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

17. Dec. – Clear–cold–rode to hill to see field battle–visited wounded-Met
some kind ladies, among the hospitals.  Sent off 26 of our wounded
to Washington – Burnside says – withdrawal of Army was effect-
ted without loss of men or guns or stores – without knowledge of
enemy & as military necessity (either to return or fight –
repulse wld. be disasterous – cld. nt take batteries.
Jackson is Lt. Col. 26 N.J.V.

 The Colonel of the 26th New Jersey was Andrew Jackson Morrison (1828-1907) eventually
dismissed from the Army by Philip Sheridan for habitual drunkenness

[transcript by Mary Roy Dawson Edwards]

MSS 12935 

[from the diary of John Ward]

Dec 17th wansday
Whe left comp
at White Oak chirch
and went to the regt
this moring Nears
Falmouth

 [transcript by Mary Roy Dawson Edwards]

MSS 12913

                               U. S. Steamer Currituck
                                   Navy Yard Washington
                                                  Dec 17th 1862

Sir
I have inspected  1 1/2 doz File Boards
and passed them.  The carmine and
Blue Pencils I have not seen.  The set of
accounts Books for the Currituck  I reject
as being to expensive for Small Vessels.
four Blank Books of four Quires each will
answer
                                     Very Respectfully
                                      Your Obt. Servant
                                         T. J. Linnekin
                                    Acting master Comdg
                                    U S S Cuttituck 

Commandant
  Andrew A. Harwood

[from the diary of Captain William F. Hunter, Co. B., 97th Ohio]

     Dec. 17th, ’62.
Clear with a cold
wind.
Brigade drill
at 1 P.M.
My knee not
so much swollen
but still painful.
Ordered to be ready
to march at ¼ before
7 A.M. to-morrow
morning, with three
days rations in havre-
sacks.

[transcript by Mary Roy Dawson Edwards]

MSS 10547-bm

[from the diary of George W. Dabney, a clerk of Campbell County, Va.]

17  Wedn’
Clear & moderate-
Lias to town with sundries for girls
3 cases Lard– 1 pot d[itt]o  Mr Stuart
3 ” Sausage meat & 1 ” d[itt]o
27 chines 30 spareribs-117 feet
Beef – 4 roast pds. 3 steak diotto]
2 briskets-lightwood for Pa.
Turkeys, geese, guineys, and
fowls of Lucy–left for raising
1 gobler & hen T 1 goose & gander
wrote Pa & Lucy-also Kitty
for Lucy Ann a dress &c
victory at Fredg recieved.

MSS 3315

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

Wednesday–We have just heard the great battle is going on at Fred
-ericksburg-& at the same time the Yankees have attacked Kinston-
Governor Vance has gone down with the conscripts from Raleigh
& reinforcements are arriving at Goldsboro hourly–No mail today
we all feel anxious–Sarah had a letter from Fred to day written near
ly 20 days ago–He had been been marching for several days-& as they
were frightened by a false alarm–they threw away all the comforts they
had in their wagons on the road-& were sleeping without tents or
sufficient coverings – & were everyday expecting to be engaged in
a fight-He had sold his horse & gotten another more manageable–

[MSS 6960]

[from the diary of Anne Madison Willis Ambler]

Pa got several late Northern papers & they give
an account of the shelling of Fredericksburg-
& say they crossed the Rappahannock on Friday-
Or troops fired at them from the Town & they
Shelled them out.  The Confederates then retired
to their breast works, about a mile from the
City (on Saturday they were attacked but
held their ground though the Federals are
still in the Freds=The Confederates
shelled the City also but did not drive
them from it.  I don’t believe this account-
But Pa says they gained a victory in crossing
the river in front of our army.  that may be
but we killed a great many whilst crossing, as
they admit. & also tried several times but
were aimed at by sharp shooters, & obliged
to retire with some loss.  We are most
anxious to hear the truth…Pa was
to Clark but could hear nothing.  What
would I not give for a letter. I am
not afraid that my dear husband
was in the fight, but still he might
have been there & I can but feel a
little uneasy.  Oh, these are times that
try mens souls, would they might
teach us to place our faith in
that  Rock from whence all comfort
comes & find peace by believing.

[as transcribed in 1972 by her granddaughter Anne Madison Wright Ambler]
[Mrs. Ambler will not make another entry until January 12, 1863]

MSS 15406

[from the diary of William M. Blackford, former diplomat of Lynchburg, Va., with five sons in the Confederate Army]

Wednesday 17  My appeal to the coun
cil was not in vain–they granted
last evening 2500$ to the Fredg suffer
-ers-with a little better management
much more would have been given
-I made further collections and remit
ted $500 more to Howison.  I shall
not stop until I make up $2500
   Willis & I have agreed that more
help is necessary in the bank &
I shall bring the subject before the
board.  Learned that Mrs Lomax
relict of my venerable friend the Judge
returned to her house after the first
exodus from Fredg. and that when
the shelling took place she could not
be removed being bed ridden- & that
the roof of the house was torn off
by shells.  She was not hurt.
Gen Lee’s official report is in   the papers
our line extended from Hamiltons Cros
sing 3 1/2 miles below the town to the Rap
pahannock above Falmoth–Our troops
were on the brow of the hills from
Willis Hill to Fort Hill and between
the Hills and the Rail Road below the
town–the enemy around on our right
from the mouth of Deep Run where
their lowest Pontoon Bridge was
acrooss Pratts field nearly at right
angles to the river.  The column attac
ing on our left were brought out of
the town-the points on the left
where the fiercest assaults were
made were Willis Hill–and Snow-
den-or as they know call Yeaman
Smiths house Stansbury Hill-our loss
was comparatively slight-less than
1800.  the enemy’s was very great
At night engaged in putting
up the moreen curtains which I
have done, except when in S.A. annu
ally since our marriage–They were
imported by Gen Minor before his mar
riage-and are therefore nearly as
old as the Federal constitution-they
are but little injured-and where
is the Constitution?

MSS 4763 

[written on stationery of the Virginia and Tennessee Railroad Co.]

   Lynchburg, Va. Dec 17 1862
Wm Barnes Manager
    L B Office
              Dear Sir
                             Troop
trains have now been detain
ed several Hours at three
different points waiting
for orders which I have
been unable to give because
I cannot get the line-
I am willing to wait for
Government business but
can not have trains delay
ed for Private messages
for individuals but claim
preference particularly as
Mine is Government
Business  please let us
Have the line
             Yours Respectfully
                 T. Dodamead

MSS 4444

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

Tuesday
Dec 16
We started about the usual time this
morning on our march and soon heard our
cannon making itself heard at the advances.  We
shall soon be at it again from present appearances
and God defend the right.
Noon-As I am writing these lines, the cannonading is perfect-
ly awful, and the wounded are being brought to the rear
but I am feeling hopeful that God is with me in every danger.
O God be with us and spare our lives if Thou thinkest
best=Here we were ordered to fall in and marched into
battle, but by the blessing of God none of us were injured
and marched off to our right, in order I suppose to
get in their rear, and we are now encamped a good
ways from where the battle-at this point our regiment
was ordered forward and I put up my book. We went
down and filed off to the left into an open place
where we stood supporting a battery.  Our enemies
were the other side of the river, having burned a bridge.
While we stood there I heard one of the artillery men
who was hit cry out and fall in death.  We were
finally marched off to the left, leaving the forces engaged
at the river. Several men were taken from the regiment
as sharpshooters.  We encamped about dark
in a large cornfield.  George got some husks
to sleep on so I guess we can lie pretty well to-night
Blessed be God who has again preserved us through
another battle in safety.