Samuel McClain Diary
Gilead, Wood County, Ohio

[Diary bought May 26, 1864, Camp Parole, Annapolis, Md.]

1864

May

1 Sunday. Making preparations for to go to the Army as National Gards. After noon went at Gilead [Grand Rapids].

2 Monday. I bid goodbye to my wife and babyes and started for Westfield [Weston]. Left on four o'clock train for Parysburg [Perrysburg]. Arived at Parysburg at 6 p.m. Quartered in the Court House. Good quarters, good times.

3 Tuesday. Company drill all day.

4 Wednesday. Drill in fore noon. Election of company officers. I had my fotygraph taken today.

5 Thursday. Company drill today. We saw the rapidans in town.

6 Friday. Company drill. As usual got dog to eat at the Berdshouse [Baird House Hotel] today, etc.

7 Saturday. Lay in our quarters all day to day thinking of the dear ones at home.

8 Sunday. [No entry]

9 Monday. Started for Columbus on train all night.

10 Tuesday. Awoke this morning neer Columbus. Marched in to Tod barax. Got diner. I sent a map home. Afternoon marched to Camp Chase, a hard march. Quartered in tents.

11 Wednesday. We were mustered in to the U.S. servis as National Gards and prepaird to march. Drawed our clothing.

12 Thursday. Packed our duds. Marched to Columbus. Drawed our arms and marched to the cars. Got aboard and started for Baltimore.

13 Friday. At 4 p.m. the train started for Baltimore. Went thru Newark and Stupansville [Steubenville], got to Pittsburg at dark. The citisons furnished us a good supper, after which we took the train.

14 Saturday. Awakened this morning near Harrisburg. We stoped at the above place and got our dinner, tolerable good fair. We took the train again and went on our way rejoicing.

15 Sunday. This morning found us nearing our destination. Arrived at Baltimore, got our dinner & marched to Fort McHenry. Quartered in the fourt for the night.

16 Monday. Received orders to march at 5 o'clock this morning. We marched to Baltimore. Took the train for Camp Parole, Annapolis, Md., at which place we arrived at 4 p.m. and marched to our quarters. All mad.

17 Tuesday. The day was spent in fixing up our quarters and writing letters home and counting up the time that we had bin in the servis, etc.

18 Wednesday. All right this morning. A portion of our company on gard to night. The 94 N.Y. Regt. atacted our quarters but we repulsed them.

19 Thursday. We won the victory, the 94 N.Y. Regt. retreated this morning, leaving us in possession of the camp. The causualitys on both sides are small. Some ware very much fritened in Co.I.

20 Friday. Nothing doing today, only camp duty. A portion of our company are on gard every day.

21 Saturday. All right. Nothing to do but gard duty today.

22 Sunday. Nothing unusul transpired, only a dog run acrost the camp with a tin plate tied to his tail. You bet he run.

23 Monday. The same duty today. A squad of paroled prisners left camp today for the front. I wrote a letter to my wife today.

24 Tuesday. We organized a drum corps today and we went out to practis this afternoon.

25 Wednesday. We received one company of reinforcements today. We can hold the place now against any force that Jef can send on.

26 Thursday. I got up this morning and scrubed our shebang. It is raining today. I took a dose of pills. No litter yet. I helped W.S. Holder to the hospittle today.

27 Friday. Raining yet. I am not very well this morning. Ten o'clock went out and practised on the drum. Received a letter from home tonight.

28 Saturday. General inspection today. Reading letters today & wrote a letter to my wife and mailed it today. I received today a letter from my wife & daughter.

29 Sunday. Cool morning out to revalee this morning. Read a chapter in the Bible, went at church, and wrote a letter to Laura, letter no. 8.

30 Monday. Pleasant morning. I had a dream last night about my boy. Went to the bay to bathe. Fin & me killed a viper. O.K. Cain gave me a laurl Bible from Lookout Mountain, Tenn.

31 Tuesday. Received a letter from home today baring date May the 21. Colonel Hunt is in camp. I made a cedar Bible. Today the drum corps out at seven o'clock. Fin & me went out in to the country today. I lernt the 7 roal.

