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

 16″  17″  Frid & Saty
Fair & summer weather Th 70″
shrubbing & maulg rails
reading Blessington’s memoirs

MSS  3315

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

Friday, January 16th – We had a hard rain last night but the sun came out this
morning and the wind blew.  Mr. Roysten came before breakfast and told us the
101st battalion passed through Millwood before daybreak this morning.  I am so
unwell I am writing in bed.

MSS 9759

[from the diary of Sergeant Robert Larimer, Co. C., 62nd Regiment Ohio Volunteers]

Thursday 15
Company & Battalion drill C.
W. Clove returned to company
recd a letter from S. Larimer
wrote a letter to      “
——change of weather
cloudy

MSS 38-129

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

Thursday
Jan 15
Drilled in the Manual as it looked like
rain.  Read some in Spurgeons sermons
Two mails came today.  I got a good letter from
home tonight and answered it this evening.
It has rained some today and is going to be a
rainy night.  Got rather bad news from Vicksburg
to-night, but I feel that our cause is in the hands
of God and He will do what is right.  O God
strengthen my faith and purify my heart, and
bless my father and mother and brothers for
Jesus sake.  Made out discharge papers also for
Southie today.

MSS 11293

Camp Pitcher, Falmouth Va
Jany 15th 1863
My dear Miss Cabeen
Your letter of the
___inst duly reached me a few
days since.  Tonight Ned Bowen &
I are hard at work (excuse me
industriously engaged, I should say)
in writing letters, sitting at a
table up in y tent for we don’t
know when we shall have another
opportunity.  We are upon the
eve of a movement, whether
forward, backward or sideways
I can’t say for it would be contra
band, besides  which I don’t know
myself.  It may all end in our
remaining just where we are
for the actual orders to cook
rations, pack up & strike tents are

[page 2]
not yet received, merely expected.
However, we place all our sick,
who are unable to march, in the
Division Hospital this afternoon
& all the other infallible signs
tend towards an early departure.
One rumor says we are going
to Suffolk to reinforce the army
now there, another that we
are going to cross the river again,
this time where the roads are
not quite so rough as we found
them on a previous occasion.
Speaking of that previous occasion
reminds me that you want to
know what Co. F did then &
there, particularly what your
humble servant did.  Modesty
forbids that I should say we
all acted like  heroes.  I will
leave that for some future historian
of the war.  So far as my idea

[page 3]
of a battle is concerned, I am perfectly
willing to give it.  I should have
been very unwilling to go home
unable to say that I had been in
one, but having had that amount
of experience, I am not at all
anxious to have been in two,  I
suppose your idea of a soldier is
that he is always grieving when
he hasn’t an opportunity to fight,
delights in bloodshed &c &c.  My
experience is to the contrary, as I
find the older a soldier becomes
the less anxiety he has for such
scenes. Of course I did not come
out, without expecting to have to
fight, and when it is my duty
intend to do it, but I am merely
giving you my preferences.  I
won’t give you any details of
the battle now for you must know
them by heart by this time, and

[page 4]
besides I don’t wish to remember
the horrible scenes of the field
any longer than I can help.  For
two or three days we talked
ourselves to death about them,
then they faded away, and in
a week we had almost for-
gotten all about them.  So let
me take some more interesting
subject.  Last Monday a
dashing looking turnout stopped
in front of our tent.  Upon
going out we saw an ambulance,
nothing remarkable in itself
but containing a most remarkable
cargo, consisting of Mrs Eliot
Miss Hattie Dorr and a venerable
looking gentleman whom they
had induced to act as escort from
Washington.  You can fancy our

[page 5]
feelings.  Their stay was short
but while here we tendered
them all the hospitality we
could.  I, personally, ordered
what I consider a magnificent
dinner, served at 6 P.M., and
regret to say that I do not think
they appreciated it.  Perhaps the
thought that they had to leave us
in an hour spoiled their appetites,
but I am certain they did not
see the merits of our hot cakes
&c &c.  Miss Dorr tried very hard
to eat one.  They took the last
train back to Acquia Creek, &
we were left wondering whether
or not we had seen a vision.
Are Mrs Eliot & Miss Dorr
remarkably pretty, agreeable and
all that, or did we merely think
so, because we had not seen a
lady for four months, or was it

