January 3rd, 1863.—My dear, dear Grandpa is dead. I loved him so well and now I will never see him again. Mother was all ready to start to North Carolina today but a telegram came telling the sad news. Mary Eliza died in the night and she will be buried here tomorrow. There is trouble [...]
JANUARY 3d.—To-day we have a dispatch from Vicksburg stating that the enemy had re-embarked, leaving their intrenching instruments, etc., apparently abandoning the purpose of assaulting the city. This is certainly good news. Gen. Stuart did not cross the Potomac, as reported in the Northern press, but, doubtless, the report produced a prodigious panic among the [...]
Washington Friday Jan’y 2nd 1863. Another most delightful day. The New Year commences very smilingly. May it be an indication of the future fortunes of our Country and may Peace through our whole land smile as brightly long before we see the last of 1863. It is reported tonight that a great Battle was fought [...]
Friday, 2d.—Passed through very poor country. Crossed Black Warrior River, 2 P. M. (Note: picture is of an unidentified Confederate soldier.)
January 2d. Late last night, our second night out, pickets began firing. We were called out and soon had line formed. The supposed enemy proved to be Union scouts with orders for the Colonel to return to Baltimore. The enemy did not come into Maryland. The command was complimented for the way it turned out [...]
2nd. Friday. Issued bread and beef. Read some. In the afternoon rode to town. Went up into the Senate and heard the big-bugs spout. Went to Quartermaster and selected some pants. Crabbed fellows.
Friday, 2d–We are now on less than half rations and the outlook for anything better in the next few days is not good, although a train was expected to come through from Memphis today.[1] The railroad east and west from us has been torn up; the rebel cavalry seem to be able to destroy it [...]
JANUARY 2d.—A dispatch from Gov. Harris gives some additional particulars of the battle near Murfreesborough, Tenn. He says the enemy was driven back six miles, losing four generals killed and three captured, and that we destroyed $2,000,000 commissary and other stores. But still we have no account of what was done yesterday on the “extreme [...]
January 1st.—Left banks of the Tennessee and marched up Sand Mountain. (Note: picture is of an unidentified Confederate soldier.)
January 1st. When off picket duty try to keep comfortable by the picket fires and chopping wood for the large camp fire just outside the church. No place in the church for fires.
New Orleans, January 1st, 1863. Nothing of importance has occurred this day.
January 1st, Thursday, 1863. 1863! Why I have hardly become accustomed to writing ’62 yet! Where has this year gone? With all its troubles and anxieties, it is the shortest I ever spent! ’61 and ’62 together would hardly seem three hundred and sixty-five days to me. Well, let time fly. Every hour brings us [...]
Friday, Dec. 28th, 1862, till Jan. 1st, 1863. Received and answered home letters. Kept at my old duties of Com. Sergt., not very arduous. Delos went home, having received a telegram that his presence was needed there. They had a real family gathering of friends from east, south and west. Came back the 31st and [...]
1 January This is New Years Day. I feel most thankful for all the unmerited mercies, we have had troubles, & losses, but how much worse they might have been. Through all this dreadful war we have as yet been spared, how long that may be, O! Lord thou knowest. We have had a most [...]
Thursday, 1st–We have become somewhat indifferent about keeping our camp in the best possible order, for we have been disappointed so often in soon having to leave a camp which we took pains to build. We have, however, fairly good bunks in our tents, made of brush and leaves. Our duties are very laborious here, [...]
The New Year. January 1, 1863. By the blessing of God we have entered the portals of another year. Who knows what storms within it hide? Who can tell how many of us will enter on another year? but let us not despond; let us look with bright hopes to the future, going manfully forward, [...]
Washington Thursday Jan’y 1st 1863. Diary. The New Year has opened beautifully, it has been a mild and bright day. The Departments of the Govt have been (as usual) closed, and the whole City (Males) went at 12 o’clock to pay their respects to the President. The Foreign Ministers and the officers of the Army [...]
JANUARY 1st, 1863.—This first day of the year dawned in gloom, but the sun, like the sun of Austerlitz, soon beamed forth in great splendor upon a people radiant with smiles and exalted to the empyrean. A letter from Gen. H. Marshall informed the government that Gen. Floyd had seized slaves in Kentucky and refused [...]
On the 22nd of September, 1862, a gleam of light had shone, the President had issued “his preliminary proclamation of emancipation; and now on January 1st, 1863 came the announcement of full liberty to the captives. Extract from the Proclamation. “I, Abraham Lincoln, President of the United States, by virtue of the power vested in [...]
Camp Winder, Caroline Co., Va., January 1, 1863. I have not heard from you since the battle. Since then we have had a quiet time and everything looks like rest for some time to come. The men are fixing up their shanties for the winter. They seem happy and contented. It is sad to look [...]