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 [...]