Friday April 4th 1862
A delightful day. Quite still times here now since the soldiers left, but there are still soldiers in every direction, but the great Mass have left. 130,000 have gone down to Fortress Monroe. A large army is out in Virginia and a number of Regts are in the Forts over the River. I think there is but one full Regt now quartered in the City, the 91st Pa on Franklin Square. Julia and the boys attended the Festival this evening. The Lion of the evening was Lieut Morris of the “Cumberland.” Julia had a long chat with him. The little boys were interested and shook hands with him and came home quite elated. I was at the “National” with S D Moody most of the evening. No particular news.
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.