[page 6]
a mixture of both?  Of course
Capt. E. monopolised Mrs E.  Ned
Bowen & I devoted ourselves to
the single lady & set her down
for an angel.  If you know
any ladies suffering from a dearth
of admirers send them down
here.  We will do anything for
them.  Yesterday, Genl Birney had
us out all the afternoon merely
because some ladies from Philada
wanted to see a drill.  Mrs
Birney is down, & among others,
Miss Maggie Fassitt.
  The greatest event of this week
(always excepting the visit
before mentioned) came off
last night. Capt E.R. Bowen
was tried by a court, convened
to meet at the Colonels Head
quarters, on a very serious
charge! viz:- that he was at

[page 7]
the battle of Fredericksburg, Dec 13
1862,when he ought to have been
at home with his wife & family.
The testimony was overwhelming
of course on both sides.  The defense
was conducted by his Counsel, the
Quartermaster, very ingeniously &
it was proved that he had no
wife & family, that he ran away
from the battlefield & went to
his wife & family, that he never
was at the battlefield at all,
and lastly that he was insane.
You may guess that his counsel was
ab Irishman.  The verdict was
unanimous, Guilty on the ground
of Insanity, and the verdict sentence
was in the same spirit.  The
proceedings were very amusing.
The testimony in proof of his
insanity, among other things, alluded
to the frequency & great length of his

[page 8]
narrations at the Battle of Cross-
Keys, Life at Fort Delaware (three
months campaign) and other
things of which you say I warned
you not to get him talking.
We are hereafter going to have
“social” gatherings at the colonels
twice a week.  Next time will be
charades, in which we will try to
make up for want of material
by extra ingenuity. While we
have the chance we intend to
have a good time, and if our
friends at home think we are
grieving ourselves to death, by slow
degrees I beg leave to say, they
are mistaken.  I am afraid
that the tone of my letter is too
cheerful and you may think
I don’t want to come home,  I am
so well satisfied with this life.
You insinuate that my last was

[page 9]
too much so, considering that three
men had just frozen to death, but
is it not best to look at the
brightest sides of things?  For
my part, notwithstanding my
opinions of the conduct, present
object (the everlasting nigger)
and probably results of the
war, I have never lost heart yet,
though I believe the happiest day
of my life will be when I return
to Philada. with the regiment.
Remember me to your Mother Y Father
& to Frank.  Has the latter lost the
military aspirations he had when
we were at Camp Banks?  There
are no vacancies for drummer boys
yet.  Please tell Annie Duhring
that I will remember her request,
though I think cats are like every-
thing else living (apart from our
own armies) scarce articles down

[page 10]
here.  Have you heard the bad
news? The Germantown Cornet
Band are no more.  The night we
retreated across the river they, being
in the rear with other supernumaries[sic]
slept too soundly, and the next
morning exchanged the arms of
Morpheus for those of Jeff. Davis.
“We their loss most deeply feel.”
Ned Bowen desires to be remembered
to you.  He recently got off an epistle
to miss Fanny C.  At the same
time, I one to sister Gertrude,
which we hope duly reached their
destinations.  I am concluding
this Saturday morning (17th) and
we are under orders to march
tomorrow at 1 P.M. I trust t his
may reach you more promptly than
the other written on the eve of
our last movement, though these
movements are damaging to both

[page 11]
species of males.  Mr. Johnson is
down here again and though very
glad to see him, I begin to look
upon his appearance as the shad-
ows which coming events cast before
them, Excuse the excessive length
of this communication.  I expect I
am as bad as Ned with his battle
yarns.
              Very Truly Yr Friend
                                 Jos. T. Lea

Joseph Tatnall Lea, Co. F., 114th Pennsylvania, to his future wife Annie Cabeen

MSS 11412

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

Jan. 15th
   To Col. Wardrop
                 Additional reports
      from contrabands state that
      the rebels are preparing a
      cavalry force to come down
      the canal.
                    (Signed) Gen. Viele

MSS 10781

[from the diary of Captain Zachariah Heed, 91st Regiment, Ohio Volunteers]

15.
Fayetteville Va.  Thursday morning,  now all gone.  No at[t]ack yet   Picket force Strengthend.   2. oclock P.M.  quite warm, 8 oclock P.M. Sky clear.

