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

Monday morning 29th
 – Mr Davis will be kind to them – Mrs Walters sick all day
[Hill is referring to slaves sent south; see entry for Dec. 28]
I have seen Mr Dawson again he has gotten a house & will move up
soon – Mrs Campbell & the Mallets have been to see me – Sarah as
been visiting all day –

MSS 6960

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

 Monday, Dec. 29, 1862

After doing the
morning work
went down to the
sheep shed & put on
the roof.  Pap went
to town – went over
to the old house for
more clapbords this
evening
Have worked all
day and am tired
Cloudy this afternoon
threatening a storm
pleasant day
Letters one from
Libbie Weeks & one
from Ella Dinsmore
came to light this evening
they came whilst I was
in Pa.

MSS 10317

[from the diary of Mary S. Boyden, daughter of the Reverend Ebenzer Boyden, rector of Grace Episcopal Church]

Monday 29  Father went to Charlottesville to the
funeral of Mrs Meade – Lilla Fanny & I went to
spend the day with Mrs K. Nelson.  Had a very
pleasant day – & we were never so pleased with
Jenny Caruthers – Bettie & Mary Meriwether are
in Richmond.

MSS 4288

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

Sunday
Dec. 28.
It rained quite hard during the night
and leaked through on my head, but it
cleared off cold this forenoon. Got all ready for
inspection but they did not have one.  Went to church
for the first time in many weeks
and heard a real good sermon by Chaplain James on
the words “Put on the Lord Jesus Christ,” and it did my
soul good.  Finished my letter this afternoon and
evening.  Had a dress parade to night.  Thank God for
His mercies to me this day.  How much I have to be
thankful for, and yet how little do I realize it.
God give me a truer faith and purer love to Him

MSS 11293

                                                   Camp near Falmouth, Va.
                                                                Sunday Dec 28th 1862
Dear Sister Nellie
                                                    This being inspection day
and there being no drills of any kind it gives me an opportu-
nity to write you although you are I believe indebted to me
one letter.  Everything is quiet about here, and no prospects of
a move that I can see.  There are a great many soldiers
dying about here, of various diseases, among which arre a great
many cases of typhoid fever, and a disease of the feet.  The feet
commences to swell and turn black, and it is a gone case
with the patient.  The doctors are at a loss to account for it
and do not know what to call it.  The 146 N.Y. of our brigade
are loseing two and three every day.  As yet we have not lost
a man, although our sick list is quite large and increasing
I never enjoyed better health in my life, although I am down
to fighting weight, weighing only 158 lbs..  I weighed 176 lbs when I
enlisted.  It is better to be at feather weight you know, in case the
rebels get us on another Chain bridge skeedaddle, I can out run
them.  I received some money from the bank, and have been living
quite high since on beefs liver and fresh bread.  They ask $1.00 for
liver and a shilling a loaf for bread about the size of two of your
biscuits.  I also bought some coffee & Sugar and am enabled to

[page 2]
to have coffee three times a day, and sweetened to so that you
can perceive it.  I tried to buy a ham to day but a pair of
shoulder straps slipped in before me and bought it.  He only paid
35 cts a lb for it. things are extremly low here.  Butter is 50 a lb and
cant be had at that.  Christmas was a very lonesome day in
camp to all except the officers, who were fully 4 sheets in the
wind,and some of them couldent see a hole through a forty
foot ladder.  The privates were served out with a ration of
Whiskey (1 gill) at tattoo.  I suppose it was some that was left
after the officers got full!  New Years will soon be here and I will
soon be out of the service, it dont seem twenty months ago since I
inlisted.  Only think I shall be 27 the 15th of next month.  I declare
I dont see where the years have gone to, and I am an old batchelor.
I guess I will always be one to, for I dont want to make anyone
miserable on my account.  General Meade has command of our
corps (the 5th) now, I dont know that I ever saw  him, so I cannot
tell youwhat kind of a soldier he is.  By theway, there has been
an express office established at Falmouth and all the boxes that
were sent to the regt at Harrisons Landing came here, and such
a mess as they were in.  I got mine that was sent last (21st) July
am I excavated two pocket hdkfs. from the ruins, and I dont think
they will need any “eau  de” for a year by the way they smell now.
They have been taking a list of all the old 2 year men in the regt.
I dont know what it is for, but I have understood that they are
going to offer some of the old serjeants commissions if they will

[page 3]
re-enlist for the balance of three years.  I dont think the bait
will take with me however, for patriotism and star-spangled
is about played out with me, and I am getting fairly disgusted
with the proceedings at Washington.  I have about made up my
mind that the war is a money making concern for our “tailor &
hatter” Gens. and that they intend to prolong it as long as they
can possibly.  That Fredericksburg affair “cooled my coffee”
considerably.  If they intend to continue to plan such “slaughter
pens” as that in Washington, I am not fool enough to offer myself
up as a lamb for the sacrifice – If, I should, after I get my discharge
feel like killing anybody, I should try a gun-boat or a battery,
for I am of an opinion that pedestrinism is all well enough-
for those that like us, but prefer a horse or a steam engine
to travel with, especialy in this uninteresting country.  I am
afraid that I am not much of a christian, but I did feel
“awfully” like giving thanks to the Lord when we got out of
that Fredericskburg murder.  The 4th Maine lay about one mile
from here, but I cannot get a pass to visit them, as no passes is allowed
to the men to leave camp.  I think it is hard, that we cannot get a few
hours leave from camp, when our officers get 4 & 5 days absence to visit
Washington & Baltimore.  I suppose that you are having fine sleighing
and skating down east, while here it is has been a regular indian
summer for three days.  We had it cold enough just after fight though.
Do you know where Frank is, I wish that if youdo you would write
him to come and see me, for I suppose he must be somewhere in this

