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

Monday
Sept 1. 1862

At the opening of a new year of my soldiers
experience I have resolved, with the help
of God, to try and do better than I have done, and
to strive to control my tongue and actions
more carefully than I have the past year
   this is a place of great temptation (being in
the army) but with the help of God it can be
resisted–It is quite warm to day, but there
is a nice breeze.  The Captain drilled us in
company drill this forenoon, for the first time
since the march to Trenton.  I have not felt
very well to-day, but better than when I first
got up this morning.  Read part of a book this fore
noon, entitled “Matrimonial Brokerage,”  Had bread
and tea for supper.  It rained to-day so we did
not have to go on battalion drill.  Commenced
a letter home this afternoon.  Have enjoyed the
day very well, Smith and Pollard went out
a pass, and got some corn and boiled.  I
ate one ear.  Have not played a game of any
kind to day.  God Dadmun to shave me this
morning.

MSS  11293

                                           Sept. 1  62
                                              Brampton
My dear wife
               I am seated quietly at home, though
not as quietly as I would like either for Mr
Haney & family are still in the house and I do
not care about moving them yet, for though
there is every prospect of our army continuing
its advance still nothing can be relied upon in
war.  I miss Brothers family & Ella.  Affairs were much
more comfortable when they were here.
I have gathered together the remaining pieces
of the china and with some little glass
found it to fill two barrels.  the white ware
is still here and I may keep it. I think
I shall bury some of the glass left there, a few
decanters & the old Glass.  I have an idea of packing
up your Chamber furniture There is enough in
the house besides it and so could be placed
in a more secure point.  when I send back the
wagons I propose to send over a matress or two

[page 2]
In view of the uncertainty of being able to reap
what I plant I am much inclined to rent or buy
a small tract of land on the South Side of James
Rifer say in the neighborhood of Danville or Pittsylvania
the increased activity I indulged in during the
past week or ten days has deranged[?] my liver &
admonishes me of the necessity of quiet.  I am
unwilling to quarter on your Father & to be further
separated from my family, with some necessary
therefor.  At the same time we might be able to
remain quietly here which would be far more
pleasant – & we might keep a few things here & to
be prepared to move at any time, we might live
in our trunks and not have much–my judgment
admonishes me to remove our effects to some other point,
yet I am loth to leave a place where we have spent
many happy hours–I have had the potatoes dug
& onions-the yankees left a peck of the latter & a few
bushels of the former–the June[?] square[?] of Salsify

[page 3]
was destroyed by the growth of weeds it may put up
again though I think it will not—Mrs Haney will
dry peaches & apples & divide with you.  rather she has
dried apples. The corn crop looks very well my
wheat is injured–I am looking anxiously for the
horses, oxen & wagons why do they not come?
have written you three letters on the point
Gen Stuart made a raid in the rear of the enemy &
captured a good many horses & wagons & money–also
Gen Popes baggage & private papers & horse, I saw his
dress parade |                      | & was sending it to Gov Letchers
Every day     |hole cut to re- |  hundred prisoners go by
there is a       | move stamp   | that 2500 prisoners are at Rapidan
now & that   |                       | cannon were taken on
yesterday–There has been a complete devastation of
Culpepper County by the enemy  Neither negroes or provisions
or fencing from here to the river (Rappahanock)
  Kiss our dear boys and give my bet love to all at
Carysbrook—    Most truly yours A. G. Grinnan

address leaf

Mrs. A. G. Grinnan
        Palmyra
             Fluvanna
                  Va.

