Monday, 17th–This is a very beautiful morning. The good news came that Grant has really taken Fort Donelson. Lieutenant Compton called out the company with arms, and we fired a feu de joie to celebrate the victory.

17th. Sunday. At Fort Leavenworth. Read the papers and wrote home. Saw the regulars on parade. Very exact and nicely dressed. Very strict officers–too exact and overbearing. Major Prince made Reeve Spencer stand on the porch and me take off my cap.

Monday 17th

After a day or two of great anxiety we have today rcd ample confirmation of the reports in reference to the great Victory at Fort Donoldson, 15000 prisoners, 4 Generals, and an immense quantity of Military Stores. I[t] must have been a most desperate fight. We have no particulars to be relied on but it is reported that the Rebels lost 10000 killed and wounded. It is also reported that Savannah is taken. The Streets here were gladed with ice this morning. This afternoon it has rained. Snow going off fast. Called into our next neighbor Forneys tonight with my wife.

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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.

Sunday Feb 16th 1862

Cold and wintry day but has thawed some. Out to church with family this morning. Almeron Field came up from his quarters and went to Church with us. Doct Smith preached. The air in the church abominable, no ventilation. No further news from Fort Donoldson yet.

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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.

Sunday, 16th-–The weather is warm and pleasant. It is reported that Fort Donelson with several thousand prisoners has been taken by General Grant.

Sunday, 16th.—This morning we left home early, to be present at the funeral of Captain Wise, but we could not even approach the door of St. James’s Church, where it took place. The church was filled at an early hour, and the street around the door was densely crowded. The procession approached as I stood there, presenting a most melancholy cortege. The military, together with civil officers of every grade, were there, and every countenance was marked with sorrow. As they bore his coffin into the church, with sword, cap, and cloak resting upon it, I turned away in sickness of heart, and thought of his father and family, and of his bleeding country, which could not spare him. We went to St. Paul’s, and heard an excellent sermon from the Rev. Mr. Quintard, a chaplain in the army. He wore the gown over the Confederate gray—it was strange to see the bright military buttons gleam beneath the canonicals. Every thing is strange now!

Saturday 15th

The City is quite wild with Excitement today at the reported capture of Fort Donoldson with 15000 prisoners. It is not yet confirmed. We all hope & rejoice. Good news also from Genl Lander, he has made an important capture of rebel officers & Stores near Winchester V.A.

Capt White of the 27th came over from Camp today and gave us a call, he returned this evening. Union Stock has raised astonishingly within three or four days past. We have been sometime getting ready to fight and now the “ball” is open. No obstruction now but Bad roads. Spent the evening at home, it has snowed all day.

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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.

Saturday, 15th–We received a very large mail from home today. The papers say that General Grant has taken Fort Henry, on the Tennessee river.

15th. Squared up with Farmer and Thayer. First Battalion of our regiment moved for Fort Leavenworth at ten A. M. Roads very slippery. Passed through Leavenworth City after crossing on the ice.

15th.–What a week of news, opening on us with intelligence of the capture of Fort Henry, with its list of high-bred prisoners. Scarcely had the sound of the cheers and the hurrahs died away, when Burnside startled us with an artillery discharge of news. To-day, whilst we were brushing out our “hollering organs” with alum swabs, when the startling intelligence from Fort Donelson, the most glorious of which is the capture of the arch-traitor, Floyd; and what a disappointment that not a throat in our whole Division can shout “Hang him!” loud enough for Floyd to hear it. Hold on for awhile; send us no more such news at present. As this poor old “grand-mother” of armies is to do no fighting, wait at least till the throats of our soldiers so far recover that they can do the shouting over victories in which they are denied the privilege of participating. We have lain still here till we have grown into old fogyism–gone to seed. So little advance, so little progress have we made, within the memory of any here, that should Methuselah offer us to-day a shake of his hand, we should wonder whether it was yesterday or a week ago that we parted from him, so little has been the change here since his advent, and so much would he look like all around him.

