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

Feb. 1st
    To Lieut. Titus
        Major Williams
        Paymaster comes down from
       Suffolk this morning.
                           G. Reynolds
                           Capt. Cavalry Detchmt.

MSS 10781

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

Sun Feb 1.  Mild, high wind & little rain – In hospt. – gave tracts &c
Also attended Mr. Cummings[?] service at 1st R. I. battery.  In pm I
Preached on Strive to Enter in at Strait gate &c to our regts.
Held prayer meetg in Eveg in mess tent –

[transcript by Mary Roy Dawson Edwards]

MSS 12935

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

Sunday  Feb’ 1
Thaw – Ro. & Jesse doing well –
Linsay kept away from wife –
No mail recieved – came to P.O.4. p.m.
roads horrid – finished hickory ashes for
meat – ovenight of Wd of [Pas?] letters –
Wm with me all day – Wd visiitng –
filing away old letters –

MSS 3315

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

Sunday – 1st of February  Very cloudy & threatning to rain
I went to Church this morning – Communion day – But my throat
                                                                       in the afternoon
feeling sore I concluded to stay at home & read ^ – as we never
have a sermon in the afternoon – Mr Wingfield only
gives us the service – Mrs Campbell has been too unwell
to leave the house to day – No letter this morning from
Eliza – I am quite disappointed as she ought to have writ
-ten again by this time.

MSS 6960

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

[transcript by the Valley of the Shadow project]

MSS 38-258

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

Saturday
Jan 31
Made out the monthly report this morn
ing and then got ready for inspection
and went out to monthly inspection.   Have also
made out the morning report book, the com-
pany savings and [Douthies?] descriptive list, and
read newspapers, This evening went into the
orderlys tent and sung with Page, Miller and
some of the other boys.  Then they all set to smoking
and bothered Butterfield when he came in and
had a great time generally.

MSS 11293

    Hd Qurs Taliaferros Brig:
January 31st 1863.
My dear wife
   Mr Effinger has not yet returned and I was in conse-
quence without a letter from you on yesterday, but I con-
fidently expect one by mail this evening.  I hope
you will hereafter send all your letters by mail
I am always disappointed when you send me
letters by any one.  We are all in the best possi-
ble spirits about the war.  Every paper brings us
a stronger confirmation of our hope for an early
cessation of hostilities.  The Yankey account of
their recent effort to cross the River is amusing
to us and at the same time is an assurance
that they will not renew the attempt very soon.
The Yankey minister at the Queens Court admits
that if Yankey successes do not change the con-
dition of things before February it will be im-
possible to prevent our recognition, and lo! the
1st of February is here and nothing is done or can
by them be done to effect that change.  Under
these circumstances I think it is possible we may
have another fight on this line in the spring, but
I dont think it very probable.  I am in the finest
sort of spirits  My hope for peace is so vivid that
it overcomes the feeling of anxiety and impotence
which formerly had so disasterous effect on my
spirits.  Only one thing anoys [sic] me & that is your
condition at home  I cant help feeling uneasy
about you all the time and am determined
to go home.  Genl Trimble our new Maj Genl is
now in camp, but I understand is on crutches
I dont know whether he will report for duty or
not, if he does I will I think get leave to go home

[page 2]
3 Oclock.  Genl Trimble has assumed command of his
Division, and I suppose Genl Taliaferro will take command
of his brigade either this evening or tomorrow.  And I have
a furlough already prepared to send up in the morning
I have made out a very pretty case and am very hopeful
that I will get it, but you must not be too confident of
it, but nor look for me before you receive another letter from
me.  If it so hapens [sic] that Taliaferro does not report resume
command I will apply any how, but will not have the
same chances for success.  We have no news in camp, the
day is rather colder than yesterday & the snow is not disappear-
ing so rapidly, but it melts slowly, the roads are in a terably [sic]
bad condition and daily growing worse.  So that Yankey ingi-
nuity & perseverance is perfectly defied and they as well as we
must keep in close quarters for the present.  I have not the slightest con-
 Just here I was interrupted before dinner and now dont know
what I intended to say.  But I can tell you what I intend to
say now.  I intend to start my application with a special
messenger in the morning and will hear from it by night.
So you see I am in ernest [sic] about trying to get home to see
you all  I will be able to anounce [sic] my arriva coming in
advance of my arrival as I intend to visit Richmond before
I go home which will not detain me on the road as I would
have to remain at Gordonsville.  George will go on home
& have Lou at the depot as I pass, all this provided Genl
Lee concludes to let me go home.  I have seen to days
papers, nothing of special interest except the change in
Yankey commanders.  I want in Richmond to get some
little things necessary for you all at home & also get
my uniform which I hope will be ready for me
As this will not go off until tomorrow at one oclock I
may have something more to say.

