Monday, 16th.—Ordered to drill, but regiment at first refused; but finally, at the request of company officers, and for their sakes, drilled a little. There will be trouble if asked to drill much when so nearly worn out. (Note: picture is of an unidentified Confederate soldier.)

16 January 1865        We passed a sad Xmas, last year my dear William spent 10 days with us, & I felt all the time that those hours were before me, his affectionate greeting of us, the loving kind tones of his voice, his fine manly form, & expressive face, were ever in my mind, & [...]

January 16th.–My husband is at home once more–for how long, I do not know. His aides fill the house, and a group of hopelessly wounded haunt the place. The drilling and the marching go on outside. It rains a flood, with freshet after freshet. The forces of nature are befriending us, for our enemies have [...]

15th. Cleaned up and rested. Prospect of going home on recruiting service.

Sunday, 15th–The rebels fell back last night and our men pushed forward this morning. We moved six miles and again went into camp. One regiment and the Thirteenth Iowa was left at Pocotaligo for picket duty and to act as train guard for the trains passing to and fro from Beaufort, hauling provisions out to [...]

CAMP FOURTH NORTH CAROLINA REGIMENT, NEAR PETERSBURG, COX’S BRIGADE, RODES’ DIVISION, W. VA., January 15, 1865. My Dear Mother: McBride came night before last and brought everything safely, except the butter. He looked all over his baggage and we searched the box thoroughly, but could not find it. The articles which you sent me were [...]

January 15th.–Clear and frosty. Guns heard down the river. Dispatches came last night for ammunition–to Wilmington, I believe. We have nothing yet decisive from Fort Fisher, but I fear it will fall. Mr. Hunter was in the Secretary’s office this morning before the Secretary came. I could give him no news from Wilmington. He is [...]

14th. Saturday. Drew clothing. Beat Col. at chess.

Saturday, 14th–Our army commenced to move at 7 this morning and by 10 o’clock the last detachment had crossed Broad river. We moved on about ten miles, driving the rebels and skirmishing with them all the way. The Iowa Brigade lost one man killed, a lieutenant of Company A, Fifteenth Iowa. The expedition consists of [...]

January 14th.–Yesterday I broke down–gave way to abject terror under the news of Sherman’s advance with no news of my husband. To-day, while wrapped up on the sofa, too dismal even for moaning, there was a loud knock. Shawls on and all, just as I was, I rushed to the door to find a telegram [...]

January 14th.–Cloudy and cool. The news that Goldsborough, N. C., had been taken is not confirmed. Nor have we intelligence of the renewal of the assault on Fort Fisher–but no one doubts it. The government sent pork, butchered and salted a few weeks ago, to the army. An order has been issued to borrow, buy, [...]

Beaufort, S. C., January 13, 1865. Retired about 11 p.m. and woke up here this morning. A very handsome, small town, about the size of Canton, but more fine dwellings. All have been confiscated and sold to the negroes and white Union men. Find the 17th A. C. here, but about ready to move out [...]

13th. Friday. Drew some extra ordnance. Inspected by Corps Inspector. Complimented by him. Have very neat quarters and neat ground.

Friday, 13th–For some reason we did not break camp and get started until 4 p. m. and then moved only four miles and went into bivouac. We routed the rebels from the south bank of the Broad river and laid down the pontoons for the army to cross over. Two of our regiments crossed the [...]

January 13th.–Clear and pleasant–but little frost . Beef (what little there is in market) sells to-day at $6 per pound; meal, $80 per bushel; white beans, $5 per quart, or $160 per bushel. And yet Congress is fiddling over stupid abstractions! The government will awake speedily, however; and after Congress hurries through its business (when [...]

On board the steamer Crescent, Atlantic Ocean, January 12, 1865. We are steaming on that rolling deep we’ve heard so much of, and which I have already seen and felt enough of. There is but little air stirring and the water is quite smooth, but so near the shore there is always a ground swell, [...]

12th. Letter from Frank. Answered all my letters. Played some at chess.

Thursday, 12th–All is quiet in camp. The weather is very pleasant and everything has the appearance of spring. The trees seem alive with birds, many different kinds, some of which are very sweet singers. Sometimes the sun is so bright that it reminds one of June days in the North. We received orders to be [...]

January 12th.–Bright and frosty. Gold at $66 for one yesterday, at auction. Major R. J. Echols, Quartermaster, Charlotte, N. C., says the fire there destroyed 70,000 bushels of grain, a large amount of sugar, molasses, clothing, blankets, etc. He knows not whether it was the result of design or accident. All his papers were consumed. [...]

11th.—Every thing seems unchanging in the outer world during the few past days. We were most delightfully surprised last night. While sitting quietly in the Colonel’s room, (in the basement,) the window was suddenly thrown up, and in sprang our son J., just returned from Northern captivity. Finding that we had changed our quarters since [...]

11th. Wednesday. Letters from Mrs. Wood. Watrous.

Wednesday, 11th–It is clear and quite cool. We learn that a part of the Fifteenth Army Corps landed at Beaufort today and will come out this way and go into camp. We expect to be joined by the other two corps from Savannah as soon as they succeed in crossing the river, when we shall [...]

January 11th.–Clear and pleasant. Cannon heard down the river. Mr. E. A. Pollard, taken by the Federals in an attempt to run the blockade last spring, has returned, and reports that Gen. Butler has been relieved of his command–probably for his failure to capture Wilmington. Mr. Pollard says that during his captivity he was permitted, [...]

January 10th. During the past few days we had all kinds of weather, starting in with a cold rain, turning to hail, and winding up with a heavy snow storm. Now we have to go through about twelve inches of snow. The surrounding country for miles does look gloomy enough. Heard bells and saw one [...]