Saturday Jan’y 17, 1863
Heard tonight that the Army have crossed the Rappahannock below Fredericksburgh 10 miles. We shall hear of a Battle in a day or two. The Patent office is being cleared of Patients today. It may be it is only to make room for more wounded. It is sad to think of. Yesterday and today the weather has been very cold, that is freezing with wind. Capt Swan called this morning having just returned from Lyons on a visit. He is bound for the army. I called upon Vanmaster this evening and also upon Mr & Mrs Read where I spent a couple of hours very pleasantly. They seem to think a great deal of me. I expect he will propose my name to the Patriotic “League” for membership. I do not know yet what it is exactly but think the object good if it is to expose traitors in office or out of office and uphold the government at all hazzards. I called upon Hon Mr Daws, M.C., last evening, had quite a talk with him about Mr Chases financial scheme. He I find is one of the Country Bank Men. It will inte[r]fere with some of his Bank constituents to support Mr Cs idea, and and [sic] the same miserable plea by other members will defeat the measure. I talked pretty plain to Mr D. upon the matter. Told him that discussions in Congress upon this matter was injuring the country just now more than the Rebels were, and that all Banks of Issue were unconstitutional in my view – and such was the opinion of many of our former and best Statesmen.