Feb. 15, 1862. (Village of X.)—We reached Arkansas Landing at nightfall. Mr. Y., the planter who owns the landing, took us right up to his residence. He ushered me into a large room where a couple of candles gave a dim light, and close to them, and sewing as if on a race with time, sat Mrs. Y. and a little negro girl, who was so black and sat so stiff and straight she looked like an ebony image. This was a large plantation; the Y.’s knew H. very well, and were very kind and cordial in their welcome and congratulations. Mrs. Y. apologized for continuing her work; the war had pushed them this year in getting the negroes clothed, and she had to sew by dim candles, as they could obtain no more oil. She asked if there were any new fashions in New Orleans.

Next morning we drove over to our home in this village. It is the county-seat, and was, till now, a good place for the practice of H.’s profession. It lies on the edge of a lovely lake. The adjacent planters count their slaves by the hundreds. Some of them live with a good deal of magnificence, using service of plate, having smoking-rooms for the gentlemen built off the house, and entertaining with great hospitality. The Baptists, Episcopalians, and Methodists hold services on alternate Sundays in the court-house. All the planters and many others, near the lake shore, keep a boat at their landing, and a raft for crossing vehicles and horses. It seemed very piquant at first, this taking our boat to go visiting, and on moonlight nights it was charming. The woods around are lovelier than those in Louisiana, though one misses the moaning of the pines. There is fine fishing and hunting, but these cotton estates are not so pleasant to visit as sugar plantations.

But nothing else has been so delightful as, one morning, my first sight of snow and a wonderful, new, white world.

Note: To protect Mrs. Miller’s job as a teacher in post-civil war New Orleans, her diary was published anonymously, edited by G. W. Cable, names were changed and initials were generally used instead of full names—and even the initials differed from the real person’s initials. (Read Dora Richards Miller’s biographical sketch.)

Cape Girardeau, Mo., February 14, 1862.

Sam arrived here to-night and brought me everything I could wish for except my watch. Jem Harper from Company K is home on furlough and we expect him now shortly, also Benton Spencer. If you could manage to send the watch by one of them I would be much obliged. I cannot well get along without one now. You seem to be very happy about my getting away from the Point. Rather more so than I am myself. If I had stayed there I would have been with a fair chance to fight—to fight soldiers. Here there are no forces to fight but a few hundred bushwhackers that will lie by the roadside in the swamp, and I believe they would murder Jesus Christ if they thought he was a Union man. We failed in doing what we wanted to the last trip, but I believe we’ll get even with them yet. I’d hate mightily to get killed by such a pack of murderers, but that isn’t my business. If U. B. and father have experienced such trips as we have, I’ll bet I beat them in one thing—enjoying them. I always feel better out that way than in camp. The 11th Missouri is still with us and the 17th has gone to Tennessee. The colonel, Ross, picked out 50 or 60 of his most worthless men and put them on the gunboats. There are some hopes that our regiment will be ordered to Kentucky soon or to Wheaton, Mo., for there is a regiment of Missourians here forming that will be sufficient to guard this vicinity. This place if not entirely secession is very strongly southernly righteous. I am getting acquainted with the female population slowly, not very, and one family of three girls tell me they are positively the only unconditional Union women in town. But the others show nothing of the cold shoulder to us. They are all very friendly and sociable. Quite a number of beautiful girls here. The aristocracy here are all Catholic. Funny, isn’t it? Frenchy.

Friday Feb 14th

Nothing of note has occured today in the City. Arrests are made of Secessionists almost every day and many more might be made with propriety. The roads are getting better and exciting news is expected all the time from almost every point of the Compass. Went down on to the Ave this evening. “Holly” went with me. We were at Willards and the “National,” bot the papers, home at 8 o’clk. The north side of the Ave is crowded like Broadway, N.Y.

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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.

Friday, 14th–This is Valentine’s Day and some of the boys are having a great time sending out valentines to the girls in this locality; others are sending valentines to their old home sweethearts.

14th. Very busy making out requisitions and settling the wood account.

February 17.–Glorious news from the war to-day. Fort Donelson is taken with 1,500 rebels. The right and the North will surely triumph!

