Showing posts with label Games. Show all posts
Showing posts with label Games. Show all posts

Monday, November 12, 2018

Saturday, October 27, 2018

Diary of Captain Luman Harris Tenney: January 12, 1865

Letter from Frank. Answered all my letters. Played some at chess.

SOURCE: Frances Andrews Tenney, War Diary Of Luman Harris Tenney, p. 142

Diary of Captain Luman Harris Tenney: Saturday, January 14, 1865

Drew clothing. Beat Col. at chess.

SOURCE: Frances Andrews Tenney, War Diary Of Luman Harris Tenney, p. 142

Tuesday, July 24, 2018

Diary of 2nd Lieutenant Luman Harris Tenney: Monday, October 31, 1864

Spent the day in camp. Wrote home. Read some in "Dombey & Son." A great deal of poker going on, commencing with Hdqrs.

SOURCE: Frances Andrews Tenney, War Diary Of Luman Harris Tenney, p. 134

Saturday, May 12, 2018

Diary of 2nd Lieutenant Luman Harris Tenney: July 19, 1864

Played some at chess and read a little in Shakespeare. Eyes quite weak. Letters from home and Floy. Quiet. Heavy firing in direction of Petersburg. Rained almost all day.

SOURCE: Frances Andrews Tenney, War Diary Of Luman Harris Tenney, p. 125

Diary of 2nd Lieutenant Luman Harris Tenney: July 20, 1864

All quiet with the pickets. Played some at chess. Read papers and "Othello." Wrote to Ella Clark.

SOURCE: Frances Andrews Tenney, War Diary Of Luman Harris Tenney, p. 125

Diary of 2nd Lieutenant Luman Harris Tenney: July 21, 1864

2nd N. Y. and 1st Conn. came out early and relieved us. Beat Col. P. a game of chess. Camped in the woods near our old camp. We have a nice place.

SOURCE: Frances Andrews Tenney, War Diary Of Luman Harris Tenney, p. 125

Diary of 2nd Lieutenant Luman Harris Tenney: July 28, 1864

Boys exchanged papers with Johnnies. Got one of the 27th. No news. Have played chess considerably for a week or two. Have not been victor for a few days.

SOURCE: Frances Andrews Tenney, War Diary Of Luman Harris Tenney, p. 125

Tuesday, May 8, 2018

Diary of 2nd Lieutenant Luman Harris Tenney: July 11, 1864

Was busy in the morning. Went to Q. M.'s and C. S.'s. Thought some of going to see John, but gave up the idea. Wrote home. Thede wrote too. Read some in Atlantic. Played game of "Seven Up" with Lukins.

SOURCE: Frances Andrews Tenney, War Diary Of Luman Harris Tenney, p. 124

Tuesday, May 1, 2018

Diary of 2nd Lieutenant Luman Harris Tenney: July 7, 1864


Got clothing and issued. Not very well today. Have had several good games of chess with Major. Wrote to Roxena yesterday.

SOURCE: Frances Andrews Tenney, War Diary Of Luman Harris Tenney, p. 124

Friday, April 13, 2018

Captain Charles Wright Wills: February 7, 1864

Scottsboro, Ala., February 7, 1864.

This has indeed been a day of rest. More like a home Sabbath, than the Lord's day often seems, here in the “show business.” None of my company have been on duty, and as the day has been bright and warm, the men have been nearly all out in front of the quarters; all looking natty and clean and healthy, sunning themselves real country-Sunday fashion. Seems to me that I grow prouder every day of being captain over these men. If I could only get 30 good, healthy recruits, I expect I'd have to be “hooped.” The boys brought a fiddle in with them yesterday from our Lebanon march, and as nearly all of them play, “more or less,” it has seen but little rest to-day. Every man I have present (42) is for duty, and if there are any soldiers in the army who can outmarch them, or do duty better, “I want them for Babcockses,” as the boys say. Frank Post was in my tent to-day, and informed me that in her last letter, Laura told him that some horrible stories of my cruelty to women and children while in command of the mounted detachment, were in circulation at home. He wanted me to trace the author of them, but I respectfully begged to be excused. The person who told such stuff, falsifies; for I never killed a fly, or stepped on a worm, or kicked a dog, or threw a stone at a cat, and know I wouldn't treat a woman or child worse, if they were Rebels. I do take a little private satisfaction in knowing that I have never said a word, except respectfully, to any woman in the Confederacy, that I have ever touched a cent's worth of private property for my own use. We, with 600 more of our brigade, had to take horses and rations from a poor set of people, but that was no more our fault than the war is. Those pretty crystals I sent you by Lieutenant Dorrance, are “Iceland Spar,” which is, I believe, the only stone which possesses the power of double refraction. If you put a thin piece of it over a black mark on paper, and look closely, you will see two marks; try this piece which I enclose. I took a lesson in chess last night, played a couple of games. Don't [think] I would ever make a player. Colonel Dickerman is at present commanding the brigade, and Major Willison the regiment, Lieutenant Colonel Wright being on detached service as a division inspector general. Mattison is in his quartermaster department almost constantly, and Dorrance's absence leaves me quite alone. Dorrance was in a way, good company. Always in a good humor and talking. Real accommodating, too, if carefully handled.

