Tuesday, April 4, 2017

Diary of John Hay: February 10, 1864

. . . . . Yesterday I had a number of copies of the Proclamation posted through the town. The few citizens gathered around, the lettered reading the unlettered listening with something that looked like a ghost of interest. . . .

At 2½ p. m. General Gillmore and staff came clattering into the cabin of the Ben Deford. They seemed greatly elated by the success of the expedition, and were full of Col. Henry’s achievement in the capture of artillery beyond Camp Finegan. In the afternoon Lieut. Michir came in with his railway train from Baldwin. He had four mules for locomotive who had a playful habit of humping themselves and casting off their riders. He had a young woman on board to whom he showed the usual courtesies of railroad Conductors.

SOURCES: Clara B. Hay, Letters of John Hay and Extracts from Diary, Volume 1, p. 163; Tyler Dennett, Editor, Lincoln and the Civil War in the diaries and letters of John Hay, p. 160

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