorable to an adjustment. Had letter today from Brother C R. He will start for Washington 1st day of March. Did not go down to the Ave’e tonight. Willie was learning from me how to write his name and to add up figures. The other boys, Halsey & H N, are drawing.
The three diary manuscript volumes, Washington during the Civil War: The Diary of Horatio Nelson Taft, 1861-1865, are available online at The Library of Congress.