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

Wed 14. floored, mess tent, with boughs. & boards.  Expect Lt. Col. A
& John tomorrow, also paymaster;  At hos – are building oven
to bake bread.  rumor of battle soon –
My plan of the war is – for Banks with his 75,000 men
to move fr. N O. up take Vicksburg, unite with Rosecrantz
come up thro. East Tenn – & take Richmond in rear –
While Foster demolishes Charleston, then take
Lee in rear while we assail him in front & flank
This would grind all to powder & restore Union! but
man proposes but God disposes –

[transcript by Mary Roy Dawson Edwards]

MSS 12935

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

     Jan. 14th, ’62.
Up at 5 A.M. – moved a-
bout day light, directly
back on the pike leading from
Nashville to Nolansville, & from
that place to Shelbyville. At
about 7 A.M., it commenced
to rain & rained incessantly
all day and all night. We
moved on that pike un-
til about 2 P.M. when we

                 
turned to the left on the Ea-
glesville pike, which, also leads
to Shelbyville; at Eaglesville
we again turned to the left into
the pike leading from Mur-
freesboro to [space left blank], &
marching about 4 ms. we en-
camped; after dark, 13 ms. from
Murfreesboro. About 6 ms.
from Nolansville, today, we
passed through a town of
a dozen houses, called by
the negros Tyrrine, by the
whites, Tyree. (Trinne.)
To-night is the most un-
comfortable I ever spent; the
rain is pouring upon us in
torrents, & the water stands
in pools over the ground.
We are unable to sleep or
even lie down.
God pity the soldier!
We have nothing to

eat save fat side meat.

[transcript by Mary Roy Dawson Edwards]

MSS 12935

[from the diary of Mary S. Boyden, daughter of the Rev. Ebenzer Boyden, Rector of Walker’s Church [later Grace Episcopal], Cismont, Va.]

Wednesday 11th  [sic.,  Boyden is still misdating her entries]  Raleigh went up to Mr Colston’s
as he said in obedience to a summons from home
to get a pair of shoes – I hope he speaks the truth
about it.  Father sent Mr C his bill by R.

MSS 4288

[from the diary of George W. Dabney, Clerk of Campbell County]

14″ Wedn
Cloudy & cool
Wd to town – his son in law
Walker here in his absence –
given news of awful spread of
small pox in Pitta [i.e. Pittsylvania]
comd courthouse

MSS 3315

[from the diary of Matthella Page Harrison]

Wednesday, January 14th — A dark, dismal day, slight rain in the morning.  Went
to prayer meeting at Linden.  A great naval victory at Galveston, Texas.  We took
a fleet of thirty vessels, one of them the San Jacinto was sunk and the Captain,
Mayhew Wainwright killed.  I have a dreadful headache tonight.

MSS 9759

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

Tuesday
Jan 13
Drilled this forenoon under Upton
Have not felt very well to-day.  It
is quite warm in the sun.  This afternoon have
been reading the Continental monthly.  John
Simonds was in at our evening prayer.  How little
are we doing for God.  Had quite a talk
with Frank Adams this evening.

MSS 11293

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

Wednesday had my room scoured out – & sat with Mrs Dawson
until Mrs Phillips called – In the afternoon went up into Mrs
Walter’s room – & shortly after Mrs DeRossett came  in & stayed
chatting until our tea bell rang – Every now and then I would
cone in to my room & write a little – I received a long letter
from Tom to-day – He is well & in a good Tent – & Noah’s cook
ing for him. – He is planning for me after the War is over
as well as for himself – & it would be very pleasant if we
could realize what he wishes to have – A neat little cottage
built on his place & I to live with him – I also received a
letter from Henrietta telling me dear Liz is no better – I feel
so uneasy about her I can neither eat – or do anything – She
has constant fever – & never sleeps day or night – Oh how I
wish she could get well & return to me –

MSS 6960

        Ordnance Office
         Enterprise Miss Jany 13th / 63
J. T. Champneys
Maj’r Ord Office
Chattanooga Tenn
                        Dr Sir-
                              Your telegram
was received here last night-
In reference to the men in the
Department, those whom you
have given orders to return to
their regiments have left-
Sargt Murray arrived here night
before last, he saw Col Clark
but he would not receive the bonds
stating that he could not use them,
the bonds are at present in Maj.
Theobalds safe receipt having been
taken by Murray for the package
marked in your name-
Lt. [T.N.] Tidmarsh returned yesterday
I believe he was unsuccessful,
and has been a prisoner having
been taken by the Federal Cavalry.

