[from the diary of the Rev. Francis Butler, future chaplain of the 25th New Jersey]

     Suffield Ct.  Sept. 1862                            
Thurs – 11  Read – Calls – tea at Mrs. Fuller’s – our old house –
Conducted Eveg. py meetg – Mrs Lewis there –talked with her afterwards

Fri 12 – Walked with Mr. C. Sherman on brook side to Dace Hole –
   Drove with Dr. Mason to Hastings Hill & called at the
Hemingways – tea at Mrs Clarks looked over Grt. Grandfather’s
journal – rain in P.M.

[transcript by Mary Roy Dawson Edwards]

MSS 12935

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

Thursday, Sept 11, 1862

Left our Camp
early this morning
marched about 10 miles
passed through Demascus
and are now camped
near Ridgeville  are now
on or passing through a
country lately occupied
by Rebels
Drizzled some to day
thus makeing the march
ing less irksome than
usual
passed several regts on
the road

MSS 10317

[from the diary of Eliza Oswald Hill, refugee from Wilmington, N.C.]

Monday 11th  The morning opened cloudy—& it is now raining–
I received a letter from Lize–She is enjoying herself very much
in Pittsboro’–& dont say when she will return–No news yet from
Tom or Fred–Mrs Campbell & Miss Mallett called–Liz & Sara went to rid
& while gone Mrs Walters & I finished reading Helen & Arthur
or Aunt Thusa’s Spinning Wheel–a very pretty tale by Miss
Hentz

MSS 6960

[from the diary of Joseph Addison Waddell, civilian employee of the Quartermaster Dept.]

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

Wednesday
Sept 10

Still stormy and dull.  Felt pretty bad
when I got up  this morning but felt
better after getting up.  It is very dull and un-
pleasant here now.  Played euchre some and read
some.  Changed my book for “Self Help” which I
partly read.  Its very huddled up in the tent, es-
pecially in rainy weather.  I long to see the end of
the war and go home to my friends.

MSS 11293

Near Gordonsville  Sept 10th
Dear Mother
     You will doubtless be sur=
prised to see that I have not yet joined
my regiment.  When Sam left I thought
that I would be able to go back in a-
bout two weeks, but my wounds which
to that time were healing rapidly
seemed to come to a stand still for
some time and then to heal with a
provoking degree of slowness. They have
now however nearly closed up and I will
I think be able to join the army in
about ten days.  I would have written
to you sooner but have been prevented
by a very sore finger with which I
have been troubled for the last four
or five weeks.  Sam I suppose has
given you so favorable an account
of my condition that you have felt
no uneasiness.  did he get home with-
out difficulty?  I have not heard from
him since he left Richmond.  He was
scarcely in a condition to travel when
he left but the opportunity of

[page 2]
going with old friends was too good to
be lost.  I suppose you have heard
all about the glorious victories a-
chieved here by our troops.  At the
last account a large force had crossed
the Potomac and entered Maryland
Yesterday we heard the report of
the surrender of Cincinnatti.  Truly
the cause of the Confederacy is looking
up.  I suppose the Postlethwaite
girls were delighted to see Sam
I almost envied his condition in
that it enabled him to go home.  If
I had supposed that my wounds
would have been so long in healing
I should have been tempted to go
with him.  I receive[d] Nells letter
some time since and will answer
it before long.  I suppose there are
several more on the way by this time
which I will probably get in the
course of time.  I  have not heard
of my regiment for some time.
They are about Manassas some where
I suppose. Do you know where the

[page 3]
Ogdens are at.  I saw Billy a few
weeks ago as the army were passing
here on their way to attack Pope
His regiment was not in the first
battle a[t] Cedar fun.  He was looking
very well indeed and asked to be
remembered by you all when I wrote
I have not heard anything of him
since the battles around Manassas
If you can do so without incon-
venience and have a good opportunity
I wish you would send me about
fifty dollars.  My pay is amply suf-
ficient for ordinary purposes, but
the expenses occasioned by my wound
have been considerable and I will
have to borrow the money to meet
them.  Unless you can send it with-
out putting yourself to inconvenience
don’t do so as it is possible to get
along without it I suppose.  Tell
Sam that the family here all
send their respects to  him and say
that he must let them hear from
him.  Mrs Jones desires to be

[page 4]
remembered to you.  Give much
love to Nell and Nette and also
to the servants.  Remember me to
all my friends and believe me
        Your affectionate son
                   Horatio N Smith

Horatio N. Smith, Co. D., 21st Mississippi

MSS 3772

[from the diary of Lt. John Tyler of Letcher’s Artillery]

 (Sept. 10th)  Miss Lizzie got
back this morning and brought me three bouquets
one from Miss Wright, another from Miss Miller &
one from herself.  Most respectable as I am so fond
of flowers.  I commenced reading this morning.  “The
life of Napoleon III.” very interesting.  Feel rather
better to day, and appetite has improved some.
My nurses keep me constantly supplied with
ripe fruit; and peaches & cream, of which I am so
fond I have every day.  Heard firing to day in di-
-rection of Harpers Ferry.  Hear that we have the en-
-emy surrounded there to the No of 10 or 15,000.

[transcript by Mary Roy Dawson Edwards]

MSS 6150

[from the diary of Ephraim Wood, Co. C., 13th Massachusetts]

  Wednesday   Sept  10th/62

     Shoes & C came from Washing-
ton this morning.  I have not
drawn a pr, as I have a good pr.
that I bought of Saml Currier
nearly two months ago, they have
not commenced to wear out.
It afternoon packed up and got
into line ready to march, but orders
came to go into Camp again.

