19th. Went down with Thede to Spottsylvania. Visited all the fortifications. Went to the picket line. Could see the rebs very distinctly in rifle pits and works. Our fortifications only 1200 yds. apart. Train captured and recaptured.

18th. Read Independents and “Night and Morning,” by Charles Leper. Hard fighting today at Spottsylvania, nearly a drawn game. Ours if either.

17th. Lay in camp all day. Played whist with Seward and Abbey.

16th. Moved down to the valley near Fredericksburg. Went into town twice and looked at the fortifications and city. It must have been beautiful before the war. Scenery along the river splendid. Went around with Nettleton and Seward. Town full of wounded.

Sunday, 15th. Trains passing to the rear all night and today. Started teams for forage. Rainy night and cloudy today. Several from the Regt. down, Col. P.–Regt. under Maj. Nettleton had a fight with a brigade of rebs. Lost 15 or 20 horses, and four men were wounded. Rebs fell back as soon as the [...]

14th. Sent forage to the Regt. Maj. Seward came with four companies from Belle Plains. Gave several some dinner. Maj. Seward remained with us, unable to ride further. Regt. near Todd’s Tavern. No news from the army. Report that it is swinging round to the left. Some fighting in Burnside’s Corps.

13th. Comparatively quiet today. Christ’s brigade, Pa. and Mich. 9th Corps badly cut up in a charge. Com. killed beef and took to the command. Saw a paper of the 11th. Forage train arrived.

12th. Orders early to move. Sent 10 teams yesterday after forage. Sent two today for rations: Went with Pike and Ed. Livingston to the front, raining quite hard. Last night Gen. Hancock moved from right to left and this morning captured a division of Rebs under Johnson–Bushrod, I hear. Several charges made to little purpose. [...]

10th. During the day went to the regt. Some beef, 16½ cents per pound. Thomas and I went to the front. Arrived there at nearly sundown just as a charge was to be made. Gen. Grant, Meade and several lesser generals with staffs out. We fell in. Col. Upton’s Brigade charged and took the enemy’s [...]

9th. Moved half a mile in the afternoon and then divided my forage to last till Sunday. Many of the teams on quarter rations. Hard fighting, all day.

8th. During the day moved to Todd’s Tavern. A large open space. All the trains of the army parked here. An ocean of teams. Pulled out a short distance after dark. General order saying that our armies had been victorious at Spottsylvania during the day. Parked near Gen. Burnside’s Hdqrs. Saw Gen. Stevenson, Patten and [...]

7th. At 1 o’clock, received orders to pull out. Followed some 3rd Div. trains. Went down near Chancellorsville and breakfasted. Firing commenced early. Very hot and sultry. Regt. still back at the Ford. Moved to Chancellorsville (the walls of a brick house mark the spot) and remained over night. A good many fortifications remaining of [...]

6th. Regt. saddled and moved out into position at 2 o’clock. After breakfast went out to Regt. awhile. Very hot. Firing commenced at daylight. Heaviest again in Sedgwick’s Corps. Burnside over near Chancellorsville. Just about dark firing was very heavy. Various reports in regard to loss. Dreamed last night of Fannie.

5th. Orders to march at 4 o’clock. Got up in time for breakfast. Today our forces seem to abandon Brandy Station, and the railroad. Most of the army across the Rapidan and Germania Ford. Reached the ford with 300 cattle at 10. Four companies reported to Gen. Wilcox. Infantry crossing all day, 9th Corps. A [...]

4th. Got off before 4 o’clock. Came up with one div. of infantry at Bealeton Station. Beautiful morning. Went on to Brandy Station, unsaddled and got dinner and finally remained overnight. Drew hay and picked up some oats. Fight at Chancellorsville. Did some business.

2nd. Reveille at 4. Off at 7. Pike road still. Passed through Fairfax C. H. a place of only half a dozen scattered buildings. No fences along the road and very few houses, and those abandoned, hilly country and considerably woody. Camped near Bristol Station. 22nd and 24th N. Y. and 3rd N. J. near [...]

May 1st. Busy getting ordnance boxes returned to Dept. till 10 o’clock. Regt. marched at 11. Train off at about 1 P. M.–12 wagons. Thede and I stayed behind to get receipts for property. Left Washington between 5 and 6 o’clock. Capt. and A. D. C. on Maj. Gen. Auger’s staff disliked to give me [...]

30th. F.’s birthday–alas! alas! Busy all day getting Q. M. stores and fixing up for the march. Wrote home and to George. Didn’t get to bed till nearly one. Have had hard work for several days.

24th-29th. Busy at work supplying the regt. with horses, etc. 29 officers, on extra duty, returned to regt. Orders to march as soon as possible. Papers from home. Busy exchanging horses. Got 33 good ones in Washington.

23rd. Went to the White House and went through the East Room and two or three reception rooms. Eight very large mirrors in the East room, velvet and gilt papering, heavy brussels carpet, elegant sofas. Reception room surpasses anything I ever saw. Waited at Soldier’s Rest from 9 till 1 P. M. for Major Seward. [...]

22nd. Cars ready and off at 10 A. M. Got to Washington at 4 P. M. Rode to 6th St. wharf and made arrangements for transportation to Giesboro. Rather disappointed in the city of which I have read so much, where so many great men have congregated, where so much treason has been plotted, inhuman [...]

21st. Went to town half a dozen times. No train comes yet. Struck tents and moved out to camp. Parole before dark. Turned over property. Slept in open air.

20th. Received orders to turn in A Tents and draw shelter tents in readiness to go to Washington for outfit. Went to town late on bus. Drake received commission and Brown acceptance of resignation, good all around. Gave an oyster supper. Was not present.

8th-19th. Generally went to town once during the day on business and to see Dan. The boy has seen trouble and I fear that it will be too much for him. He had been intimate with and for some time engaged to a young lady of wealthy family. The father opposed the intimacy and engagement [...]