[letter abruptly ends]

Though unsigned, the letter was written by Edward Tiffin Harrison Warren, Colonel, 10th VA Infantry.
[transcript and annotations by John P. Mann, IV]

MSS 7786-g

Batesville 31st January 1863
Dear General Cocke I have intended to write to you
for some months but my constant engagem=
ents have prevented me thank God my Heal
=th is as Good as usual my loved ones are in us
=ual health I  hope this will find you and yours
Healthy & Happy Striving as you have done
for Many Years to do all the Good you
can while Sojourning here on Earth.  You
& I have but a little Span to fill up here
Our days will Soon be Numbered and wh
en we get through the best of all will
be to look back upon a life Spent in the
Service of God and look forward to a
home in Heaven where the wicked will
cease to Trouble here we have the world
the flesh and the Devil to Contend with and
really General Since this War began It see=
=ms to me that there is more wickedness
than I ever have seen before the Methodist
Babtist Presbiterians & Episcopalians are
Many of them Distilling & Selling Brandy
at the Most Exorbiant Prices, and whilst a
few Men are Building up the Church of God
Many Thousands of the professd Deciples of
Jesus Christ is pulling down and Destroy=
ing all the Good that have been doing for
years past My Prayer to God is that Light
may Spring up in their Minds and Aw-
full Conviction May Arrest them the Love
of Money have bewildered the People Sure=
ley Temperance never was at Such a low
ebb I have not to my knowledge used one Spoon
ful of Ardent Spirits in My Family for

[page 2]
more than 12 Months General what can be done
to arrest this dreadful Crime as soon as the Weather
gets warm Come up & Spend Some days with
Me & lets talk this Matter over See if we can
hep to arrest this Awful Curse answer
this at your earlyst Convenicce and let
me know what you think of this wretched
War & when it will end as ever Your friend
in the Bonds of Christian Love
                             S O. Moon

[docketed by Cocke]
Moon Saml. O. Feby 5
                       1863

MSS 640

                        Fort Gains   January 31st  1863                  
My Dear Wife
                        Since I last wrote you (which
was day before yesterday by Thom Locke) your
anxiously looked for letter has been received
which brought the welcome news that
all was still well – In obedience with your
request as regards Keeping a Diary of each
days transactions while absent from Home
in the Service – I certainly can raise no other
objection than the one already stated while
at Home – I have therefore entered upon
the discharge of that duty with the
hope that it may prove as interesting to
you and My dear little Children in
after years as it is pleasing for me now
to perform it – Situated as remote from
the enemy as we are and the dimin-
utive number of men stationed here
will Most assuredly render it almost
impossible for Me to say much of each
days passing events.  Probably this letter could
not be made more interesting than to copy
from my Journal what I have noted
down to day – Roll Call at 7 Oclock  Break-
fast at 7/4 – For Breakfast we had Coffee
sweetened with syrup – Beeff steak tolerably
tough – fried Potatoes – good Egg bread
Cold Buiscuit – warmed over – Nice
Butter and verry good Country made Syrup
After Breakfast was over – we sat about –
Some Smoking and Some Chewing – At
9 O clock  We drilled in heavy artillery
at the Battery – At 10 O clock we ceased
firing and returned to our quarters where
“Quarter M Buford”   Seargt “Bray” & myself
wirte a letter to Capt “Hardy requesting
him to see Robt M. Ricks and notify
him that it was the unanimous wish
[Written in the margin is:]
 Don’t say any thing about our writing to Capt Hardy in relation to Bob Ricks –

