Washington Thursday Jan’y 15th 1863 I have reason to be thankful that my health is so good. Today I have felt extremely well and have been quite busy all day although I have not done much on the “Board.” Josephine (Maj E Ps wife) and Mrs H P Knowles called upon me at my office [...]

Wednesday, 14th.—Marched two miles and camped on the banks of Tom Big Bee River. (Note: picture is of an unidentified Confederate soldier.)

14th. Wednesday. Met D. R. in the morning. Gave me a letter from Ella Clark. Went over to Co. H. and read it to the boys. The best I ever received from her, I think. The boys seemed pleased and surely I was.

Wednesday, 14th–It rained all night and much of the day. Our tents failed to turn the water, as the strong wind blowing literally drove the rain through the canvas, making it as wet where we lay as on the outside. There is no hay or straw to lie on at night and no lumber to [...]

Washington Wednesday January 14th 1863. As gloomy and as dark as two years ago are the days now. When we look into the future for our Country Dark days were those, and it looks dark now for the preservation of our Union. Our vast armies seem to be lying idle or baffled everywhere by our [...]

JANUARY 14th.—Gen. Beauregard, some of whose forces have been taken from him and sent to the defense of Wilmington, is apprehensive that they may be lost, in the event of the enemy making a combined naval and land attack, and then Charleston and Savannah would be in great peril. Gens. Smith and Whiting call lustily [...]

Tuesday, 13th.—Passed Clinton at 10 o’clock this morning. Citizens proposed to give regiment a dinner, but Colonel McConnell would not wait until they could get it ready; too bad. (Note: picture is of an unidentified Confederate soldier.)

13th. Tuesday. Spent the day very quietly at home. Worked as usual. Last night Chester treated to the oysters. Buglers expect to be mustered out, very jubilant over it. Wrote a letter home.

January 13.–P. T. Barnum delivered his lecture on ” The Art of Money Getting” in Bemis Hall this evening for the benefit of the Ladies Aid Society, which is working for the soldiers.  We girls went and enjoyed it.

Tuesday, 13th–We left bivouac this morning at 6 o’clock and moved on to within a mile of Memphis, where we went into camp. The day was cloudy, threatening rain, and by evening had turned quite cool, with a high wind blowing. The ground being very rough here, the setting up of our tents was pretty [...]

W[ashington]. Tuesday Jan’y 13th 1863 (My Birth day) 57 years. The first thing that I hear in the morning is the cry of the News Boys, “Baltimore Sun & Clipper,” “Morning Chronicle,” “Northern Battle.” At 3 o’clock the “Star.” About 4 o’ck it is “Star 2nd Edition,” “Northern Union Victory.” After the N York mail [...]

  JANUARY 13th.—The generals in North Carolina are importunate for reinforcements. They represent the enemy as in great force, and that Weldon, Goldsborough, Raleigh, and Wilmington are in extreme peril. Lee cannot send any, or, if he does, Richmond will be threatened again, and possibly taken. How shall we live? Boarding ranges from $60 to [...]

Camp 103d Illinois Infantry, Jackson, Tenn., January 12, 1863. Your letters are beginning to come through with more regularity and on decidedly better time. Have received your date of December 30, although the last was dated November 16th, and was the first you wrote after we left Peoria. You bewailed our being sent south of [...]

January 12th. Nothing of importance is occurring now-adays to mark one day from another.  

12th. Monday. Capt. N. called for me. Went into the house and stayed till noon, then went to the depot and met Melissa and S. R. N. Went with them to N.’s Aunt’s. Plain people. Returned to camp and went down with boys to Mr. Rice’s. Melissa there. Very good visit. Miss Cohen there, too. [...]

Monday, 12th–We struck tent early this morning and at 8 o’clock took up the line of march, the entire Sixth Division being on the road bound for Memphis. Companies E and K are on rear guard. The day being fairly warm and quite pleasant, we covered twenty miles without incident, and bivouacked for the night [...]

Washington Monday Jan’y 12 1863 The capture of Galvestion & the Steamer “Harriet Lane” by the Rebels has become a fixed fact and is not a “Secesh lie,” and what is full as bad, our forces were badly repulsed at Vicksburgh with much loss to us. Our “Army of the potomac” is still idle on [...]

JANUARY 12TH.—The news of the successful defense of Vicksburg is confirmed by an official dispatch, to the effect that the enemy had departed up the Mississippi River. By the late Northern papers, we find they confess to a loss of 4000 men in the several attacks upon the town! Our estimate of their loss did [...]

Georgranna Woolsey to her brother-in-law, Joseph Woolsey. P. G. HOSPITAL. Thank you, my Colonel, for the doughnuts and comic papers. They are just what the men prize most, and under every pillow I shall establish a little nest of both! . . . I always accompany a “Life of Headley Vicars” with a piece of [...]

Sunday,11th.—Cross Black Warrior River 11 A. M. (Note: picture is of an unidentified Confederate soldier.)

11th. Sunday. Stayed at home again and read the Independent and home letters telling of M.’s marriage.

Sunday, 11th–We received orders to be ready to march early in the morning for Memphis. The report in camp is that we are to go on down the Mississippi river. The Fourth Brigade of the Third Division came in at 5 o’clock in the evening and relieved our brigade. A detail from the Eighty-first Illinois [...]

The following diary entry contains wording that is offensive to many in the world of today. However, the entry is provided unedited for its historical content and context. Washington Sunday Jan’y 11th 1863 Attended religious service in the Senate Chamber this morning. If the service was not so very interesting, one can endure even a [...]

JANUARY 11th.—The message of Gov. Seymour, of New York, if I am not mistaken in its import and purposes, will have a distracting effect on the subjugation programme of the government at Washington. I shall look for riots, and perhaps rebellions and civil wars in the North. Mr. Stanley, ycleped Governor of North Carolina, has [...]