January 1862

Wednesday, January 1, 1862
Was in Camp RC Fenton Washington D.C. We did not drill any. The day seemed more like the fourth of July than the first of January. Wrote two letters.

Thursday 2
The weather is clear and cold. We drilled about four hours. Today they have got new guns for the Regt. We have eaten fried bread and now we are reading the news and writing letters.

Friday 3
The national collars was presented to the Regt. In the afternoon the Regt. went downtown to return their old guns. I am standing guard in the rain. Stood 3 ½ hours at once.

Saturday 4
Came off at 10, eat my breakfast, at 12 drawed my rations and eat them all up for dinner. Then mend my coat pants and cap, now J. will write a letter or two.

Sunday 5
This morning write two letters, In the fournoon we received our new guns. They call them the belgium Rifles. this afternoon I drew some clothes, I drew pants, shoes and cap.

Monday 6
Snowed a little, we layed in our tents all day. received one letter. I wrote a part of a letter to my sister, retired at 10 oclock at night but did not sleep much.

Tuesday 7
Arose at three and packed our tents and knapsacks to march over to Honards Brigade, started at 8. Marched through Washington and Alexandria, got here at 12, distance 13 miles. Had 600 mules to draw our bag - pitched our tents, eat a cold supper and turned in.

Wednesday 8
Turned out at the Revlee abt 5 A.M. received one letter. Then eat raw beef and cold bread for breakfast, drilled until 11 , had a cooked dinner, after dinner slept untill 2, drilled untill 4. Then I went on dress parade. In the evening wrote two letters.

Thursday 9

rained in the forenoon. I wrote two letters, at 2 o’clock drilled until 4 in

the mud with a hard headache. After dress parade cached the rations for fun and now will write a little.

Friday 10

Rained hard all night. In the forenoon Wells and I went up on the hill and stole buckload of rails. P.M. Mr. Chapman came here. Received two letters by mail. did not drill today. The boys raised their tents.

Saturday 11-

I stood on guard and stole three loaves of bread and a chunk of salt pork to cook with our beans. Did not sleep at all. And drawed three quarts of corn George poped for me in the evening. Wrote one letter.

Sunday 12

Came off from guard at 8 A.M. Cooked and eat my breakfast. Then prepared for inspection of the tents. After dinner wrote three letters. Then George I cooked our supper and of course ate it.

Monday JANUARY 13,1862

Today we cut rails and hand picked logs from the woods to build a stack pen to set our tent on. Now we have got so much room, I guess I will write a letter.

Tuesday 14

Last night it snowed about 12 inches. today we did not drill any. I have written three letters. We have had a nice time cooking and eating and sneasing at one another.

Wednesday 15

It was so wet that we did not drill. So we staid in our tents and tried to keep warm. This morning the 5th N. H. Regt. started out on picquet duty. Our turn will come next. .

Thursday 16

Battalion drill A. M. - P. M. it was sloppy. did not drill. Wells and George fixed the tent while Henry and I went up on the hill and shot at a mark.

Friday 17.

A. M. We went out and shot a few rounds of blank cattriages. after diner cleaned our guns, formed in for general inspection. In the evening played eucre and eat popcorn. received two letters.

Saturday 18

Hugaboom and I stood on guard. It rained hard all day and all night. We had a delightful time.

Sunday 19

At ten oclock came off guard. At twelve the 5th N. Y. Regt. came in with ten cows, two mules and one prisoner. After dinner tried to sleep but could not. received one letter And wrote two letters.

Monday 20

A. M. practiced firing with blank cattriages, saw a funeral procession from the 5th N. H. Regt - P. M. cleaned our guns and bucked down some wood. Wrote one letter in the evening.

Tuesday 21

A. M. rained fired blanks. P. M. Pleasant, did not drill. Wrote 1 letter, made a cupboard, in the evening I mended a pair of socks. Now will write a letter for a change.

Wednesday 22

Hank & Welly split out some slabs & in the afternoon we laid a floor in our tent. It is tip top. We did not chill any. I wrote one letter. John Well's remains was sent home.

Thursday 23

I reported sick, did not have to go on guard. Have done the cooking for W. who is on guard. This evening I feel a little better.

Friday 24

I was sick. did not go on duty. Mr. E.M. Pettit came to our camp. It seemed like home to see him once more. In the night it rained & snowed very hard. No roll call.

Saturday 25

A. M. Funeral in the N. H. Regt. We had the day to do our washing. After dress parade the General drilled our Regt two hours.

Sunday 26.

Inspection of Arms & knapsacks at 9 oclock; at 11 church servis Received one letter. Wrote part of an answer to it.

Monday 27.

Hugaboom & I was on guard in the afternoon George brought me two letters. The Brigade fired blank cattriages. The countersign was Arbella.

Tuesday 28.

Came off guard at 10. Cleaned our guns eat breakfast & slept untill two oclock. Then went out & drilled in the Regt drill. Had a severe headache.

Wednesday 29

Brigade drill all day. Have had a severe direa but that is nothing for a soldier. After drill received one letter.

Thursday 30.

Rained all day. Did not drill. We did not get our pay. At night about fifteen of us got boots. I happened by chance, to get a pair. Mr. Macutcheon tents with us.

Friday 31.

The 64th started out on picquet duty. We are about four miles from camp. The weather was quite fair. our quarters are not very good. It snowed all night.