January 1st                                                      1862

 

I have made up my mind to day to keep a Journal of all my doings this year if possible. to day has been verry plesant all day and as mild as a day in June this forenoon we had a Brigade drill this forenoon drilled by Genl Foster. came back had dinner then had Batalion drill in the afternoon under Lut Col Merritt. When we got back to camp found Ned Drews theare. he came in to see us after supper. had a letter from Lizzie today dated Dec 30^th.

Jany 2^ond          Pleasant but not as warm as yesterday Our Company went on Guard to day after Guard mounting I started with Segt Waynan Fowler Corps Carlton Emmerton and Davis for Annaplis we had a nice time went to Holands to dinner then started for home got home before dress prade I wrote to Lizzie to night and sent my picture. went to bed at eight oclock

 

3^rd                    was waked up by a box coming from Salem had a bundle in it for me contained 1 Pr mittens and a letter from Lizzie one from Mrs Fellons one from Mr Brooks got up at twelve went the Grand rounds then went on Guard staid till six oclock /

 

Jany 3 Friday              Pleasant but it was grim clouds than it was yesterday the paymaster arrived to day mustered the Company in and went up for our pay got my amt Forty dollars put ten with it and sent it to Salem payable to the order of Alvah T. Hardy. had a letter from Louisa she tells me that Lizzie left Salem on Wedensday for Albany.

 

4 Saturday                   Snowed in the night and was quite cold did not have a drill sent home our money by Adams Ofs Express. the Company sent home twenty six hundred dollars. I sent home fifty dollars to the order of Alvah Hardy. tride to write in the eavning but could not had to pack the Company clothing theare is a rumor that we leave on Monday.

 

5 Sunday                     quite cold. had inspection recd orders to be in readiness to leave camp on Monday morning. have been buisy all day getting things ready to leave Messrs Waldron & Haskell of Salem are in camp they stay till tomorrow. we have orders to get on board the Tug Boat Huzar & the schooner Highlander The right wing goes on the Highlander we are to strike camp at eight oclock sent a box home with some things for Mother & Lizzie. the Company / recd to day from Salem sixty dollars from Little Miss Whipple & Osgood wrote to Lizzie letter N^o 3.

 

6^th Monday                  On getting up this morning found about two inches snow on the ground and the air sharp and cold got breakfast and then commenced to strike camp did not get all packed and ready to start till ten we then marched to the Naval Academy yard wheare we formed a hollow square putting a guard on the outside to keep all the men in except thoes on duty. the Capt and Luts were called away so I took comand of the Co. have just heard bad news concerning a fellow of Co C in our Regt it seams that he went into one of the restaurant with one of his comrads the other one espying a gun sitting in the corner took it up when it went of passing through his comrads right eye and out at the back of his head. They had an examination and acquitted the fellow as it was purely an accident they buried him this afternoon. we began to embark at four oclock did not all get on board untill dark the right wing is on the schooner Highlander. the left on the tug Huzar. our Company are on the first deck. we have got verry good quarters. my birth is N^o 17^th /

 

7 Tuesday                   Turned out at six did not get breakfast untill nearly nine oclock then took hold looked and helped get the things on board. took water on board and expect to leave in the night

 

8 Wedensday              Plesant. turned out at six had breakfast while eating it heard the cry of fire and discovered a schooner about a quarter of a mile of loaded with hay to be on fire our boat put of with our Adjunt and ten or twelve men. they succeeded in putting out the fire got a letter from Lizzie to day dated Albany Jany 4^th also one from [?] dated Jany 6. at 3 oclock the steam tug Huzar took us in tow and we moved into position about 2 miles from shore expect to leave in the night.

 

Jany 9 Thursday          Rainy, rained nearly all night. turned out at six got breakfast. we got under way at half past seven in tow of the tug. we made about six miles an hour at twelve oclock M we came to anchor on account of fog

 

Jany 10^th Friday          When I got up this morning found that it had been raining during the night and that it was quite foggy at nine oclock AM it lighted up so that we weighed anchor and got under way again still in tow of the tug   nothing of importance / happened till three oclock when we reached the Fortress Monroe. we pass the Minesota and Ronoak as we came up the harbour. the men sprang in to the riging as we passed and gave us three cheers

 

Jany 11^th Saturday      Turned out at six found the weather pleasant and warm. has been pretty quiet to day mended my pants in the forenoon and read a book the rest of the forenoon got dinner at one. our boat has just left for the shore with Capt Whipple and Lut Emmerton sent letter N^o 4 to Lizzie to day Lut Bates took it on shore. Orders have just come for us to get under way. did not leave Hampton Roads untill 12 Mid.

