A beautiful Christmas morning — clear, cool, and crisp (K.
K. K.), bright and lovely. The band waked me with a serenade. How they improve!
A fine band and what a life in a regiment! Their music is better than food and
clothing to give spirit to the men. . . .
Dined with McIlrath's company — sergeants' mess; an
eighteen-pound turkey, chickens, pies, pudding, doughnuts, cake, cheese,
butter, coffee, and milk, all abundant and of good quality. Poor soldiers! A
quiet orderly company under good discipline; speaks well for its captain.
In the evening met at the adjutant's office the commissioned
officers of the regiment. Much feeling against the promotion from third
sergeant to captain of Company G of Sergeant Haven, Company A. It was an
ill-advised act. I think highly of Sergeant Haven. He will, I think, make a
good officer. But the regular line of promotion should [be departed from] only
in extraordinary cases, and then the promotion should be limited to the merits
of the case. The lieutenants passed over — all the first and second-lieutenants
— are much dissatisfied and the captains who are not yet reconciled to the
major are again excited. They have a story that the colonel recommended
Sergeant McKinley for promotion to a first lieutenancy. It can't be possible,
and if not, the other case will lead, I think, [to] no unpleasant action.
We adjourned to my quarters. I sent for oysters to the
sutler's; got four dollars and fifty cents' worth and crackers. They were
cooked by Lieutenants Warren and Bottsford. A good time; Bottsford, a little
merry and noisy. Present, Major Comly, Captains Canby and Moore,
First-Lieutenants Warren, Hood, and Rice and Naughton, Second-Lieutenants
Bottsford, Hastings, Ellen, Adjutant Kennedy, Stevens. Retired at 11 P. M.
SOURCE: Charles Richard Williams, editor, Diary and
Letters of Rutherford Birchard Hayes, Volume 2, p. 168
No comments:
Post a Comment