[from the diary of Jesse Calvin Spaulding of the 25th Massachusetts]

This forenoon took account
of stock. Overhauld all the
stuff belonging to the government, and
mad a list of them. After dinner went
ashore in the boat. First went to the
Lieutenants office, then to see Brown then
to Capt. Goodrichs and then out on
the street. Bought a cap and some other
things, came back to the steamer in the
Zouaves boat. Have been reading the
papers, and wrote a Letter to Jennie
this evening. Have enjoyed today much.
It has been a nice day and I have felt well.

MSS 11293

My Darling Wife –
I will write you to day a short business letter about some
matters which I had intended to have attended to in person if I had
gotten home as I expected to have done. I enclose a diagram which will
explain to you the work which I propose for the farm next year. It shows about
eighteen acres for corn and about twenty acres for oats. To do this you will
require (in addition to the services of Jack and Fitzgerald) a boy some 15 or 18
years old who can be hired for some $60 to $75. I have written a letter to Wm.
White to hire such a boy for me. Send it to him by Jack and direct Jack
make inquiry and find one who will suit. I have written to Col Paxton, Nelson
and Page who hired negroes to me last year that I will pay their bills as soon
as the crops which I raised last year can be sold. Hay, I understand, is now worth
Lexington about $1.25 per hundred and straw some 50 to 75 cents. I wish you would
use the corn stalks in feeding your cows, which make a very good feed so as to have
as much hay and straw to sell as practicable. I think it might be arranged so as when
the wagon went with a load of hay or straw it might bring back a load of manure
to be thrown out on the poor land opposite the avenue gate now in wheat
You had better have a pair of hay ladders made so as to answer the purpose
and at the same time with some thin plank put at the sides and bottom to
haul manure. The manure I have been in the habit of buying at $1 for a
four horse load & the load of straw would bring at the rate it is now selling
for some $10 or $15. The manure would be worth as much on the land as the
straw would be.
I have written to Pa requesting him to buy for me some 10 or 12 stock hogs and
send them in to you. Enclosed you will find the letter which you can send to him by
the first opportunity.
I suppose you have from our wheat crop an abundant supply of bran

[page 2]
to keep your cows this winter. The old cow which I bought at John G. Hamiltons sale
is very indifferent and I doubt whether her milk will pay for her feed, and you
had better ^ ‘get’ Jack to sell her for you. You will still have three left and her
feed added to theirs will give more milk than you get from her. Are you milking
the two Durham heifers? I know they both lost their calfes. I wish good care taken
of them.
You will need for the land which I have directed to be sown in clover
some 60 acres about eight bushels of seed. It will not be needed until
about first of March and I will make arrangement to get it before that
time.
Helen said in one of her letters that you had made 600 bushels of corn. This is
not as much as I expected. I thought the 12 acres by the side of the avenue would
bring about 50 bushels per acre and 35 acres on the other side of the plank
road would bring about 20 per acre which would make some 300 bushels
I hope the hands were able to get the crop gathered before Christmas
If so the plows had better be started as soon as the weather is favourable
leaving the fencing and other work to be done when the weather is
not suitable.
I have generally bought all the ashes I could get at about 8 or 10 cents
per bushel. I think you had better get all that may be for sale at the
Institute, College, and Hotels, and they can be hauled by the wagon
which can take in a load of hay or wood. I desire to have plaster
and ashes sown upon all of the land which is in clover and grass
This must be done in the spring and I will make arrangements to
have the plaster provided before it is needed.
I have thus given you my plan of next years campaign on the farm
You had better call a council of war consisting of Fitz and Jack, read
over and explain my letter and diagram, and I know they will do
their best to have the work done as well as it can. If they suggest anything
as impracticable in it write to me about it. Find out from them and
let me know how much corn they think has been made after fattening
the hogs & how much there will be for sale after keeping enough for
our own use next year. How much hay they think there will be for
sale after keeping enough for our own use.
I still have a hope of getting home before very long. I have no doubt
the General will close operations when the first snow falls and I know
you will concur with me in the hope that this may be very soon.
I hope by the time this reaches you, you may be able to write to me
I will write to you again on Sunday not on business
Goodbye Ever Yours
E F Paxton
[The above letter does not appear in Civil War Letters of General Frank “Bull” Paxton.]

Elisha Franklin “Bull” Paxton, University of Virginia alumnus and Confederate General, commanded the 27th Virginia Infantry and later the 1st “Stonewall” Brigade at Fredericksburg and Chancellorsville.