Names of the Drum Corps

June

1 Wednesday. Pleasant morning. I mailed a letter to my wife today, letter no. 9. We scrubed our shebang this morning. I wayed 165 lbs. A funeral today & a dance at night. Fin & me washed our shirts today.

2 Thursday. Raining today. I wrote today to David Hanna. Went out to drill, to wheel by plattoon.

3 Friday. I received a letter from my wife today dated May 30 & 31, the 4th letter.

4 Saturday. I wrote a letter to my wife today, no. 10. Also sent a paper to Elizabeth McClain. Fin Barton got some milk today & strawberys.

5 Sunday. Sent letter to Elizabeth McClain & a book to Annie Mc and went to church. Heard a good sermon. James Kerr sick today. This camp is in Anne Arundel County, Md.

6 Monday. Pleasant this morning. The boys on duty as usual. Went out & got straberys. Got a letter and my wife picture today.

7 Tuesday. All well this morning. Jacob Long in the gard house. I wrote a letter to my wife today and mailed it. Dress peraid this evening. Received a letter from Laura and my wife, date June 4th.

8 Wednesday. Barton & me got a pass & went to the city of Annapolis. Was in the State House. Had a magnificent view of the city. We ware also in the Navy Yard & returned to camp at 4 o'clock p.m.

9 Thursday. Received a paper from home. Wrote a letter to Laura today, the 12 letter. Night received a letter & speech from my wife. Buly for the wife.

10 Friday. Reading my letter and speech this morning. Bread & coffee is all we have to eat this morning. Don't like the feed, I don't. Wrote a letter to Aunt Elizabeth McClain today. Received 8 letters from home. H. Barton came to camp today.

11 Saturday. Very cool this morning. Morgan Brown was redused to the ranks today for writing to the Secatary of War about a Darkey.

12 Sunday. Wrote to Lib Barton today. Went to Church. Got mush for supper. On dress peraid tonight. I beat the taps and went to bed and dreamed of my boy. Cool night.

13 Monday. I washed today. My wife was out on gard mont and left me to do the washing. Received a letter & a speech dated June 8th from home. Received a letter from John McClain in Georga on the Battlefield.

14 Tuesday. Reading letters this morning and speeches. Received 10th letter from home. Wrote a letter to my wife, no. 13. Wrote a letter to John McClain. Went out to get cherys. Went out to drill.

15 Wednesday. Johns Postoffice, Dalton Geo. Sent a handkerchief to my wife. Morgan Brown restored to his former rank of 3 sargent. Received a letter, no. 11, from home.

16 Thursday. Wrote a letter home, no. 14. Received from home no. 12, also one from Nane & Hattie McClain.

17 Friday. Out getting cherys today. Wrote a letter to my wife, no. 15. I bursted my drum head tonight on tatoo. Did not git a letter last night. Thats whats the matter with the boy.

18 Saturday. Mailed a letter to my wife this morning. Put a snair head on my drum. Fin went to a funeral. 3 companys of reinforcements from Ross County. I washed my blouse today all right.

19 Sunday. Wrote a letter to I.J. Vorhees. Went to church today. Wrote a letter for G. Gilmore to James Gilmore.

20 Monday. We moved to another baracks this morning. The drum corps all together. Receive a letter from my wife, no. 13. Answered it, no. 16 and mailed it today. All well.

21 Tuesday. All well this morning. We washed our bunks and scrubed our floor. Wrote a letter to my wife, no. 17.

22 Wednesday. I done my washing this morning before breakfist. I am detailed for police today. We went out to practice. Went to the rapads. We charged on the cherys and lemonade. D. Basett arrived here today. 200 wounded soldiers came in last night.

23 Thursday. Received a letter from my wife this morning. It stated Willie & Annie had the measels. This letter is no. 14th one. Wrote to mother today. Noon got a letter from my wife, no. 15.

24 Friday. S. Holder starts home today. Wrote a letter to my wife, no. 18. Received a letter from Aunt McClain. Drum corps drilled 2 times today. All well.

25 Saturday. All well this morning. Went out to practice. I lernt the seven beat. I went to the hospital to wait on Auston Basett. Staid up ontil 2 o'clock.