[page 4]
vicinity,and probably can leave his battery better than I can this
regt.  Tell him that I am in Buterfields old corps Sykes division and are
with the Regulars, Hookers Grand Division and about 3 miles directly
behind Falmouth on the line of the railroad to Aquia Creek.
And if these directions wont fine me, tell him to enquire of Websters
unabridged dictionary, in two volumes, bound in calf.  We have heard the
report of several cannon to day a great ways of and it appears to be on our
right.  I hope it will not amount to anything, although it begins to grow
more distinct at this moment.  I dont want to fight any more, “I want to
go home,” (as the boy said).  Captain Cartwright of our company died suddenly of
lockjaw in Washington last Friday, from an old wound received from
a piece of a shell at Gaines Mill June 27th.  The wound had never entirely
healed and he caught cold in it.  He was on recruiting service in New York
and came out here for his fathers body (who is chaplain in the 40th NY) that he
understood was killed at Fredericksburg.  The report of his fathers death was
false however, and he was on his return to New York, when he died.
The Capt was only 21 years of age and was promoted from the ranks through
influential friends.  He was a very smart officer.  He was wounded at Big
Bethel.  We now have eight vancant[sic] commissions in this regiment
and if I could get a commission, without enlisting for the balance
of three years, I shall not accept of one.  Give my love to Mr & Mrs Singer,
Ida, Ned, & Elisha and Mrs [Sucat?] when you see her, and except this letter
with the assurance from me that you never shall be bothered with
such a lengthy piece of nonsense again, for I have got no more paper
of this size.  Write me soon and dont cut your letters short, nor
make them quite so much like angels visits
                                                                Your loving brother
                                                                           in the army
                                                                                  Flave

MSS 10571

             Camp Near Falmouth
                December 28th 1862
My Dear beloved Wife
                            I recived your
kind and welcome letter today I
was very glad to have it I had
begun to think you had not recived
my letters we are on the
same Camp ground we left before
the battle what few ther is left of
ys there is not quit 100 men for Duty
we went into the fight with
about 250 men the Captain had a
letter from Dabney Pinkham
he is at Point Lookout MD.
he is Doing well I doenot know
what they will doe with what
there is left of the Regt they sware
they never will go into another fight
they say they have seen fighting enough
they want some of the $500 men to
see some of the fighting they think

[page 2]
we have seen our share of fighting
I think so myself we have ben
in 2 difernt battles that is as much
as I want to see I cannot write
eney more at present you will
here from me again soon
    from your ever true and loving
    Husband George L. Hersum

George L. Hersum,  5th New Hampshire Volunteers

MSS 10801

Camp Maine
       East New York
               Dec. 28th 1862
         How fast the weeks fly
away – another Sabbath evening
& it becomes my pleasant
task to write you all a few
lines.  This has been a pleasant
day.  Last night Asst.
Surgeon Libby died.  I
believe I wrote you that he
was sick with typhoid fever.
  There is no sign of our
leaving here very soon.
Surgeon Morton has turned
in and is coaxing me
to come to bed.  I think I
shall go pretty soon.
  I suppose you have all
been to church to day.
Not so with me   I have

[page 2]
been here in the tent
nearly all day.
   Saw the boys to day
they are well as usual.
  Vaughan has not been
released yet, & I fear will
not be till he goes home.
   I am well, get a plenty
to eat,  sleep warm &
have no holes in my
stockings yet.
   Hope we shall
leave here before long.
             Good Night.
                    C.P.M.
(P.S.)  It will take quite a
number of stamps you
know if I write twice a week

Charles Plummer Morrill, 24th Maine

MSS 11031

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

Dec. 28th
To Capt. Reynolds
11th Pa. Cav.
Is Lt. Titus with you?
If not, where shall I meet
the party?
(Signed) Sergt. Egeston

MSS 10781

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

 Sun 28. Lovely day, held Sbat. services in hosps. & buried poor
Post in morng.  A large voluntary regt! Service in P.M. – preached
on Let me die death of right, &c.  Good prayer meetg. in Mess tent
in eveg – Baloon look bright & clear in blue sky.

[transcript by Mary Roy Dawson Edwards]

MSS 12935

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

                        Dec. 28th, ’62.
Sabbath morning, –
clear & bright. All quiet
this morning. Immense
fields of cotton; the cot-
ton, which is in bales, is
torn to pieces & put in piles
by the boys for beds.

[transcript by Mary Roy Dawson Edwards]

MSS 10547-bm