Diary of Private Theodore Reichardt, Friday, February 14, 1862

One of the pickets of the Thirty-fourth New York, shot the rebel officer of the day, passing the picket line alongside the river.

SOURCE: Theodore Reichardt, Diary of Battery A, First Regiment Rhode Island Light Artillery, p. 32

Diary of Private Theodore Reichardt, Saturday, February 15, 1862

Heavy firing in the direction of Drainesville. Snow-storm.

SOURCE: Theodore Reichardt, Diary of Battery A, First Regiment Rhode Island Light Artillery, p. 32

Diary of Private Theodore Reichardt, Sunday, February 16, 1862

Official news of the taking of Fort Donelson.

SOURCE: Theodore Reichardt, Diary of Battery A, First Regiment Rhode Island Light Artillery, p. 32

Diary of Private Theodore Reichardt, Monday, February 17, 1862

We (centre section) were relieved from picket duty by the right section, Lieutenant J. G. Hassard.

SOURCE: Theodore Reichardt, Diary of Battery A, First Regiment Rhode Island Light Artillery, p. 32

Diary of Private Theodore Reichardt, Saturday, February 22, 1862

Camp Wilkes. The rebels fired salutes in honor of Washington's birthday.

SOURCE: Theodore Reichardt, Diary of Battery A, First Regiment Rhode Island Light Artillery, p. 32

Diary of Private Theodore Reichardt, Sunday, February 23, 1862

The rebels opened with their artillery, the first time during the winter, demolishing a government wagon.

SOURCE: Theodore Reichardt, Diary of Battery A, First Regiment Rhode Island Light Artillery, p. 32

Diary of Private Theodore Reichardt, Monday, February 24, 1862

Orders came in the afternoon to get ready to march the coming day. New knapsacks were issued, and rations kept ready for three days. Great times in camp, especially in the sixth detachment, all the rations on hand being sold to Benson's for whiskey. Who would not remember S. that evening, the stove, and O! Su!

SOURCE: Theodore Reichardt, Diary of Battery A, First Regiment Rhode Island Light Artillery, p. 33

Diary of Private Theodore Reichardt, Tuesday, February 25, 1862

Sedgwick's division left Poolesville at eight o'clock, A. M. Marched through Barnesville, and after several unsuccessful attempts to get the artillery across the Sugar Loaf Mountain, stopped over night at the foot of the mountain. A very cold night. No tents.

SOURCE: Theodore Reichardt, Diary of Battery A, First Regiment Rhode Island Light Artillery, p. 33

Diary of Private Theodore Reichardt, Wednesday, February 26, 1862

Marched at seven o'clock A. M. Arrived at Adamstown by eleven o'clock A. M. General Banks was at Harper's Ferry already. Troops were passing by railroad, en route for Harper's Ferry, all the time. Our battery went in park, for the rest of the day, close to the railroad. General McClellan passed through in a special train. Rain all night.

SOURCE: Theodore Reichardt, Diary of Battery A, First Regiment Rhode Island Light Artillery, p. 33

Diary of Private Theodore Reichardt, Thursday, February 27, 1862

The battery was loaded on cars in the morning. The baggage teams, and the drivers with the battery-horses, went on the turnpike road, through Jefferson City, Petersville, Knoxville, and Weavertown, and arrived at Sandy Hook by nightfall. The cannoniers, coming by railroad, made a raid on a number of express boxes, after which, eatables and all sorts of liquors being plenty, all night, the happiness of the men reached such a degree, as to make it impossible to post a guard,—Novel and Drape being the happiest men in the sixth detachment, while Jim Lewes hallooed for Billy Knight all the time. The night was extremely windy and cold.

SOURCE: Theodore Reichardt, Diary of Battery A, First Regiment Rhode Island Light Artillery, p. 33-4

Diary of Private Theodore Reichardt, Friday, February 28, 1862

The battery crossed the Potomac to Harper's Ferry on a pontoon bridge. We occupy one of the government buildings on the hill.

SOURCE: Theodore Reichardt, Diary of Battery A, First Regiment Rhode Island Light Artillery, p. 34

Diary of Private Theodore Reichardt, Wednesday, January 1, 1862

Battery in camp near Poolesville; we, the centre section, on picket at Conrad's Ferry. Our picket duty, at this place, has been a very pleasant one, being very light, except the guard duty. Firing of videttes was very frequent during the night. But never did either party disturb the other with artillery practice during our stay. Sometimes signal rockets were sent up on the Maryland side, by rebel sympathizers, which were generally answered from the Virginia shore. General Stone had strong block-houses, of solid oak-timber, built on the line from Muddy Branch to Conrad's Ferry, for the defence of the Maryland side, large enough to hold three hundred men each. May it be remembered, pigs had to suffer in our neighborhood. The weather, having been pleasant for weeks, became very wintry after the first of January.

SOURCE: Theodore Reichardt, Diary of Battery A, First Regiment Rhode Island Light Artillery, p. 30-1

Diary of Private Theodore Reichardt, Sunday, January 5, 1862

Battery G, Captain Owen, Rhode Island, (four twenty-pound Parrott guns and two howitzers,) arrived at Poolesville.

SOURCE: Theodore Reichardt, Diary of Battery A, First Regiment Rhode Island Light Artillery, p. 31

Diary of Private Theodore Reichardt, Tuesday, January 7, 1862

Great liveliness in the rebel forts, bands playing and soldiers strengthening the fortifications.

SOURCE: Theodore Reichardt, Diary of Battery A, First Regiment Rhode Island Light Artillery, p. 31

Diary of Private Theodore Reichardt, Thursday, January 9, 1862

Severe cold since yesterday. The Potomac froze to-day. A steam tug coming up the river, was a rare sight to both sides.

SOURCE: Theodore Reichardt, Diary of Battery A, First Regiment Rhode Island Light Artillery, p. 31

Diary of Private Theodore Reichardt, Friday, January 10, 1862

An officer of the First Minnesota Regiment appeared at our quarters, communicating that rebel pickets occupied Harrison's Island.

SOURCE: Theodore Reichardt, Diary of Battery A, First Regiment Rhode Island Light Artillery, p. 31

Diary of Private Theodore Reichardt, Saturday, January 11, 1862

Nothing stirring.

SOURCE: Theodore Reichardt, Diary of Battery A, First Regiment Rhode Island Light Artillery, p. 31

Diary of Private Theodore Reichardt, Sunday, January 12, 1862

Considerable picket firing. Nothing important up to Monday, January 20.

SOURCE: Theodore Reichardt, Diary of Battery A, First Regiment Rhode Island Light Artillery, p. 31

Diary of Private Theodore Reichardt, Monday, January 20, 1862

The centre section was relieved from picket at Conrad's Ferry, by the left section, under Lieut. Newton. The guns of the former remained there to be taken by the left section.

SOURCE: Theodore Reichardt, Diary of Battery A, First Regiment Rhode Island Light Artillery, p. 31

Diary of Private Theodore Reichardt, Wednesday, January 22, 1862

Received two months pay. News arrived in the evening of the Union victory at Springfield, Kentucky, and death of the rebel General Zollicoffer, in honor of which a national salute of thirty-four guns was fired. Quiet in camp, the latter part of January.

SOURCE: Theodore Reichardt, Diary of Battery A, First Regiment Rhode Island Light Artillery, p. 31