THURSDAY 2
Cold today, fire comfortable. M. down to 40. A fine flag was raised on the Pat office today at noon. The RI Regt paraded with Gov Sprague at the head on 7th St. The 7 NY Regt went into camp up 14th St. near Collumbia College. Regiments are now drilling and parading in the streets every day. I was at Willards tonight when the NY Zuaves Col Ellsworth Regt marched up the “Ave” to the War department, eleven hundred strong, and every man with a Sharps Rifle on his shoulder. Signed a petition for Mr Wood of NY to be Comr of public Buildings. Conversed an hour with Prof Heidrick. Went “Maying” with wife & Julia after dinner.
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.