26 Sunday. Auston Basett dyed this morning at half past 12 o'clock. I sat by his bedside and saw him dye. Wrote letter no. 19 to my wife. A.D. Basett was barried today. Rained today.

27 Monday. All well. Went out to practice. I found a cap. Rain today. Drum corps went out to have a photograph take, came back minus pictures.

28 Tuesday. Fine morning, all right. We went to drill, got blackberys. Fin & me had pie for diner. Went out got our pictures taken. I did not get a letter today.

29 Wednesday. I am not very well today. I have a very severe headache. I am excused from duty today. Received a letter from my wife, no. 16. Answered it, no. 20. The thermometer stood at 105 in the shade.

30 Thursday. The 94th NY Regt. started for the front today. Raind to. We ware mustered for pay today, but did not get any of the greenbacks. We did not, so we did not.

July


1 Friday. All well today. Raining. Received letter no. 17 baring date June 26th. Went & learnd gard cawl & got all the blackberys we wanted to eat & wrote a letter home, no. 21, also a song book to Laura McC.

2 Saturday. All well this morning. I am detailed today for gard drummer. Wils Brown in the gard house today. I ate a ripe apple today. Rain storm today. Received a letter from home, no. 18, dated June 29th.

3 Sunday. Wrote a letter home no. 22. Went to the gard house, beat one call & saw the houle whare the prisoners dug out the night previous.

4 Monday. All well this morning. We can hear the cannons firing in Baltimore\r & Annapolis, Md. Orders to march today at a moments warning. All packed up ready to start to the front.

5 Tuesday. 1500 wounded came in to camp on the eave of starting to the front. Wrote letter no. 23 to my wife. Orders to be ready to move at a moments notice. Some companys from Morrow Co. & Perry Co. are under gard for scdaddling.

6 Wednesday. I am gard drummer today. I was wayed today, 168 lbs. The invalid corps arived heare tonight. We sined the pay roles today. I have gained 8 lbs. since I came to camp.

7 Thursday. We left Camp Parole at 2 o'clock. Took the cars. Arived at Monocacy at 12 M. Ordered in battle line. We lay on our arms ontil 2 o'clock, then started to Fredrickstown, distance 14 miles. Arived at Fredrick, at daylight. Form in line of battle.

[Entries located in diary at March 7]

Started from C. Parol 2 o'clock. Arive Monocy Junction in B & O Railroad at 12 M. In battle line. Lay on our arms.

Started on march at 2 o'clock. Marched to Frederick City. Got thare 5 o'clock. Formed in battle l.

8 Friday. We are in battle line now in a corn field. In good spirits. One o'clock we were orderd to move to the Junction. Marched 3 miles and stoped. Orderd to the Junction. Arive at 12 at midnight. Slept on our arms all night.

9 Saturday. We ware attacted at 8 o'clock this morning. 10 o'clock. The battle is yet going on. Hard fighting. 8 o'clock we are falling back. We are in full retreat for Baltimore. The Rebs are shelling us. Forst march hard on us.

10 Sunday. Marched all night. Arived in Elets Mills at 11 o'clock. Marched 45 miles, 18 hours. None of our boys are wounded, some prisners. I saw the battle all the time. A hard fight. My feet are very sore. We arived at Baltimore at 5 in the evening.

11 Monday. Wrote a letter, no 24, to my wife. We received our arms today. We are quarterd in the Depot. 2 o'clock we ware orderd to march to Worthington, where we arived at 5 o'clock & remained all night.

12 Tuesday. Our company numbers 35 men. Our colonel came to camp today. We had bread & raw meat to eat today. We had a fight in camp today. Wrote letter no. 25 to my wife. Move to Baltimore. Staid all night.

13 Wednesday. Baltimore we got abord the cars, run to the Relay House whare are orderd to encamp with the balance of the 144th Regt. We are glad to get to the Regt. again. We have bin eating bread and raw meat for severl days. 18 men on peact [picket].

14 Thursday. Orders to have 3 days rations in haversacks for a march. Arived in Washington 4 o'clock. Incampt for the night in a flat.

