Camp Near Harrisons Landing Va
J                                         July 27th 1862

Dear Br. Charlie
                        I have been expecting to hear from
you for some time past but as nothing has yet ar-
rived & supposing that you want to hear from me
will address you a short letter. My health is fine
now and I enjoy myself very well and keep in the
shade as much as possible.  The weather is very
hot but occasionaly have cooling showers.  the health
of the troops is improving and the army of the Potomac
is in excellent spirits.  Oscar is well & is now performing
the duties of a corporal in his company, I think if
nothing happens he will stand a good chance for
promotion in course of time.  I rec’d a note from
Henry Thompson this morning stating that if I
would send on a recommendation he would
do what he could in the way of procuring a commission
What do you think about it?  can anything be
done? I can get a recommendation which I

[page 2]
think I will do on the morrow & forward to Thompson.
I suppose you are very busy just now during the haying
season and I would like to pay you a visit & snuff the
orders of the new made hay.  It has been a long  time since
I have seen haying carried on in eastern style, the hay in
Minnesota being principally made of wild grass, which
abounds in the meadows & marshy places.
Our (Summers) Corps had a review on Tues. last & made
a splendid appearance.  Out of the 124 regiments on the ground
besides several batteries, only two received special notice viz.
the 19th Mass regiment & the 1st Minn which were complimented
in an order issued by Gen. Sumner himself, for their fine
appearance & excellent discipline.  Our reg. is bound to shine
in any thing in which they take part.
I have heard nothing at all from home for nearly a
month and have about given up hearing again.  I rec’d
a couple of papers a couple of days since directed in your
hand writing for which I am much obliged.  I will en-
deavor to send you some as soon as there is anything
of interest in such as we get.  Please give my love to all
inquiring friends and I will ever subscribe myself
                             Your aff. Brother
                                                               A.S. Davis

Alfred Seymour Davis,  1st Minnesota

MSS 11338
       

[from the diary of Anne Madison Willis Ambler]

Sunday, July 27, 1862
It makes me feel sad to have to
[?] of the day

As we were obliged to start early in the
morning, I had to pack to day, & it kept
me busy all day, nursing & packing.
I told Nancy yesterday to send Mary Jane
down early in the morning & thought she
seemed unwilling to do it was not really  impudent
only looked very angry–afterwards I concluded
it would be well to carry Louisa as I
would have no one to wash for me–when I
asked her, (there is no ordering these days,) she
positively refused said she didn’t want
to go over there-of course there was no
makeing[sic] her I had to give it up. In would
rather not see a servant than to have
them lording it over us this manner.

[partial transcript, 1972, by her granddaughter Anne Madison Wright Baylor]

MSS 15406

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

Sunday 27th  We all went to Church–The morning was beautiful
Rather cool for some of the ladies–It rained very hard last night-
which cooled the air–Little William is quite unwell this afternoon
has been throwing up–& looks badly–I received two letters this fore
-noon–One from Richd. & the other from Tom, both well–Bella
also wrote to Jessie

MSS 6960

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

Sunday 27  I recd yesterday letter from Ro
Saunders asking me to attend at
the Boat & receive  and entertain un
til he could send for her a Miss Fair
fax–started at  qr past  5 with Mary
for the Island Depot–she not being
able to spend a day with us, I got
out at the Doctors & consigned her
to the care of Ben–went to the lan-
ding and found the Boat would not
arrive until qr past 7 – returned
to the Doctors and took a nap and
returned to the landing–saw miss
Fairfax in neither boat. Enquired
at the [?] house found she had
come up Friday & gone to the Springs
Saturday.  Robert is the most head
over heels fellow in the world
church at qr past 10–good sermon
slept after dinner–walked with
Ben–Letter from  [?] who is
still in Richd–his brother likely
to die of his wounds & he has not yet
able to get a furlough to go home
Church in the morning–Mr William
son able to attend–find he is a member
of the Episcopal Church, though his father
is a Catholic. He was taken when
14 to Europe for his education and re-
sided there 9 years-part of the time
as an unpaid attaché of the Ame-
rican minister at Madrid–Gen
Dodge–He speaks German & French
& Spanish quite fluently.  I am very
much pleased with him–and yet
this man has been serving without
a  murmur, with many others of
his class, as a private soldier.
Church at night.  Dr. Minor came
in and thought Mr.W. not well
enough to travel

MSS 4763

            Warrenton C.H.  July 26th 1862
My own darling Addie:
        Here am I far from Alexandria
and moving in the face of the enemy, and as
merry as a lark expecting the unpleasant fact
–our mails will again be irregular.  However
I shall write very often, and trust to my
good luck for the sending of them.
I received your charming letter day before
yesterday, and immediately sat down to an-
swer it, when the order came–“Be ready to
move at 12 oclock, with 3 days cooked ra=
tions.”  However unpleasant orders are, they
must be obeyed.  I packed up my “duds,”
and then commenced the tedious work of
waiting further orders.  This is a state of sus=
pense, during which, one can do nothing by
be painfully idle, unless he feels disposed to
dare the vengeance of the Colonel by “cutting
up some mischief.[“]  Our boys were too full
of fun to allow a single chance to pass, so

[page 2]
some mischievous acts were committed which
happily were of a nature as such to produce no
injury.  I enclose you a rough pen & ink sketch
showing how a poor irishman’s cart loaded
while he was gathering old clothes etc.
   But I am getting too fast.  After waiting
until dark, we were told that we would
start at 5 in the morning.  Upon this, I com-
menced writing again, but had scarcely wri=
ten three lines, when these notes rang forth
from the Bugle [four gars of music sketched]
admonishing me to “fall in for roll-call,” and ere
I could commence again, “Extinguish lights” was
sounded, and exasperated, I obtired[sic]
We fell in again in the morning, marched
down to the R.R. and waited until nearly
night, then embarked for Warrenton.  We
remained at Warrenton Junction until this
morning, when we were whirled up to the
city of Warrenton, a beautiful little place,
but rebel to the core.  What a blighting
curse is Secession–Rebellion to a great
and good government! The first secessionist
was Satan.

