Diary of Private Lewis C. Paxson: Friday, October 17, 1862

Carr sick. I worked at post return blanks, etc., late in the evening. I forgot to notify the orderlies about going for potatoes. Slept in tent. Indian summer.

SOURCE: Lewis C. Paxson, Diary of Lewis C. Paxson: Stockton, N.J., 1862-1865, p. 7

Diary of Private Lewis C. Paxson: Saturday, October 18, 1862

Indian summer. Norton paid me 70, making us square. Painter painted my office. Stamps 60, blacking 10. Prairie on fire; very pretty.

SOURCE: Lewis C. Paxson, Diary of Lewis C. Paxson: Stockton, N.J., 1862-1865, p. 7

Diary of Private Lewis C. Paxson: Sunday, October 19, 1862

Messenger arrived from Georgetown. One hundred men gone back with him. I finished a letter to Howard Bell, commenced one to my home. Indian summer. Carr and I spent the afternoon together.

SOURCE: Lewis C. Paxson, Diary of Lewis C. Paxson: Stockton, N.J., 1862-1865, p. 7

Diary of Private Lewis C. Paxson: Monday, October 20, 1862

Indian summer.

SOURCE: Lewis C. Paxson, Diary of Lewis C. Paxson: Stockton, N.J., 1862-1865, p. 7

Diary of Private Lewis C. Paxson: Tuesday, October 21, 1862

Train arrived from Georgetown with Capt. Noble's band of refugees, 27 in number, one a woman 120 years old.

SOURCE: Lewis C. Paxson, Diary of Lewis C. Paxson: Stockton, N.J., 1862-1865, p. 7

Diary of Private Lewis C. Paxson: Wednesday, October 22, 1862

Cold and blustery. Mending shoes, 25c.

SOURCE: Lewis C. Paxson, Diary of Lewis C. Paxson: Stockton, N.J., 1862-1865, p. 7

Diary of Private Lewis C. Paxson: Thursday, October 23, 1862

Very cold and blustery at night. Our tent cold. Stamps, 25. I obtained permission to go to Georgetown with Atkinson's company tomorrow.

SOURCE: Lewis C. Paxson, Diary of Lewis C. Paxson: Stockton, N.J., 1862-1865, p. 7

Diary of Private Lewis C. Paxson: Friday, October 24, 1862

So very blustery and cold that we could not go to Georgetown. Stamps, 5c. I sent letter to sister Letitia West.

SOURCE: Lewis C. Paxson, Diary of Lewis C. Paxson: Stockton, N.J., 1862-1865, p. 7

Diary of Private Lewis C. Paxson: Saturday, October 25, 1862

I worked in office. Capt. Emil A. Burger gave me a box and left for St. Paul, taking Capt. Barrett, Adjutant Pell, First Lieutenant Groetsch and Capt. Noble's band of refugees, 27, and four privates from each company. We moved into log quarters.

SOURCE: Lewis C. Paxson, Diary of Lewis C. Paxson: Stockton, N.J., 1862-1865, p. 7

Diary of Private Lewis C. Paxson: Sunday, October 26, 1862

Capt. Vander Horck gave me an order for a sword and belt. I wore them on dress parade.

SOURCE: Lewis C. Paxson, Diary of Lewis C. Paxson: Stockton, N.J., 1862-1865, p. 7

Diary of Private Lewis C. Paxson: Monday, October 27, 1862

Very warm and nice. Messenger arrived from Georgetown.

SOURCE: Lewis C. Paxson, Diary of Lewis C. Paxson: Stockton, N.J., 1862-1865, p. 7

Diary of Private Lewis C. Paxson: Tuesday, October 28, 1862

I worked in office. Everything goes smoothly.

SOURCE: Lewis C. Paxson, Diary of Lewis C. Paxson: Stockton, N.J., 1862-1865, p. 7

Diary of Private Lewis C. Paxson: Wednesday, October 29, 1862

Worked in office. Scouting party went out. I bought two pounds of white sugar, 50c.

SOURCE: Lewis C. Paxson, Diary of Lewis C. Paxson: Stockton, N.J., 1862-1865, p. 7

Diary of Private Lewis C. Paxson: Thursday, October 30, 1862

Dress parade at 5 p. m. Very nice.