I went to the nearest house to camp to-day, to beg a little piece of tallow to soften a pair of marching boots. I sat down by a fire, in company with three young women, all cleanly dressed and powdered to death. Their ages were from 18 to 24. Each of them had a quid of tobacco in her cheek about the size of my stone inkstand, and if they didn't make the extract fly worse than I ever saw it in a country grocery, shoot me. These women here have so disgusted me with the use of tobacco that I have determined to abandon it. Well, we are again under orders to march at a moment's notice. Received them about noon to-day, and expect to start in the morning. It is intimated that we go to Chattanooga, first, and then either to Dalton, Knoxville, or garrison Chattanooga, and let its present occupants go. I was much pleased to get the orders, for above all things, do hate a permanent camp. I enjoy the tramping, the mud, the cold, and being tired, and everything mean there is about soldiering, except being hungry. That beats me to a fraction. If I could only go without eating three or four days at a time I would pass as a soldier, but bless me, missing a meal is worse than drawing a tooth. I never tried it as long as I have been in the army, but it seems to me that putting me on quarter rations would be equivalent to putting me in a hospital bed.

Hurrah for the march. No such place for real fun elsewhere. We have our regular races, and tough ones they are, too, sometimes. Each regiment takes its turn in having the advance, one day at a time. Say, to-day we have the lead, then to-morrow we will march behind all the rest, and the next day the regiment which succeeded us in the lead will fall behind us, etc. It is a great deal easier to march in front than in the rear, because in passing defile, or crossing streams on single logs, all of the time that is lost falls, finally, on the rearmost regiment, and after it crosses it sometimes has to double-quick it a mile or more to catch up again. A common time step or 90 to the minute, in front with a brigade of 1,500 over the average of these roads, makes the rear in order to keep up, take more than quick time, or over 112 steps to the minute, during their marching time. So you can imagine our races, though fun to the advance, make the rear work—no laughing matter. The point of the race is for the advance regiment to move so fast that the others will break up, tired out, and straggle. Yesterday the 97th Indiana coming in had the lead and undertook to run us. We had the rear, but by not waiting to cross on logs, but wading through creeks up to our knees or middles kept at their heels for 8 miles without a rest. ’Twas raining all the time and the roads were awful slippery. Our brigade tried hard to run us down at first, but now none of them doubt our ability to march with any regiment. When the men are resting along the road they have a great fashion of making remarks about any strange soldier or citizen who passes. As we were resting on the 5th inst., a bare-footed, sick-looking soldier came hobbling through. One man said, “He's sick, don't say anything to him;” another said, “No, he's shod a little too rough;” another, “Yes, and he interferes;” another, “Keep still he's slipping upon something;” another, “He's showing us how Fanny Elssler went over a looking glass;” another, “Come here and I'll take the pegs out of your shoes,” etc. Wouldn't that be interesting to the passerby?

SOURCE: Charles Wright Wills, Army Life of an Illinois Soldier, p. 213-6

Thursday, April 12, 2018

Captain Charles Wright Wills: January 27, 1864

May [sic] 27, '64. — Dr. Buck is on board with me just from the North. He is terribly disgusted with the service, and furnishes me some amusement. I believe I take as much pleasure in seeing other people miserable — over small matters — as I do in a good thing for myself.

12 a. m. Have just been badly beaten at cribbage by Colonel Bloomfield, and the boat is under way again, the fog having gone up.

SOURCE: Charles Wright Wills, Army Life of an Illinois Soldier, p. 213

Sunday, April 1, 2018

Diary of 2nd Lieutenant Luman Harris Tenney: May 25, 1864

Troops crossed the North Anna. Regt. camped near the train. Read in “Villette” and played a little at cards.

