Following the American Civil War Sesquicentennial with day by day writings of the time, currently 1863.

Post image for Diary of Horatio Nelson Taft.

Diary of Horatio Nelson Taft.

January 27, 2013

Diary of US patent clerk Horatio Nelson Taft.

Tuesday Jan’y 27th 1863

This has been a wet drizzly day, one well calculated to give a person the “blues,” and I think that almost every one has the “blues” in view of our present state of affairs. The future looks as dark and unpromising as ever. The rebellion seems to be just as far from being “crushed” as it did a year ago, in fact much farther, for we as a Nation are much more divided among ourselves. Where the end will be no one human can divine. All sorts of opinions prevail in reference to the changes in the “Army of the Potomac.” Some think it is all for the best and some that there will be a general dissolution of it and that it will soon fall to pieces. But we may soon hear of important successes in the South West and Hooker may soon strike a successful blow, and then, all will be right again, but today gold is 154. Got letters from home today, family all well. “Willie” would like to come back to Washington. He doubts the Safty of his present location as in the late terrific storm the “Waves of the Sea roared so loud.” I have spent most of the evening at Maj Williams eating apples & nuts and talking about Lyons people. The Maj has gone done to Suffolk to pay a Regiment. Mrs W. told me that her daughter (Mrs Townley) was to have been married to Henry T. Tower this morning at Lyons. She expects they will visit Washington. Mr & Mrs Bemis called upon me this morning at the office and I went through the Pat office Museum with them. A few Patients still remain in the Hospital there, too sick to be removed. It is raining quite hard now, 10 o’clock P.M.

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