[from the diary of Daniel D. Logan, younger brother of General Thomas M. Logan, formerly a Sgt, Co. B, 1st Special Battalion (Rightor’s), now with the Hampton Legion]

                       Monday – June 16th 1862

Spent the day at the office – Suffered
some annoyance from my bowels – Harry
Brigham came to see me this Evening &
told me of Ben Flukers death   he heard it
through a letter from one of his men who had
deserted – the poor fellow was terribly Effected
by this sad news – he is a warmhearted friend I
think – It is hard to be reconciled to this
sad End of poor Ben – This war brings us
often before death beds – none can move
us like those in camp, caused by loathsome
disease – while the Enemies bullets are so thick
in battle! Brother Geo came out this Evening &
spent the night with me – he has been informed
by Mr Cooks [?] Adj Genl that they will
assign him to duty in a few days – & by
Mr Benjamin that he is Entitled to pay as a
CS officer all the time – Rec’d a letter from Father
& one from Will Huger today – (by Bro) Retire
at 11 – (10 I -)

[The following lines are cross-written over the above page.]
     Buried David Dunn this afternoon in
the Oak grove Cemetery – Loaned our carryall
to Some of the soldier boarders to go to the      
 funeral –

[“Oakwood Cem. makes more sense.”-R.K.K.]

[Transcript by Mary Roy Dawson Edwards; comment by Robert K. Krick]

MSS 6154

[from the diary of Dr. Brodie Strachan Herndon]

June 16  Little Mary & I ride to Chancellorsville.  Luc & Mr Hart play
chess.  Mother having house & garden
work done.  We are distressed at
Kitty’s announcement to Luc that
she intends leaving us.  A
separation after so many years
of close intimacy & friendship is
very painful.  It is not to be
wondered at that the creatures take
the boon of freedom when the opportunity
comes:  but how few will know how
to use it!  At night Luc read
to us from the newspapers.  The
English press predicts a financial
smash at the North and still
holds to the impossibility of conquering
the South.  So far Jackson is
the hero of the War.  Ashby’s
death was sorely lamented.
God well will raise us up
deliverers.

MSS 2563-b

[from the war journal of George   Hazen Dana of the 32nd Massachusetts as compiled by him at a later date from diaries and letters]          
            
                                           
                                                Harrison’s Landing
                                                       July 29th 1862
I have been full of importance and business, the past
week, as, my Captain and First Lieut. having been laid
on the shelf, I have been in command of the company.
Now, however, the Captain’s resignation having been re-
fused, he has suddenly recovered and taken charge
again.          ‘Tis more than probable that the next
you hear from me will be after a battle, as orders
read, last night looked as though some arrangement
of the kind were close at hand.          Officers “to in-
stuct their men to discard all clothing but what
was absolutely necessary, to take but small rations
in their haversacks, as we were to continue near
our base of supplies – no more clothing or knap-
sacks to be issued, etc.”          This order, coupled with
a visit from Genls. Halleck and Burnside, makes                                                                                   
          an immediate forward movement (keeping the James
River, “our base of supplies,” on our flank), more than
probable.
McClellan had a grand review of the whole army three
days since.               Capt. – , (I could plainly see) wanted
to take charge of our company – so did I, and I told
him that it would not do for him to get well so
quickly, after such severe illness, merely for the sake
of going out on parade.          So I had charge.
Our regiment did march splendidly as it passed Mac,
and was the recipient of a compliment to that effect

[transcript by Mary Roy Dawson Edwards]