[page 2]
Your orders in reference to
the two rooms has been here car-
ried out the papers I have
tabeled- I received yesterday
a dispatch from Shacklock at
Selma- he wished to know your
whereabouts and when you would
return- The boy Gus is here
he came down on the 7th inst
Cady says that your horse
returned the night after he ran
off, minus a saddle & bridle
he did not send him down
as he would not work in the
Buggy-Shall I send up for
him     I have the Honor to be major
                      Your obt Servt
                              J H Reed

MSS 992

         Telegram          Jan  13- 1863 
                  Mrs. W H Locke                       
Care   Jno Martin

Fort Gaines – Ga    January 13th  1863
     Mrs W H Locke
     I will be at Home
     tonight by eight (8) o’clock –
                  W. H. Locke

William H. Lock, Eufaula Minutemen and later the 7th Alabama Cavalry

[transcript by Mary Roy Dawson Edwards]

MSS 13485

                                    Drapers Valley
                               January 13th 1863
Dear Cousin Minnie,
                               Most cheerfully do I
fulfill the promise I made one who has
ever maintained a scrupulous promptitude
in the fulfilment of her promises to me. –
The three days of grace allotted to delin-
quent debtors have scarcely elapsed since
I last saw you but I hope that these
lines will not be less acceptable to you
because penned at this early date.
And having thus prefaced what shall
I say? My journey hither can furnish
nothing on which to frame a lengthy epistle
No hairbreadth escapes or thrilling adven-
tures occurred to disturb the even tenor
of my solitary, monotonous buggy-drive,
nothing greeted my eyes worthy the pen
or pencil of the illustrious Porte.
But whilst my physical self  was for

[pge 2]
the most part inactive I c annot
say so of the mind that plastic power
which is ever busy in constructing and
re-constructing, in building & destroying
its varied forms of creation.As I counted
off mil after weary mile, the busy, turning
brain was at work, and fancy’s airy
fabrics arose as if by the wand of the
enchanter and were as speedily dissolved
again.  Thought oscillated from “the
grave to the gay, from the lively to the
severe” Nd more than once did it grav-
itate to a central object – which object
I shall leave you to guess.  Of one thing
I can assure you, that in all my mental
vagaries there were no might schemes
produced worthy the warrior’s bold emprise
or the statesman’s sage deliberations.
They were as unsystematic n their arrange-
ment and, I fear, as pointless in their
morale as these lines which succeed
each other across these pages.-
Here I imagine you to make use of a

[page 3]
gesture and exclamation of im-
patience at my prodigality of words
and economy of matter.–
As one item of news (but perhaps from
already being heard by you it has
lost its startling character) I will say
that a small body of Yankee cavalry
made a raid into Monroe Co. a few
days ago.  They penetrated that county
as far as Centrreville about 32 miles
from Chrisiansburg upon which place
it is though they were marching.  My
informant stated there were about 150.
The citizens through here are fearful
the attempt will be renewed with perhaps
better success.  I hope they won’t catch
Will before he gets home.—
I presume you recd the note I
sent you.  I would have liked to have conveyed
it or its contents in person if time
& circumstances would have permitted.
I suppose you are now meditating the
expected trip.  I hope that it may be

[page 4]
a period of unalloyed enjoyment
(if that is possible) that you may
receive a cordial welcome at every
fireside you may visit, that you may
meet with many long absent but highly
cherished friends and finally that you
may return in health and safety to
greet those equally dear whom you
have left behind.–
It is growing late, for courtesy demand-
ed that I should spend sometime
with my host in converse.  Please ex-
cuse if I am not as lengthy as I would
wish to be – for I assure you I know
not how to spend time more pleasantly
than I am now spending it, unless it were
to converse with you in propina persona.
I would like to receive a letter from
you beforre I return, but consult your
own convenience in the matter.–
I shall nevertheless, as I stated in my
note inquire at the Newbern office.-
Now I commend you into the hands of
Him who sendeth his angels to watch
over and preserve the upright.–
Most Sincerely
Yours
Porte

William McCauley “Porte” of Co. E., 42nd Virginia Infantry to his future wife Margaret Jane “Minnie”

MSS 14953