FRIDAY 22
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 Ave 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.
The three diary manuscript volumes, Washington during the Civil War: The Diary of Horatio Nelson Taft, 1861-1865, are available online at The Library of Congress.