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

Wednesday
Sept 3
This morning I fried some bread for
breakfast.  It has been quite cool today.
Have had a very pleasant day.  Company and
battalion drill.  Jim Graham was put in this
tent to day.  Read and laid on my bunk most of
the day. We got good news from Pope to day.   Had
soup for dinner, bread and tea for supper.

MSS 11293

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

(Sept. 3rd)
At 5 o’c were on the march.  Leaving the
Fairfax road turned off at a right angle
to the left and continued our march
all day through the woods  on road to
Leesburg.  Halted & Bivouaced in evening
this side of Goose Creek.  I have been so
sick today that it was with difficulty
I rode my horse, have eaten nothing for
two days , and am very weak.

[transcript by Mary Roy Dawson Edwards]

MSS 6150

[from the diary of Wesley Hammond,  Co. E., 42nd Virginia “Dixie Greys”]

Wednesday 3rd – Move to Middleburg
Louden Ct. Saw about 1,500 wounded
advance about 20 miles.

[transcript by Mary Roy Dawson Edwards]

MSS 5526

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

Wed 3.  Clear & milder – It is l[earne]d. Gen. Kearney is killed.
Visited Helen Archer’s School – she is a fine singer –
Saw a man cut tobacco just now grown,
wrote little on Ser.  Strolled on bank of brook.
with Rev. Mr. Millie, & calls & thereby missed Bro.
Parsons who called with Mrs P   Mrs Woodford & Miss
Lyon – Heard Homer Austin &c discuss war,
draft &c – very funny.  Jackson is reported
marchg. on Maryland.

[transcript by Mary Roy Dawson Edwards]

MSS 12935

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

  
     Wednesday   Sep 3rd/62

     This morning we enquired where
Ricketts Division had gone.  Two Brigadier
Generals told us that they had gone
towards Alexandria.  We had gone three
miles when we met a private of the
12 Mass and he said that he
met our supply train going towards
halls hill where they said
the Division was.  We about
faced and went to halls hill
where we found them.  We are
in sight of the Capitol, the
view is splendid.  The distance
from here to Washington is
about eight miles.
Toward night I went with
the Company on picket.

 [transcript by Mary Roy Dawson Edwards]

MSS 12021

[from the diary of James Dinsmore Templeton, musician and private in the 23rd Ohio]
Wednesday, Sept. 3, 1862

Guard mounting
had my hair cut
Heard sad news this
morning.  W. F. Templeton
was killed in the last
battle.  Went in
search of the Regt in
which he was 100th Pa
went toward Georgetown
could hear nothing
about a thousand
parolled prisoners came
in very hungry made
coffee for them found
among them some 100th Pa
boys one says Will Temp
was shot Friday
parade. Enemys pickets
reported only 4 miles
distant.  Enemy in a starving
condition.  Mostly clear

MSS 10317 

[from the diary of Anne Madison Willis Ambler]

Wednesday, September 3, 1862

I forgot to say that we have been busy
peeling peaches for Patty to dry, ever
since we have been here–hope she
may have a bushel when we are done–
Miss Katie Thomas called–she seems
anxious to get work–I got her to make
me a shaker & a hat for Tom out of Wheat
Straw which she did nicely, but I can
not afford to put out my work.  I am
determined to be more careful & economical.
Dear me how much more I would be [rich?]
if I hadn’t been so wasteful–I look back
now & reproach myself for some
extravagances I might have checked if
I had wanted to–I hate to think
of your becoming more & more in debt
if you had only paid for your house
first &c before we spent so much
money for other things.  Never mind. I
hope that you too, will profit by your
experience; & when you begin again will
begin better.
Winchester is evacuated.  All of the forces
passed by our gates 5000 men & 700 waggons
–suppose many servants will follow them
out as usual.

[as transcribed in 1972 by her granddaughter Anne Madison Baylor Wright]

MSS 15406

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

Wednesday 3d  Mr Mason is off–He has beautiful weather
for travelling–Eliza takes the separation very much to heart.
She has been crying all morning–& speaks of leaving here on a
visit to Anne [?] in Pittsboro–If she can get an escort.
Liz has gone with Mrs Ned Davies in the Country some 12 miles
to see if any thing can be bought out of a country store a that dis
tance–she & I paid a few visits yesterday- & I expected to return
more this morning had she not left–Sarah has been with
us all morning & Eliza & Katy have been arranging dresses &
&c to take with her to Pittsboro–Liz received by this morning’s
mail a long letter from Joe–He has made up his mind to move
his Forest Hill house up on the Calomakee[?]  where it is health
-ier- Nearer the Post Office & the physicians–as well as
nearer Ellens sisters–& his brothers family00It is a great
undertaking but I hope he may succeed at it–We all attended
service this afternoon–Mr Wingfield officiated as Mr Hilliard
has received a commission in the Army as Chaplin & has gone
to Raleigh to make arrangements for accepting it.

MSS 6960

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

Tuesday
Sept. 2
1862
Had bread and coffee for breakfast.  Dress
parade and company drill this forenoon, battalion
drill this afternoon.  Read some in Mrs Partington’s
“Knitting Work” and “Matrimonial Brokerage. [“] Finished
and sent my letter home.  Got a book at the Chaplains
called “advice to a young Christian.”  Had fried
crackers and beef-steak for dinner and baked
beans for super.  Have not felt very smart to day.

Mrs. Partington was not an author of knitting pattern books but a scatter-brained character created by American humorist Benjamin Pehnallow Shillabar, 1814-1890.

MSS  11293