TUESDAY 17 Most beautiful day, warm as May, in the office all day. Two dead Soldiers carried out of the Hospital. They say that there is about one death pr day there. Tonight myself and wife went to the Presidents Levee, first of the Season. Genl McClellan & Lady was there and we were frequently [...]
DECEMBER 17th.—Bravo, Col. Edward Johnson! He was attacked by 5000 Yankees on the Alleghany Mountains, and he has beaten them with 1200 men. They say Johnson is an energetic man, and swears like a trooper; and instead of a sword, he goes into battle with a stout cane in his hand, with which he belabors [...]
Tuesday, 17th–This morning we entered the town and made a search of all the houses for “secesh.” We took seven prisoners, besides some arms and ammunition. This being a great apple country, we found stores of apples in the houses, and helping ourselves, we filled our haversacks. By one o’clock we had finished sacking the [...]
17th –This is the anniversary of my advent to this noisy, scheming world of vanity and trouble. What wonderful changes have taken place on this continent, in the life time of a little man like me. I will not attempt to write them here; the changes in myself, are sufficient to keep me constantly in [...]
Monday, 16th–We reached Boonville at sunup, and landing, remained there about two hours, when we again boarded the boat and crossed to the other side of the river. We lay on the boat here till dark, when Company E and three other companies started for Boonesboro, seven or eight miles distant. Reaching the town we [...]
MONDAY 16 Delightful day. Some excitement in the City at the news from England in relation to the arrest of “Mason” and “Slidel.” Some predict a war with her. But I do not. It is only giving her a dose of her own Medicine. The Law of Nations is also on our side, and She [...]
DECEMBER 16th.—We hear to-day that the loyal men of Kentucky have met in convention and adopted an ordinance of secession and union with our Confederacy.
December ‘61. Dear Girls: “We are in the midst of stirring times,” as the newspapers say–or rather, stirring times are in our midst, as well as all around us. I am prepared to be astonished at nothing, and to regard all events with stoicism bordering on a fiendish glee. New York was sizzling on Monday [...]
December 16th.–I met Mr. Seward at a ball and cotillon party, given by M. de Lisboa; and as he was in very good humour, and was inclined to talk, he pointed out to the Prince of Joinville, and all who were inclined to listen, and myself, how terrible the effects of a war would be [...]
Sunday, 15th–We landed at the little town of Providence, Missouri, about sunup and experienced our first day’s march after the “secesh.” It was a delightful day. The few belated grasshoppers and crickets which escaped the cold spells were singing their farewell songs. We were all awake and keyed to the highest pitch, felt prepared to [...]
SUNDAY, DECEMBER 15, 1861. Pleasant as ever today and the nights are now brilliant with a full moon and clear atmosphere. The Military Band in our vicinity performs almost every night an hour or two, discoursing most splendid music last night. They were Seranading Com Wilkes, the Captor of Slidel & Mason. I did not [...]
DECEMBER 15th.—The President’s private secretary, Capt. Josselyn, was in to-day. He had no news.
Winchester, December 15, 1861. Life in camp is generally dull with me, and I feel especially dull to-day. I have sometimes had a job, such as road-making at Centreville or my late excursion to the Potomac, which kept me busy enough; but these only happen now and then, and but for them my life would [...]
December 15th.–The first echo of the San Jacinto’s guns in England reverberated to the United States, and produced a profound sensation. The people had made up their minds John Bull would acquiesce in the seizure, and not say a word about it; or they affected to think so; and the cry of anger which has [...]
Saturday, 14th–We struck our tents early this morning and at sunup marched down to the landing on the Missouri river, where under the quartermaster a large detail of men worked nearly all day loading our commissariat on board the boats. At sundown our regiment, with a part of the Second Illinois Cavalry, started up the [...]
SATURDAY 14 Weather fine yet, dry and not freezing. Nothing new of any great importance. I was in the Office all day. One of the Halls in the Patent Office is used as a Military Hospital, about 100 Soldiers from the Indiana Regts are sick there. Two Dead were carried out today. Prof Sparks, the [...]
DECEMBER 14th.—Nothing.
Friday, 13th–The Eleventh Iowa is at home now in wedge tents, with four men to a tent, and we are experiencing more changes in living. Irish potatoes have been dropped from our rations and we have no tables now at which to eat our meals. When the orderly sergeant draws the rations, the company cook [...]
FRIDAY 13 Another fine cool day, just comfortable with a fire. Was in the office all day. Prof Sparks called upon me and spent sometime. Mr Daws M.C. also brot a Mr Eldridge to me (from Williamstown) to me, who also had a letter of introduction from C R Taft. He is here after office. [...]
DECEMBER 13th.—One of the papers has a short account of the application of Stone in its columns this morning. One of the reporters was present at the interview. The article bore pretty severely upon the assumption of power by the military commander of the department. Gen. Winder came in during the day, and denied having [...]
Thursday, 12th–We received our first month’s pay today. Each man in Company E received pay for twenty-six days of service in the month of October, amounting to $11.25, a little less than a full month’s pay. I received my first Government pay as a soldier in the United States service, getting a ten-dollar gold piece[i] [...]
THURSDAY, DECEMBER 12, 1861. A fine cool day but not freezing. No special event has happened that I know of. I have been engaged in the Office as usual. Tonight I put up my Shelf in the lower Hall for a Hat Shelf. I brot it from one of the Camps over the River. Much [...]
DECEMBER 12th.—More of Gen. Winder’s men came with a Mr. Stone, whom they knew and vouched for, and who wanted a passport merely to Norfolk. I asked if it was not his design to go farther. They said yes, but that Gen. Winder would write to Gen. Huger to let him pass by way of [...]
Winchester, December 12, 1861. Last Monday night I returned to our camp here, where I had the pleasure of reading the letters of Mary and Helen informing me that your troubles were all over, that we had another little boy in the crib, and that his mamma, as Mary happily expressed it, “Was doing as [...]
December 12th.–A big-bearded, spectacled, moustachioed, spurred, and booted officer threw himself on my bed this morning ere I was awake. “Russell, my dear friend, here you are at last; what ages have passed since we met!” I sat up and gazed at my friend. “Bohlen! don’t you remember Bohlen, and our rides in Turkey, our [...]