MSS 5130

Mechanicsville Va June 15th 1862
Dear Father  I recd your kind & welcome letter of the 6th and one
from Mother which was Inclosed in yours I am well & enjoying good health
which I hope is the case with the Family at home night before last the regim
ent & the whole Brigade was called out they tried to flank us on the right
but it did not amount to  much yesterday we was building A Cordavy[sic] road
near the Chickahominy swamp, since we have been here we have done no
thing else but do Picket duty & build the roads over, General Smith has already
crossed the swamps with to other divisions we do Picket duty tomorrow
in which we relieve the ninety six Pensylvania I have not seen George since
Sunday because I do not get anytime to go there, there is not A day but we are detailed
to do something if you see Edward L. Clarke give my love to him & ask him if he thinks he
will come out here as A Soldier you rote that they were raising another Regiment in
Portland & I want to know whether Capt Thomas has been made Lieut Colonel
of the Regiment I heard that he was the company is getting ready for inspection which comes
off an nine O Clock & we have Religious services at 5 in the cool part of the day Mother writes
in her letter that Georgs Regiment had to March in A drenching rain the day that the battle of fair Oaks
came off to reinforce Genl. Pope which she made A mistake instead reinforcing Pope who is at
corinth she meant Genls Heintzelman Sumner & Keys I will now close by saying by the
time you get this, I hope you will have received that fifteen dollars give my love to Mother
& tell her that I wrote her one the other day P.S. I received three papers from Henry &
one from Portland Advertisers Office, if you take the Maine temperance Journal now & Boston
Advertiser I have seen the temperance Journal up to the seventh & you may begin from
the seventh & send them this is from your affectionate Son Joseph Leavitt give my love to Lizzie
Tell Mother that I only know Mrs Hossacks Son by sight & he is as well as any of us

Letters from Joseph Leavitt of the 5th Maine and his brother George Leavitt of the 5th New York were copied into a ledger by their father John Leavitt in October 1865: “because they are of value to me and I was fearful that they might get mislaid.” Both boys were mortally wounded in the war, George at Second Bull Run, August 30, 1862, and Joseph at Spotsylvania, May 18, 1864.

MSS 66

                        Fort Albany  June 15th/62
Dear Wife,
                I did really expect a letter
from you last night.  I had a mind to
be kind of cross, but, I took a second thought,
and concluded that you had so much to
do, that you could’nt get time to write,
I’ll take the will, for the deed, and forgive
you this time. I certainly have’nt got
much to write about.  Everything seems to
be going on about here, the same as usual,
There has been no excitement lately, and we
are get[t]ing kind of indolent.  We are in hopes
to have another “Marching Order” excitement
soon, we dont care whether in earnest or
not, but, I do’nt have any idea, of anything
of the kind (in earnest,) for fighting seems
to be about” played out” at present.
One of my mess, has been sick for a day or
two, (Thomas full of Rockport)  I gave him some
                   (Dr. Trues)
of that medicine ^ you sent me, and it has
done him much good, he like it much.

[page 2]
What has become of Fitzwilliam has he
forgotten that there is such a person as
Edwin Earp in the army, he (Earp) told
me last night, that he had written to
F.G. three times, and not received
any answer at all, he thinks rather hard
of him, and, I dont blame him,  Earp
is yet a very firm friend of mine, and has
dome me many a favor since we left Lynn,
and I have done likewise to him.
                                           5 o’clk P.M.
We have just been to supper, and we have
had a glorious one, We went out this after-
noon (four of us) and got lots of them, we
picked, and eat as many as we wanted, and
then, filled our dippers, to bring to camp, for
supper, we had a pint apiece for supper, well
fixed up with sugar, Strawberries are selling
here in camp every day for, from five, to ten cts.
per quart.  Blackberries will be as plenty pretty
soon, as strawberries are now, after them will
come peaches, if we stay here, and maybe
we can get some of them.  I guess so

[page 3]
I wonder if it is as pleasant, where you
are now, as it is here, It has been to-day, quite
cool and cloudy, but it is now cleared away,
and is very pleasant.  I’d like to be with you
this evening. We would take a walk, and take
the children along with us. Would’nt we think?
You did’nt tell me how your Mother health
was, when you wrote last.  I’d like to know
from week to week, so you will please not
to forget.  Please tell me all or part of
what Ernie does now, and what he says
about Papa, I suppose Ernie takes care
of Sissy a part of the time now, dont he?
Is Ernie any better boy to mind now, than
he was when i was at  home, or is he
about the same, You must make him
mind you at any rate, for I hope to find
a good little boy and girl, when I come
home, and if I do I’ll thank you, and Kiss
you, to pay you in part for your trouble
I cant see to write more than a minute
or two longer, for its most dark, Maybe I
will a line or two in the morning if

