[from the diary of James Dinsmore Templeton of the 23rd Ohio]

Received my Furlough
this morning also
Smyth, Dean & Kilburn
Left camp about 12 Oclock
and after a very
Fatigueing march
arrived at the Boat
landing at the mouth
of Loupe Creek about
4 oclock P.M.
Rode a short distance
on a wagon
went on board the Victor
We left the landing
about dark
arrived at Charleston
about 9 oclock went on
board the Glenwood
Fell in the river in an
atempt to go ashore at Camp
[?] cloudy, raining a little

MSS 10317

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

The ground is just
covered with snow &
quite cold. We have orders
keep on hand a days rato-
ns[sic] cooked & prepared for
marching. The suposition
is that we will go to
Ocaquon if we do
march, for it is said the
Yankee fleet is in the
Potomac. There is no
dainger of our going.

MSS 4459

[from the diary of Charles Hay, Co. H, 23rd Ohio]

                     Cincinnati, Sunday, Jan’y 5th. 1862.
Arrived in the “Queen City” at 3 P.M. after a  [A trip of about 36 hours.]
safe and speedy trip.  Had a view of Maysville, Ky.,
and numbers of other towns of more or less importance
on the route.  We passed Portsmouth during the night.
The Band of the 12th Reg’t. O.V. was on board our
boat, and at places of any consequence, they mounted
on hurricane deck, and discoursed music, although
the weather was disagreeably cold.  They stopped at
New Richmond, O., being on a furlough of 15 days.
Just before arriving at Cincinnati, a sleety snow set
in, which was in no wise agreeable, and which
afterwards turned to a regular snow storm.
I have had no view scarcely of Cincinnati.

[transcription by Mary Roy Dawson Edwards]

MSS 13925

[from the diary of William M. Blackford of Lynchburg, Va.]

The coldest day of the season-so far- church
morning and afternoon-wrote long letter to Charles
remonstrating with him upon his notion of going into
Qr Master Department. No man who has gone into
the service from this city or vicinity has acquired
more reputation or has won more of the love &
confidence of his men and their friends & relatives
and it would be shame to lose all this and
take up duties which any accountant can
do as well or better.

William M. Blackford, 1804-1864, served as United States chargé d’affaires in Bogota, New Granada (now Columbia; afterwards an editor of the Lynchburg Virginian, postmaster and cashier for the Exchange Bank of Lynchburg. All five of his sons were in the Confederate Army.

MSS 4763

[large portions of this letter written in pencil have faded or have been obliterated by fold lines]

Friend Henry

I take this opertunity to write
you a few lines as I told you I should
before I got to the sacred soil of old Varginia
I came here on last Saturday a week had no
trouble getting here [rest of line obliterated by crease in paper]
fine Whe had a pleasant trip here the
boat at Washington for Aquia [?]on [?] Tuesday
got to camp about 8 o clock in the
Evening it is 17 miles from the landing at Aquia
to Fredericksburg their is a Rail Road from their
Camped about 3 miles from Fredericksburg [?]
[line obliterated by crease in paper]
laying along the river yesterday I was out on
picket & I had a right good time I would
Just as soon be on picket as in camp if whe could
have some arrangements for Sleeping whe are just
now cooking Dinner whe have some potatoes &
some pasnips that I got in a garden when out
picketing I t hink it will make a fine Dish

[page 2]
Whe have to mange a great many[?] way
to make hard tack and salt pork keep
one alive fried crackers and crackers hamered
up and cakes made out of them is the
principal living I tell you I wish I had
some of the sider and apples that you
are in cumberland co I could do well their
is not an apple to be had I seen them sell
at Aquia Creek at 7 Dollars per Barrel and
retail at 3 for a Dime the regiment is Small
at this time their was a good many Killed
and wounded in the last fight and since
that a great many have taken sick thoes
sick have ben sent of all here are prety
well and the health of the men has been good
since their sick have been sent a way I
have been well much better than I could have
expected just coming from home and going into
the hard ships of camp whe[n] I came here the
boy had just to lay Down on the ground with-
out eaven a blanket but some of them it was
rather hard I whe have since got shelter

