Washington Wednesday Feb. 25th 1863. A bright pleasant day but the Snow has mostly melted and the thin mortar composition lies from four to eight inches in depth in the streets. Little boys are at the crossings broom in hand trying to keep back the flood from a narrow path and saying “Please give me [...]
Tuesday Feb. 24th 1863 Pleasant overhead and snow and water under foot and freezing tonight. Went down to Addis Photograph Gallery this morning and sat for my picture. Julia insists upon having my Photograph in her Album. Capt Henry Androus of 17th Mich called on me today. He is a fine looking officer, has been [...]
Washington Monday Feb 23rd 1863 A cold winters day, but thawing in the sun. Some faint attempts at sleighing in the streets and some jingling of bells which sounds like old times. The like has not been heard here for the past two or three years. But the snow will all be gone in a [...]
Sunday Feb 22nd 1863. Another severe Snow Storm. All day long has it fell and tonight it is deeper than it has been before this winter and it is cold and freezing. Bitter weather for the poor soldiers in the field, as well as for the poor horses in the service. I have not been [...]
Washington Saturday Feb. 21st 1863. It was a mild pleasant morning but is quite cold tonight with indications of more snow. In the office all day as usual. Not much to do, read the news papers and old “Pepys Diary” about half the day, left him in the midst of the “great Plague in London” [...]
Washington Friday Feb. 20th 1863. Rather a dull day in the office there being but little to do on the Examining Board. I have spent most of the day reading old Saml Pepys Diary written two hundred years ago during Charles 2nds reign. It gives a not very flattering picture of English society at that [...]
Washington Thursday Feb. 19th 1863. Another of the most unpleasant days of the season, rain or mist all day and plenty of mud in the streets. I have had but little to do in the office today. I have read a part of the time, and written a letter to Julia sending her also by [...]
Washington Wednesday Feb. 18th 1863. It has been about as unpleasant as it is possible for it to be today. It has rained nearly all day, and the snow and water on the pavement is nearly over shoes in depth. I have kept very close only going from my room to the office and back [...]
Washington Tuesday Feb. 17th 1863. Today we have a real old “fashioned Snow Storm.” It has snowed all day. The weather is mild and the snow melted fast, but it is about seven inches deep tonight on a level, a greater body of snow than we have had this three or four years. The side [...]
Monday Feb 16th 1863 A beautiful day, bright and mild. No particular news or excitement in the City. Arrests are made almost every day of those acting as Spies, or engaged in contraband trade. Mr Nairn a prominent and wealthy Drugist was recently arrested for purchasing medicines for the Rebels. He is now in the [...]
Washington Sunday Feb’y 15 1863. Went to the Senate Chamber this morning at 11. and heard G B Cheever the celebrated radical Abolitionist preach, or rather declaim against Slavery. I never heard the man before and had some curiosity to hear what he would say. The Senate Chamber was crowded. I did not leave the [...]
Washington Saturday Feb 14th 1863. Another fine day but a little cooler than yesterday. Mrs Schram of Pok’eepsie called on me today at the office and as Mr Newton is a quaker, she “thee” and “thoud” him out of all the seeds, bulbs, and Plants she desired. Lieut Bemis also called on me. I was [...]
Washington Friday Feb’y 13th 1863. A Beautiful bright pleasant day with the atmosphere so pure and braceing that I could not resist its influence but took a long walk before going to the office. We have so much wet fogy weather lately that the change is doubly welcome. We have warm (or rather Mild) pleasant [...]
Thursday Feb’y 12th 1863 No very strange event has happened today that I am aware of. Everything seems moveing along Smoothly here in the City. But there is a feeling of fear and distrust in reference to the threatening aspect of affairs in the North West. I am hopefull of the Armies in the field [...]
Washington Wednesday Feby 11. 1863 Fears are now frequently expressed that we are to have trouble in the free states. There seems to exist a great number of peace men, men who are willing to make peace on any terms “only stop the war.” The “Knights of the Golden Circle” (K.G.C.) a secret Society are [...]
Washington Tuesday Feb 10th 1863 The weather continues pleasant, and everything quiet as far as the War is concerned. The scene seems just now to be shifting to the South, and we are expecting every day to hear that Savannah or Charleston has been attacked, perhaps both. Genl Fosters N.C. Army has gone to S.C. [...]
Washington Monday Feb’y 9th 1863 Another delightful bright warm day and there does not seem to be any particular excitement about anything just now. It is a fact (altho the “papers” say nothing about it) that the “Army of the Potomac” is on the move. One whole grand Division has gone on board Transports and [...]
Washington Sunday Feb’y 8th 1863. A most delightful bright and warm day but wet and muddy crossings. I attended divine service at the Capitol again this morning, heard Dr Stockton. He was not as tedious as usual. There was a very good congregation present, a large portion Strangers. They go to the Capitol for the [...]
Washington Saturday Feb’y 7th 1863. This has been a bright and beautiful day overhead, some mud under foot. I was quite surprised to receive a visit at the office today from Genl Havelock dressed in full uniform. He came into the Hall and enquired for me and his presence created quite a stir as he [...]
Friday Feb’y 6th 1863. This day has passed off very quietly. Some rebel stories floating about tonight to the effect that there had been a “raid” on Aquia Creek, that all our immense Stores had been Burned &c. “Secesh” has been quite jubilent about it this evening. It is, of course, all “bosh.” I stoped [...]
Washington Thursday Feb’y 5th 1863. I hardly know how to fill out a page tonight. It has been cold and Stormy having snowed most of the day, tonight the snow is more like rain and the weather has moderated. I was on the Ave after I left the office and bought a pair of rubbers, [...]
Washington Wednesday. Feb’y 4th 1863 It has been the coldest day of the Season with a sharp cutting wind. The “Grand Concert” came off this evening. I had tickets rather more than I sold but did not see or hear much of the Concert. I think the audience (which was a large one) were not [...]
Washington Tuesday Febru’y 3rd 1863 It was quite warm and pleasant this morning. But tonight it is cold with a kee[n] north wind which quite upsets all my calculations for comfort in my room for the chimney and my stove do not work together at all, the draft being decidedly down instead of up. I [...]
Monday Feb’y 2nd 1863 Have not done much in the office today, there has not been much to do. I wrote a letter home inclosing a draft for $75.00, also sent a bundle of news papers. I send one every day, the “daily Chronicle,” which is left at my room every morning. A number of [...]
Washington. Feb’y 1st 1863. Sunday. Went to the Capitol today and heard the Chaplin Dr Stockton. He is rather dry and tedious, his sermons this winter have been more of a doctrinal, than a practical character. I believe in practical Christianity and practical preaching. I dont suppose that I am very orthodox, for it does [...]