Andrew Glassell Grinnan, 1827-1902; Georgia Screven Bryan Grinnan, 1837-1912

MSS 49

                                                near Mobile Ala
Camp Goode  Dog River Factor Sept 1st 1862
Dear Genl
                     As I have nothing to do today
& there is no battallion drill I concluded
I would write you a few lines.  I have
been very well since I enlisted in the
army. I have had the measles & mumps, had
them soon after the Regt was organized
i am very well at present with the exception
of a very bad cold & cough.  I expect it is
the Hooping cough I have.  We have a great
deal of sickness in the Regt & company
We have lost two of our men from our
company.  I do not know how many have
died in the Regt.  We do not turn out more
than 150 men on Battalion drill. I never saw
the like of sickness in my life.  I hope
your health has been good.  I have not
heard from uncle Rives sometime, he was
well when I heard from him last.
Our field officers names are as follows
R. H. Smith Col.  L.T. Woodruff Lt Col
Thos. H. Herndon Major.

[page 2]
Capt Wemyes health is not good at
present he says he is improving. he hates
to say that he is sick. He is not sick
enough to be in bed, but not able to
be on duty.  He says he thinks he will
be able to go on duty soon.  All of us would
like very much for this war to close
but we do not see any prospect ahead
for it to close soon.  Our Regt is
stationed at a very sickly place. The rainy
season has commenced. it is raining now
& we had a hard rain last night & night
before.  Our Regt is armed & if it were
not for so much sickness we would
be ready to go into active service
which we are all very anxious to do.
We wanted to go up to Chattanooga some
time ago but I had much rather stay
south now until next spring &  then
go up to Tenn. or Va. I think we can
stand the winter much better down
her than we could farther north

[page 3]
I never heard of such enormous prices
as they ask in Mobile for anything.
things they used to sell at 25 cents they
ask $1.50 cts or more.  it takes all a soldier
can make to buy him a little something
good to eat. But I am in hopes we will
soon  whip the yankees out, & live at
home in pease & quietude.  I am getting
very tired of the war.  Capt. Wemys
think that it will end that it will end in two
moths.  Write soon. xcuse my poor
letter.  my bad writing as I am in a
hurry
yours respectfully
Direct Smith Powell
Co. C. 36th Ala Vol. Mobile Ala
care capt. Wemys

MSS 640

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

(Sept 1st)  Were on the march
again early this morning & proceeded
very cautiously towards Fairfax
C.H. when within 3 or 4 miles of the

place were suddenly attacked by
the enemy, while on the march.  Our
line of battle was suddenly formed
and we engaged the enemy in a
few moments, they having batteries
in position poured in a deadly fire
but we drove them gallantly com-
-mencing on our left.  In the midst
of the fight a heavy rain came up
and in wet clothes our men slept on
the battlefield that night.  In
this fight Genls Kearney & Stevens
of the Yankees were killed, the for-
-mer, a Maj Genl. by our Brigade.
I feel quite sick this evening fever
not abated & raging headache which
with sleeping in wet clothes tonight
will not improve much.

[transcript by Mary Roy Dawson Edwards]

MSS 6150

               Camp N. P. Banks
                    Sept 1st /62 1 am
Dear Miss Annie
                     We are off for
Washington in half an hour
I did not think when I saw
you this evening, that my
wish to get off would be
realized quite so soon, but
Washington is in danger and
we have all responded to
Collins call upon us.
I cannot leave without
expressing my regrets lest
you may have thought me
too flippant tonight considering
what is before us, but I had
made up my mind to not
give way to my feelings under
any circumstances, I do not
intend to do so. I really

[page 2]
appreciate as much as any
one my situation & feared
that you might judge me
harshly.  Please not do so.
   Wont you keep what I
enclose until my return
when I will claim it?  I
do not ask you to wear it,
I will be satisfied if you merely
keep it in remembrance of an
old friend.  I dont know how
many more favors I may have
to ask.  Good Bye
                   Truly  Yours
                         J. T. Lea
P.S. My brother has directions to
send you a Photograph.  I
am afraid it will be some time
before you can get yours from
Ned Bowen

Joseph Tatnall Lea, 1840-1916,   114th Pennsylvania Infantry, to his future wife Anna Anderson Cabeen