[upside down in top margin of page 2]
Will Jones John Harys[?] & I bunk togather have a good
mess have a hole dug in the ground about 4 feet
square and 2 feet Deep Keep [?] warm

[upside down in top margin of page 1]
Tell Eberly and Hoover that I am all
right and wish they were here for a few days and nothing [?] it
is to hard
for white
men
Tell Irven to write to me soon
if you see him
that I am well
my [?] to your Brother

MSS 11395

My Dear Mother
I do not believe I have
written to you since I received the
box you so judiciously supplied. Eve-
rey one pronounced the cake &c; the cat-
supe the best they ever saw. The
jacket could not have suited me
better. In the way of news, either
war or peace, I have nothing what-
ever to write. We are all in status
quo. You have seen an account of the
Drainsville fight. We hoped to fight
the same party, & put our guns in
battery to receive them. But fortune
seems determined to keep the How-
itzers out of a regular battle. You saw
the enemys version of our little expe-
dition upt to Point of Rocks. I wrote
you of it previously. they admit that
one of our guns worked well &c; threw
shell into their camp &c; say the other

[p.2]
gun fell short. So far it is true. They
add that they returned our fire, killing
our captain & four privates. We really
suffered no loss. to day the enemy
have their balloon up again recon-
noitering. I reckon they will open
their eyes when they see the fortify-
cations wh: have sprung up since
their last assinsion. the militia
have been called out & working on
them since the day before Christ-
mas. I went last Sunday to
church. Heard from Mr. Williams
one of the best sermons I ever heard.
the church was vedry tastily dressed
for Chris. A subscription for [what] the [people of]
Charleston suffered was taken. Al-
most universally responded to by those
present, but I could not tell how
liberally as they were all in “Shin
Plasters.” I am still working on my
house. Six of us are making it &c; get on
very well considering that one of the six

[p.3 – Note added in top margin]
Dear Father
Please send me when next you write
five dollars, most affectionately your son Wm. H. Perry
I have not yet drawn any thing for soldiering.

is very lazy (I think a lazy man
is the meanest thing in the world
except a private in the Confedirate army)
& an other sick since the first day.
We are ahead of any one else. Its di-
mensions are 15 feet by 14 1/2. Roof inclining
only one way &c; to be covered with planks wh:
we got in town at a very heavy price.
We are trying to get a requi-
sition for it, so as to make the govt.
pay for it. the door &c; window sash
are got from a house about 50 yds.
from the Potomac &c; deserted since
the war began. Wagons of persons
moving farther in &c; from the line
of hostilities are constantly passing
our camp & up the pike. to day
was very warm; so we took the oppor-
tunity to start the chimney. Every
one is talking, the beautiful weather
only one days rain in five or six weeks

[p. 4]
I hope you all spent a pleasant
Christmas.
Yesterdat I noticed an whshallow
mud holes in about 1 3/4 inches in
thickness. I received a letter from
Lee yesterday. She is the only person
I corrrespond with except you &c; father.
How do your flowersstand the winter?
I think of them very often. Have seen
no pretty one but once since I was here.
They were in a bouquet; wh: had several
kinds that I did not know, nor did any
one in camp whom I inquired from about
them. I sincerely hope they will live
during the winter. The hardships of
war have not, so far, destroyed
my fondness either for music or for
flowers. Lee says in her letter
that father was looking much
better. I need not say how sincerely
glad I was to hear it. Tho it is draw-
ing toward the forbidden hour
of night &c; my paper is out and I have
been working hard all day I do not feel
disposed to stop writing, but must obey
military discipline. Dear Mother may heaven
ever bless you. Yr son W.H. Perry, Jr.

