Monday January 27th 1862
A pleasant day, a good air & cool. There has been no news afloat. I have been in the office all day as usual. Mrs Williams, Mrs VanMaster, D Griffiths & Ed Dick’n visited the Presidents with my wife, saw the President and the “White House.” This evening myself and Julia spent the evening in their (or with them) in Maj Williams Room. Mr W & VanMaster were also there and Mr Pomeroy, the Member from Cayuga. We got home about 10 o’clock. Wife was pretty well tired out tonight and could not go. The Boys have been at the Presidents today riding the Poney. Some of the “sympathizers” with the rebellion are in the habit of starting reports of terrible disasters to our [arms?]. Last evening it was reported at all the Hotels that our troops in Kentucky had be[en] totally defeated. It mad[e] some long faces for a while and some jubilent ones.
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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.