Confederate States of America
        SURGEON GENERAL’S OFFICE,
                   Richmond, Va 24 December 1862
Dear Sir:
                                Your communication of the
18th inst. in regard to your examination by Army
Medical Board, has been received, and in reply
you are respectfully informed that the results
of your examination did not warrant in the
opinion of the Board their recommending you
for promotion to post of Surgeon
                                  Enclosed you will find the
documents you sent in your letter to this office.
                                                S. Moore
                                                  Very respectfully,
                                                   Yr Obedt Servt
                                                   Surgeon General
                                                          C. S. A.
To
              Surg. J. Edgar Chancellor,
               General Hospital,
               Charlottesville,
                               Va.

MSS 640

[from the message book of  Lt. Thomas S. Seabury, 3rd New York Infantry]

Dec. 24
To Colored man on the Dollie.
Get up steam.  I have
started
 (Signed) Taylor

Dec. 24
To 2222
Hod yourself ready
to come on notification.
(Signed) Lt. Davis

MSS 10781

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

Dec. 24.  Chilly – took good bath & clean clothes –expounded
SS[scriptures?] talked & prayed in hospitals.  Regt came in from
picket – wrote letters – Col. Stevens 13 N H & Col Mindell
called.  five of our officers have resigned – ill health
&c.  accepted. Jno. has washed my change of clothes as
usual.  looks like storm.  Rumors of Cabinet & Army
Commander changes.  Herald of yesterday says all
as before.  Burnside takes whole responsibility:
Rebel ascs.  Say it is greatest battle on the
Continent – Boys say, Rebel order for “Undouble
files – double quick March!” is – “From four ranks to
to ranks – right Smart – git?”

[transcript by Mary Roy Dawson Edwards]

MSS 12935

                                            1862
Camp near Fredericksburg Dec 24
                    Dear Phebe
                            When skies are
clear and all is calm it is
easy for us to feel satisfied and
to believe that God is Just; and it
is only when storms arise and
the tempest rages that we begin to
doubt, and have our faith shaken
You remember that beautiful
hymn commencing “If through
unruffled seas towards heaven
we calmly sail” and you will
also reccolect that at the close
the Poet refers to those stormy
days which might come in these
words “But if the storms should
come &c[“]-these are the days that
are upon us; and it becomes us
as christians to remember
that it is the same God who in
years past has so bountifully bless
ed us that now afflicts us, and

[page 2]

let us not forget that it is for
our sins that we are thus afflicted
You will call to mind the times
when God declared of his chosen
people, the Jews “I will go down
now and see if they have done in all
things according to my words that
I have spoken unto them” and at
another time he declared he
would search Jeaursalem with
a candle; It is the same God
with whom we have to do and
verily he is searching us to day
Already the widows and orphans
fill the land, already more than
the first born has been taken
already the population of a great
citty find themselves driven from
their homes and their homes
made desolate.  Already the
maimed and the disabled fill
the land by thousands and
their cries and groans go up

[page 3]
to heaven unmistakeable evidence
of the enormity of our sins For
we must remmember that God
does afflict willingly and is
only because we should not
profit by the blessings of our
heavenly Father that the blessing
was changed into a curse
: I was much struck with
the remark of a soldier two
days ago; says he “It seems
to me that God has given up
trying to govern and has
left us to ourselves to see him
for we will go in wickedness
It was a dreadful thought
to me to be given up of God
and to be ruled henceforth
by the passions of men: But
Thanks be to God it cannot be
God rules in  heaven and on
earth and cannot be moved
though all the powers of earth

[page 4]
and hell unite: yet shall he
not be be[sic] moved.  He who sitteth
in the heavens shall laugh and
mock when their fear cometh;
Let us not my dear one be of these
but rather let us be of those of
whom Paul speaks: “But we
are not of those who fear
But rather of those of those[sic] who
have a lively hope through faith
laying  hold on eternal life.
Having this we have nothing to
fear though heavens and earth
should pass away: we should only
be the sooner ushered into the
presence of our beloved savior
there to praise Father, Son and
holy spirit forever: This will
be happiness enough to com
ensate us for all we are
called upon to suffer in this
world of sin and sorrow
answer the question, Phebe
Will it not, Josiah

Josiah Perry,  Co. K, 33rd Massachusetts

MSS 2215

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

     Dec. 24th, ’62.
Already to march
at day light; rain-
ing a little.
About 7 A.M. a
fierce shower came
on. With our wag-
ons all loaded
ready to start, we
formed the line, &
stacked arms.
At 4 P.M. we rec’d.
an order to pitch
tents! Knee better,
but not yet able
to-march. Ordered
to be ready to march
at day light to-morrow
morning.

[transcript by Mary Roy Dawson Edwards]

MSS 10547-bm

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

Wednesday, Dec. 24, ’62
This morning
early started with
Thom for New London
as he is going home
Found the roads
very mudy
arrived in time
for him to take the
1.24 train
Saw Jo & Hech
Came on home evening
before I got here
Clear this afternoon
Pleasant–
Observation
New London is noted
for its Grog shops there
being 9 or 10 different places
where licuor can be had
1 Tin pan ally 1 billard hall
1 bagatelle table

MSS 10317

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

Wednesday 24th  A very pleasant day–Eliza has been boiling candy–Sarah
cleaning up for her mother-& the girls all at the church–I received two
letters to day–one from Mary & one from Liz–Mrs. Walters has return-
ed & has a great deal to tell us-She brought William two nice little
caps-& some candy & toys-Mr Campbell will be here on Friday-

MSS 6960

[from the diary of Joseph Addison Waddell, former newspaper publisher and civilian employee of the Quartermaster Dept.]

       Camp near Falmouth
                 Dec 23d 1862
                     Dear Phebe
                          I wrote to
you three days ago, but
as you may not get the letter
I will drop you a line
although I have no news
to write you there has
been a great battle we
were not here in time
to have a hand in it: What
is coming next we do not
know but hope for the
best more as soon as I
have an opportunity
                      Josiah
I have got the paper &
envelopes also the papers
Direct as before to
Co M 33 Regt.

Josiah Perry,  Co. K, 33rd Massachusetts

MSS 2215

[from the diary of Frank C. Fitzhugh of Cutshaw’s battery]

December                 Tuesday 23                                          
Archie & I went up
to see Uncle A. Dade late
this evening.  Spent about
half an hour

[transcript by Mary Roy Dawson Edwards]

MSS 4448