15 Friday. We left Washington. Past thru George Town thru severl little forts. We acted as rear gards today. Very hard marching. The teams stalling all along. Ruff road. Encamped on road.

16 Saturday. The boys are cooking bekfirst. Cool this morning. Fin got a stump afire to drink cold coffee. Boy wrote letter, no. 27. Hard march, 20 miles today. Crosed the Potomac River at 7 o'clock in the evening. Crosed the James Isle. Encamped in Virginia. Very tired & footsore.

17 Sunday. Drawed fresh beef this morning. Going to Leesburgh. Arived at Leesburgh at 12 o'clock. Remained there all afternoon. Saw Hank Bortal. The boys have to stand picket tonight. We lay in Leesburgh. We got one good nights rest, the first one for ten nights.

18 Monday. We resumed our march this morning 12 M. We pased thru Hamilton. Took diner in a meadow. It cot on fire. We pased severl dead horses on road. Thare was a cavelry fight with the Rebs.

19 Tuesday. Marched 2 miles and got brekfist & drawd rations, the last on the road. 12 o'clock laying in battle line. Fin & me are setting under a Wallnut tree harvesting graybacks. We are camped in Lieura Valey. We ware on picket duty tonight. Lay on the grass without cover.

20 Wednesday. Laying in Lieura Valey, waiting orders. We had fresh pork for dinner. The boys went for it. We started back for Washington. We left camp at 11 o'clock at night. Marched all night without rest.

21 Thursday. Arived on Goose Crick 12 M. Eat dinner, waided the crick. I got lost from my company. Went back acrost the crick in search of them. Did not find them. I started on the road & found the Co. in camp.

22 Friday. 9 o'clock. We yet in camp awaiting marching orders to go to Washington. We are under General Kingley. Left camp at 10 o'clock, went thru Wheatsvill 4 p.m. Arived on Dificult Crick 8 o'clock at night. Encamped for the night on a hill, 10 o'clock at night

23 Saturday. Comensed our march 5 a.m. Our Regt. are in the advance today. Stoped for diner near Newsville. Crossed the Potomac River at 4 p.m. Encamped near Washington at 5 p.m. Remained in camp all night.

24 Sunday. We are laying camp today, resting. Wrote letter no. 28 to my wife. We are laying all day in camp to rest a little. Received 7 letters from home today.

25 Monday. All well this morning. Raining all night on til noon. We are all wet\r & coald, no wood to bild fires today. By the boys don't like it. We drawd clothing today, one shirt, one pair of stockings.

26 Tuesday. We are ordered to have 12 days rations in haversacks, 10 o'clock marching. We arivd in Backville, Md. after dark. Marched on till eleven o'clock. The boys are fell out along the road. We had only 15 men in the Co. when we stoped.

27 Wednesday. We resumed our march. Passed thru Wrightsville at 10 o'clock. Arived in Ridgeville [crossed out] Hyattsville at 12 M., encamped at 5 o'clock.

28 Thursday. Resumed our march at 5 in the morn. 10 o'clock we are encamped on the Battlefield of Monocacy Junction. Crosed the Monocacy River at 5 o'clock. Pased thru Fredric City at 9 o'clock. Encamped at 11 o'clock. Slept in a wheat field.

29 Friday. Resumed our march at 6 o'clock. Passed thru Jefers. Eat diner 6 miles from Harpers Fary. 3 o'clock in Knoxville on the Potomac R. Went to Sandy Hook, arived in Harpers Fary at 5 o'clock. Crosed the Potomac R. Marched 3 m. Encamped on large hill. Nothing to eat.

30 Saturday. Drawed hard tack & sow belly. So hungry, eat meat raw. Started back at 4 o'clock. Recrosed the Potomac & lay all night in a corn field in the dirt.

31 Sunday. We started at 3 o'clock. Marched til 10, cot up with the Regt. My feet are all raw. I can hardly march. Very warm, it allmost kills the men. Sent letter no. 30 home. Arived Fredrick City at 4 o'clock. Pased thru, went 3 miles & encamped for the night in the woods. All very tired. On the road to Pensilvania to encounter the Rebs. Our boys are capterd, all over Marland & Virginia. They gave out & lay down.