SOURCE: Lewis C. Paxson, Diary of Lewis C. Paxson: Stockton, N.J., 1862-1865, p. 7

Diary of Private Lewis C. Paxson: Friday, October 31, 1862

I wrote to Locke's Mills pupils. Messenger arrived from Alexandrian woods at 7 a. m., 1,000 men coming and 500 cattle.

SOURCE: Lewis C. Paxson, Diary of Lewis C. Paxson: Stockton, N.J., 1862-1865, p. 7

Reception in honor of the First Regiment Mississippi Volunteers, War with Mexico at Natchez, Mississippi, June 15, 1847.

(From Natchez Weekly Courier, June 16, 1847.)

Yesterday was a day which will long be remembered in our annals—a glorious day, alternately illuminated by sunshine or darkened by clouds, and one of the hours of which will be deeply traced with every sentiment which could do honor to an admiring people, or to our glorious returned volunteers, "the bravest of the brave" who have so gallantly won and so nobly worn the brilliant chaplets of fame which adorn their brows. It is to be regretted that our city of the bluffs was not honored by all the companies of the regiment, although those who were present had performed deeds, worthy, if possible, (which could not be) a reception more enthusiastic. But, it is useless to talk about that. No reception could have been warmer, more whole-souled, or more heart-inspiring. It was a sight to make the pulse throb, and the heart beat with accelerated motion to see those gallant soldiers those glorious boys of our own State-the "Star Regiment" of Gen. Taylor's army—THE MEN who had stormed the rocky steeps of Monterey, and met with unquailing hearts the iron storm that raged in that doomed city—now a glorious monument of their valor. There were the men who had breasted unflinchingly the crimson tide of battle at Buena Vista. There were the men who had never faltered in the fiercest of the death struggle and when frightened fugitives were frantically flying from the sanguinary conflict, they remained as firm and unmoved as the rock which for ages has breasted the surges of the billows of ocean. There were their ever-glorious commanders,the noble Davis, the fearless McClung—scarred with honorable wounds yet suffering from the injuries they had received in their country's service-but full of patriotic devotion and with spirits unsubdued, and with hearts as free and souls as high as when they first responded to the call of their government and flew to the field of conflict. They were, officers and men, a spectacle which reminded us of the times of our revolutionary ancestors of the "times that tried" the "souls" of the men who were led to battle by Washington, Montgomery, Greene, and many others, whose names illumine as with a glorious stream of sunlight, the history of that eventful epoch,—and they were evidently from the same stock, for such men could not have sprung from any other stock.

But, to the arrival of our laurelled volunteers. The shades of night had scarcely yielded to the bright beams of morn, ere the loud-toned cannon thundered forth the signal, announcing to the citizens of our city and the country round about, the approach of the pride and glory of our chivalrous State. The whole city was moved as if with one mighty inpulse,—citizens from the country flocked in in thousands—stores and other places of business remained unopened, and one general thrill of joyous enthusiasm appeared to animate the vast mass of moving and excited humanity which crowded our streets and thronged the bluffs of the mighty river which flows past our city, to render "honor to the brave."

At about 9 o'clock, the companies of our First Regiment of Rifles were formed at the landing, and at about the same time the fine military companies of our city—the Fencibles, the Light Guard, the Natchez Guards, the Jefferson College Cadets and the Natchez Cadets,—marched under the hill to escort them to our city. The military was formed in the following order: the Fencibles and Light Guard on the right, the Rifles in the centre, and the College Cadets and Natchez Cadets and Natchez Guards in the rear, and thus the long line moved up upon the bluff.

The procession then moved up Main street to Pine street, and down Franklin street to the bluff, where preparations on a scale commensurate with the importance of the occasion, had been made to receive our honored guests.

