Diary of Horatio Nelson Taft, Thursday, February 21, 1861

Nice, bright, cool day, a bracing air, and I have felt unusualy well, but I attribute it (partly at least) to a good cold bath this morning. I cannot get along well without a good wash, all over in cold water and a thorough rubbing with the flesh brush or a coarse towel, two or three times a week. I was at “Willards” and the “National.” Saw Lighthall, [Low. S Seely?] Ranslaer Van Valkenburgh of Albany & others. Came home before 9 o'clock. Tomorrow is a Holy day [Holiday] throughout the City and a great Military parade is expected. The city seems to be very quiet, but getting well filled up.

SOURCE: Horatio Nelson Taft, The Diary of Horatio Nelson Taft, 1861-1865. Volume 1, January 1,1861-April 11, 1862, Library of Congress, Manuscript Division, Washington D. C., image 21.

Diary of Horatio Nelson Taft, Friday, February 22, 1861

This has been a delightful day, rather cool, but pleasant. The celebration of Washingtons birth day called out a grand display of the Military of the District in the morning. The U.S. troops paraded afterwards by themselves. The order for their appearance in the morning with the Militia was for some reason not now understood countermanded. Wife and family went to the Av^e at 10. o'clock and witnessed the display from C Woodwards Balcony. I dined by invitation at the National with some Gentlemen from NY City. A salute of 34 guns was fired, and the “Stars & Stripes” were flying from every point today. Spent the evening at home.

SOURCE: Horatio Nelson Taft, The Diary of Horatio Nelson Taft, 1861-1865. Volume 1, January 1,1861-April 11, 1862, Library of Congress, Manuscript Division, Washington D. C., image 21.

Diary of Private Ephraim Shelby Dodd, Thursday, June 18, 1863

Review of Brigade by Gen'l Hardee.

SOURCE: Ephraim Shelby Dodd, Diary of Ephraim Shelby Dodd: Member of Company D Terry's Texas Rangers, p. 19

Diary of Private Edward W. Crippin, March 5, 1862

Wednesday morning cloudy & cold nothing of importance to day. Lt. Lytle of Co. B has been selected by Col. Harrington as acting adjt. A[.] adjt Rust is acting Brigade adjt for Col. Buford com'dg the Post. The 42d Regt. Ills. Vol. are encamped upon the bluffs. No Dress Parade this evening.

SOURCE: Transactions of the Illinois State Historical Society for the Year 1909, p. 236

Diary of Private Edward W. Crippin, March 7, 1862

Friday morning weather more pleasant. Our Sutler arrived this morning from Cairo. Dress Parade this evening.

SOURCE: Transactions of the Illinois State Historical Society for the Year 1909, p. 236

Diary of Private Edward W. Crippin, March 8, 1862

Saturday morning clear & pleasant The absentees are those left behind at Cairo arrived this evening Dress Parade at the customary hour.

SOURCE: Transactions of the Illinois State Historical Society for the Year 1909, p. 237

Diary of Private Edward W. Crippin, March 9, 1862

Head Quarters, Camp Columbus Ky. . . . Sunday morning. Weather pleasant with some indications of rain. Co. inspection on the Co. Parade ground at 9.30 A. M. Boats are running quite freely between this point & Cairo. Dress Parade this evening.

SOURCE: Transactions of the Illinois State Historical Society for the Year 1909, p. 237

Diary of Private Edward W. Crippin, March 13, 1862

Thursday weather very pleasant Very dull more so than at Cairo as there is no business going on and very few citizens are living here Dress Parade as usual.

SOURCE: Transactions of the Illinois State Historical Society for the Year 1909, p. 237

Diary of Corporal John W. Dennett, September 28, 1863

Orders came to put on our best clothes, and be ready to be reviewed. The battery moved out into the opposite field. The whole brigade of batteries were there, all in line, with the pieces in position. Gens. Meade, Sykes, and a Spanish major-general reviewed us, with the first division of infantry. Afterwards they reviewed the second and third divisions.

SOURCE: John Lord Parker, Henry Wilson's Regiment: History of the Twenty-second Massachusetts Infantry, the Second Company Sharpshooters and the Third Light Battery, in the War of the Rebellion, p. 280

Diary of Private Seth J. Wells, March 1, 1863

We had company inspection at 12 o'clock and dress parade at 5 o'clock. We then drew clothing, which was needed very much. I drew three pair of socks and one pair of trousers.

SOURCE: Seth James Wells, The Siege of Vicksburg: From the Diary of Seth J. Wells, Including Weeks of Preparation and of Occupation After the Surrender, p. 42

Diary of Private Seth J. Wells, March 3, 1863

We had a short game of ball this morning, but Buttons got mad and broke it up. Negroes are coming in very fast. We had dress parade at 5 o'clock, after which a game of ball. To close the scene Bill Lowe and Ragan had a fight. The river has risen over two inches a day.

SOURCE: Seth James Wells, The Siege of Vicksburg: From the Diary of Seth J. Wells, Including Weeks of Preparation and of Occupation After the Surrender, p. 42

Diary of Private Seth J. Wells, March 4, 1863

We had dress parade at 4 o'clock. Orders were read for regimental drill of one hour each forenoon and afternoon.