[page 3]
But you ladies, (no flattery) are pure, and
noble patriots, and your letters do more towards
making the army firm, unflinching patriots,
than any one thing else.  God bless our noble
ladies.  And my love is one of the noblest
and best. do you know, dearest, that
I long anxiously for happier days, when
Addie will be mine?  But let us not antic=
ipate, but trust in Providence.
        My health was never better, thanks
to you, and you may be sure that if care
is of any avail, I shall not be ill, at least,
until furloughs are granted.
          I will say that we are now in the
Reserve army corps, and are not exposed to
any immediate danger.  So my charmer, dont
be alarmed with fears for my safety; Addie’s
[prayers are invulnerable armor for me, for
God answers his children’s petitions.
          Did you really imagine I was reproving
you?  I was not, and had I thought you
would have received so, I would not have writ=
ten in that manner.  In fact I felt the re=
proof you so kindly gave me, and was going to
receive it in good humor–which I did–and
                         well–forgive me love, please–

[page 4]
Halie was right in his letter, but we will hope it
may be consummated without such a sacrifice.
     My life is nothing, if by its sacrifice, our country
can be saved.  Am I not right?  does not your
heart say “amen“?  Thank you for your correction
of my mistake in regard to “future“; but did
I did not say “when fortune favors,” instead of “future“?
I thought so, or at least I intended to write it so.
       The photograph was a signal failure; the fact
is, Alexandria artists cannot execute a good like=
ness.  But as soon as a loyal artist can get a
chance, I shall have a good picture.
         I shall answer Lauries letter as soon as possible,
which will doubtless be to-night.
         I learn with pleasure that Ohio is promptly
answering to the call for troops, and Trumbull county
will not be behind I am sure.  You ladies can
help the matter by politely inviting “ladies men“
like Richardson to serve their country, or be
considered traitors.
            But I must close now, and will write
again, without fail, in a very few days, meanwhile
           I remain
                          Your ardent and true
                                    Charlie

Charles Tenney,  7th Ohio Infantry

MSS 11616

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

Saturday July 26, 1862
Soon after daybreak 
got up suffering with cold
Soon after cavalry came in
with the Family immediately
started back. I arrived at
the Ferry about 10 Oclock A.M.
got dinner left about one
& leisurely walked up to
our camp 7 arrived
betimes. Our whole march
has been quite fatigueing
26 miles. feel a little
tired. Find Caldwells
family quite an inte
resting one
Sad it is that to leave
theri home & all their
property even their cothes
Bathed again to day
& sewed some

Clear mostly cloudy &
warm

MSS 10317

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

Saturday
July 26
Slept very well last night with
Scollay, one rubber blanket under
us and the other over us.  Went to Trenton
resting in the woods sometime in the middle
of the day.  We saw no rebels until nearly
night as we were going from Trenton to
Pollocksville, when we found five in the
woods.  It commenced raining about six
and we stopped in a corn barn
for the night.  Got my feet very wet and
also very sore.

MSS 11293

[from the diary of Ephraim Wood, Co. C., 13th Mass.]

     Saturday   July 26/62

   Pleasant all day
   Worked at the depot in the
forenoon.  When we were at dinner
Richard White of the 13th
came in and said that
he had got an order for
us to report to the Regt.
He brought it to the Provost
Marshall.  We did not work
in afternoon.  Wrote a letter
for one of the Negroes that
work at the Depot.

[transcript by Mary Roy Dawson Edwards]

MSS 12521

[from the diary of Matthella Page Harrison as transcribed at a later date]

Saturday, July 26th

The families of Saratoga, Longwood and Briars dined here today.  Cousin Mary
Randolph came in the evening. There is a report that Ewell’s forces had a victorious
engagement at Front Royal yesterday, which accounts for the strictures on intercourse
with Winchester on Thursday and yesterday.  The Nashville has run the blockade with
guns and ammunition as a present from England to the Southern Confederacy.  I feel
proud when I write these two words and think of the desperate struggles of our brave
men for the freedom our forefathers died for and northern tyrants have tried to wrest
from us.  Mr. Pope of the Federal congregation of the valley has issued a manifesto
that all men over the age of eighteen that will not take the oath are to be arrested.
Breakers ahead for  stayers at home.

MSS 9759

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

Saturday  Mrs Walters & Sarah have been busy all day arranging their rooms
which look very nicely now–Mrs W brought up carpets–table
covers & many other articles of a smaller size to put in her room. Little[?]
William has had a return of his summer complaint & is not as sociable as
he would be if well–Liz returned at 6 oclock to tea–Della had a tea
                                                              enjoy themselves
party & as we all went in to see the young ^&c it made the evening pass
off more rapidly–Katie Fetter brought me a basket of figs & plums as a present

MSS 6960