Camp Casey Nov 25 [1862]                                    
                                                     Fairfax Seminary
My Dear Father,
                                       Out of the hospital
and where do you suppose, I am
well as you could never guess,
I shall have to tell you.  I am
waiter for Genl Wright.  It
sound big I know but it is
a grand good berth  I think
and as there is no hard work
to do I have left the hospital
and commenced my duties
this morning.  So It seems that
he remembered his promise

to give me a place after all
     Agustus Bradley his former
waiter did not feel very well
and was rather home sick too
I guess, thought that he would
like to be home Thanksgiving
and as he was not sworn into the
U.S. service he left this –
morning for home and is not
going to return.  I was in the
hospital and Genl Wright sent
over and said that he wanted
to see me and the result was
that I am going to stay with
him until further orders..
     There is no hard work to do
he has an Irishman that makes
the fires sweeps out the office
brings wood & water blacks
his boots etc and all I have
to do is to make up his bed
bring his coat brush him off

carry his cloths to be washed
and see to all his things
generally..  Both the doctors
said that I was strong enough
to do it, and said that they
were going to send me to my
street this week..  I think
it is a good thing  I sleep
in the same room with the
Genl and am going to take
my meals with Capt. Bassott
so that I shall fare much
better and shan’t have any
guard duty – picket or drilling
to do,  I shall like it first
rate I thing..  Father I hate
to ask but I am all out of
money and I wish you would
send me a $ or two so that
I can pay for some washing
and get a few things that I
want.. I am afraid they –

won’t pay us off for some
time yet and I can’t wait
for them..  I shall look
for my box this week..  Aaron
has got one on the way
too.  I guess every thing will
be all right this time..
                   There is nothing new
down here.  Jim Belden &
Julius Andrews have put
up a shanty here, and sell
every kind of stuff..
                   We are getting along
gay shall probably stay
here this winter.  I shall have
a good warm place if we do
     hope you will have a good
Thanksgiving dinner and
enjoy yourselves..
                   Love to all, Your Obedt.
                                           Son Jim

James H. Howard, Co A., 15th Connecticut

[transcript by Mary Roy Dawson Edwards]

MSS 12668

25. Cloudy towards Eveg.  Brig. drill in P.M.  read, wrote
letters, visited sick – talked personally with some –
a bright young Englishman came to my tent, under
serious impressions – talked  questioned & prayed
with him, he seems in hopeful state.
Burnside is moving towards Richmond – Will
Lee & Jackson follow or dash in on us & Washington
by Arlington heights – I have often wished I had
kept a record of my frail [?] barometric of the war
atmosphere – For nine tenths of time I have
been very hopeful – but lately from long inaction
of Army – depression of depreciation of govt. money –
(i.e. rise of coin)  democratic victories in No.
I began to feel discouraged a little – now

fr. statement that Govt. debt  will be only about 800,000,000
July 1863.  fact of rise in rivers – completion of our
enormous iron clad fleet & the movement of
Burnside – the wretched state of rebel army   I
feel as if God would yet speedily give us the
Victory – joined with Pres. proclamation, of
freedom to slaves of rebels [-] Jany.  only 6 weeks more.
A soldier recd. a letter of 22d. saying Mr. Hornblower was
dead – I knew it could’nt be true, but it gave me a
dreadful shock – a letter from Jane D. about Cols. health –
dated 24 – reassured me –

[transcribed by Mary Roy Dawson Edwards]

MSS 12935

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

     Nov. 25th, ’62.
Still in Camp; at
about 9 A.M., we
rec’d. an order
to be ready to
march at 12 M.,
but in a short
time the order
was countermand-
ed. Will probably,
march about M.
to-morrow.
Firing of cannon
heard last night
& this morning,
in direction of
Nashville.