SOURCE: Seth James Wells, The Siege of Vicksburg: From the Diary of Seth J. Wells, Including Weeks of Preparation and of Occupation After the Surrender, p. 42

Diary of Private Seth J. Wells, March 5, 1863

We received the news of the Conscription Act. It passed both Houses and became a law. It receives the general approval of the soldiers. Peats drilled us from 10 to 11 o'clock this forenoon, and from 2 until 3 o'clock in the afternoon. We had dress parade at 4 o'clock. There was an order read from Major Peats awarding a medal, worth not less than fifty dollars, to the best drilled in the manual, and the most prompt in the discharge of duty. He gives until the 1st of May. A dredge passed here today. Some of our boys found four hundred bales of cotton, a large pile of corn, and about two tons of meat hidden in canebrake and swamps.

SOURCE: Seth James Wells, The Siege of Vicksburg: From the Diary of Seth J. Wells, Including Weeks of Preparation and of Occupation After the Surrender, pp. 42-3

Diary of Private Seth J. Wells, Sunday, March 8, 1863

We had a warm and sultry day which ended in a thunder and hail storm. We had dress parade at 4 o'clock.

SOURCE: Seth James Wells, The Siege of Vicksburg: From the Diary of Seth J. Wells, Including Weeks of Preparation and of Occupation After the Surrender, p. 43

Diary of Private Seth J. Wells, March 12, 1863

Bright and pleasant. About one hundred and twenty-five Nigs were set to work this morning to open the old levee and let the water in. We were ordered out of our house this morning. Had dress parade at 4 o'clock. The sentences of F, Co. A and W, Co. C, were read. The charges were attempted desertion. The sentence was the forfeiture of all pay and allowances, and to be confined in the military prison at Alton, Ill., with a ball attached to the leg by a chain four feet long, to serve out the remainder of the time of their enlistment, and at the end of the three years to have "D" branded on their right hips, their heads shaved, and to be drummed out of service. Some letters were read from the parents of the boys, counselling them to desert.

SOURCE: Seth James Wells, The Siege of Vicksburg: From the Diary of Seth J. Wells, Including Weeks of Preparation and of Occupation After the Surrender, p. 44

Diary of Private Seth J. Wells, March 14, 1863

Bright and clear. Drill forenoon and afternoon. Dress parade in the evening, the same as yesterday. We had a game of baseball in the evening. I worked all day on the pay rolls.

SOURCE: Seth James Wells, The Siege of Vicksburg: From the Diary of Seth J. Wells, Including Weeks of Preparation and of Occupation After the Surrender, p. 44

Diary of Dr. Alfred L. Castleman, January 27, 1862

Expectation is still on the strain. How long it has been kept up! But no order to move, and I doubt whether we get any soon. Indeed, I think now that we should not move. 'Tis too late. The roads are excessively bad, and for a long time we have been having an almost continuous storm of freezing rain and snow. An army could not lie out over night in this terrible weather, and be in condition next day to fight against those who had slept in good quarters and been well fed. The time has passed to move. But why are we not ordered to winter quarters? There seems to me to be great recklessness of the soldiers' health and comfort in this army. There is wrong somewhere.

A sad case has just passed under my notice. Three days ago, as I was busily engaged in attending to hospital duties, I entrusted, necessarily, the light sickness of quarters to others. As I passed out just after morning call, I heard one of my nurses say to a man, "You look sick; why do you not come to hospital, where we can take care of you?" "That is what I came for, but the doctor says I am not sick, and has returned me to duty." I passed on, but notwithstanding that there is scarcely a day that some "shirk" who is pretending to be sick to avoid duty, is not treated thus, that voice rang sadly in my ears. In ten minutes I returned, and inquired after the man. The drums had beaten to duty, and he was on parade. I followed to parade ground, found him endeavoring to do his duty, on a "double-quick." I took him from the ranks, examined him, and sent him to hospital. Before they got him to bed he was delirious. He has just died. 'Twas a case of typhoid fever, of which he had been sick for two days before I saw him. I ask of army Surgeons, Had you not better excuse ten "seeds" who are worthless, even when in rank, than sacrifice one good man like this, who believes he is not sick, because you tell him he is not?

SOURCE: Alfred L. Castleman, The Army of the Potomac. Behind the Scenes. A Diary of Unwritten History; From the Organization of the Army, by General George B. McClellan, to the close of the Campaign in Virginia about the First Day January, 1863, pp. 79-80

Diary of Private John J. Wyeth, March 18, 1863

Had a thunderstorm and gale this evening which nearly destroyed our camp, but the tents stood it as well as could be expected. We had a brigade dress-parade to-day, and had a good chance to see the troops stationed here. They consist of eight companies of the 27th M. V., two companies N. C. troops, one of cavalry, and one of artillery, with Col. Lee in command; in all about 1200 men. (Our colonel's report, 1863, to Adjt.-Gen. Schouler says the actual force was 1160 men). The parade was good, and after a dusty march, we found ourselves back in our tents again. We are wondering what we are sent here for. As yet we have seen no rebels, but watch the woods, supposing they are doing the same thing, waiting for us.

SOURCE: John Jasper Wyeth, Leaves from a Diary Written While Serving in Co. E, 44 Mass. Dep’t of North Carolina from September 1862 to June 1863, p. 43

Diary of Private Lewis C. Paxson, Monday, March 23, 1863

Warm. Capt. Tyler and four mule teams gone below. Dress parade.

SOURCE: Lewis C. Paxson, Diary of Lewis C. Paxson: Stockton, N.J., 1862-1865, p. 14

Diary of Private Lewis C. Paxson, Tuesday, March 24, 1863

Very blustery and cold, and occasional snow squalls. Dress parade.

SOURCE: Lewis C. Paxson, Diary of Lewis C. Paxson: Stockton, N.J., 1862-1865, p. 14