[transcript by Mary Roy Dawson Edwards]

MSS 13406

                                 Farmington 15. Jan 1863

My own precious darling
                                      I have just returned
from “Roll-Call” and seated myself in this
comfortable room with pen in hand to pour
out on paper thoughts, for your eyes Love,
which shall again remind you of my strong
devotion for my own loved one.
  I received the kind letter from Messrs
Coon and Barnam, last evening.  Nothing
could have given me greater pain than to
know that you, dearest; had suffered a relapse.
Your last letter was so hopeful and cheering
that I was much encouraged, but as you
say dearest, “There is many a slip, ‘twixt
the cup and the lip.”  May God in his
great mercy give you strength, so that
you may not again be brought to your
bed.  I think there was nothing which kept
me from utter despair, except the knowledge

[page 2]
that you had received a furlough, and that
God permitting, you will soon be home.
But love, will not the exertion be too great?
Will not the journey be too long for you
to undertake in you now weak state?
O Charlie, darling one, I tremble.  Would that
you were but here. But I will be hopeful and
trust in God’s goodness.
  Seth informed me that the arrival of any
letters gave you great pleasure.  I was gratified
to know it: I feared they were written with so
much sadness  that they would but tend to
make you worse.  But darling, do not read any
sad thoughts, read only the happy ones, or at
least do not dwell upon the sad ones.
   I will try and write cheerful  loving letters
just such as you dear patient Charlie need.
How happy I should be love, would I but
watch over you as you return to health,
I do not believe any one can do quite
as well as I should.  How devoted I should
be.  When the pain tortured you, I would try
and to drive it away and sooth you with

[page 3]
gentle words, and as none but your Addie has
a right to utter.  Then when you were able
and could endure it, I would read some a[?]
work from which we could obtain instruction and
for me, patience.   Would we not be happy
dearest?   In my dreams I was with you
last night.  I went to sleep wishing that
I could fly to you, had no sooner fallen
into a gentle slumber than I was lifted
from my bed, and wafted far far away
over mountains, hills, rivers, cities and towns
on on till at last I found myself in
a dark comfortless room surrounded by me
Some were lying on rough beds others waling
around as if tired of life and wished
to walk into eternity.  Upon inquiring I
was told t hat I was in a Hospital, and that
those pitiful objects were dear brave soldiers.
  Mentally I asked if Charlie was there
and began searching:  Earnestly I gazed in
each face hoping to see one familiar glance
one loving one but vainly, until I looked in
one corner and noticed a rude couch of straw

[page 4]
occupied by my Charlie.  It needed no
second glance to convince me, besides over
it bent kind Seth Coon his face animated
and his blue eyes brimming with joy as he
asked “How you came.”  I flew to thee darling
and awoke kissing——Carrie
  But darling dear Carrie wishes to write
a word of encouragement, and this with
hers must be all that you must read
at onetime.  I will write a line to
the gentlemen who so kindly  wrote to me
for you, and if you see proper please give
to them.  Hoping soon to have you with
me I remain , as ever thine own true
                                          Addie

[in another hand]
C. Tenney
                      May I beg the privilege
of addressing a few words to you?  Although you
are a stranger to me yet I have heard you so fre-
quently spoken of that I almost feel we are
friends.
It has been with feelings of regret that we
have learned of you illness and be assured you

[cross hatched on page 4]
have the united sympathies of each one of us, as you have our earnest hope
that you may soon recover.
  If you will not think it too presumptuous in me- I wold like to
say as Addie is very very anxious for your welfare – can you not through
the kindness of your friends let her hear from you often?  If it is but a
line you know it will do her much good.  Please pardon if I have said
too much.
     Our people are gratified for the regard you sent in Addie’s letters
and wish to be remembered kindly to you.
    With the sincere hope that you may soon be restored to health – and
your permission
                               I subscribe myself
                                                             Your friend
                                                                                    Carrie Hibber

[Addie and Carrie were teachers together at school in Farmington]

—————————————————————————————
                                                                 Farmington  15th Jan 1863
Gentlemen
                     A grateful heart prompts
me to address a few lines to you, as
a token of appreciation for all you
kindness toward my friend Mr. Tenney.
I doubt if you are aware of the happi=
=ness  it brings me &c to know that absent
friends when ill are tended by those who
are faithful.  Although I can not
recompense you as I would were I
differently situated yet you shall ever
have the prayers and blessings of a
grateful heart.         May I ask one
request of you gentlemen?  Will you
watch over Mr. Tenney as though he
were as dear to you as he is to me?
and will you inform me often in regard
to his health:  If so God will reward you
and you will ever be remembered kindly
                                         Addie G. Case

