Sunday 2nd Froze a little last night but has thawed in the sun all day. Went out to church with wife and boys. Chaplin Booth of the 5th Regt Sickels Brigad[e] preached, a pretty smart man. A crazy man in the church made a disturbance by giving an Extra discourse. He was hustled out by [...]

Saturday January February 1st 1862 Nothing of any particular note has occured today. The ground was covered with Snow this morning, but it has thawed all day. Went down after dinner and with the three boys and got them all new boots with which they were highly pleased, paid $4.25 for the lot. Got “Bud” [...]

Friday 31st A cloudy damp day, in the office as usual. Engaged the Pat office Draughtsman to make drawings for my Door Fastener. I shall make application for a pat next week. Remained at home this evening except going to Mr Hartleys for Julia at 9 o’clock. I have been writing the specification for my [...]

Thursday 30th Rain again today. The Lyons friends left for home this evening. The boys have staid in the house and attended to their lessons better than usual. I Have not been out tonight, been drawing some and reading the “Star” aloud. No particular war news but a good deal expected soon. The Boys went [...]

Wednesday Jan’y 29th 1862 Rained half the day and the streets in a bad condition again. Nothing new today. This evening Mrs A B Williams, Mrs VanMaster and David Griffith came up and took tea with us and spent the evening, leaving about 10 o’clock. Chas & Sally were also here. We all had a [...]

Tuesday 28 Rain today and the streets again in a bad condition. Mr Fenwick and Lady, Miss Lucy Munson (Mrs Fenwicks Sister), and Mr Cobb spent the evening here. Mr VanMaster & Lady, Mis Williams and Ed Dickerson call[ed] in a carriage for Julia to go with them to the Presidents Levee, so she got [...]

Monday January 27th 1862 A pleasant day, a good air & cool. There has been no news afloat. I have been in the office all day as usual. Mrs Williams, Mrs VanMaster, D Griffiths & Ed Dick’n visited the Presidents with my wife, saw the President and the “White House.” This evening myself and Julia [...]

Sunday 26th Rather pleasant today. Went out to church in the morning with Julia & the Boys. Wife went in the afternoon. Met Ed Dickerson & took him to church. The two Lincoln boys were here after our boys to go up there to see their new poney. Our boys could not go on Sunday. [...]

Satturday Jan’y 25/62 Weather more favorable today, a cool fine air, but plenty of mud in the streets. No news worth mentioning. The news papers are dull for want of some new sensation. Got set of chairs, one bedstead, mattress & Rocker today. Cane seats are the best I can afford for my parlor. Went [...]

Friday Jan’y 24th 1862 Colder today but still freezes but little. Tonight the wind blows from the north bringing rain and sleet. It is a terrible bad night out, and I cannot but think of the hundreds of poor sentries on duty who have to stand and take it. No particular news today in the [...]

Thursday 23d 1862 In the office as usual. No rain today and a little cooler, but does not freeze. Geo W Prentice was an hour in our room today, quite sociable. Thinks Schoepf did the fighting at “Somerset” whether he gets the credit of it or not, and I think so too. I must call [...]

Wednesday Jan’y 22d 1862 Nothing new today. Saw two of “Shorts & Smith” “Greek fire Bomb” burnt south of the Presidents House. It was (or appeared to be) quite a success. The Streets and crossings are worse than I have ever seen them before in this City. Called at Mr Hartleys for Julia on my [...]

Tuesday Jan’y 21st 1862 Weather continues soft and unpleasant, a light rain nearly all day. Battle in Kentucky and death of Zollicoffer confirmed. “Sesesh” must now take a succession of hard Knocks. Our troops are now disciplined and more in Earnest. In the office a[s] usual. Went down to the National this evening, spent an [...]

Monday January 20th 1862 Another wet mudy day. The Govt Teams are in constant motion and the streets are a complete bed of mortar three or four inches deep over the roadway and two or three inches over the crossings. News rcd today of a Victory of my old friend Schoepf over Zollicoffer in Kentucky. [...]

Sunday January 19th 1862 A rainy day, but Julia & I went out to ch in the afternoon. Dr Dwight, Missionary from Constantinople, officiated, rather a thin “House.” Mr Short did not come up on account of the rain I presume. It is very foggy this evening. Mrs Fenwick (Wido[w]) has been here all the [...]

Friday 17th Nothing new today. Soft moderate weather, the crossings all slush. Very muddy everywhere off the sidewalk. No particular war news. The financial affairs of the Nation look better. The 150,000,000 Tax Bill has passed both Houses of Congress which is a basis upon which loans can be made as it makes the interest [...]

1862 Thursday Jan’y 16th Streets all ice this morning and all the boys out Skateing before breakfast. In the office all day. Geo D Prentice of the Louisville Journal in the room today. Very plain appearing man, rather slovenly in Dress and looking anything but a Wit who keeps the whole country laughing. Went down [...]

Wednesday Jan’y 15th Nothing new in the City or from the army. More Cabinet changes talked of, and I think necessary. Julia had letter from Mrs Dr Barnes of the 27th Regt. She has been staying in Camp for the last ten weeks living in a tent. She also had a letter from Miss Mirrick [...]

January 14th 1862 This has been a wintry day, the ground covered with snow, air damp and chilly. M. about 27. Cameron, the Sec’y of War, has resigned. Edw’d M Stanton takes his place. Ostensibly he retires voluntarily, the Papers say so. But in reality the “outside pressure” forced it upon him. He was compelled [...]

Monday Jan’y 13th 1862 Colder today. M. this morning down to 34, tonight at 28. Have been in the office all day, moved into another room today on the Land office. A Brother of Geo D Prentice of the Louisville Journal is at the next desk to mine. Mr Rickets & Mr Osgood are also [...]

Sunday Jan’y 12 1862 A warm pleasant day. Julia is over her cold and went out to church. Chaplin Booth of NY preached all day. He is a Methodist. Young Thos Lincoln (“Tad”) came up this morning and went to Sunday school and to church with our boys. I was down to the Hotels this [...]

Saturday Jany 11th 1862 Warm pleasant day with muddy crossings. The public mind is now on “tiptoe” to learn news in reference to the two great expeditions, Genl Burnsides which left Annapolis yesterday, and Genl Grants Ironclad Gun Boat Expedition which left Cairo the same day for the south. It is thought that these concerted [...]

Friday Jan’y 10th 1862 This has been a warm foggy day, streets very mudy. Nothing new in the City worthy of notice. The Burnside Expedition has left Annapolis for Old Point, its destination not yet publicly known. But it is Expected that it will go up some of the Rivers into Virginia. Success attend the [...]

Thursday Jan’y 9th 1862 In the office as usual. It rained most of last night. Warm today, very foggy tonight. I have spent the evening at home. The boys read, write, spell & cypher and “Bud” gets a Latin lesson every day. There is a good deal of sickness in the City and many deaths [...]