Aug.

1 Monday. In camp over Fredrick City, laying in all day resting. Seventy men died on the road from Harpers Fary to Fredrick City. Out of the 6th Corps 500 men died in all.

2 Tuesday. I am not well. Dyera & a very severe headache. Wrote letter no. 31 and mailed it. 10 o'clock ordered to march to Monocacy Junction. Arived at 12 o'clock & pitched tents for the night. We have a good rest. Camped on the old battlefield.

3 Wednesday. Laying in camp on the bank of the Monoccy River awaiting orders. Order to move. At 10 o'clock crossed the Monoccy R. on the iron bridge & camped in the woods on the Monoccy Mountain.

4 Thursday. All well laying in camp waiting orders. We ware ordered to get on the cars and go to Harpers Fary. Arive at daylight, no sleep all night. We ware crouded in the cars, we could not lay down so we had to set up.

5 Friday. We are taking brekfirst on the side of Maryland Hights halfway up the mountain. Evening we moved a little further up the mountain. Lay thare all night.

6 Saturday. Orders to move. Crossed the Potomac River at the fary 10 o'clock. Laying in battle field. All the officers left in Co. I now is 7 coperl. Drawd fresh beefe to night. All night in battle line.

7 Sunday. Laying in battle line yet. All well. Wrote letter no. 31 home today. We are laying in camp all day talking about home & about going home & Co. orders to move in the morning. Drawd 2 days rations.

8 Monday. We are to move today. Noon. In camp yet. We are building castals in the air. 99 days out today from home. All kinds of rhumors affloat today in camp. Drawd two potatoes and fresh beefe. Cavelry coming in all day today.

9 Tuesday. All quiet on the Potomac this morning. A mule ran across camp with a barrel tied to its tail. Received 2 letters from home. Glad to get them, you bet. Lieutenant Colonel Miller came to us today & took command.

10 Wednesday. The troops are leaving this morning, but our brigade. We are laying in camp waiting orders to move. I wrote a letter for I. Vanhorn today to his wife. The boys are on picket tonight. Fin & me are keeping house.

11 Thursday. All right this morning. Fin & me are all alone today. We have marched 368 miles on foot up til this date. We are in the Sanairadore Valley now. The boys ware on picket today. All come in to camp safe. The only prisner they got was a pig.

12 Friday. All quiet on the Potomac this morning. Noon. Orders to gard a wagon train to Winchester & back. Started at 12 o'clock. Sent letter no. 32 home. Went all night ontil 2 o'clock, then camped.

13 Saturday. Got up this morning & was eating a little when Mosleys command charged on us and took quite a number prisners. We ware ordered to mount mules & then to doublequick. Went thru Snekers Gap & encamped all night.

14 Sunday. We got beef & flour for brekfirst. Travel all day. Camped at sundown. They could not get anything for us to eat tonight. We are riding mules & working our passage to.

15 Monday. We arived at Fairfax Court House & took cars for Martinsburg. Arived at 4 o'clock. We went into quarters in the city bull pen. Soft bed.

16 Tuesday. Moved to other quarters and good ones to. We are cared for well. Boys are all well & in good spirits. We are in Linchburg city prison.

17 Wednesday. All well this morning. We draw rations of bread. One loaf per day. We can eat it all & not half trye.

18 Thursday. All well this morning. We get one loaf of bread per day. Henry Fortny sold his pocket book for $4.00 & a hand full of coffee for $3.00 to get bread.

19 Friday. All well today. Inspection today. Boys laying around talking of home.

20 Saturday. All well. Breakfirst at 8 o'clock. No meat but bread. Very good what have it.

21 Sunday. Sent letter no. 33 to my wife. All well today, but myself I have the flux. Preaching today in the prison by the Revernt Z.A. Hickman.

22 Monday. We drawd hard tack. The boys are all well except myself. I have a very severe headache. We are in the city prison, situated on a high hill. We have good watter here.

23 Tuesday. Nothing unusual. The prisoners laying around on the floor like sheep. I am not well. I am so weak I can scarcly write. The boys are bying bread at $2.00 per loaf, apples $2.00 per doz.

