Diary of Private John C. West, Friday, May 1, 1863

After breakfast read the Marshall Republican; found a very good speech from Horatio Seymour, Democratic candidate for governor of New York. Walked about town until I met Captain Rice. Engaged my seat on the stage for Monroe, Louisiana; found Bulwer's "Strange Story" in Captain Rice's room and read about twenty pages; spent the morning with Captain Rice and with Lieutenants Davis and Eastman; took dinner at the restaurant; went back home; wrote letters to my dear wife and to Mr. Carter; walked to the postoffice, and met Lieutenant Moore; went to the Veranda and took supper with him; met Hall of El Paso, Myers of Corpus Christi and Patrick of Leon county, Texas; spent the evening discussing our prospects of getting across the river.

SOURCE: John Camden West, A Texan in Search of a Fight: Being the Diary and Letters of a Private Soldier in Hood’s Texas Brigade, p. 30