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1862 December 5 New Bern, N.C.

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[from the diary of Jesse Calvin Spaulding, Co. F., 25th Massachusetts]
Friday
Dec 5

I wrote a letter home and read some and
this afternoon have been doing the same.  this
evening I played a game of chess with Bill
Partridge and got beaten.  Had baked beef for
breakfast and soup for dinner.  Made out orderly
Farwells descriptive list.  How little I am doing
for god now and when I think of it, I feel like
casting myself in the dust as unworthy of His
mercy, but I know that His mercy is infinite
and in Jesus blood I hope for pardon.  O, Lord
strengthen me to do thy will better and increase
my faith.

MSS 11293

1862 December 5 Camp near Guineau Station

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Camp Near Guinea Station
    Friday Dec: 5” 1862.
My dear Wife
      It seems from the orders &c of the past
three days that we are in the locality which
the present exigencies of the service requires.  We
may change camp a short distance for the pur-
pose of getting wood, but we will make no
important change unless compelled to do so by
movements of the enimy [sic]  And it is well for
us my darling that we are not marching for
it has been raining all day long a cold and
dreary rain.  such as makes home itself un-
comfortable, but strange as it may seem I
am perfectly comfortable in my tent  am
as dry as a bone and but for a bad head-
ache would be as gay as any man could
be who is separated from a dear good wife
– the best & prettiest in the Confederacy &
the sweetest & dearest children in the world
 I begin to get home sick as soon as
I stop marching and get worse & worse
until I begin the march again  If all
soldiers are like me the best thing for
the army is to keep it marching all the
time.  I have not heard from you since Mof
fett Newman came over and not a line since
I left Woodstock.  You must continue to
write to me any way  I will get them
some time  “Guinea Depot” is our present
post office.  George I told you in my
last is with me – he seems to enjoy
himself right well.  Cupid says he has
[page 2]
a much better bed than he ever had before.
I shall get along first rate now  Cupid keeps
up my fire brings water, pulls off my boots
& pants & fixes water for me to wash & does all
I want.  George will sleep with me & he and
Cupid be the only occupants with me of my
tent.  after Genl Taliaferro arrives which we
expect he will do to day or tomorrow.  his or-
derly came to day & his servant yesterday.
 I have often been stuck with the fact that
we hear less news of the army when we
are in it than we do when away from
it.  but I never experienced it so sensibly
before.  here I am in an army of I dont
know how many men, but by far the
largest I have ever yet been in and the
commander of a brigade and yet I know
nothing whatever of what is going on &
am not even advised as to the location
and position of the different Divisions
of the Army.  Of this I am only satisfied –
we stand on the defensive – purely and en-
tirely.  Our movements depend on the Yankey
and theirs depend on the mud & rain, with
the present show for both I dont think they
will be able to do much this winter.  in
a word I am of opinion that all ope-
rations cease from this time.  I cant
see how it can be otherwise.  but I am
nevertheless in a frame of mind not to be sur-
prised at any thing.
   Do you know my own darling that this
evening seven years ago you & I pledged our
[page 3]
faith & our love before the world.  It seems
not so long – it has been seven years of honey
moon to me.  Seven years of undisturbed hap-
piness.  And yet we have seen our own troub-
les.  I have had pecuniary embarassments [sic] &
hard work to support the mode of life we
commenced with.  we have been separated
by a most cruel & wicked war & been sub-
jected to many privations and yet we have
been peculiarly blessed.  God has blessed us
with life – he gave us three lovely little chil
dren and has wonderfully spared us amid
many dangers, and the very privations we
have suffered has already taught us a
more humble mode of life from which
if we are still spared to each other we
will yet enjoy greater blessings.  we have
need indeed to be very grateful & thankful to
the Giver of all good.  If for nothing else we
ought to be thankful that we love one another
How many have begun life with brighter pros-
pects than we and in less than half the pe-
riod of our married life seen all their hopes
of hapiness [sic] utterly blasted by loss of confidence
and with it loss of love for each other.  what
did we know of each other seven years ago.  You
a young school girl – all I knew was that you
were pretty, loving & confiding and that you
had a pure inocent [sic] heart & dead honest love
for me.  Of me you knew nothing beyond the
fact that I loved you  Of course you believed
me to be every thing a man could be a perfect
model.  How good it has been in you as
[page 4]
my character developed itself to you, to overlook
its defects and get used to my faults and I
believe actually consider them virtues.  How good
in you to be willing to live in our little
cabin & accomodate [sic] yourself to our circumstance
and be as happy as a bird.  Jennie my
dear wife if I was spared to live with you
after this war ends Oh it now seems to
me I will be supremely happy & contented
never to have a better house than the one
we now have & no better security than
that of my wife & children.  What are you
now doing this cold stormy weather.  it
would be a happy moment if I could sur
prise you by stoping [sic] in this evening &
catching you all at your every day work
in your every day enthumor & every day
clothes.  Saturday Morning.  The rain of Yes-
terday turned to snow last evening so that this
morning we have about 1 ½ inches deep of
snow which in a few hours will be all
mud.  I expect you have fully 9 or 10 inches
of snow this morning, & cows calves sheep &
colts will all require extra attention.  How
is my baby this morning the dear little mon-
key  papa does want so much to see her.
  Tell Jim he must be a very good boy in-
deed & take good care of Moma, sister & little
sister until papa comes home.  Tell sister papa
says she must learn to read fast so that
she can read to him when he comes home
  Kiss all of them & believe me ever most
     affectionately
ETHW
“Guinea Station”, heading –
“Guinea Depot”, line 27 – Both referred to the same location.  The station, also shown on some maps as Guiney’s, was located some 12 miles south-east of Fredericksburg on the Richmond, Fredericksburg and Potomac Railroad.
    This is the location where Thomas J. ‘Stonewall’ Jackson died after being wounded at the Battle of Chancellorsville in May 1863.
“My dear Wife”, salutation – Warren’s wife, Virginia ‘Jennie’ Watson Magruder Warren.
“George”, line 28; page 2, line 5 – Jennie’s brother George S. Magruder, Private, Company C, 13thVA Infantry.  Temporarily assigned to the 10th VA Infantry as Colonel Warren’s orderly.
“Cupid”, line 30; page 2, lines 2 & 6 – Evidently a servant or slave of the Warren or Magruder family now working for Colonel Warren.
“Genl Taliaferro”, page 2, line 7 – William B. Taliaferro, Confederate general, commanded the division in which the 10th VA Infantry served.  He had been seriously wounded at the Battle of Brawner Farm, 28 August 1862, and was still absent from division command.
“commander of a brigade”, page 2, line 17 – Warren was in temporary command of the 3rdbrigade, Taliaferro’s Division, which consisted of the 47th and 48thAlabama Infantry regiments and the 10th, 23rd, and 37thVA Infantry regiments.
“dear little monkey”, page 4, lines 25-26 –
“little sister”, page 4, lines 28-29 – Both referred to Warren’s youngest daughter, Virginia ‘Jennie’ Watson, born 26 February 1862.
“Jim”, page 4, line 27 – Warren’s six year old son, James M.
“sister”, page 4, lines 28 & 29 – Warren’s seven year old daughter Lizzie.
“ETHW”, page 4, signature – Edward Tiffin Harrison Warren, Colonel, 10th VA Infantry.
[transcript by John P. Mann, IV]
MSS 7786-g