 

Jany 12 Sunday           It has been cloudy all day with a strong wind from the N East. continued to grow stronger all day untill 4 oclock in the afternoon when it blew so strong that we had to cut our hawser and leave the tug we fell rapidly to windward. blew hard all night most of the men wear sick. was sick myself but not near as sick as most of them all night long men wear casting up accounts with old Farther Neptune. for myself after throwing up my supper I turned over and went sleep. woke up in the morning feeling better but yet pretty faint. /

 

Jany 13 Monday         I have kept my bunk most of the day thinking that I had better keep quiet as long as I felt decent. some of our mess are having a hard time of it Segt Fowler & Hayward are quite sick cant get out of their bunks and cant keep anything down that they eat. we made out to get in to Hatteras inlet at four P.M. we are anchored out side the inlet. just after we droped our anchor we discovered a schooner with her flag Union down. our Capt. (of the vessel) orderd one of the boats to be lowered a way but as soon as they saw it on the other schooner they hurled their collors the other way. dont know what they wear trying to do

 

Jany 14 Tuesday         It is still cloudy and blowing hard. a part of our fleet are in we dont know whear the rest are may have gone inside the inlet.

 

Jany 15 Wedensday    8 AM Looks a little like clearing up. we are getting ready to run up into the inlet. the Steamer City of New York is a ground on the reefs out side the inlet is fast going to pieces. 10 AM got under way for the mouth of the inlet. kept on our corse till one PM when the Steamer Patuxent took us in tow. we had just got our dinner and I was sitting down on deck eating mine when / Lut Hart of Co D. came runing afft saying that their was a boat swamped just a head of us we all sprang to the side and saw a boat nearly full of water with ten or twelve men clinging to her Capt Dayton imeaditly ordered the quarter boats to be lowered away and Mr Higings second Lut of the schooner with some of his men sprang into one and Lut Hart and some more men sprang in to the other and then they wear lowered in to the water and pulled a way for dear life. they reached the boat and got of eleven their was twelve in the boat but the second mate sank before the got to them. the boat belonged to the Ship Ana E. Thompson. Bath Main Capt. Merryman the boat had on board the Capt Second mate Col J W Allen of the 9^th New Jersey Regt Lut Col    Sergon Weller Ajt            Quartermaster             and five privates of the same Regt. the Col and sergon wear lifless when we got them on board we worked on them nearly three hours but all to no pourpose they had gone to their long home. we picked them up at about half past one according the story of thoes that are saved they was in the water about a half to three quarters of an hour. I helped to lay out the Col and Sergon on the quarter deck wheare the now lie. it seams according to the story of Capt Merryman they had been to the Steamer Picket Genl Burnsids Flag ship to report and were trying to returning when they got into the brakers and wear swamped. got a letter from Lizzie dated Jany 8^th /

 

Thursday Jany 16^th     Found it raining when I got up this morning. The Steamer Pilot Boy came and took off the ded boddies and the rescued men we got a ground this eavning but did not stay so long

 

Friday 17.                    Cloudy and windy theare is a schooner a ground about half a mile from us thear is also two or three Steamer a ground we have got most out of water and have had to come on allowance The Adgt went on shore this afternoon, I sent letter N^o 5 to Lizzie

 

Saturday 18                 It has been cloudy part of the day and pleasant a part. we still lie at our old anchorage we have got short of water and have been put on allowance of a gill to a man

 

Sunday 19                   The day has ben quiet compared with the 1^st of the weak no swearing or loud talk to speak off and no gambling. Our Company are on fatigue to day and I have had to work as hard to day as I have any day since I came heare. got on board 12 bbls water to day /

 

Monday 20.                 Pleasant but nothing of importance happening

 

Tuesday 21                  Quite warm and pleasant nothing done to day

 

Wedensday 22            Cloudy and looks like rain. sent letter N^o 6 to Lizzie. The steamer Picket and Pilot Boy came along side this noon and towed us down to the bar but we did not get over as theare was not water. one of our men named Emmerson fell over between the vessels he attempted to jump but lost his foothold he is not very badly hurt.

