[from the diary of John Ward of the 102nd Pennsylvania]
Nov 30th Sunday
Recd orders to
march to morrow
to Foyen the
Brdge tomorrow
moring 2 miles
from Stafford
[from the diary of James Dinsmore Templeton, former musician and private in the 23rd Ohio]
Sunday, Nov. 30, 1862
[Templeton still using ink that has faded almost to illegibility]
This morning
went down to [?]
Johns & changed my
clothing Came back
to Maths & went
with Harriet to
Church came back
to Maths after dinner
Eva & I went over
to Thom Montforts
are now at Maths
Cloudy raining
now
MSS 10317
[from the diary of Joseph Addison Waddell, former newspaper publisher and civilian employee of the quartermaster dept.]
[from the diary of Mary S. Boydon of “Hopedale,” Abemarle County, Va.]
Sunday 30th Fifth Sunday–Father preached at
Barboursville Celestine rose this morning
quite yellow–we believe it is jaundice
Precept-“Let all flesh give thanks unto his
holy name for ever & ever”–Ps 145:21
Prayer– “All they works praise thee O Lord”- Ps. 145:10
Promise-“The Lord careth for the stranger .” Ps. 146:0.
MSS 4208
[from the diary of Eliza Oswald Hill, refugee from Wilmington, N.C.]
Sunday 30th We all went to church–It was communion day-& a full
congregation–The money put in the plate was to go to sick & wounded
soldiers–A letter from Tom. He is near Fredericksburg–Noah arrived safely
MSS 6960
[[from the diary of Anne Madison Willis Ambler]
Sunday, November 30, 1862
Arose early-
gave my letter a slight
twist & sent it by Mr. Hoff.
Pa heard the Yankees had gone
back=he also heard that our
pickets had returned & that the [Gen?]
had taken about 50 of White’s cavalry
& all of his baggage & a great deal that he
had captured from them….
Had a quiet time twice to day to
read which I hope that I improved & I
certainly enjoyed it. -.——–
[portions transcribed in 1972 by her granddaughter Anne Madison Wright Baylor]
MSS 15406
[from the diary of William M. Blackford, bank officer and former diplomat with five sons in the Confederate Army]
Sunday 30 A fine bright & not very cold
day. I see in the Virginian with
some introductory remarks, a piece
of poetry called “Rodes Brigade”
published during the summer in the
Rich? papers. It was written by
a young Carter-brother of the gal-
lant Capt Carter, who commands the
battery attached to the Brigade and
a nephew of H.Carter of Shirley
I think the lines are as splendid as
any I have seen [?] by the war.
The writer was killed in a skirmish
a few days after Malvern Hills. In
the introductory remarks, which are
intended to recount the services of the
Brigade, it is mentioned that Eugene
is major of the 5″ one of the Regi-
ments of the Brigade
Lanty recd a note this morning
from Mrs. Col. Steptoe requesting
him to act as a sponsor for her child
whom she wishes baptised this evening
at 3. This is a great compliment to
his christian character. Fine sermon
by Mr. Kinckle. At three the bap
tism took place and qr past
3 we had evening services.
MSS 4763
[from the diary of Jesse Calvin Spaulding, Co. F., 25th Massachusetts]
Saturday
Nov. 29
Battalion drill this forenoon and a great
time we had of it too. In the afternoon got
ready for inspection and fixed our bunks.
MSS 11293
2 miles of Fredericksburg
Nov. 29th 1862
My Dear Father
I have not received a letter from
you since we got to this place. And one of
the company, who has entered a substitute,
leaves tomorrow & I take the opportunity
to send a letter. Every thing is quiet. I never got
to Fredbg., not being allowed to go. But some
of our company muster up a sufficient
excuse to take them there occasionally – they
say the enemy’s pickets stand in full view
on the other side of the river, which is
here about two hundred yards & ours on
this side. The town looks almost as if
it was deserted. The citizens are returning
slowly to town. The shelling of the cars,
which I wrote to you of, scared one lady to
death. She was however sick before.
You inquired if the army was much
destitute. I can not give a satisfactory
answer. Longstreet’s whole corps is here – but
I have seen only a few save those who
are in our brigade. Of these a good
many are without shoes. They do not
appear to be much in need of other
clothes – unless they would like to wash
[page 2]
and change clothes; then I suppose they have
no change. Socks I fear are not used
much. Tents are not used – but flys –you
saw one fly around Richmond. Indeed
the infantry have none of these – I
suppose they could be procured, but
the infantry could not transport them
& would lose them on the first move. The
authorities seem to be more anxious than
heretofore to furnish them & are supply-
ing some – but not enough – hitherto she[?]
has[?] been very negligent in that de-
partment as well as in the commis-
sary – this latter does not improve – all
a soldier draws is meat, flower [flour] & a little
salt. A Colonel of a Mississippi regi-
ment said a few days since that
there were two hundred men in his reg-
iment without shoes – I did not believe
him. He also said they had subscribed
1500 dollars for purchasing them privately.
If mother has any homespun flannel
a very good over shirt could be made out
of it if she could dye it. Brown or a lead
culler [color] or any dark culler would do. Please
ask her to make such a shirt, for an
outer shirt, if it is convenient to dye
[page 3]
it. But do not let her give herself any
trouble – I will not probably want them for
some time but when convenient if she will
make those articles. I will call for them
when I want them.
There were two crops of wheat about
in Culpeper where I went along-
The farmers not having the means
to get it out of the straw – conse-
quently, I suppose, we could not
bring it & had to leave it behind.
[letter of William H. Perry of the Richmond Howitzers will continue on the 30th]
[transcript by Mary Roy Dawson Edwards]
MSS 7786-d
Camp Narrows Giles Cty Va Nov. The 29th 1862
Dear friend I take the opportunity
to write you a few lines to let you
know that these few lines will find
you all well. I have no news to write
you that will interest you, we have
made some peperations[sic] for winter here.
I think that we probaly will stay here
this winter, if nothing new takes place.
it is a snowing here now a looks
like there mite be a deep snow. there
was Three of our company ran away
last night. I will give you thier
names Reed Boyd, RollyK[?]
and Rubin P. Terry. I want to
come home verry bad but I dont
think I will runaway yet awile
for they get to punishing runaways
tolerable bad. I would like to
hear from Sanders write to me
when you hear from him
[page 2]
I will have to be very short now
for it is dark I sent you Twenty
Dollars by Asa Scott which
you can do with, as I have
before dirrected and I sent
you thirty Postage stamps
so I will have to close
for this time. I still remain
your friend H.A. Heffelfinger
To- Delilah P. Jessup
Henry A. Heffelfinger, Co. K, 50th Virginia
MSS 13257