MSS 2165

My Dear Father your letter of the 23d is received as you think
my last letter was rather long I thought I would make this A short
letter for that purpose I have taken A small sheet of paper the first
question you ask is are we in comfortable quarters yes, we are, we
moved into Barracks Tuesday we are all in with the exception
of the Officers & four companies,& they will be in less than A week
who is the writer that makes so much fuss about the Soldiers on
Federal [Hill] suffering so much from the cold, as I wrote you in my last
we have as much wood as we want to burn there are some that would
grumble if they had roast turkey every day, those that grumble are
the ones that always play sick when there is any duty to do, I cannot
stand the cold better than anyone else, I have not suffered any yet
now it is true had A few cold nights & there has been but two of us in
A tent while the other tent had from three to five in them you
would not think the men suffered any if you could see them get
up in the morning & go to the Hydrant & strip to the waist, that is
done every morning the whole story is the Colonel of our Regiment is A
hard working man & whatever he can do for the comfort of the men
he will do he has worked himself sick several times while we were
at work on the Fort he was not absent halfe an hour in the day
he was all over the work first with A shovel next with A pick
then again with A Baltimore Hack, that is the name we give it
some folks call it A wheelbarrow if the men behave themselves they
have no better man in the Regiment if the men do not behave themselves
they can find no harder one to deal with, The men that do not
behave themselves & get punished are those that make complaint
to give you some Idea what kind of A man we have for A Colonel
I will relate A little incident that happened one evening on dress
Parade, every evening on dress parade it is the rule to read off the
Order such as trial of court martial Regimental order & the evening
I speak of it was rather cold & the men having no gloves their hands
were verry cold when the Adjutant took the book for the purpose of
reading the order the col stoped, this may seem A small matter but to us
it was A big thing. the one that told the story about Genl Lockwood left out
the best part of it he said he could find out the man so he went along the
line & picked out A man that was sick & had not been out of camp since the
Regt had been at Easville the man happened to have some feathers on his blanket
it was then that the men began to gobble, Gen Lockwood was verry much disliked
by the whole Brigade as for taking turkeys & chickens when we were hungry we
did what was right we were in an enemys country & every man countanenced
the Rebellion we were hungry & provisions here gave out we wanted something
we wanted something to eat we got it that was all, we took no property nor
destroyed any no one was injured, as for Gen Lockwood perhaps he is not
the most Loyal Gen in the Army, now about Suttlers it is true they charge
tremendous prices for their goods but many of the suttlers may be situated like the
suttler of our Regt untill this month he had no commission from the government
has been doing business here the men knew that he was not an aurthorized
suttler & of course he could not oblige the men to pay him of course he must
charge enough to make up for those that did not pay him & I have no doubt
that A great many others have lost large sums of money, but now the suttler
of the Regt is appointed by the Government & is oblidged to charge no more
than A fair profit if he charges more than he ought the men are protected
by law in regard to suttlers, it is no use Suttlers cannot be dispensed with
‘they do not make any more than the Quartermasters if you was A soldier
used tobacco writing papers, pens, & blacking you must have them & if
you are verry far from any City or Village & want these articles the suttler
is indispensible in regard to setting price the suttler of this Regiment does not
keep any the men do not buy of the suttler if they can help it there are A
number of poor Women that bring pies, cake, apples &c to the Camp & the
soldiers buy of them I can keep away from the suttler unless I want their
things & must have them this is all I have to say about them. I saw A leter
in the transcript from A member of the 8th Maine dated at Port Royal, the
writer of the letter I think shows A lack of good sense when he writes as he
does about the 10th Maine suppose they did not have A battle suppose they
did nothing but to guard their Corps as the writer says what of that did
they not do what they were ordered to do the 10th of Maine is as good A
Regiment as any in the service & if they are ordered into Battle will be as
ready & willing as any other I am sorry that one from the same state should
write in such A manner I am personably[sic] acquainted with the Col, Major
& A large number of the Officers & I know they will not be behind any of
Regiments in Battle I notice what you say about Cols Dow & shepley with
the exception of their want of A Military education they I think will
prove to be two as good Cols as Maine has sent to the war I am not surprised
at all that the folks in Portland should say what they did of things for
there are some if they are not fortunate enough to obtain them get
commissions themselves turn & abuse them that are fortunate enough
to obtain them as for myselfe I am satisfied I am on good terms with
every man in the company & can get as many favours from them as
an other one in the company there has been A large number of
commissions given to men in this company men are being promoted
every day there are four vacancies to be filled in company F caused by
two of the men obtaining commissions in other regiments & two Men
were promoted I have written Just what I think & just what I believe
& hope the letter will prove interesting I recd A letter from Joseph
yesterday he says he as signed the allotment bill by which you can
draw fifteen dollars every pay day from you Son Geo W Leavitt

Letters from George Leavitt of the 5th New York and his brother Joseph of the 5th Maine were copied into a ledger by their father John Leavitt in October 1865 “because they are of value to me and I was fearful that they might get mislaid.” Both boys were mortally wounded in the war, George at Second Bull Run, August 30, 1862, and Joseph at Spotsylvania, May 18, 1864.