 

Thursday 23.               It blew hard all night and this morning it settled into a hard gale with rain and hale our water is very short of water and provisions some of our men had to go without their tea I for one

 

Friday 24                     The storm still continues. it is blowing a perfect hurricane. many of the vessels are draging their anchors but ours still hold good. the 24^th Regt had been put on shore on a sand beach but the wind has blown down many of their tents and the water is beginning to cover the beach. they have had to strike their tents and are now standing in the rain we have not been able to get any water and had to go without coffee for breakfast. sent a boat this morning to a schooner nearby and made out to get one bbl of water / the boat even had to work hard to keep from swamping it came up and rained in torrents this noon and we made out to catch one bbl and a half. I got wet through by getting it. at five P.M. the Steamer Picquet and a tug took us over the bar we now lay in deep water.

 

Saturday 25                 Pleasant but verry cold. we have got on board more provissions and shall now get along pretty well James Arrington is verry sick.

 

Sunday 26                   Verry pleasant but rather cold air after dinner the Huzzar towed us about two miles up the sound. took on board two days rations water and provision.

 

Monday 27^th                Pleasant. to day Capt Dayton tried his wierd gun he made some very good shot they placed an empty cask about a mile off. the Capt made the best shots the first mate and gunner both tried but did not do as well as the Capt.

 

Tuesday 28^th               Pleasant. after supper I took a sail with Segts of Co D we pulled down to the Division Sutlers I in Co with six others bought a bbl of apples we paid $10.00 for them we made $1.94 apiece. /

 

Wedensday 29^th          Pleasant our Co was on fatigue duty to day after dinner I pulled down to the Sutlers and in company with six others bought 2 bbls apples 2 cheese made 2.80 cents a piece. after we went on shore and saw Fort Hatteras it is not verry large it is built of sand bags covered with sand.

 

Thursday 30^th              Pleasant nothing of importance sent letter N^o 8 to Lizzie.

 

Friday 31                     Pleasant but cool. this morning some one espied a sail coming down the sound, from Roanoke Island imeaditly all eyes wear directed upon her. a gun boat put out towards her and they soon met. she proved to be a small schooner with some runaway negroes and two deserters. the stole the sch and ran away the brott important information. the mail arrived this afternoon. I got eight letters four from Lizzie one from Mrs Baker one from Fanny and two from Louisa

 

Saturday February 1^st  Cloudy and rainy most of the day. it cleared off the latter part of the afternoon. I sent letter N^o 9 to Lizzie

 

Sunday 2                     Pleasant wrote to Louisa and Fanny /

 

Monday 3.                   Cloudy and some rain our Co on fatigue. this morning a small boat hove in sight she was taken to the Comanding Boat. she had three men on board

 

Tuesday 4                    Pleasant. nothing of any importance have have recd orders to get under way at 8 A.M. in the morning

 

Wedensday 5              Pleasant but rather cool. got underway at 8 A.M. our Ajt is verry sick. I think he has got the deleriam-tremars. to day we delt out forty rounds of cartradges and a full supply of caps we came to anchor at five P.M.

 

Thursday 6                  Rainy. we ran up to within four miles Roanoke Island. we came to an anchor at four P.M. the Huzzar came along side and put the band and about eighty more men on board of us. The Huzzar is to act as a gun boat. makes rather close stowing for the men.

 

Friday 7.                      Cloudy. we got under way at 9 AM we hove in sight of Roanoke at about ten AM and our boats began to engage the enemy at half past [?] the continued with heavey firing / all day up to five P.M. our side putting in about two shots to their one. we began to land troops at about 4 P.M. Co B was the first to land. then Co I. then Co D. part of them landed in boats and then the steamer Pilot Boy came a long side and took the remainder. they landed us in the mud and we had to wade about a quarter of a mile in dock mud up to our knees. it began to rain before we got landed and continued to do so at intervals all night. we made up large fires and slept on the ground as best we could.

 

Saturday 8.                  We weare awakened this morning at day light by fireing from our Pickets we imeadetly fell into line and started on our march.

SOURCES