May 1st. Weather ?ne, and we are enjoying it. Our company remains at camp as headquarters’ guard. The other companies are going through surrounding towns, picking up all government property, and all that is collected is put in wagons and brought to this town. Everything marked U. S. must be collected and stored here. In [...]
April 30th. Fine growing weather. The leading topic in camp is, when do we go home. Picket duty suspended. Camp guard kept up, and provost duty in town to keep order and protect government property. Many horses and mules are corralled and guarded. This duty comes to our regiment. There is much that we must [...]
April 25th. Weather good. Regular routine of duty is now on again. Drill, dress parade, picket, and guard. Not much interest taken in these duties at this time. No danger now from the enemy. The only real interest is taken in our dress parades, as we have many visitors from town. Confederate soldiers are now [...]
April 20th. Weather fine. Real spring. All is quiet in camp. The body of the martyr President is being carried across the country to his home town, Springfield, Illinois. These are days of mourning. The sudden taking off of Mr. Lincoln is the topic of conversation in our camp. It is generally believed there was [...]
April 19th. All duty except guard and picket suspended since the assassination of Mr. Lincoln. These are days of mourning. Officers wear crape on the left arm and on the hilts of swords for thirty days. The funeral takes place today in Washington. The towns-people have arranged for a funeral parade and service to be [...]
April 16th. Sunday. No inspection. All is quiet in camp. After breakfast, cleaned up, ready for service in the log chapel. Sermon by our Chaplain. A good attendance, with several visitors from town. A good sermon on the sad event. All is quiet, and a very sad day in our camp. All duties suspended for [...]
April 15th. Early morning news from the pump. Reported the assassination of our beloved President. At first it could not be believed. I saw an orderly galloping into camp, going right to the Colonel’s quarters. He brought the official report. It was soon known through camp. It was a great shock and cast a great [...]
April 14th. Orders to clean up and prepare for a parade in town to celebrate the surrender of General Lee, and the capture of Richmond. The parade to take place in the afternoon. All troops in this vicinity to take a part in the big parade. Our company, C, color company, made a fine appearance [...]
April 13th. Our happiness continues. Ten minutes walk from camp, towards town, is a pump where we are obliged to go for water. Good water. A great meeting place for the people and the soldiers. News of the day is talked over. It is known as the news pump. Newspapers are not very plenty. They [...]
April 12th. Not much duty done since the last date. Talking and rejoicing over the events of the past few days. Orders to resume drilling. It creates opposition and much kicking. What’s the use. The war is over although peace has not been declared. Our term ends with the close of the war. Three years, [...]
April 10th. The firing of heavy field guns at midnight aroused everybody. Great rejoicing when we learned that General Lee has surrendered to our Grant. Crowds of people began to come to town very early to hear the latest news. It was hard for some to believe it. We hope the four years of struggling [...]
April 9th. Detailed for picket duty. Located out on Tuscaror road, in charge. One duty I had to perform was to examine all citizens who enter town, as the town is under martial law, and they must have passes to go in and out, which are obtained from the Provost Marshal. They must take the [...]
April 6th. A cold rain storm this morning. Nothing to do but try and keep comfortable. Discussing the war question, and what the indications are about our getting home. General Lee has not surrendered as yet. Perhaps there may be much more fighting. One question is, it may turn into a guerilla warfare, owing to [...]
April 5th. Orders received this morning to fall in without arms for a march into town and report at headquarters. Surprised to hear that we were to receive four months pay. It was overdue. No one left in camp but the camp guard. We were allowed more liberty than ever before. We remained in town [...]
April 4th. Relieved from picket this morning. On reaching camp there was great rejoicing over the good news. Reports continue to come about General Grant’s success. Shouting and singing, glory hallelujah on all sides. Citizens and soldiers cheering over the good news. Bands and drum corps making all the music they can. We are at [...]
April 3d. Detailed for picket. Located out on outpost on the Tuscaror road, leading to the North Mountain, about one mile out of town. Have done picket duty on this road many times. At the edge of town all roads are barricaded and closed for the nights, to prevent a sudden dash from the guerillas [...]
April 2d. New recruits continue to come to our regiment. Some are assigned to our company. Our regiment in good condition, and ready for any kind of duty. Good news continues to come from the front. All are happy over the prospects of the war ending soon.
April 1st. Weather improving, for which we are thankful. Good reports come from General Grant’s army, pushing General Lee. General Sheridan left the valley with his cavalry corps. Infantry left at Winchester. Great excitement over reports that come to headquarters. Many visitors from town witness our dress parade. Boys are doing their best to make [...]
March 30th. Nothing special for the past few days. Daily routine is kept up. When off duty tramp through the country, calling at the farms, meeting the old men. The young men are mostly in the army, either in the Union or the Confederate. Religious service is held in the log chapel, conducted by our [...]
March 24th. The past few days have been windy, with a cold rain, turning to hail and snow. The wind howling through our camp, coming from the North Mountain. Winter is hanging on. Every day we are led to believe that the war is about over with. No enemy has been reported in this vicinity [...]
March 20th. Pleased with change from Halltown. Everything quiet. We believe the war is about over. Crowds of rebel deserters are coming inside our lines. They are sick and tired of the war, believe their cause is lost. We send them under guard to the Provost Marshal’s office in town. Weather permitting, we drill and [...]
March 17th. Martinsburg. Weather clear, but very windy. Putting camp in order. Hoping for good weather. Lieutenant Merwin returned today, having been a prisoner of war since June 15th, 1863, most of the time at Richmond, Va.
March 16th. Routed out very early this morning. Soon in line and on the march, taking the road on to Harper’s Ferry. A great surprise to us when informed we go by train. Soon loaded into box cars, during a cold rain. A few miles out on the road the train came to a stop. [...]
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 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.