Tuesday, 31st–We remained in bivouac all day and have heard no news. We drew some clothing today. Our camp is located about thirty miles northwest of Beaufort. The country is very level and heavily timbered, chiefly with pine. It is thinly settled and the farms are small with nothing of consequence raised on them. The [...]
January 31st. When off duty read, write letters, wash and mend my clothes. Try to keep clean and in good condition. Do my part handling an axe. We use up a whole lot of wood during this extreme cold weather. Try to keep as comfortable as we can. All sorts of questions come up for [...]
January 31, 1865. Lay still all day. This place was a country summer resort. I was in a house to-day; the walls were rough boards white-washed, the floors were very rough, and I think had never been carpeted, yet the room was filled with mahogany furniture of the best quality, had a fine piano, splendid [...]
31st. Tuesday. Millard on picket. Read “Rob Roy,” “Lucile,” Harper’s. Drilled.
January 31st.–Bright and frosty. The “peace commissioners” remained Sunday night at Petersburg, and proceeded on their way yesterday morning. As they passed our lines, our troops cheered them very heartily, and when they reached the enemy’s lines, they were cheered more vociferously than ever. Is not this an evidence of a mutual desire for peace? [...]
Monday, 30th–We marched about three miles this morning and then went into bivouac to await further orders. The report is that we are now ready to make the grand raid through South Carolina. The Seventeenth and Fifteenth Corps are to form the right wing, as in the campaign through Georgia, with General O. O. Howard [...]
January 30th. Seven companies remain at regimental headquarters. The change makes extra duty for the companies at headquarters. Five prisoners were brought to camp, having been captured by our pickets. They were sent under guard to Harper’s Ferry.
McPhersonsville, S. C, January 30, 1865. We returned from Combahee river last night and at 10 p.m. received orders to move at 6 a.m. Came through Pocataligo and have made 14 miles to-day. Quite a place, but there is not even a clearing. Say 50 ordinary dwellings dropped down in the pine woods, and you [...]
30th. Monday. Spent the day in camp. Fixed up sheds.
January 30th.–Bright and beautiful, but quite cold; skating in the basin, etc. The departure of the commissioners has produced much speculation. The enemy’s fleet has gone, it is supposed to Sherman at Charleston. No doubt the Government of the United States imagines the “rebellion” in articulo mortis, and supposes the reconstruction of the Union a [...]
January 30,1865. As the moon has changed, Julia [the cook] has gone to making soap again. She is a strong believer in the moon, and never undertakes to boil her soap on the wane of the moon. “It won’t thicken, mist’ess–see if it does!” She says, too, we must commence gardening this moon. I have [...]
29th, Sunday.—As usual, we attended Mr. Peterkin’s church, and enjoyed his sermon. Every thing looks so dark without that our only comfort is in looking to God for His blessing. The Union Prayer-Meetings are great comforts to us. They are attended by crowds; ministers of all denominations officiate at them. Prayers for the country, hymns [...]
Sunday, 29th–Our company left camp in the old fort at 10 o’clock and reached the brigade headquarters at Garden Corners about noon. Our entire division then moved forward about ten miles and went into bivouac for the night. The roads were fine for marching, having had no rain for four days.
Combahee River, Charleston and Beaufort road, January 29, 1865. We have had some rich sport to-day. Our regiment and the 40th are out here on a little reconnoisance, and making a demonstration pretending to be building a bridge on the river, etc. A party of Rebels saluted our skirmishers when they got to the river [...]
29th. Sunday. Weather moderated. Scout came in at midnight. Wrote home. Captured 16 or 20 rebs on picket.
January 29th.–Clear, and moderating. To-day at 10 A.M. three commissioners start for Washington on a mission of peace, which may be possibly attained. They are Vice-President Stephens, Senator R. M. T. Hunter, and James A. Campbell, Assistant Secretary of War, and formerly a judge on the bench of the Supreme Court of the United States, [...]
I am afraid we will have more desertions in the spring than we have ever had yet. CAMP FOURTH NORTH CAROLINA REGIMENT, NEAR PETERSBURG, VA., Jan. 29, 1865. My Dear Folks: I received your letter dated 20th inst., yesterday, which made nine days that it has been on the way. Last week we spent on [...]
Saturday, 28th–Our company received orders to move on to the front tomorrow. The weather is quite pleasant. Some of the trains of the Fifteenth Corps came in from the landing this evening, but the corps has not yet arrived.
Six miles south of Combahee River, January 28, 1865, 6 p.m. The campaign commences Monday. It is yet cold; about an inch of ice forms every night, and sleeping out without tents is not a fair sample of paradise. I am in excellent health and we are all anxious to be en route.
28th. Saturday. 50 men of the 2nd Ohio on a scout with sabres under Capt. Chester. Clear and cold.
January 28th.–Clear and very cold; can’t find a thermometer in the city. The President did sign the bill creating a general-in-chief, and depriving Gen. Bragg of his staff. Major-Gen. Jno. C. Breckinridge has been appointed Secretary of War. May our success be greater hereafter! Gen. Lee has sent a letter from Gen. Imboden, exposing the [...]
Saturday, 28th.—Marched in regular order along the big road. Passed near Lafayette, Alabama. 56th Georgia boys left us, and took their own ways home, being in a different direction. From this on I can’t remember dates but we got plenty to eat and had a jolly time, finding plenty of friends to help us on [...]
Near Pocataligo, S. C., January 27, 1865. Moved out at 7 a.m. this morning, crossed Broad river on pontoons, and are about four miles on the main land towards Charleston. Can’t tell our position, but here the Rebels hold all the crossings on the opposite side of the river six miles ahead and so far [...]
27th. Friday. Chess with Laundon. Cold night. Clear.
January 27th.–Clear, and coldest morning of the winter. None but the rich speculators and quartermaster and commissary peculators have a supply of food and fuel. Much suffering exists in the city; and prices are indeed fabulous, notwithstanding the efforts of the Secretary of the Treasury and the press to bring down the premium on gold. [...]