When we arrived upon the Bluff, a scene of rare and surpassing beauty, never excelled and rarely equalled, burst upon our sight. The Promenade ground was thronged with the bright and beautiful, and wherever he turned a blaze of loveliness was sure to dawn upon the vision of the beholder. But of all the scenes that pleased us in the highest degree was that presented by the pupils of the Natchez Institute-six hundred in number—who, under the admirable supervision of the Principal of the Institute, Mr. Pearl, were formed in two lines on each side of the central promenade the young ladies immediately in front and the boys in the rear. Each young lady held in her hand a boquet of beautiful flowers, and, as the war worn veterans, with their bronzed visages and toil-hardened frames filed slowly past them, presented each with a boquet. It was a touching as well as a soul inspiring spectacle and deeply did this manifestation of respect strike into the hearts of the toil-tried sons of gallant State. We heard dozens give expression to sentiments of high gratification. It was an offering from the young, the lovely and the guileless, that came from bosoms untainted with the vices and strifes of the world, and went directly home to the inmost cores of the hearts of these well-tried veterans. It was a beautiful sight, and which would inspire any man with feelings of the liveliest satisfaction that he lived in a State that possessed such men to send forth to the field of glory and victory, and such hands to strew with flowers the pathway of their return to the State that sent them forth to perform their daring and brilliant deeds.

After performing various military evolutions, the Rifles and our volunteer companies were formed in mass around the rostrum prepared for the reception of the officers, committees, orator of the day, and other distinguished citizens. At this point the presence of the crowd was intense. No consideration of personal convenience appeared to operate upon the nerves of any, either ladies or gentlemen, in endeavoring to get within hearing distance. When all the arrangements were completed, the orator of the Day, Col. Adam L. Bingaman, arose and delivered the following address—an address sparkling with the highest coruscations of genius, and abounding with the brightest attributes of intellect-an address to the purpose, eloquently delivered, and which went home to the hearts of the brave men whose gallant deeds and glorious achievements he was recounting.

We will not attempt to give a description of the address—for that would be a work of entire supererogation. The speech will be found below and will rivet the attention of every reader.

SOURCE: Dunbar Rowland, Editor, Jefferson Davis, Constitutionalist: His Letters, Papers and Speeches, Volume 1, p. 74-6

Diary of Captain Joseph Stockton, January 1, 1863

Encamped at Germantown, Tennessee, last night. Weather is grand and as I marched along at the head of my company I could not but think of the last New Year when visiting my friends and paying the compliments of the season, how different it was from today, yet I truly confess that I feel happier here in doing whatever duty assigned us, going wherever orders send us. As yet we have not had a real battle. I know the men long for the first big fight but I am contented to take it as it comes—it will come and from all appearances soon, and I fear those who most hanker after it will not relish it so much.

SOURCE: Joseph Stockton, War Diary (1862-5) of Brevet Brigadier General Joseph Stockton, p. 7

Diary of Captain Joseph Stockton, January 2, 1863

Encanmped at Lafayette last night and in the morning started back with the supply train. The march was as hard a one as I ever took. I have never seen the men so played out and such general straggling—but few companies came to a halt with a quarter of their men. Quimby gave us a tough one and the "compliments" paid him by the men would scarcely please his ears. I was out on picket with my company and did not get relieved until the whole force had started and then had to rejoin the regiment. I reached it about dusk.

SOURCE: Joseph Stockton, War Diary (1862-5) of Brevet Brigadier General Joseph Stockton, p. 7

Diary of Captain Joseph Stockton, January 3, 1863

We encamped in a corn field last night, completely exhausted; in the middle of the night it commenced to rain but I slept through it until I woke up and found myself in two inches of water. I tried the top of a furrow but that was not much better, so gave up sleep as a bad job. We started about 10 o'clock on our march for a camp ground. The roads were the worst I have yet marched on; snow, mud, water, everything that makes marching disagreeable except dust. Marched a few miles and then filed off into some beautiful woods where I understand we are to camp for a while—good water, plenty of wood and a good chance for rations and mail to reach us, what more can a soldier want?

SOURCE: Joseph Stockton, War Diary (1862-5) of Brevet Brigadier General Joseph Stockton, p. 7

Diary of Captain Joseph Stockton, January 5, 1863

Companies A and F received orders to move their camp about half a mile and throw up works to protect a railroad bridge from being burned. They built a respectable stockade and named it Fort Stockton. It will hold 500 men.

SOURCE: Joseph Stockton, War Diary (1862-5) of Brevet Brigadier General Joseph Stockton, p. 7