MSS 66

[from the diary of Jesse Calvin Spaulding of the 25th Massachusetts]

Got up this morni[n]g about seven
Had a good breakfast and got
ready to go ashore but the Captain said
it was against orders, so I sent for a
permit which was granted me
after dinner. I went ashore with the
mate in the boat. It was pretty rough
and the boat danced over the waves
beautifully. Went and got a general pass
to get out of the yard and saw Brown
and Emily Upton and Mrs Brown and
then came back to the steamer. Am
enjoying myself finely. May I not forget
from whom all blessings are received
and give all the praise to God.

MSS 11293

[from the diary of Francis G. Hale of the 34th Ohio Zouaves]

I was on guard last
night I came near
freeseing my feete for
it was awfull cold
and we had no fire
to day is very cold
and the boys keepe close
to the fire we had
Batalion drill and the
boys did not do right
some times and then
the Liewtenant Colonel
wou[ld] cuss for surtain
we had lots of fun
the boys part of them
would not go out
they came near
going in the guard house
we had rosted potatoes for super.

MSS 13405

[from the diary of James Dinsmore Templeton, private and musician in the 23rd Ohio]

Played & practiced as
usual. Bathed last night
washed my clothes this
morning Sent my Boots
out to have mended
partly clear cold

MSS 10317

Miss Rachel [Bramham]

Your kind and most heartily
welcome letter of the 18th inst was duely
Received some few days since and I having
to leave for Picket duty at an about that time
prevented me from having an opportunity to
Respond as promptly as I had anticipated But
I trust it is not too late to reach you Before
you leave your Papa. I have for several days been
feasting on the hope and Really the expectation
of getting a furlough for some few days
but alas, my hopes were Blasted yesterday
when it was made known that no fulouhgs[sic]
would be granted only to those that would
Reinlist for the war that I could not nor wou
-d not do though I have as great a desire
as any person to visit my friends Relations
and the Ladies above all: If I could have gotten
a furlough as my officers promised me I shou
-ld have spent one day and night at least
at your pas that was my intention when
I made the application. But I suppose our
supperiours knows what is Best, for us and
we privates are obliged to submit to their
Requirements let them be what they will

[page 2]
I will give you a short Detail of our Picket
excu[r]sion as I imagine you are not much acquai-
nted with that part of a soldiers duty, we the left
wing of our Regiment that is half of the Regt–
Started last Sunday morning for our post which
is about five miles below here we arrived there about
twelve oclock we left two companies at the main
post as is customary while the others are placed
away out on out post to to[sic] wa[t]ch the movement
of the enemy and it fell to the lot of my company
to go out on the extreme out post and you
Recollect I have no doubt how it rained hailed
and snowed sunday night But we could not
keep in doors our account of the weather I was
out on post four hours during the night and
feel none the better from it now thoug[h] I am
not sick this duty we have to perform about
twice a month–you are aware I have no
doubt that soldiers have to live as they can
their only shelter from the weather to the
preasant time have been cloth Tents. But
finding them insufficient since the weather
has become so cold,we have Built log cabbins
and my self and mess have just completed
and moved into ours: a small cabbin Built
of logs stick and dirt chimney and covered
with oak Boards and hardly large enough
for a lady to turn around in dressed in

[page 3]
the usual summer habilhaments, though
it is small and rough yet it adds consider-
ably to our comfort: Just imagine for a moment
a mess of eight men sitting a round a Bright
Blazing fire in a rude cabbin what comfort
what pleasure a,las, it is no pleasure for me
to be excluded from the preasance of all the
fair ones there is no Real pleasure in such
a life, when I can clasp some gentle fair
hand in mine and call it my own when
I can have one near and dear that will
share equally with me in pleasure and
distresses then I would call this life a Real
pleasure I look forward with much anxie-
ty to that time if the Lord sees fit to spare
my life I trust I shall ere long be the happy
mani I think one is under those circumstances

I will not weary you any longer with
my uninteresting letter But close by
Remaining your freind

Most cincerely
R. L. Omohumndro

P S
your Request will be acceeded to with the
greatest pleasure and trust you will not
forget to Burn or tare mine as soon as you

[page 4]
get them do write soon

Good By

MSS 3437

[from the diary of Z. Lee Gilmer, Sgt., Co. B of the 19th Virginia, the Albemarle Rifles]

Went on Picket four
miles from Centreville
on the Bradoc road. had
quite a cold time & bad
wether Capt Taylor
in command of the Bat-
tallion (a poor exucse)
the men got a plenty of
whiskey but drank
prudently. returned to
Camp Christmas day.
attend’d dress parade &
heard the order read res-
cinding the granting of
of furloughs. This in
my opinion was only a
catch to prevent the men
from runing the blockade
(or in other words) going
home & to get them to
reinlist for the war & gra
nt them furlough not exceding 60 days.