Thursday Feb 13th 1862

A bright pleasant day. No particular news, but many rumors of fighting West. I have been in the office, am there every day filling out Patents or Deeds & recording them. Julia has Miss Hartly and two of the Miss Middletons here tonight. I have been down to the National. Called at Chas on my return from the Ave –. Mr Hartly called for Mat[ty] at 1/2 past 9. Willie coughs a good deal. Bud & Holly went to the Capitol today.

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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.

Thursday, 13th–It snowed some today, and we all stayed close in our quarters, as the weather was so disagreeable. It is a very cold night.

13th. Wrote to Fannie and received a letter from her– dear girl!

13th.—Donelson is holding out bravely. I shudder to think of the loss of life.

Notwithstanding the rain this morning, I renewed my pursuit after lodgings. With over-shoes, cloak and umbrella, I defied the storm, and went over to Grace Street, to an old friend who sometimes takes boarders. Her house was full, but with much interest she entered into my feelings, and advised me to go to Mr. L., who, his large school having declined, was filling his rooms with boarders. His wife was the daughter of a friend, and might find a nook for us. I thought of the “Hare and many friends,” and bent my steps through the storm to the desired haven. To my surprise, Mrs. L. said we could get a room; it is small, but comfortable, the terms suit our limited means, and we will go as soon as they let us know that they are ready for us.

We have just been drawn to the window by sad strains of martial music. The bodies of Captains Wise and Coles were brought by the cars, under special escort. The military met them, and in the dark, cold night, it was melancholy to see the procession by lamplight, as it passed slowly down the street. Captain Wise has been carried to the Capitol, and Captain Coles to the Central Depot, thence to be carried to-morrow to the family burying-ground at Enniscorthy, in Albemarle County. Thus are the bright, glorious young men of the Confederacy passing away. Can their places be supplied in the army? In the hearts and homes of families there must ever be a bleeding blank.

February 13.

I have nothing more than the usual “all right” to tell you, but you must always have that. We ought to congratulate each other on the good news from Roanoke Island and Tennessee, which quite thrilled us all yesterday. We were out at Will Winthrop’s camp when the boys cried the “Star” and the victory, and we heard the particulars first from Mrs. Captain Rodgers, who came here directly from Mrs. General McClellan’s. Mrs. McClellan described to her, her husband’s delight when the news came. He flung his arms over his head, and, fairly radiant with glee, pronounced himself the happiest man in Washington, “and the General, you know,” his wife says, “is such a quiet man usually. I have seldom seen him more excited.” . . .

We managed to get out to Will Winthrop’s camp yesterday without an upset, but (so Mother thought) at the peril of our lives! What will she say to the Virginia roads on the way to your camp? She is overwhelmed with pity for the poor men and officers. When we left, Will tramped some distance through the mud to show us a better way out, and we were immensely entertained at his manifesting his tongue in his cheek (behind Mother’s back) when he found the road worse than he thought, remarking, “Why! this is quite a godsend. I had no idea of finding such a good highway.”

. . . This morning George Carr has been out on horseback to take Will some cake and candy from Mother, to make up for a well meant but bad cake we took him when we went ourselves.

. . . We hear New York is overflowing with cheers and jubilees for the victories, and in Philadelphia the celebration was the best of all, for they took steps at once to raise a fund for the orphans of the soldiers killed in that battle and to found a “Soldiers’ Home” for all maimed and helpless volunteers when the war is over.

Settling Property Titles. (slaves)

Feb. 12. The Confederate officers have been paroled and sent to Elizabeth City, up the Pasquotank river. The 25th had the distinguished honor of escorting them and carrying a part of their baggage to the wharf where they took the boat. I reckon it must have been rather pleasing to those officers to see Yankee soldiers taking their luggage for them, but this disgrace must have been a thoughtless mistake on the part of the colonel or whoever ordered it. Those officers had with them their colored servants, but after they were all captured, officers and servants were a good deal mixed as to who they belonged to. When the officers were about leaving, Gen. Burnside settled the question. He told the darkies they could decide for themselves; they could go with their masters or stop here, just as they liked. A few of them went with their masters, the rest staid back to take their chances with the Yankees.

Wednesday, 12th–Our mail goes east every day at 11 a. m. and comes in from the east at night. This is a cold night.

12th. Read some in “Lessons in Life.” Spent the evening at Mr. Campbell’s.