24 Wednesday. It is rumored this morning that we are going to Richmond to be exchanged. I hope it is so, for I would be happy to see my wife & children.

25 Thursday. Rumord that we are to go to Bell Isle in the morning. Fin sold my looking glass today for $1.50. All well but me. I am very weak.

26 Friday. All well this morning except myself. I am very weak & sick. We get good to eat & plenty of it. Good watter to drink, etc. The suthern officers are very kind to us here.

27 Saturday. Left Linchburg at 8 o in the morning for Richmond. Run all night, 64 men in one car. No sleep all night.

28 Sunday. Arived in Richmond at 8 o'clock. Marched thru the city to [rest of line blank] & quartered on the 4th floor. Drawd corn bread & meat & been soup. All well except myself.

29 Monday. We left Libby Prison at 11 o'clock. Arived on Bell Island at 2 o'clock. We quartered in an open lot. No covering. We have on blankets to keep us warm. We ware searched today. All taken.

30 Tuesday. All well today. We have to lay on the ground like hogs. No tents. Very cold.

31 Wednesday. All well. We draw corn bread, meat & beens. A small quantity of each one. We are all ancious to be exchanged. Thare is five thousand & six hundred prisners on this Island at this time.

Sept


1 Thursday. All well today. I got a meat rine today that a man had to grease his boots & eat it and the boys all laught at me for it. Fire in Richmond tonight.

2 Friday. All well this morning. We got a little corn bread & meat & a gill of bean soup peperd with bugs. 2 fires in Richmond tonight.

3 Saturday. All well. We have no blankets nor tents. We lay on the ground like cattle night & day.

4 Sunday. All well. Wrote letter no. 34 to my wife today. Prair meeting here every evening out on the open lot. We set on the ground. Rain today. 8 days since we came to Richmond.

5 Monday. All well this morning. We got news that Atlanta, Geo. had fallen. Fire in Richmond tonight. We ware counted today.

6 Tuesday. Raining all day. We are almost froze. We got tents today. We was glad to get them.

7 Wednesday. All well today. Pleasant today. Counted today. Fire in Richmond tonight.

8 Thursday. All well, but B.F. Ash has gone to the hospital. Fire tonight. We lay in our tents tonight on the ground. I puld some grass to lay on today. It goes better.

9 Friday. We went out today. Lay out all day. 12 men tryed to escape today, but got cot again. Got rice today.

10 Saturday. Big fire last night all night. We got rice and wheat bread today. The boys got enough one time, since we came on the Isle. We got in to 41 squad.

11 Sunday. All well this morning. A fire in Richmond last night. All counted today. A hail storm this evening. Cold night.

12 Monday. Some of the boys are not very well today. We got wheat bread & rice & mogts [maggots?] to eat today & meat.

13 Tuesday. We went out on the river bank today to be counted. We ware counted back in to camp. We give the no. of our Regt.

14 Wednesday. We lay in camp all day today talking of home & how we would like to be at home with our family, etc. etc.

15 Thursday. All well this morning. I was at prair meeting last night. We gave our names & state and Regt. etc. today. We got some tents today.

16 Friday. All well today. We lay all day in our tents talking of home. A fire in Richmond last night. Cool night.

17 Saturday. All well. A fire last night in Richmond. We are hungry all the time. Henry Fortny cut my hair today. We ware counted today. Very warm today. I made a haversack today. I. Vanhorn wrote a letter.

18 Sunday. All well today. We ware taken out and counted today. Mess no. 4 divided rations today. We had extra of beens today.

19 Monday. Counted today again. All well today. I made a ring for Annie McClain today out of Gotipercha [guttapercha]. Warm today. Cool night. Heavy cannonading in the direction of Petersburgh.

20 Tuesday. All able for our grub today. Got fresh beefe & beens today. I bought one ration of bread today for 50 cts of I. Vanhorn.

21 Wednesday. All well this morning. Fresh beefe, fresh bread, beans & salt. Heavy fireing in the direction of Petersburgh today.

