East New York
                             Dec. 20th, 1862
Dear Parents
                 How different this
Sabbath evening seems from
what a New England Sabbath
used to seem to me–the
rumbling of the cars, the calling
of the guard &c makes it  hard
for me to realize that it is
the Sabbath.
  Last Sunday evening
heard Beecher. his text was in
acts 26 chap. 29th verse. I tell
you it was grand.  I wanted
to hear him again this evening
but could not go in to the city
very well-Have to content myself
with reading my Bible, Meditation
& prayer.  I fear I do not pray enough
one in such a place as this

[page 2]
should pray all of the time.
I am thankful that I love
to pray, and to think of God’s
goodness & mercy to me.
Neither of the Surgeons are
professors of religion, and our
Chaplin do’nt amount to
pea soup  he is a Universalist
Manson was taken sick when
we first came he resigned and
went home.  Dr. R. L. Harlow is
Surgeon now Dr’s A. J. Libby
& J. a. Morton assts.
  Dr. Libby is sick and will
probably resign and return
home as soon as he is able
he is from Canaan
Dr. Thomas our Hosp. Steward
has been appointed asst.
Surgeon in the 21st Regt.
and your humble Servt. is
Hosp. Steward.

[page 3]
Capt. Deering, Capt. Brown,
Capt. Vaughan & two or three
other Capts. & five or six Lieuts.
have been placed under arrest
for signing a petition
requesting the Col. to resign
I dont know which will
come out ahead. should’nt wonder
however if Deering was sent
home.
Saw Cyrus & [Berny?] to day
they are well.
I have been stopping in
a tent for the past two weeks
like it very well.
It has been very cold
here for the past few days
Have plenty of blankets
& sleep warm.
  There is some talk of
our leaving here pretty soon
I dont think we shall go

[page 4]
before a fortnight-
I received a bundle of
chronicles last evening, dated
Dec 4th
     Your affectionate Son
              C. P. Morrill

MSS 11031

Camp Near Fredericksburgh Va Dec 20th 1862

Dear Mother  — I received your most welcome letter of the 14th to day
informing me of your & all the rest of the Folks Health & you cannont tell how
much A letter from Home is prized by A soldier without you see them when
they get them I am well & enjoying good health the Regiment was across the river
but not in the fight but was under the Enemys Fire four days & when the Fighting
was over on left & right, I do not know how it was that this division was taken from
the Corps & put in the Centre where there was A big swamp & I suppose that is the
reason that the Center did not Fight any, I will close these few lines by saying I
hope that this will find you all well, From you Son Joseph Leavitt
P.S.  The Paymaster is here & is paying the twenty sixth New York but there is A
report that he is only to pay two Regiments n the Brigade but I hope he will pay off
the whole Brigade & if he does I shall not forget to send Father some & I want him to
understand what I send him is given with A good will or else I should not send it

Letters of Joseph Leavitt of the 5th Maine and his brother George of the 5th New York were copied in a ledger book after the war by their father as a remembrance of his sons both of whom were killed in the war, George at 2nd Bull Run and Joseph at Spotsylvania

MSS 66

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

Sat. Dec. 20 – Very cold night.  Slept very cold.  Pity poor fellows
in shelter tents – bright cold day – Army quiet – Most of wounded
sent to Washington.  Have some very bad here.

[transcript by Mary Roy Dawson Edwards]

MSS 12935

[from the diary of John Ward of the 102nd Pennsylvania]

Dec 20th Satarday

Whe Remane in
camp to Day

[transcript by Mary Roy Dawson Edwards]

 12913

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

   Dec. 20th, ’62.
Fair & warm.
Brigade drill this
P.M. Quite a com-
motion caused by
heavy cannonading
in front, about 7 P.M.;
reg’t. ordered into
line of battle, but
soon sent to quarters.
Said to be a salute in
honor  Gen’l. Smith’s
marriage; afterward
heard that it was
the enemy firing on
Van Cleves pickets, –  

& still again, that it
was one of our for-
aging expeditions
defending themselves
from an attack of reb-
el cavalry.

[transcript by Mary Roy Dawson Edwards]

MSS 10547-bm

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

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

Saturday, December 20–God has this day rescued us from a fearful loss.  while
seated at dinner a man rode up and told us the house was on fire.  We ran out and
the dining room end was blazing.  At first I thought there could not possibly be any
hope of saving the house, but God’s merciful kindness and the kindly aid of servants
and kind friends saved us with the loss of one end of the roof.  Princess Alice of
England married Prince Louis of Hesse

MSS 9759

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

19th Friday
Clear, cold  Th. 26. 54.
Wt to bros place
Lias frm town with Sugar 28 lb
dyes, blue mass do-
Small Pox in town-
getting rail Timber
Bob severe cold

[in margin]
Lucy moved to new house

20 Sat
Clear & cold  Th 16. 32.
dying coat at Dollys
wt home with nephew
rails.

21 Sunday
Clear & cold  Th 14. 32.
Wm. Wiatt down-all night
note frm little Lizzie Langhorne
to Christmas there & see tree

MSS 3315

[from the diary of Mary S. Boydon of “Hopedale,” Albemarle County, Va.]

Saturday 20th  A beautiful day, such as Raleigh was
wishing for. He set off for Richmond in fine spirits
May God’s blessing go with him! He has much to
be thankful for, but his heart seems little touched
with the feeling.  May God still have mercy on him!
-Dr Douglas called to day.  There is no doubt
that J. L. has typhoid but we hope slightly–The
Dr seemed to think he was doing well

MSS 4208

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

Saturday 21st [sic] I have been doing up things for Eliza–While she has
been running about the Village getting her dress & bonnet altered
Little William is quite unwell again–& the great panic which
was caused yesterday by the report of small pox at Mr Wm
Davis’ has subsided by hearing it was by the physicians decided to be
chicken pox.

MSS 6960