MSS 4459

Dear Father your kind & welcome letter of the twenty first came safe at
hand & I can tell you that it gave me great pleasure to receive one from home
& hear that all the Folks were well, next Pay day I am gone to try & get A
pass to go to Baltimore to see George which will be in A few days as they
are making out the Payrolls now I do not want you to write to him & tell
him I am talking about it because if I get it I want to take him by surprise
you thought I was not verry much pleased to see Mister Staples which you
thought wrong in fact I was pleased & should like to see any one from Port
land that I know but there is one thing I did not like & that was this you
said that I did not have enough to buy boots with, Which in fact I did
& have Five to spend as the boots cost five dollars what I am writing is
true but as you wrote you took it as if I was not telling the truth as I
took it but what you write about the Sutlers is true & nothing but
the truth I have not wrote anything but the truth to you & if you
think I have I want you to point it out it is kind of hard to have you
think that I did not write to you the truth I want to know what good
it would do me to write to you what I know to be false & about my
own money what I have work for ever since I have been here I can
tell you what I have earnt out here has been work hard for & if I send
you fifteen dollars every Pay day which will be deducted from my
Pay every Pay day from the Pay Master I think I shall be doing well
you said that I did not write about those mittens which I wrote
in A letter before this they fit me first rate & tell Mother I am glad that
she thought so much of me which I shall never forget write as soon as
you get this from your affectionate Son Joseph Leavitt
And dont forget to tell William to send them stamps that I
wrote about & tell him & Henry to write
this is my last postage stamp

Letters from Joseph Leavitt of the 5th Maine and his brother George of the 5th New York were copied into a ledger by their father John Leavitt in October 1865 “because they are of value to me and I was fearful that they might get mislaid.” Both boys were mortally wounded in the war, George at Second Bull Run, August 30, 1862, and Joseph at Spotsylvania, May 18, 1864.

MSS 66

My Dear Father:
I had no time to wish
you all a merry Christmas yesterday as
I was on guard and had my hands full
in taking care of those who had too
much Christmas in their bones. On the whole
I have had quite a pleasant time although,
I cannot say that Christmas in Camp
is by any means to be sought for.
The recent battle at Drainsville is
Still theme of conversation & criticism.
It seems that on the day of the fight,
the federals arrived at D. only half an
hour before we did, and that if we
had had that much time the
advantage we would secureds the position
and in all probability won the day.
The affair I am compelled to say
was in my opinions greatly mismana-
ged. Genl. Stuart precipitated the attack with-
out knowledge of the enemy’s force, and know-
ing him to occupy one of the most com-
manding positions in the entire Country.
His Artillery, consisting of but 6 & 12 pound-
ers, and with no position but a narrow
lane, was subjected to a terrible enfilading
fire from a superior force of the Enemy’s
Twenty pounders, and thus we fought at
disadvantage on every side. Notwithstanding
our many adverse circumstances I think
we would still have repulsed the Enemy
had we made as bold a charge

[page 2]
as some made at Manassas. Thrice we heard
the Enemy’s Officers give the order to charge
but each time the men obstinately refused
to budge. Their sharpshooters and their
Artillery however were terribly Effective
and to these alone can our disaster be
attributed. The Engagement is greatly to
be lamented, as heretofore the Army of the
Potomac has known nothing but victory. In
the present instance that glorious prestige so
honorably won by our brave troops was
lost and it will require exertion &
blood to regain it.
I am still encouraged to think that
I can get men to join me if I can get
the armament for an Artillery Company.
Some 8 or 10 have voluntarily tendered me
their services to go in such a company
for the war and if I can get the assurance
that the Equipment wille be furnished
I can soon enroll the names. I under-
stand that if I can get sixty men they
will be mustered in and granted at
once the bounty & furlough offered to
those who reenlist. I have written to
Capt. Baldwin, but will be glad if you can
get some friend in Richmond to see the
authorities and procure for me the promise of
the guns. I am well & comfortably fixed.
It will be impossible for me to meet you
in Lynchburg or Richmond earlier than
the first of Feb. if then. I will meet you at
Manassas on the evening of Jan. 3rd & secure
you tolerable quarters if you say so.
Wishing Ma, Mrs. Cabell & yourself a
[Written on top of page one:]
Merry Christmas & many happy returns I remain
Your Affectionate son,
Jno. W. Daniel

John Warwick Daniel, 1842-1910, Co. C, 27th Virginia and later Co. C, 11th Virginia, attained the rank of major before being permanently disabled in the Battle of the Wilderness. Afterwards studied law at the University of Virginia, entered politics and served int he Virginia House of Delegates, the U. S. House of Representatives and the U. S. Senate. Called the “lame lion of Lynchburg” he was a noted orator who gave speeches on many memorial occasions and was especially known for his address on Robert E. Lee.

MSS 158