Friday 17th
Nothing new today. Soft moderate weather, the crossings all slush. Very muddy everywhere off the sidewalk. No particular war news. The financial affairs of the Nation look better. The 150,000,000 Tax Bill has passed both Houses of Congress which is a basis upon which loans can be made as it makes the interest sure. G. D. Prentice was writing in our room an hour or two today, he is quite a sober looking man. I went on to 7th St with “Bud” and got him a pair [of] Rubbers. Ha[ve] spent the evening at home. “Holly” has a bad cold, the rest of us in pretty good health but all fearing the small pox. Julia has been re-vaccinated, the rest of us will be.
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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.