December 31st. We passed a very uncomfortable night in old dirty box cars. After a ride of sixty miles we reached a station known as Monrovia very early in the morning, just before daylight. Pickets were soon posted on the roads crossing the railroad. A sharp lookout was kept. After daylight we took possession of [...]

Wednesday, 31st–We left our bivouac at 6 a. m. and entered the town of Moscow at 7 and were then ordered to move to Lafayette, Tennessee, on the Memphis & Charleston Railroad thirty-five miles east of Memphis, where we are to guard the railroad. The town is located on the Wolf river and is surrounded [...]

31 Decr        This is the last day of this year—the success of our Army at Fredricksburg and the account of the difficulties at the North give us evidence of an end to this dreadful strife: but the change comes so slowly, ones wishes are not realized. Patience will have its perfect work.        Elizabeth had a [...]

  DECEMBER 31st.—There were more skirmishes near Vicksburg yesterday; and although several of the Louisiana regiments are said to have immortalized themselves (having lost only two or three men each), I suppose nothing decisive was accomplished. I have not implicit faith in Western dispatches; they are too often exaggerations. And we have nothing further from [...]

December 30th. Marching orders. Reported the rebel cavalry leader J. E. B. Stuart about to raid into Maryland along the Baltimore and Ohio Railroad. The three companies of our regiment and other troops here are suddenly ordered out on the line of the B. & O. R. R. Left camp tonight in a warm rain [...]

Provost Marshal’s Office, Waterford, Miss., December 30, 1862. Fifteen days outside the world and still we live. No papers of later date than the 15th inst. have reached us, and ’twill be at least five days’ move before we can hope to see one. In that time there have been some six or eight fights [...]

Tuesday, 30th–We struck our tents and started at 10 a. m. We reached Coldwater by noon and stopped for our mess. Our colonel must have been cold and in a hurry, for he gave the order, “Front right dress! Stack arms! Break ranks! Get rails and build fires! G– D–!” It amused the boys and [...]

DECEMBER 30th.—We have another crisis. Dispatches from Murfreesborough state the hostile armies are facing each other, and not a mile apart; the skirmishing increases, and a decisive battle may occur at any moment. From Vicksburg we have no further intelligence; but from the Rappahannock we learn that both artillery and infantry were distinctly heard yesterday [...]

Monday, 29th.—Wagons crossing river; went to river P. M., and took ride in canoe. Preaching at night, Acts ix. 5: “I am Jesus whom thou persecutest.” (Note: picture is of an unidentified Confederate soldier.)

Monday, 29th–We had company drill this morning and received orders to be ready to march in the morning. We have been at Holly Springs nine days now, and the town is almost deserted.[1] [1] When we passed through Holly Springs going south, the town looked very pretty, and no property was destroyed. But when the [...]

DECEMBER 29TH.–We have a dispatch from Vicksburg at last. The enemy, 25,000 strong, were repulsed three times yesterday, and finally driven back seven miles, to their gun-boats. It was no battle, for our loss was only 30, and that of the enemy 400. It will be fought to-day, probably. It is said an attempt will [...]

Alabama. Sunday, 28th.—Camped one and one-half miles from Whitesburg on Tennessee River. (Note: picture is of an unidentified Confederate soldier.)

Sunday, 28th–The weather is quite cool. We are pretty hard on clothes in the army. My bill for clothes up to this time is as follows: One overcoat, $7.20; two dress coats, $13.42; four pair pants, $12.12; two pair double woolen blankets, $5.12; three pair drawers, $1.50; two pair shoes, $3.12; three woolen shirts, $2.64; [...]

Dec. 3, 1862—Start to Raleigh, about ninety miles, taking wife, three children and a nurse. Rain all day. Spend night with Bro. Sykes. Dec. 4—Pass Fayetteville. Spend night with J. H. Hawley, one of the best men I ever knew. Dec. 5—Rain all day. Spend night with Allen Betts, my brother. Dec. 6—Clear and cold. [...]

DECEMBER 28th.—We have no news to-day from the West. If the great battle has been fought at Vicksburg, we ought to know it to-day or to-morrow; and if the enemy be beaten, it should be decisive of the war. It would be worse than madness to continue the contest for the Union. Several fine brass [...]

Saturday, 27th.—Passed Huntsville 12 M. Camped at Bird Spring. (Note: picture is of an unidentified Confederate soldier.)

Saturday, 27th–Nothing of importance.[1] [1] The days of the latter half of the month of December were the darkest we had seen up to that time and, as it proved, they were the darkest days of the entire Union army during the whole four years of war. Our armies, all along the line, East and [...]

December 27th, 1862.—Mother has a letter in the mail, which has just come telling of dear Grandpa’s illness. He went out on the ice to direct the man who was using the ice plow and took a violent cold. We feel very anxious. Mary Eliza is no better. The papers say the armies have gone [...]

DECEMBER 27th.—The successes in the West have been confirmed. Morgan captured 2000 and Van Dorn 1500 prisoners at Holly Springs. They likewise destroyed a large amount of stores. We have intelligence of a great armament, under Gen. Sherman, sailing from Memphis against Vicksburg. At the last accounts the President was at Vicksburg; and he may [...]

Friday, 26th.—Rained very hard; all got wet. Crossed Alabama line at 10 A. M. (Note: picture is of an unidentified Confederate soldier.)

Friday, December 26th, 1862. Monday Dr. Woods and Mr. Van Ingen stopped, just from their regiment in Kentucky and on their way home, and I begged so hard to see the Doctor, and promised so faithfully to retire if I suffered too much, that Mrs. Badger yielded, like an angel, and I carried my point. [...]

Friday, 26th–The Fourth Division commanded by General Logan passed here today on their way to Memphis. Nearly all of the troops which started on the expedition south have now returned.

DECEMBER 26th.—We have no news to-day—not even a rumor. We are ready for anything that may come. No doubt the assailants of Mobile, Wilmington, or Charleston, will meet with determined resistance. The President will be in Richmond about the first day of January. I saw a man who traveled with him in Alabama. Vicksburg, I [...]

Thursday, 25th—Passed Fayetteville 10:30 A. M. Crossed Elk River on splendid stone bridge. (Note: picture is of an unidentified Confederate soldier.)