     Marched this forenoon.  My
Knapsack seem to get the best
of me to day, and after marching
about eight miles I told the
Lieut that I should have to
rest before going further.  He told

me to stop then, and come along
when I felt able.  After siting
by the road side a little while
James Leeds of Co. A, (Son of Mr Leeds
Police detector of Boston) came along,
and it being near supper time
we concluded to go to some house
and get some supper.
     We went to a House that was
some way back from the road.
The people had seen but very few
Soldiers, only two having been
there before us.  We asked them
if we could buy some supper.
They said we could have some
supper, but would not take any pay
for it.  When we had got nearly
through a man came along
who it appears was a clock maker.
We did not like his talk at all
He seemed to be very intimate
with the people, by his talk I
judged he was a Seceshionist

 Just as we had finished eating
a Soldier came along and asked
the Woman if she could give
him a bite to eat.  She told him
to sit down, and went to work
preparing him a supper.  This
citizen went to her and told
her not to get any that she
would have to work all night
if she was agoing to feed soldiers.
He then came to us and told us
that there was a young fellow
that was sick in another room
that wanted to see us.  Said he,
he is manager of things here and
probably want to collect pay
for the suppers.  We went to
him and it was even so.  He
told us to pay the Women
folks for our supper.  We did so
but they did not want to take
it.  We forced it upon them.
This other Soldier then told the
Woman that he would not trouble
her to get any thing for him
as he had no money.  This Citizen
told him that he could not expect
any supper then.

The Woman said she did not want
his money, but to sit down and
eat.  She then told the Citizen
that she had no Sons in the
Army to help fight for the
Country, and she thought it
was no more then right for her
to feed one or two Soldiers.
The Citizen told her she would
ruin her self if she was agoin
to feed the Army.  Said she I
don’t intend to feed an Army
and as to my coming to want,
I have plenty to last me through
this life, and some to leave for
my children.  If it had not been for
this Citizen I feel confident that
she would have asked us to stay
all night.  We put on our Knapsack,
and went out to the barn and
slept on the Hay mough.  It rained

all night.

[transcript by Mary Roy Dawson Edwards]

MSS 12021

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

Wednesday, Sept. 10, 1862

Mostly clear
Remained at our
bivouac all day
some quite unexplainable
movements among the
troops to day the 7th Regt
passed first took around
evidently gone back
to another road
We started out after
noon went back across
the creek but returned
We started out after
noon went back across
the creek but returned
saw an Eel this morn-
ing in the creek.
Bathed washed my socks
Am now wearing a
Government shirt got
it from Jo at 75 ¢
camp from Washington
The woods are here
filled with Fox Grapes.  Spoke
to Col Hays about our statement
also Cox & Av

MSS 10317

[from the diary of Eliza Oswald Hill, refugee from Wilmington, N.C.]

Wednesday 10th–Very cloudy & I think we will have rain before din
-ner.  All have gone to morning service but Liz & myself.  She has gone
to pass the day with Mrs Phillips & brandy peaches–Elizas expected letter
from Mr Mason came to day–But I had to forward it to Pittsboro.
I cannot find out whether he mentioned Tom or not–Glorious news from
Virginia our troops have crossed the Potomac & are now in
Maryland–On Thursday during the day the Cavalry force under com
-mand Brig.-Gen. Robertson engaged a portion of the enemy’s forces
near Falls Church.  Nearly entire day was spent in skirmishing between con
tending parties.  While this was going on our army was being with drawn
from the vicinity of the late battlefields & marched in the direction of
the upper potomac.  At nightfall Gen. Robertson drew off his forces
and followed the Army.  Early next morning his brigade crossed the
river at________some distance below Leesburg.  At or near the same
time the division of Gen. Hill commenced crossing at another point.
later in the day the veteran Corps of Gen. Jackson reached _____ and at once proceeded
to pass over and before night the passage had been successfully effected.  General
Longstreets Corps followed and during the night joined the other Corps on
the other side–Another division is said to have crossed at ______seven miles
higher up the river.  There was no resistance made at any time & the whole
affair was accomplished int he most admirable order, & without the firing
of a Gun.  The condition of the river greatly favoured the passage of our troops,
the water being at a lower stage & easily forded.  the men were in the highest
spirits & shout after shout went up, as Regiment after Regiment reached
the Maryland shore.  It is stated that four[sic] days our troops lived almost
entirely on corn taken from the fields on the route.  A large proportion of
them were barefooted, & a goodly number only half clothed.  When the
army crossed the potomac there was a exciting race between many of the
regiments to see who should get across first, & the boys dashed into the
water with laughter & cheers.  They were in the finest spirits. when the Federals evac
uated Winchester they set fir to one entire block of buildings–This
block was in the very heart of the City & it included the Taylor Hotel, the
largest & finest public house in the Valley–The whole square was swept
by the firing of the flames & nothing but bare wells being left of the finest
improved houses in the town. The Yankee who blew up the Magazine
was blown up with it. We have just heard 12 o clock–that
another terrible battle has been fought at Centreville one of the
bloodiest of the War–4 o clock Mr Johnston has just come
in to tell us Cincinati has been taken by Kirby Smith–God
is on our side–To him be all the praise- – –

MSS 6960