March 15th. Orders received for our regiment to report at Martinsburg. Must leave our winter quarters at Halltown. We are relieved by the 144th Indiana Regiment. Busy packing up, as we are to march tomorrow. Will pass one more night in our winter quarters. Time has passed very pleasant in this camp during the winter.

March 15th.–Warm and cloudy. My cabbages coming up in the garden. The papers contain no war news whatever, yet there is great activity in the army. Sheridan’s column is said to be at Ashland, and Grant is reported to be sending swarms of troops to the north side of the river, below, “in countless thousands.” [...]

March 15th, 1865.—I am afraid we have the swell-head because we repulsed the enemy and made him take to his gun-boats. It seems to have put new life and hope in us all. The news from the armies is a mixture of good and bad; more funds are needed for the hospitals and Leon County [...]

March 15th.–Lawrence says Miss Chesnut is very proud of the presence of mind and cool self-possession she showed in the face of the enemy. She lost, after all, only two bottles of champagne, two of her brother’s gold-headed canes, and her brother’s horses, including Claudia, the brood mare, that he valued beyond price, and her [...]

March 14, 1865. It is supposed we will be here two or three days, to get some shoes up the river.

Tuesday, 14th–I went out early this morning with the foraging party of our division, in search of feed for the horses and mules. We came to a rich plantation about four miles out, with corncribs well filled, and in a short time we had the wagons loaded. Some of us had been put to loading [...]

14th. Moved out at daylight. When 6 miles from the South Anna ground squirrel bridge, my battalion was ordered forward at a trot to support the 1st Conn. in a chase after Early with 300 men. Kept up the chase 12 miles. Crossed the Chickahominy–10 miles from Richmond–scattered the force. Custer offered 30 days’ furlough [...]

March 14th. This morning the 131st Ohio Regiment located near our camp. A new regiment. Just organized. Real young, fine looking fellows. Hope they won’t be obliged to see hard service, for war is a cruel thing.

March 14th.–Bright and pleasant, but indications of change. The papers contain no news from the armies, near or remote. But there was some alarm in the upper portion of the city about 9 P.M. last night, from a signal seen (appended to a balloon) just over the western horizon. It was stationary for ten minutes, [...]

“RALEIGH, March 14th, 1865. “My dear Wigfall: “I have just received yours of February 27th. I have been for two weeks looking for an opportunity other than by mail, to send you a letter. But all are reported to me too late. “What you write me of Lee gratifies me beyond measure. In youth and [...]

Monday, 13th–The Seventeenth Corps crossed the river this morning and marched out about a mile, where we halted till late in the afternoon, when we moved forward three miles and went into bivouac for the night. Three more boats came up from Wilmington today. They are to be loaded with the refugees and contrabands gathered [...]

13th. Monday. Reveille at 4 A. M. Out at 5:30. Went out on R. R. and destroyed a great distance of the R. R. The boys worked with a will. Burned several warehouses full of tobacco. Lay in camp from 1 A. M. 1st Div. up the R. R.

March 13th. A little excitement this morning. Rebel cavalry made a dash for our picket line. Regiment called out, soon in line. We saw the rebs going up the valley, running their horses. More fresh fish received, as we call the recruits. A muddy time in camp, and bad weather.

March 13th.–Bright and pleasant. The reports of the army of Sheridan (mostly mounted infantry) being within a few miles of the city were at least premature. Subsequent reports indicate that none of the enemy’s cavalry have been in the vicinity of Richmond, but that his force, a pretty strong one, is some 20 miles up [...]

Fayetteville, N. C., March 12, 1865. We are camped a couple of miles from town. Marched about 13 miles to-day. Had to put down pontoons at both branches of Rockfish creek. At the town of Rockfish, the 17th A. C. burned a factory, throwing about 150 women out of employment. One of our gunboats came [...]

Sunday, 12th–We remained in our bivouac all day, the boys putting in the time in mending their shoes and clothing. The Fifteenth Corps came in today. The engineers laid the pontoons across the river. Fayetteville is just across on the east bank of the river, and is at the head of navigation, ninety miles from [...]

12th. Sunday. Reveille at 3 A. M. Marched at 5. A snail’s pace all day. Clear and beautiful day. Moved north. 1st Div. moved off to the left. Have thought a good deal of home and friends today. God bless the dear ones at home. Camped at Frederick Hall Station.

March 12th.–Bright and frosty. About one o’clock last night, there was an alarm, supposed to be the approach of the enemy from the West–Sheridan’s cavalry–and the tocsin sounded until daylight. It was a calm moonlight night, without a cloud in the sky. Couriers reported that the enemy were at the outer fortifications, and had burned [...]

March 12th.–Better to-day. A long, long weary day in grief has passed away. I suppose General Chesnut is somewhere–but where? that is the question. Only once has he visited this sad spot, which holds, he says, all that he cares for on earth. Unless he comes or writes soon I will cease, or try to [...]

12th.—A deep gloom has just been thrown over the city by the untimely death of one of its own heroic sons. General John Pegram fell while nobly leading his brigade against the enemy in the neighbourhood of Petersburg. But two weeks before he had been married in St. Paul’s Church, in the presence of a [...]

Davis Bridge, Rockfish Creek, March 11, 1865. Ten miles to-day, full seven of which had to be corduroyed. The worst road I ever saw. The 17th corps occupied Fayetteville to-day. The foragers took the place. It is as large as Columbia and has a large arsenal. Heard of two or three men being captured by [...]

Saturday, 11th–It is clear again and quite pleasant. We were off at 7 a. m. and marched twelve miles. Went into bivouac within a mile of Fayetteville. Our division had the honor of driving the rebels out of town, but the Fourteenth Corps was placed on garrison duty. All of Sherman’s forces, the four corps, [...]

11th. Saturday. Lay in camp all day. Cleaned up. Two inspections. Bathed and changed my clothes. Details went out for forage. Seemed good to get a day’s rest. Improved it as well as possible with the work to do.

March 11th.–Bright and frosty. From a published correspondence between Gens. Hampton and Sherman, on the subject of retaliatory executions, it is mentioned by the former that the City of Columbia, S. C., was burned by the latter. Dispatches this morning inform us of some little successes–Hampton over Kilpatrick in the South, and Rosser over a [...]