Jan. 31, This morning a small schooner was seen coming down the sound. A boat went out and met her; she contained seven darkies who said they stole the schooner and left in her from Roanoke island. They were put aboard the steamer S. R. Spaulding, and the little schooner hitched astern. They can probably [...]

Friday 31st A cloudy damp day, in the office as usual. Engaged the Pat office Draughtsman to make drawings for my Door Fastener. I shall make application for a pat next week. Remained at home this evening except going to Mr Hartleys for Julia at 9 o’clock. I have been writing the specification for my [...]

Friday, 31st–This is the end of January. Company E has been at Lookout Station thirty-seven days, and while our army service has not been hard, yet we are anxious to leave for more active service.

JANUARY 31st.—What if these men (they have passports) should be going to Washington to report the result of their reconnoissances in Tennessee? The Tennessee River is high, and we have no casemated batteries, or batteries of any sort, on it above Fort Henry.

31st.–As a relief to the dullness induced by bad weather, and disappointed hopes that something will turn up to awaken the activity of the army, I am constantly amused by the merry chirpings of myriads of “crickets on the hearth.”[1] Now and then after night-fall a little mouse, nearly white, suddenly appears amongst them, and [...]

Jan. 30. Our canteens are again filled with the contraband water, so we shall be all right today as far as that is concerned. Some of the boys made a raid last night on the sutler’s stuff and appropriated to themselves pretty much what he had. I cannot approve of that, as the sutler is [...]

Thursday 30th Rain again today. The Lyons friends left for home this evening. The boys have staid in the house and attended to their lessons better than usual. I Have not been out tonight, been drawing some and reading the “Star” aloud. No particular war news but a good deal expected soon. The Boys went [...]

Thursday, 30th–A part of our company went out into the timber to gather persimmons. They are very plentiful in this locality; the trees are quite large and some of them are loaded with the finest fruit.

JANUARY 30th.—Some of the mysterious letter-carriers, who have just returned from their jaunt into Tennessee, are applying again for passports to Baltimore, Washington, etc. I refuse them, though they are recommended by Gen. Winder’s men; but they will obtain what they want from the Secretary himself, or his Assistant Secretary.

Eliza Woolsey Howland to Joe Howland. Jan. 30th. The only thing of interest I have to tell you is of a very nice call we had last evening from General Williams (your friend Seth). He got Miss Wilkes to bring him round and introduce him, and told us he had long wanted to call on [...]

The Signal Corps Arrives. Jan. 29. The long lost signal corps arrived today. We gave them a great ovation; flags and streamers flying, bands playing and cheering from all the boats. They have had a hard time of it, having been fourteen days on the passage from Fortress Monroe. They ran out to sea in [...]

Wednesday Jan’y 29th 1862 Rained half the day and the streets in a bad condition again. Nothing new today. This evening Mrs A B Williams, Mrs VanMaster and David Griffith came up and took tea with us and spent the evening, leaving about 10 o’clock. Chas & Sally were also here. We all had a [...]

Wednesday, 29th–Our company has had a fine time while at Lookout Station and the men are all in good health with the exception of two or three who are suffering from varioloid as a result of vaccination.

JANUARY 29th.—What we want is a military man capable of directing operations in the field everywhere. I think Lee is such a man. But can he, a modest man and a Christian, aspire to such a position? Would not Mr. Benjamin throw his influence against such a suggestion? I trust the President will see through [...]

Eliza writes Jan. 29, ‘62: Mother, Hatty and Charley arrived last night in the middle of the storm and mud. Mother is now writing at the table with me, while H. is gazing admiringly at a group of Irish Brigadiers at the door. Charley is out somewhere, and is to meet the rest of us [...]

28th. After forty hours reached Weston at two P. M. Fed, watered and marched for Platte City at six P. M. Five letters. Major was fired at.

A Stranger. Jan. 28. Work is still going on, getting the boats off and getting them across the bar. The Eastern Queen is afloat and will be with us today. The little steamer Pilot Boy, with Generals Burnside and Foster aboard, is flying around among the vessels of the fleet, giving orders to the boat [...]

Tuesday 28 Rain today and the streets again in a bad condition. Mr Fenwick and Lady, Miss Lucy Munson (Mrs Fenwicks Sister), and Mr Cobb spent the evening here. Mr VanMaster & Lady, Mis Williams and Ed Dickerson call[ed] in a carriage for Julia to go with them to the Presidents Levee, so she got [...]

Tuesday, 28th–One of the Missouri boys who enlisted in our company while at Jefferson City asked me to go with him to spend the evening with a family about two miles out, where there were three or four young ladies. One of the young women was his best girl and he wished to bid her [...]

JANUARY 28th.— There must soon be collisions in the West on a large scale; but the system of lying, in vogue among the Yankees, most effectually defeats all attempts at reliable computation of numbers. They say we have 150,000 men in Tennessee and Kentucky, whereas we have not 60,000. Their own numbers they represent to [...]

Eliza to Joe Howland. January 28. My only letter by the mail last night was from Major Crane, about some of the patients of his Division who came down the Potomac in a wretched condition on a canal boat some time ago. He is going to do his best to find out who is responsible [...]

28th.–To-day I was admitted as a witness to the arcana of a field Court Martial, and of all the ridiculous farces in the name of justice, to excite mirth, indignation, pity, and disgust, commend me to a field Court Martial. I will not spoil the ludicrous impression left on my mind, by any attempt to [...]

27th. Rode over prairies and rough road to St. Joseph, Mo. Moved toward Weston.

The Curlew. Jan. 27. Preparations are going on this morning to get the New York across the bar. We were transferred to the steam ferry-boat Curlew, and are now anchored in the sound. The New York is to be lightened of everything on board, and it is thought, with a full sea and some help, [...]