William H. Perry, Jr., Richmond Howitzers

MSS 7786-d

[from the diary of Jesse Calvin Spaulding, Co. F, 25th Massachusetts]

This forenoon to the Episcopal church
Gen. Burnside was there with his wife.
After the services were through I came down
to the wharf and saw Commissary Watkins
and went on the steamer Susquehanna to carry
the 9th New Jersey to the ship. I then came back
and saw Waters on the wharf, waited there
awhile and finally the boat came up and
I went aboard. They tell us now that we are
to embark tomorrow. It is snowing this eve
ning and is quite cold. This evening
I have been reading. I thought when they
were singing of the dear friends who were
at home worshipping and of Mary. May the Lord
bless them all and watch over them and me
and all others who are in the same situation
Bless O Lord and keep us from sin and danger.
Restore us to our friends if it be Thy will
or prepare us for the fate which is in store for us.

MSS 11293

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

very cold today and
very cold we had no
drill or inspection
it snowed some
and rained very
bad weather but we
have to stand guard
a bout every three
days the boys are
having some fun
a pleging a fellow
a bout a girl they
just put him through
on the short line
in miletary style
we have got the
Bakery done and we
will have good
Bread now I guess

MSS 13405

Genl John H Cocke

My dear Sir

I Have intended for several days past
to write you a few lines, but because I despaired of doing
it [?] of my inability to offer you any consola
tion under your late bereavment –I can only assure
you of my heartfel[t] sympathy & pray god to
strengthen your faith–in all the truths of his
gospel; the only true sourse of all permanent
comfort, under the many trials we are called
upon to endure under his allwise dispensations
It seems presumptuous in me, who is so weak
to say a word to one whose life & example
has been so prominent–in all that adorns the
doctrine of our Saviour–But my Christian
Sympathys & feelings–which have been unusually
excited must be my apology–and I pray
God that in this your hour of affliction an unusual
portion of his grace may be manifested to you
& those of your Household who has felt the power
of his rod[?]–Truly in the midst of life we are in
Death.–Your relative & the widow of Mr J. C. Cabell
was committed to the earth on Wednesday the 1st day
January–& almost every paper beings us
the tidings of the death of some friend or ac-
quaintance & the cloud now hanging over the
destiny of this once happy country–calls for
renewed zeal on the part of those, who have enrolled
themselves on the side of the Lord, that he will
have mercy upon us, & put it into our hearts
to do our whole duty to our God & our fellow
man Sincerely & truly Your Friend
Mayo Cabell

Mayo Cabell, 1800-1869

MSS 640

[letter of Edwin R. Page from January 2 continues]

Saturday night–I intended to have
finished this last night, my darling,
but I had to ride up to Wheatland
yesterday, about 10, (or as I went by
Waterford 12) miles above Leesburg,
and when I returned, about night
I had such a headache I had to go
to bed as soon as I could lie down, and
without writing any, I had a right
cold ride, especially going up, I dined
at Genl Wrights. The place where

[page 3]
I told you they had such fine stock,
he was not at home, but his wife,
who is a very nice lady entertained
us very pleasantly. Wm. Graham
was with me, I have had a notion
of buying a young mare from him
she is a very good animal, but I don’t
think, from what he said yesterday
evening after I came back to Lees=
burg, that he is willing to take
$200 for her, and I am not willing
to give more, the weather is quite
cold now, and winter seems to have
come at last, the ground is white,
though it is barely covered with
snow, I have been busy today
fixing my tents for cold weather,
I have put a frame of thick plank
all around the walls on the outside
about three feet high, which makes
it much more comfortable, I have
two tents together opening into each
other, in the front one is a stove, and

[page 4]
this is my sitting room, parlour and
office, the inner one is the chamber,
if you were to look inside you would
see a bed and bedstead, the latter made
of undressed and rather coarse planks
nailed together, rather rough but
pretty substantial manufactured
principally by Joe, it is a sort of
a box concern with a turn of hay
in it, covered over with a cloth
which bears a remote resemblance
to a mattress, this is the place
where I lie every night and oc-
casionally sleep, on the whole
however I am pretty comfortably
fixed more so perhaps than you might
suppose, althouggh our camp is
in a very bleak and exposed situ=
ation, selected more with a
view to its contiguity to Leesburg
than to comfort and convenience
otherwise, as there is no mail leaving
in the morning I will write again tomorrow
goodnight my darling wife

Edwin R. Page, 1st Lieutenant, 2nd Virginia Cavalry

MSS 8937