[page 2]
of the Co[m]pany that he would resign or quit it &c.
At 10 ½ O clock Buford   Bray   T.R. Sylvester  A J Locke
and myself went down town to get the news
but none had been received at the office –
At 11 Oclock we returned – At 12 M dinner
was announced by our sable Companion “John”
R. R. Sylvester dined with us to day – Grace
by J M Buford – For dinner we had baked
Beef – Corn Bread – baked Potatoes & Milk –
At 1 O clock I lay down and slept till 3 Oclock..
J. M. Buford & A. J. Locke left at 2
for Farnors who lives Six miles up the river
in search of Sugar & Syrup – at 9 O Clock they
returned having brought 200 lb [?] sugar – Mr F made
them a present of a Jug of butter milk & some
sausages – The day was fair and quite pleasant
untill about the time the sun was discending
beneath the western Hills – when it became
cloudy and now indicates falling weather at no
distant day – It is now 10 Oclock and all
quiet in Camps.  This being my night to relieve the
Guard I shall set up all night –  End
                        I have written more about
the incidents of this day than I will likely do again
for several days to come – I can as a general thing
fill up one page of a small memorandum Book
with the incidents that transpire each day – but do
not expect to write down every thing what we have
to eat – Have you got our cow at home?
How does she look?  How much milk does she give?
Do you get many eggs?  Has Louis finish finished
painting the Dining Room?  Has your Garden
seed come up well – How is the Wood holding
out – Did Mr Mc Leod bring the Fodder
that I engaged from him? and how much?
Tell “Benie” Howdy and give him a bottle of Brandy –
I wish I could see him – I would write to him to
come down to Camp Jackson – but his time is so
short I know he will want to Consume the whole of it
with his family –    Your affectionate Husband   W. H. Locke
[Written at the top of the page in pencil is:]
send John to V Eals for my coat
[Included with this letter is an envelope with a pre-printed return address is 3” X 5 ½ “:]
                         From
         W. D. ETHERIDGE,, Jr.                            Jan – 31st 1863
                    GROCER
                       and
        COMMISSION MERCHANT
                EUFAULA, Ala
                                       Mrs. W. H. Locke
                                       favr

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

[transcript by Mary Roy Dawson Edwards]

MSS 13485

No. 82
Sigels Corps Jan 31 1863
Dear Wife

Camp near Fredericksburg
                        No 81 is received and
I omitted in my hurry to number
mine I will call this No 82
I do not care so much about my
own letters as I do yours I wished
to find out whether I get all your
letters or not, I was somewhat
doubtful about it: They have all
come so far however: G Burnside
has left us also Gen Sumner
and Gen Franklin; and I hear
about 80 other officers of differ
ent grades but worst of all
we have lost our Col He left
us on a furlough of twenty days
and I hear he will not return
Those of our regiment who did
not like his strick[sic] strict
discipline are able now that he
is gone to appreciate his worth

[page 2]
Our Lieutenant Col. is a very
fine man: but lacks those
qualities which do distinguish
Col. Maggi from any other man
that I have ever seen: With an
iron will he made the whole
regiment feel that he was to
be obeyed in the smallest things
all[sic] as the largest, and
every man was made to feel
that there was to be no question
about obedience: Now all is
changed, and although they like
Col. Underwood, they cannot
have that respect for him
that they had for the old
Col: We have got a new
Captain; Groves of Boston
a very good man we think
but not Capt Rogers by a long
shot; Where we are drifting
to I know not but if we are

[page 3]
to lose all our best officers
we may about as well go home
and give it all up  Truly these
are dark days that are upon
us and unless God shall
speedily arise for our deliverance
our cause is lost: My faith
is firm however in our final
triump[sic] for I believe that
God is with us and if so
we cannot fail: I must stop
                From your Affectionate
                         Husband
I sent you ten dollars two
days ago and now send you
five more which I hop you
will get

 J.W.P.

Josiah Perry, Co. K,  33rd Massachusetts

MSS 2215