[The last letters in the correspondence of  Adelaide Case and Charles Tenney of the 7th Ohio, who succumbed to his illness shortly afterwards]

MSS 11616
 

      Camp near White Oak Church Va.
                           Jan. 15th / 1863
Dear parents,
                        I have recieved two
letters from home since I wrote and
as I have a few spare moments today
I will try to write a few lines to relieve
your anxious minds I understand, by your
last letter that you expected to find $15.00
in one letter, that I wrote and did not
find it there but ere this reaches you
the mystery will be explained, so that you
will understand it the day we was paid
I wrote a few lines in a hurry and said I
would send $15.00 a short time after I found
they were going to send a package to Mc.
Falls in care of Charles H. Dwinel so I
changed my mind, and, did not put any in

[page 2]
the letter and instead of sending $15.00
I sent $25.00 in the package to Mechanic
Falls in care of C. H. Dwinal and when you
go after it I think you will find it all
safe I was in such a hurry when I
wrote I could not stop to write the
particulars and I did not think but
you would understand it as it was
since then I have sent $1.00 in a letter
I want you to write as soon as you get
the money  the express bill on the $25.00
you will have to pay to Mr. Dwinal
the money I sent to Portland you can get
the same as you have done before write
to me about it as soon as you get it.  I had
heard of the death of Charles Dore and I should
have written to you about it but I supposed
you  new it before I did he was liked by
all that new him.  My health is quite good
except my back that has spells of being
very sore and lame the rest of the Casco
and Raymond boys are well that belong to this

[page 3]
this regt. our work is not very hard we
have the roll called three times a day
morning noon and night and we have a
regimental drill every afternoon when
the weather is fit and dress parade every
night the turn to to on guard comes about
once a week to stand eight hours out of
twenty four Sundays we have an insp
ection of the Regt. by the field officers
and religious services this is all we have
to do except a few extra details and
and going on picket about once in a
month.  I have not heard what you
                  sending
thought about ^ me some boots and if
you have not written I want you
to write about it there has been
some sent to this Regt that has
never got here. I am glad to hear
Walter is doing so well and I would
send him something if I could get
it There is nothing here I can get

[page 4]
that is worth sending home
the first chance I get where
there is any thing I will try
to send him something.  When
you write again I want you to
send me a little black thread
and one needle if you can  I
have no news to write as every
thing remains quiet in the
army of the Potomac So I will
close   From you son
                    Hiram M. Cash

Hiram M. Cash,  Co. K,  5th Maine

MSS 12916

[from the “War Journal” of George Hazen Dana as compiled by himself from his wartime letters and diaries]

     (Letter without date, referring to the “Mud March”)

                       
We have since ascertained that five men of the
Division froze to death on that last night – falling
out when so exhausted that they were unable to
make fires.        One of our Regiment has since died
from the fatigue and exposure on that march.
Our acting Brig. Genl, – Col. Sweitzer of Philadelphia
boasts that “it’s the tallest marching on record.”
                                                     

                                           Camp near Potomac Creek, Va.
                                                            Jan’y 15th 1863
.   .   .   .   Now a little about our present position
(the regiment’s), and probable movement.
I have just succeeded in making good winter quar-
ters of my tent, having split it open in all the
‘gussets’ – I think you call them – at the back, and
built a fire place four feet high, five feet broad,
and four feet deep, where I burn five ft. logs,
which fizzle and sputter all night, and give me
a good chance for ‘revelry’ as Mrs. Partington says.
Accordingly, having perfected all my arrange-
ments for comfort and ease, an order immediately
came to send all sick to the depot, and hold
ourselves in readiness to march either upon

Washington or Richmond – I fear the former –
trust not one of those horrible “reckon nuisances”, any
thing but that; 20,000 men march two days – sleeping
in the mud – quite a number killed by exposure
and exhaustion – capture two rebel pickets, and
then come back with “viktree stamt on evree
fachur –“ think of that.        There is little doubt
that we are going some where.        Porter has
been gloriously acquitted, and I trust will be in
command of us again – but if he is we shall
probably go to Washington – that is my only ob-
jection to it.

[transcript by Mary Roy Dawson Edwards]

MSS 5130