1862 December 5 12 miles below Port Tobacco

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[letter of Captain Henry S. Spaulding of the 38th New Jersey to  his wife “Birdie” continues]

Dec. 5th
The drum beat the march & hurried
us off. We are now about 12 miles
below Port Tobacco.  It is now 10 minutes
past 4 o clock in the morning & am on duty
& trying to use extra minutes by the dim
fire light to give you some idea of our
change & prospects.  We left Camp Cum
berland ten oclock last Monday A.M.
It rained some & was quite muddy &
slippery.  Our Brigade consists of the
24th N.J. &  28th N.J. 27th con. & 127 Pa
Regts commanded by Col. Jennings of
the 127 Pa. Regt.  He is acting Brigr Genl
We marched under sealed orders to Wash
ington, Reported to Genl. Heintzleman &
after a halt of about 2 1/2 hours started on
the march again, still under sealed orders
As we took the direction of the navy
yard Capt. D. thought we would go on board
transports & be sent down the Poto
mac river.  But not so we crossed
the south branch of the Potomac &
continued on southward.  Every day
since we have marched all day.
The weather has been very fine since
Monday, & the roads excellent.
We have the little shelter tents, each
soldier carrying one of his own h[alf?]
in his knapsack At night two put
their halves together.  Some

[page 3]
put join 2 & 3 tents together.
With the 3d one they close up the
ends.  Be doing this & gathering hay
or grass, or getting straw, & laying
rubber blankets under us we
some can sleep pretty comfortable, though some
complain a good deal.  It certainly
goes a little hard, when we had fixed
fix our tents for winter quarters very
comfortable.
As to the country we have passed
through, it certainly is very fine.
The soil is mostly sandy enough
for easy cultivation I.E. the timber is
generally large like, like western
timber. There are some magnificent
oaks.  many of the plantations
are large & very fine, & show an excel-
lent degree of cultivation.  The dwell
ings are fine buildings, some of
them nearly mansions, & their sit
uations & general appearance shows
far more taste & refinements than
could be imagined of the ignorant
heathenish natives that we have
read so much about in the south.
I think the people are not generally
very enthusiastic lovers of the
northern soldiers from their fact
that there have been no great
union demonstration south of
Washington  There is universally
a quiet partially interested ap
pearance among the inhabitants.

