August, Saturday 13, 1864
[First part of this entry is in a different handwriting]
The sun shone about as usual, the birds sang gaily, I suppose, tho’ I didn’t listen—a gentle breeze was stirring—entirely too gently for the temperature of the day. In fact the whole face of “nature” displayed nothing more than a hot August day. I have managed to love through it by “dint of a squeeze”—I ate breakfast, dinner & supper, knit socks, played backgammon & cards—(at all of which I am a proficient—) pinched, beat, battered and bruised all of the white inhabitants—had my game ear looked into by a Confederate Surgeon. I was dressed in my usual “flowery stile ” at that time of day. I took a bath, but failed to get drowned—by reason of over caution—got “egregriously ” beaten at Euchre & went to bed in a sprightly state of mind.
Tate, and the girls, have returned to Columbus, a note from Tate today, telling me to report to Hd. Qts.—they will return home in a few days.
Lou, like a good child, wrote the first of today.