22 Thursday. All well. Rained last night. A man died in camp today & was buried. Thear cracking bones to get the marrow out to eat. We louse once per day & generly have good luck.

23 Friday. All well today. Rained today. The boy making rings out of boans today to pass time away faster. I. Vanhorn told me to pay old McCary $100 if he never got back.

24 Saturday. I maid a ring today out of a beef bone & A. Sautter cut the initials of my name on it for me.

25 Sunday. All well but me. I have the rheumatism & headache. I bought a ration of bread from Fin Barton today for $.50 cts. Cool day & night.

26 Monday. All well except Fin & me. We went to the doctors call. Got some pills.

27 Tuesday. I am not well today. Maid a brest pin today. Traided a ration of beefe for a ration of beens.

28 Wednesday. All well today except Fin & me. We went to the sick call. Got some powder & pills. Evening all talking of what we like best to eat & what we alowed to have to eat when we got home, etc.

29 Thursday. Heavy firing in the direction of Petersburg today. Fin & me went to the sick call today. Evening all the boys are telling what they like best to eat. They like most anything while they are hungry.

30 Friday. All well except Fin & me. About 600 Yanks come on the Island today. Heavy cannoning in the direction of Fort Darling today.

Oct.


1 Saturday. All well but Fin & me. We went to sick call. Rained all day. The men wet & cold. A gunboat engagement in front of Richmond today. Very heavy fireing. We could [see] the shells bursting from camp.

2 Sunday. All right. The gard shot a man last night for disobeying orders. We drew corn bread today. Very small quantity. Got a new quarter master today.

3 Monday. 2 men shot last night. One killed dead. All well but Fin & me. We went to the sick call.

4 Tuesday. We ware counted out, 500 men, and took the cars for Danville, Va. Arive there next morning at day light.

5 Wednesday. Started Danville to Greensborough, N.C. Arive at one o'clock at night. Lay on the ground ontil morning. Drawd a ration of hard tack. Started at 8 o'c for Salisbury, N.C.

6 Thursday. Arived in Salisbury, N.Cat. at 4 o'clock in a heavy rain. We quartered in a carpenter shop for the night. We drawd a little bread for supper.

7 Friday. All well, fine morning. We drew fresh bread & beefe & molasses for brekfirst & bean soup for supper. This is a plesant camp, situated in a Read Oak Grove on high ground. Read soil & cortz rock.

8 Saturday. Cool morning, high wind. Fin Barton & myself are the only ones that is hear out of Co.I, 144 Regt. O.N.G. We are well. Suferd with the cold last night.

9 Sunday. Cold day. 2 o'clock & no dinner yet. 4 o'clock got bread & rice supe. I found a needle book today. Slept in the prison all night.

10 Monday. All well. Very cold today. We all most freeze. We got bread & rice soup. Fin & me got a place to sleep in the States prison. We paud a nest in the dirt like 2 dogs & slept like hogs.

11 Tuesday. All well. The rest of the 144 O.N.G. came to this camp today, tired & hungery. Bread & rice today is the feed, 1/2 loaf & 1/2 pint. Lay out all night. Very cold without blankets.

12 Wednesday. All well. 4 o'clock, no rations today yet. Very hungry. Drew 1/2 loaf bread at 5 o'clock. Fin sold a ring for $3.00 & a clay pipe for $1.00 & paid $2.00 for a cake. 2 men died tonight.

13 Thursday. All well. Drew bread & meat today. 4 men died last night. Fin got an ear of corn from a darky today. We made some acorn coffee today. I got some dough & maid a dough cake.

14 Friday. All well. Drawd bread, meat & rice supe. 8 men died last night, chiled to death. Very coald today. I pached my pants today, patch upon patch. No tents yet. Laying out doors yet. I got a ear of corn & parched it.

15 Saturday. We are still in Salisbury, Rowan County, N.C. in prison. Drew bread, molasses & rice. Very pleasant today. I got some squash seeds today. I ancious to go home to see my family.

16 Sunday. All well this morning. Bread, beefe & rice today. 6 men died last night & a capton shot. Capton Davis of N.Y. Slep good. Dreamt that J. Rolands house burnt down.

