March 1862

SATURDAY, MARCH 1

Came off from guard at eight. Cleaned our guns, ate breakfast, then slept untill noon. P. M. did not drill. Weather clear & cold.

SUNDAY 2

9 A. M. Inspection. 11 churcs series by the 81st Chaplain. After chines received a letter from Mr. jemison, & answered it, Then wrote a letter to Sylvia P. Joslin. Some snow.

MONDAY 3

Rainy, no drill, received a letter from mother & Bill. In the evening answered them. Finished the novel._called Captain Hank the dashing highwayman.

TUESDAY 4

At 8 A. M. went out on the R. R. guess we have left the Camp for good.

Stoped 12 miles from Alexandria in pine woods. Built two houses & stoped for the night. hard bed, did not sleep any. It was a very cold night. Three letters Mr. A. W. Mass, J. F. S. & one from Nichole.

WEDNESDAY 5

Countersign COURAGE at 8 A. M. Co. A sent out as picket guard.

Wellington & I stood together, two hours on & four off, the weather pleasant, cold nights. fed hard bread & salt horse, at night slept four hours.

THURSDAY 6

I feel like a fighting cock. went on guard at 8. After dinner slung knapsacks & advanced 7 miles. Stoped 3 miles south of F. F. C. H. Marched into a pine grove, built ten houses & slept like a hog. Salt horse all gone. hard bread . steady.

FRIDAY 7

Not any rain yet, bless the Lord. hard bread gone. Made an advance on the Suttler (sutler, one who sells provisions to soldiers.) Pickets of the 64th shot one Rebel Cavleryman. At 6 we went on picket, Welly & I was on the farthest post. Stood guard all night without any fire. Countersign RICHMOND.

SATURDAY 8.

Came off guard at 10., then slung our knapsacks & marched back to camp hard up, then marched back to Springfield station, 9 miles, built our tent & slept all night at Camp Henry.

SUNDAY 9

Arose at 7, feeling tip top. Cooked our grub & eat. Prospected no inspection bless the ----. Weather very pleasant 11 oclock P. M. our Co. slung knapsacks & marched 2% miles to guard a R. R. Bridge.

MONDAY 10

At daylight went back to Springfield Station. Then the whole Division marched a roundabout way &- camped 2 miles from Burk Station:-· The way the dry goods flew by the (way'side) was not slow. I did not dispose of any but guess I will Tuesday. All day without rations

TUESDAY 11

Slept tip top. Arose, eat a breakfast out of what pork we foraged yesterday & some good old hard bread. A. M. started forward. Marched five miles & camped at Fairfax Station. foraged our supper.

WEDNESDA Y 12

We moved onward about five miles. Camped at Union Milles. About 50,000 made a supper of Rebel Beef. We are situated about three miles south of the place where the battle of Bulls Run was fought. Received a letter=R. A. Beales.

THURSDAY 13

A. M. held ourselves in readiness to march at a minutes notis. P. M. five

or six of us went out forageing. Hugaboom & I stoped & viewed the Reb encampment. I should think that they lived high. At night I was on guard.

FRIDAY 14

Went with the Capt. & four of the boys down to Manasses. The d-d Rebs had burned the whole town. Guess they must have been pretty badly scart. got home at dark with plenty of hams.

SATURDAY 15

It rained all day. We had a splendid time, our brush shanties did not turn the water very well. At night Welly and I deserted the boys & went into a sesesh Barn but did not sleep any.

SUNDAY 16

Revelee at four oclock. At seven we started for Fair Fax

Court House. Distance 12 miles. Got there at two. built tents, cooked & eat supper. Then at 6 the long Roll beat & we had to march back to our old camp.

MONDAY 17

We got here about two o'clock. Some of us got into shanties & others lay out on the ground. got up in the morning stiff as a pack horse. Drew a little hard bread & marched about three miles. Camped in the Rebbles quarters.

TUESDAY 18

William C. Kelly died. Received a letter from mother. At ten oclock went to see Lieut Pettit who was left sick at a private house Sunday. I found him very sick with the Typhoid Fever. took him to Alexandria/ Clearmont Hospital.

WEDNESDAY 19

I sat up all night with him. he was crazy all night, tried to get up. In the morning he was a little more quiet. Slept most of the P. M. Wednesday night he rested well, wrote one letter to his father & 1 to Capt.-

A. M. he was removed to the general Hospital where he will have better attendance. Today he is out of his head, but knew me all the time. was some better during the night.

Lieut was better. wrote to his father to that affect. After dinner started for Camp. Stopped at F. F. C. H. (Fairfax Court House?) & stayed with Henry Young. It rained & we had a delightfull time.

Marched to Mon Y Mills. found the boys all well eating and playing up Annicondia found a letter from Miss H.

Pettit. Started after breakfast. Staid all night with Henry Young at F. F. C. H.

Went to the Station & waited all day for a train. got to the Hospital at eight in the evening. Found Lieut. very low, Sat up with him all night. wrote a letter to Miss Shearer.

He rested very well all day. I sat up with him half of the night, received a letter from L. M. & answered it.

Lieut is about the same, not so much pain in his chest. think the blister done him very much good, I sat up all night again. he was very restless.

he is a little better, Mr. Barker came to see him. I sat up with him part of the night.

He is about the same this morning. Afternoon he grew worse. at night he groaned very hard. after 12 o'clock he was a little easier. sat up all night.

The weather is quite cold. Snowed a little. The Lieut. is a little better. I slept part of the night.

he is about the same, very high fever. In the afternoon he rested quite well. I enjoyed another nights rest.

I am with James still. have a little hopes of his living it through. I watched with three sick men one half of the night.