[page 4]
I have time before the Sutler carries the Mail
over to Washington.  Please take good care
of yourself, enjoy yourself, all you can, go
visiting, have a good time generally, I dont
know but this will find you in the
country, as you spoke of going up to
Unity in one of your letters. You had better
go up and take the children with you this
summer, and have a real good time &
you could enjoy yourself very much, I’d go
if I were in your place, that is if your mothers
health will permit, Please give Mother and
Father my kindest regards for their health
and prosperity, tell your mother I often
think of her and those mince Pies
she used to make, I would’nt care if I had
one of them tonight, if we have had such
a nice supper of Strawberries.
Good night Dear Wife and little ones, I’d
like to see you all tonight, I hope to soon,
I’m now going to bed, splendid beds we have,
made on the soft side of a board with our
blanket spread on it, we prefer that way of
turning in, to sleeping on the softest of
feather beds, good health, dont need feather
beds to rest and sleep on.  again good night
and believe me ever yours truly.
                                               Robert

Letter from an unidentified soldier from Lynn Massachusetts in the 14th Massachusetts Heavy Artillery.


MSS 1242

          In Camp on the Banks of
the Chickahominy June 15th/62
Dear Mother
                 I joined the regt last
Wednesday night, am tough and
hearty. The weather is awful hot
here we lay as still as possible
in our tents all day, and we
sweat some at that I tell you,
We are on the reserve so that
we do not have much hard
duty to do only to be ready to
march at any time to any
place where we may be
needed, Our whole division was
turned out day before yesterday
by one of the Gorilla bands
making A rush at our wagons
and capturing some, but there is
a regt of infantry and a battery after
them. We are on a pretty Camping

[page 2]
ground here, on top of a hill
with as good a spring of water
as ever I drank the best with
one exception I have drank in “Ole

Virginny” What do you think of the
great naval battle at Memphis
it was a grand thing was it
not a regular butting game
There is ot much news here now
of imortance as everything is quiet,
not 1/10 part of the firing here they
were at Yorktown the 29th Mass is
somewhere in this neighborhood
I suppose but dont know where
I saw them as they went through
the White House and saw
Wm Henry I have one or two
little things that I wish I could
send home but have no
chance, one is a piece of the
stone that stands where Cornwallis
delivered up his sword to Washington
It would have all been broken to

[page 3]
pieces if they had not put a
guard on it, I had about as
mush as I could do the evening
I got here to read letters of which
I found a pile, how do you
like your new neighbours, aint
you sorry [?] Pennys folks have
moved During the week that I
was at the White House about 10
regts came there going on to Richmond
It would make you think it
was hot to look in here and
see me writing with my pants
unbuttonedand slipped down
over my knees and see the
sweat roll off of me
But I must close as I have
one or two more to write today
Give my respects to Aunt Abby and
all inquiring friends and take
my love yourself
             From you aff son
                  Wm Wallace

envelope addressed to:
 Mrs E. Smith
  Newton Lower Falls
             Mass

William Wallace Smith, Private, Co. B, 22nd Massachusetts
MSS 15360

[from the diary of Joseph Addison Waddell, civilian employee of the Quartermaster Dept.]

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

Sunday 15  We have all been to Church–Being Trinity Sunday Mr Hilliard
had communion–Susie Wingfield plays the  [blank space] for them—
Wr Wm Rensher & Mr Vandyke came home with Eliza & Molly Cornick–

MSS 6960

[from the diary of Dr. Brodie Strachan Herndon]

15 Sabbath   We  enjoy services in
Church.  Mr R does not preach for
indisposition.  Church full of Yankee
Soldiers.  In evening Mother read a
discourse on War by Dr Channing:
We wish the Universal Yankee nation
would read & consider it   In evening
little Mary & I ride to Mr Don[?]
I do not have to get a pass as
the pickets are stationed beyond at
the toll gates.  There has been firing
upon the pickets and some have been
wounded. This makes them very
strict.   One or two from Stafford
who wanted to come for me lately
were denied unless they would
take the oath of allegiance to US
This of course they declined.

MSS 2563-b