17 Monday. All right. 6 men died last night. Drawd hard tack & rice soup. Pleasant today. Good news herd of the surender of Petersburg. Fin sold one ration of bread for $4.00 & bought sweet potatoes. You bet they were good.

18 Tuesday. All right. Fin & me slept under the hospitle like hogs last night. 6 men died last night. Drawd bread, molasses & rice s. Fin bought a pie for $2.00. Cool night.

19 Wednesday. All shivering around this morning. Fin bought a sweet cake for $2.00 in confed money. We have hard fair here. No tents nor blankets yet. News the Yanks are shelling Richmond today.

20 Thursday. All well. Drawd flour, rice & molasses. 10 men died last night. Cool day. I slept in the convelesants hospitle last night. Very cold sleeping.

21 Friday. All well this morning. Drew beef & bread. I sold my ration for $4.00 in confed money & bought a tin cup for $2.00 & 2 sweet potatoes for $1.50. 6 men died last night. Frisby died of the 144th.

22 Saturday. Allmost froze today. Cold & stormy, high wind. Grate sufring amoung the prisners. 6 men died. Drawd bread & molasses, rice s.

23 Sunday. All well. Slept in the prison all night. Crowded very much. 9 men died last night. Cool day.

24 Monday. I had a heavy chill last night. Drawd our rations at 9 o'clock at night. 8 men died.

25 Tuesday. All well. 9 men dead last night. Fin is sick. Pleasant today. Drew bread & rice s. & molasses.

26 Wednesday. Moved today to the other side of the lot. 13 men died last night. Drew flour & rice soup today.

27 Thursday. Pitching tents this morning in the rain. Very disagreeable today. 15 men died last night. 600 prisners came in tonight.

28 Friday. Warm today. 23 men died last night. Fin B. went to the Hospittle today. Got no flour today. I got some of Uncle Sams coffee today from a prisner just captured.

29 Saturday. I had the heart burn all night. 25 men died last night. I am better. Sold a ration of bread for $3.00.

30 Sunday. All right today. Drew bread, beef & rice s. I sold a pint of flour for $2.50 today. Fin is better today. 27 men died last night.

31 Monday. All well. Fin is getting better. I made him a cup of coffee today. I washed socks today. I slept in the tent last night. 18 men died last night.

Nov.

1 Tuesday. I am sick today.

2 Wednesday. I am sick today.

3 Thursday. Findley Barton died today. I am so sick I can't go to see him.

4 Friday. I am sick today.

5 Saturday. I was layd out to die, but God spaired my life a little longer.

6 Sunday. I am sick today.

7 Monday. I am sick today. Wilson Brown died today.

8 Tuesday. I am gaining some, but very slow. I hope that I'll soon be able to be around again.

9 Wednesday. I very unwell yet. We get but little grub.

10 Thursday. I am gaining some.

11 Friday. I feel better today. W.H. Wheeler died today.

12 Saturday. All well. I am now on the mend.

13 Sunday. I am giting better. Got a bad cough.

14 Monday. Big talk of us being exchanged. I hope it true. Hard work to keep the lice all killed.

15 Tuesday. I am on the mend, but very weak. I eat crust coffee.

16 Thursday. [Actually Wednesday - some day confusion] Cool this morning. I bought a vest today for seven dollars in confed.

17 Friday. [Thursday] I am some better today. Pleasant day. Walter Wood died today. 12 hundred died since we come hear.

18 Saturday. [Friday] I am some better today.

19 Sunday. [Saturday] Wet day today. I am about the same.

20 Monday. [Sunday] Raining yet.

21 Monday. Raining yet.

22 Tuesday. I am gitting better sloly. I thank God for it.

23 Wednesday. Coald night. Froze hard. I slep coald.

24 Thursday. Pleasant day. I feel better today.

25 Friday. Pleasant day. I am better.

26 Saturday. All got 1/4 rations today.

27 Sunday. I dreampt that I was at home talking with my wife & got something good to eat. I got a letter from home today & was glad to hear from home.

LAST ENTRY

Dec. 16 This day poor Sammie bid farewell to earth and its sorrows.