THURSDAY 18
Cool pleasant day, fire comfortable. Business in the office goes on as usual and is increasing this month. Business there does not seem to be much affected by the excitement in the City. The rumor today that Virginia had “seceded” and seized Govt property at Norfolk & Harpers Ferry caused intense excitement. There seemed to be a great anxiety to fight manifested all round. Soldiers are arriving from the North tonight and an attack is expected upon the City from Virginia. The City is apparently pretty well prepared. Wo[e] to the invaders.
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.