SOURCE: Frances Andrews Tenney, War Diary Of Luman Harris Tenney, p. 117

Thursday, March 22, 2018

Diary of 2nd Lieutenant Luman Harris Tenney: April 8-19, 1864

Generally went to town once during the day on business and to see Dan. The boy has seen trouble and I fear that it will be too much for him. He had been intimate with and for some time engaged to a young lady of wealthy family. The father opposed the intimacy and engagement and ordered all attentions discontinued. Burned Dan's letters and her letters, taking them from the office privily. She remained true, but her father compelled her to marry another, she all the time protesting. I know how to sympathize with Dan, poor boy.

Twenty-six officers and non-commissioned officers ordered into Penn. to buy horses for the regt. to be gone five days or thereabouts. Gen. Burnside came to see us one day. Another day, Burnside, Grant and Washburn reviewed us. Have read “Sutherland,” author unknown, not much liked because it has a pro-slavery tendency. “Red Tape and Pigeon Hole Generals.” Telling criticisms on Fitz-John Porter, Butterfield, McClellan and Regulars generally. Written in a spicy and entertaining style and withal quite interesting and I guess, truthful.

Reported that Burnside's expedition will leave on the 24th. Fear that we will be left in the lurch. Dread to be. Have played chess somewhat with A. B. N. Ma has moved to Minnie's, Minnie very sick. Written home twice and heard twice.

SOURCE: Frances Andrews Tenney, War Diary Of Luman Harris Tenney, p. 113

Tuesday, March 20, 2018

Diary of 2nd Lieutenant Luman Harris Tenney: March 29, 1864

Reached paroled camp at Annapolis before daylight. Passed the day in camp. No stores and no wood. Good time chatting, laughing and fooling. In evening played a game of chess with Major Nettleton. Slept with him at Post Quartermaster's, Maj. Carpenter from Akron. Camp very pleasant. Barber shop, reading room, chapel, news depot, neat buildings and good soil.

SOURCE: Frances Andrews Tenney, War Diary Of Luman Harris Tenney, p. 112

Diary of 2nd Lieutenant Luman Harris Tenney: March 30, 1864

A rainy unpleasant day. Detailed to act as R. Q. M. vice Bills, who thinks of resigning on account of matters at home. Played some at chess. Boys seem to regret my leaving the company. I know I do. I do desire to do my duty well, faithfully and honestly. In the evening took the non-commissioned officers over for oysters. Went to chapel to prayer meeting — interesting.

SOURCE: Frances Andrews Tenney, War Diary Of Luman Harris Tenney, p. 112

Monday, March 19, 2018

Diary of 2nd Lieutenant Luman Harris Tenney: Tuesday, March 22, 1864

Went with Thede over to Uncle Jones'. Stayed till after dinner. Visited with boys. Saw Will and Terrell play billiards. Introduced to Mrs. Case. Col. Purington asked me in to see his wife. In the evening officers presented Mrs. P. with a silver tea service. $3.00 per man. Wine, etc. Didn't indulge. Saw the Arabs perform—great feats.

SOURCE: Frances Andrews Tenney, War Diary Of Luman Harris Tenney, p. 111

Saturday, March 17, 2018

Diary of 2nd Lieutenant Luman Harris Tenney: March 15, 1864

All the young folks were invited to Dea. Turner's to tea. I remained at home. Played chess with Thede. Read some — attending preaching in the evening. Prof. Fairchild made a good discourse. Got out my letters from Fannie, reviewed them and burned them. It seemed hard and sad to do so, but I knew it was best. Could not discover any change in the style of her letters in the spring of 1861. They seemed full as warm and affectionate then as ever during the whole year.

SOURCE: Frances Andrews Tenney, War Diary Of Luman Harris Tenney, p. 110

Diary of 2nd Lieutenant Luman Harris Tenney: March 17, 1864

Stormy day. Played a little chess and read some. In the P. M. went to Thursday lecture. A stranger, an old graduate, occupied the pulpit — from a tent on Tappan Square. Columbian's concert in the evening. Remained at home with Ma and baby Carrie.

SOURCE: Frances Andrews Tenney, War Diary Of Luman Harris Tenney, p. 110

Diary of 2nd Lieutenant Luman Harris Tenney: Friday, March 18, 1864

Spent most of the day in the house. So interested in a game of chess that I forgot the church prayer meeting till too late. Attended preaching in the evening.

SOURCE: Frances Andrews Tenney, War Diary Of Luman Harris Tenney, p. 111