[transcript by Mary Roy Dawson Edwards]

MSS 10547-bm

[from the diary of John Ward of the 102nd Pennsylvania]

Nov 25th this a verey
Nice morngin

[transcript by Mary Roy Dawson Edwards]

MSS 12913

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

Tuesday, Nov. 25, 1862
This morning
put Dulse in the bugy
& took Hunt Eliza over
to Montfords  Had some
difficulty with the
horse.  found [Thorn?]
much worse than I
expected in fact very
near deaths door
Went from there over
to [Avereles?] Dinsmores
Helped him some with
his trees came home
late had some trouble
starting
     Cloudy this afternoon
rained a little this
evening
went over to Maths &
stayed all night

MSS 10317

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

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

Tuesday  still raining–We are all very busy sewing

[from the diary of Anne Madison Willlis Ambler]

I dont know why but lately I have felt
the greatest indisposition to walking–feel that
I could sit still all the time. But I was
determined to resist this feeling & Em. F[annie] & I
walked up to the end of the lane feel
much benefited by my walk but was
not profited by my reading as Jacke
had taken his nap & was obliged to stay
in my room & I had no other paced to go-
put my book down in despair & went
to my work, didn’t accomplish
much–Oh! I feel that I am an
unprofitable servant  All my days
are passed in comparative idleness=
what an account of sin their will be
against me.  But O Lord-I believe,
help thou mine unbelief & cleanse
me from all wickedness for the sake
of thine only son Christ Jesus.—
I have tried in vain for several weeks to
learn Tom his letters.  At first he learned
very fast, but soon got tired & wouldnt
say them even if he know so this evening
I determined to give the birchen rod a
fair trial & after every persuasion it induce
him to say b failed I resorted to the switch=At
first I used it gently as I hoped to bring
him over, but he seemed determined not to yield
promised he would say it, but when I got the book
refused-so I whipped him again & again without
effect.   He begged me to stop, “just slap me Ma what
made you whip me so,” – It was hard to go on
but I had begun & I determined to conquer him
if possible.  He said he knew it, but would not
say it-wanted to go to bed, No Tommie I wont
let you go to bed to night till you say it, You may
whip me all night, & I wont say it=I was completely
nonplused.  I had whipped him more than I had ever
done before & I could not make another mark=sat
him down & went to consult Pa, He came up & gave him
a talk & he promised to say it to me, but when I
came he wouldn’t do it-so I led him to Pa who
sternly ordered him, but he would not, then Pa carried
him to the door & called one of the servants to take
him away It was dark & he said & promised to say it, but when
he came in refused again, so Pa called Robert &
told him to saddle a horse & take Tom to the field
where the dead mule was & tie its skull to him.  Poor
tom yielded & after some one present prompting
him, said it.  He was over joyed at his escape;
got in the finest glee before he retired, asked me
to kiss him several times.  Poor child–It will
take most judicious management to train
him in the way he should go.

[portions translated in 1972 by her granddaughter Anne Madison Wright Baylor]

MSS 11616

[from the diary of William M. Blackford, bank officer and former diplomat with five sons in the Confederate Army]

Tuesday 25.  Much distressed at
the news from Fredg.  Women &
children flung from the place &
the enemy threatening to shell it
if not surrendered.  It will be be not
surrendered-and I do not think
after it all the Yankees will
execute their threat–Jacksons
army is in motion to join Lee
going up the Valley to New Mark
et and crossing into page–a circui
tuous, but better route, than the
Piedmont –Weather cool but
fine-William & Major Ball
left us for Richd in the eveng
train –Williams account of
the raids at Catletts Station and
into Pennsylvania, and the various
battles & skirmishes he has partici
-pated in since the second campaign
of the season opened was very interes
-ting.  I regretted we could not have
more of it–but various things
interfered wit the narrative.  He
has seen as much service as any one
and done more than many who
have risen to the rank of Brig Gen
-unfortunately in his present [duty?]
whilst his [?] and services are
highly appreciated, they do not lead
to increased rank-because there is
no promotion in the corps of Engineers
unless vacancies occur by death or
resignation.

MSS 4763

[from the diary of William M. Blackford, bank officer a

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

Monday
Nov 24
Had a company drill this forenoon
and then we went out nearly to the
river target shooting.  I fired three times and
hit the board every time below the mark
This afternoon Phineas made some doughnuts and
John and I bought some for supper.  George and
I played a couple of games of chess this eve-
ning.  It has been a nice day.

MSS 11293