MSS 11412

[patriotic stationery with vignette of a tree covered with American flags, each labeled with the name of a state and the motto: “Traitor! spare that Tree, Cleave not a single bough, In youth it shelter’d me, And I’ll protect it now”

Camp Beardsley Sept 1st 62
Dear Sister
             I wrote home
last Tuesday but I knew
how you all there you
never answer any letters so
I will write again we have got
our tents all up and we are  now
having a fine time Our Company
is the [?] Company so we have
the widest street the streets are
divided off into one I in front
of each Companys tents we have
named ours Broadway as it
is the largest the Geneva Regt
composed of Comapny from
Geneva Waterloo & Seneca Falls
they are encamped about a

[page 2]
mile west of us. the
artillery on the left of
us fired in at the
Rebel Signal lights Saturday
night which sent us all out
of our tents in a hurry our
pickets bring in runaway niggers
ever day. the 22nd Regt from
New York City left for home
last yesternoon yesterday afternoon
the were 3 months men when they
left they gave us boards to  floor
our tents & some other things
that they could not take
away We are now expecting
the next Regt. from Auburn
What is the news n Auburn
We get New York papers
Waverly Magazines & other Cant

[page 3]
you send a daily when there is
any news. We have not heard
a word about drafting since
we left at least I have not
Write soon I will have to close
for it is most drill time.  We
have got our guns & amunition
but we do not have to carry
any thing when we drill Give
my love to all and to all
enquiring friends
      Your Brother
               Clayton Bodley
PS
         they have changed the name
of our camp to Camp Beardlsy
in honor of Wm C Beardsley of
Auburn Chairman of War
Committe Excuse all mistakes
                                  Clayton

Clayton Bodley, 111th New York Infantry

MSS 8474-u

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

                   
Mon. 1 Sept – Cars for Suffield – wrote letters read &c
met yesterday Mr Frisbie & Levi Hayden old School
mate at S – now members of Windsor Ch – glad
to see me & I them.
Pope writes that he had a great Battle Friday on
field of  Old Bull Run & whip?  rebels loss 8,000
killed & wounded on our side – next day rebels
had advantage of us – Suffield voted today
to raise some few over quota & pay $200 bounty to
each –  all – Mrs. Southmayd told me that when
she asked Mr. Hales Son – (16 yrs old – but large & strong) why he
enlisted – he ansd. “Why Auntie D. ye spose I am going
to let the rebels lick us”!   he told the recruiting officer
that he would be 18 in July – & responded to his aunt when
called to task for it – well so I shall if I live long eno –
     Old Dea. Morgan a tall white haired man called
to see me Sat. Eveg  – father of present Gov. of  N. York –
the Suffield Company today chose Johnson Capt – & Corgin
1st Lieut.  Rain at night –

[transcript by Mary Roy Dawson Edwards]

MSS 12935

[from the diary of Ephraim A. wood, Co. C., 13th Masssachusetts]

                     Sept 1
     Monday Afternoon.  We marched
towards Fairfax.  When within about
two miles of there we crossed over on
the Leesburg road, and marched on
this road about a mile, where we
found troops drawn up in line
of Battle.  We went into line of Battle
behind a fence used in the edge
of a woods.  There was another line
of Battle in the woods ahead of
us and before night there was
quite a battle but we were not

brought into it.  We layed behind
this fence till nearly noon the
next day.  It rained hard the
better part of the afternoon
and the first of the evening.


[transcript by Mary Roy Dawson Edwards]

MSS 12021

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

Monday, Sept. 1, 1862

Guard mounting
no parade on act of rain
Went out this forenoon
about a mile to a
peach orchard to get some
peaches were ordered out
came to Creek a beautiful
spring where I bathed
with John & Gillett
lay about this afternoon
stewed some peaches got
some cakes of a [fiddler?]
mail came in  got
another letter from
Father
Cannonading most of
the day goes on some
during the night
Cloudy heavy showers this
evening now raining

MSS 10317