Thursday 23d 1862 In the office as usual. No rain today and a little cooler, but does not freeze. Geo W Prentice was an hour in our room today, quite sociable. Thinks Schoepf did the fighting at “Somerset” whether he gets the credit of it or not, and I think so too. I must call [...]

JANUARY 23d.—Again the Northern papers give the most extravagant numbers to our army in Kentucky. Some estimates are as high as 150,000. I know, and Mr. Benjamin knows, that Gen. Johnston has not exceeding 29,000 effective men. And the Secretary knows that Gen. J. has given him timely notice of the inadequacy of his force [...]

23rd.–The whole atmosphere to-night vibrates with the sounds of preparation to advance. The new Secretary of War says “advance.” We are getting daily dispatches from. Gen. McClellan, asking, “Are you ready?” I have no faith. We have received too many dumb-watches, which “will run when they get older.”

22nd. Second Battalion moved, the distance nineteen miles, over the most lovely country I have yet seen–rolling and beautiful. Took care of Sergeant Dutton and our colonel during the night. First Battalion got to St. Charles. Lost my revolver.

Hunting a Channel. Jan. 22. The light-draught boats are engaged in finding and making a channel across the bar, or swash as it is called, of sufficient depth of water to enable the large steamers to cross into the sound. One great trouble about that is if they find one today it will all be [...]

Wednesday Jan’y 22d 1862 Nothing new today. Saw two of “Shorts & Smith” “Greek fire Bomb” burnt south of the Presidents House. It was (or appeared to be) quite a success. The Streets and crossings are worse than I have ever seen them before in this City. Called at Mr Hartleys for Julia on my [...]

Wednesday, 22d–Orderly Clark, Sergeants Spencer, Sweet and White went out on a scouting expedition and brought in a pair of ponies and some things to eat.

JANUARY 22d.—Some of the letter-carriers’ passports from Mr. Benjamin, which have the countenance of Gen. Winder, are now going into Tennessee. What is this for? We shall see.

Georgeanna to Mother. Steamer Spaulding. The Spaulding is bunked in every hole and corner. The last hundred patients were put on board to relieve the over-crowded shore hospital late last night; stopped at the gang plank, each one, while Charley numbered all their little treasures and wrote the man’s name. Though these night scenes on [...]

January, ‘62. To-day we are going out to look up some nurses for Will Winthrop’s regiment, and then to the Senate. I forgot to tell you a pretty story we heard the other day from Mrs. Gibbons, our Quaker lady friend. She is a very sweet, kind old lady, and she and her daughter have [...]

21st. First Battalion moved on horseback for St. Charles at nine A. M. Wrote to Uncle Albert.

Tuesday Jan’y 21st 1862 Weather continues soft and unpleasant, a light rain nearly all day. Battle in Kentucky and death of Zollicoffer confirmed. “Sesesh” must now take a succession of hard Knocks. Our troops are now disciplined and more in Earnest. In the office a[s] usual. Went down to the National this evening, spent an [...]

Tuesday, 21st–Nothing of importance. Everything is very quiet in this locality. We have nothing but the regular camp duty to perform. Mess number 7 have now used up all their cooked rice.

Jan. 21. The weather still continues in an unsettled state. Although not so rough as it was, it is still too rough to attempt to do much. All the vessels of our fleet are now here, except those that were lost and the schooner with the signal corps. Nothing has been heard from her, and [...]

JANUARY 21st.—A great number of Germans and others are going to Norfolk, thinking, as one remarked, if they can’t go to the United States the United States will soon come to them. Many believe that Burnside will get Norfolk. I think differently, but I may be mistaken.

20th. Moved into tents. Found missing equipment. Severe cold and rash.

Monday January 20th 1862 Another wet mudy day. The Govt Teams are in constant motion and the streets are a complete bed of mortar three or four inches deep over the roadway and two or three inches over the crossings. News rcd today of a Victory of my old friend Schoepf over Zollicoffer in Kentucky. [...]

Monday, 20th–It snowed some today and turned colder; the weather is very changeable. I wrote a letter to father and enclosed $20.00 of the $26.00 I received from the Government on the 8th inst.

Westwood, Hanover County, January 20,1862.—I pass over the sad leave-taking of our kind friends in Clarke and Winchester. It was very sad, because we knew not when and under what circumstances we might meet again. We left Winchester, in the stage, for Strasburg at ten o’clock at night, on the 24th of December. The weather [...]

JANUARY 20th.—Mr. Memminger advertises to pay interest on certain government bonds in specie. That won’t last long. He is paying 50 per cent. premium in treasury notes for the specie, and the bonds are given for treasury notes. What sort of financiering is this?

19th. Moved over the river in afternoon, found our barracks (Benton) occupied and unfit. Camped out in the fair grounds. Men occupied the amphitheatre.

Hatteras Island and Inlet. Jan. 19. Witnessing boat collisions and wrecks is getting old, and the boys are amusing themselves by writing letters, making up their diaries, playing cards, reading old magazines and newspapers which they have read half a dozen times before; and some of them are actually reading their Bibles. Of all the [...]

Sunday, 19th–Lieutenant Durbin and some of the boys went out scouting. They brought in a lot of corn to feed the horses; also some walnuts, hickory nuts, corn meal and molasses. The lieutenant took a “secesh” flag from a schoolma’am.

Sunday January 19th 1862 A rainy day, but Julia & I went out to ch in the afternoon. Dr Dwight, Missionary from Constantinople, officiated, rather a thin “House.” Mr Short did not come up on account of the rain I presume. It is very foggy this evening. Mrs Fenwick (Wido[w]) has been here all the [...]