[page 4]
All along the route the soldiers
fall out & ask for something
to eat, & are generally given plenty
eleven sat down to one table
yesterday & had a nice, good
dinner, & were not charged one cent
Some of the people claim to be eaten
out of house & home nearly & dont
give much.  O how do you ask
how the soldiers return such
favours? Well Tuesday night they
commenced burning fences killing
pigs, sheep, calves, turkeys, geese
ducks & chickens.  Wednesday night
there was on continual cracking of
guns, & all over the country, & bringing in
dressing & cooking all of the above
named articles, during the whole
night.  Last night it was the same
way. They scour the country from
3 to 5 miles each way. Last night
they commenced on grown cattle.
The brigade that preceded us took
several large fat hogs that the
owner had killed, dressed & hung
up, off from the poles, before
his eyes.  If a man says any
thing no matter how mildly,

[top margin of page one]
he is cursed & threatened to be
shot.  Wednesday 3 horses were
taken by our brigade & yesterday
morning those who took them
started in a [?] with two of
them, went into a field caught
two beautiful match mules, left
the tow horses & came on.

MSS 38-156

1862 December 5 near Fredericksburg, Va.

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[from the diary of the Rev. Francis Eugene Butler, chaplain of the 25th Ohio]

Dec. 5th – Marched at 8 – It began to rain some – changed to snow
& snows now 9 P.M.  We reached camp at 2 ½ but wagons arriv
detained by steep hills – & did not arrive till 8 P.M.
I rode back 5 miles to see about them.  The Q.M. very polite &
gentlemanly today – Our men & preceding brigade have
committed great depredations on farmers – In one house where
I bot. some butter, I saw a bullet hole thro. side of house which
had had been shot by a soldier firing at hogs hens or something – it
grazed the woman bonnet – & Cart off some of the turnips
Another widow woman begged me with tears to place a
guard – or come in “for a warm”, but I was not out of saddle for
over 12 hours – roads fearfully  muddy – many stragglers –
As I rode at dusk thro. the snow covered pine forests – after
the wagons toiling thro. mud & snow – it seemed like revolutionary
times – saw quail close by road.  We are now about 1 ½
mile fr. river.  Liverpool [?] point, & cross tomorrow probably
nr. Berdan & V. followed us in carriage & brot. word of severe
illness of both Col Ayres & his wife.  Also sd. Banks expedition
had failed (in part) to take Richmond while Burnside
held Ser. at Fredericksburg & we are to cross over

to act as his grand reserve.  We shall see by Sunday
night probably – A hard days march tho. only about
13 miles – men halted, built fires & tried hard to keep
up & be comfortable – we are now in a pine forest
snow falling & tent floor covered with wet leaves &
snow.  We saw men catching rabbits in field where
we halted last night.  Been in saddle 12 hours, rode
abt. 22 miles – back & forth.

[transcript by Mary Roy Dawson Edwards]

MSS 12935

1862 December 5 below Fredericksburg

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

Dec 5th Fireday
Recd orders to
and march at
6 oclock A M
towards Freedeckbugh
whe in camp below
to Nigh Frecdekburgh
Six miles and 3 miles
from the Potomac
Rever.   Whe had
a verey euerce [severe ?]
Snow strom to
Day and Night

[transcript by Mary Roy Dawson Edwards]

MSS 12913

1862 December 5, Canonsburg, Pa.

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

Friday, Dec. 5, 1862

Went this forenoon
to Middletown
Had Dinner at McClares
Saw Liz McNulty  [& lost?]
time  Went in the
eve to mathews John &
Kate had preceeded me
had supper there
went to the concert
after which stopped
& lost time at the
principals
Remained at Mathews
all night
mostly cloudy cold

MSS 10317


1862 December 5 “Hopedale,” Albemarle County, Va.

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

 Friday 5th  A letter from a Mrs Bailey asking
father to receive her two little nephews as pupils
I am willing to teach them, but Ma seems op=
=posed to taking them–gave way to passion
in school–John Lewis provoked me & instead
of bearing the provocation patiently and there
=by improving my temper,I struck him–Also
gave was very impatient in the grammar
lesson, & spoke several times in the day, too
sharply to Raliegh–May God help me to
write down faithfully all my sins, & grant
me repentance for my wickedness–Forgot
My God, & though the Spirit urged me to
His feet, I resisted the prompting fearing
He would not was receive me, not recollecting
His great love.  Oh God, help me to love thee
more & show me my own heart–This has
Precept– been a cold stormy day, & the snow
lies on the ground two inches deep–god help
the poor, the soldier, & all who need His aid
See by the papers that corn is selling $15 the
barrel.  Rio coffee $3.40 a lb,sugar 75 cts &
a dollar a lb.  Flour is lower considerably
being now$17 a barrel–Lord, teach me more
thankfulness that in all the suffering for
the good cause we have had so small a
share of it–Make me to lie a thankful
life–& by patience, gentleness & love to serve
God faithfully  & win others to Thee.

Precept-“O tarry thou the Lord’s leisure” Ps. 27: 16

Prayer– “O remember not the sins & offences
of my youth”- Ps. 23:6

Promise-“Such as are gentle them shall we
learn his way.”  Ps. 125:9.

MSS 4208