TUESDAY, APRIL 16, 1861.
Another rainy day, a continuation of the Easterly Storm. The public buildings are all strongly guarded, from 150 to 300 men being quartered in each. There are now about three thousand men under arms in the City, all in the service of the U.S. Some thousands more from the North will be here this week The excitement at the Hotels is not quite so great tonight. I was at the “National” and “Willards.” NY papers scarce, could get only the Tribune. Came home about 9, read till 11. Cold wet evening. Everything looks gloomy.
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.