February 24th.—Friends came to make taffy and stayed the livelong day. They played cards. One man, a soldier, had only two teeth left in front and they lapped across each other. On account of the condition of his mouth, he had maintained a dignified sobriety of aspect, though he told some funny stories. Finally a story was too much for him, and he grinned from ear to ear. Maggie gazed, and then called out as the negro fiddlers call out dancing figures, “Forward two and cross over!” Fancy our faces. The hero of the two teeth, relapsing into a decorous arrangement of mouth, said: “Cavalry are the eyes of an army, they bring the news; the artillery are the boys to make a noise; but the infantry do the fighting, and a general or so gets all the glory.”
Sunday, February 23, 2014
February 23.—On the publication of the currency bill, passed by the rebel Congress, a panic seized the people of Richmond, and many tradesmen closed their shops. Brown sugar sold for twelve dollars and fifty cents by the hogshead, and whiskey, which a few days before sold for twenty dollars a gallon, could not be purchased for one hundred and twenty dollars.—The Second Massachusetts regiment of infantry left Boston, to rejoin the Twelfth army corps, under General Grant. The Twenty-third regiment also left Boston for Newport News, Va.
Tuesday, 23d—We left at 8 o’clock and by noon had reached Hillsborough, where we were ordered to go into bivouac for the night. We caught up with the supply trains here and getting a fresh supply of provisions we are to lie over to give them a start again. All is quiet on the return.
23rd. Morning and dinner at Mr. Cobb’s. Think much of Mrs. C. P. M. at Bazaar. Evening with the fairy belle. Had a splendid visit. Feel benefited. Future and prospects.
Huntsville, Tuesday, Feb. 23. To-day we were all on guard again, having had but three days’ rest. I was third relief. P. Green for misdemeanor (noticed by none but —— ) at guard mounting was put under guard, and sentenced to hard labor digging stumps for five days, a piece of cruel despotism and tyranny. Lieutenant Hood returned, having come in charge of a squad of infantry recruits. Ours were left in Camp Randall, Sergeant Hamilton had a recruiting commission for the 36th Infantry with good show for commission. Throat swollen and very painful. Caused a heavy fever and it was difficult to keep moving on my beat.
Diary And Memoranda, 1864
Feb. 23rd. The pay master visited us and gave us our XXVI. for two months hard labor. The officers had a big time at Lt. Col. W’s place last night; some of them (I should judge by their manners) had touched the cup.
Tuesday, 23d.—10 o’clock last night ordered to be ready for action at a moment’s notice. 1 A. M., ordered to cook all rations on hand. Daylight, everything ready to move. While waiting, had game of town ball. Left camp at 1 P. M. Closed “en masse” quarter of a mile north of town. Formed in line of battle in front of Colonel Glenn’s house. Reported Federals have taken Tunnel Hill.
February 23, Tuesday. Chase did not come to the Cabinet-meeting to-day. As usual, two or three were absent. Usher has gone to the front, where there was a ball and fancy demonstrations. He is fond of matters of that kind and of the little flying gossip that is afloat.
February 23—Reached camp to-day, and found that my regiment had marched once since I left. This was the first I missed since my regiment was formed. Nothing more this month.
February 23rd, 1864.—There were ten men instead of nine, but we were ready for them. Eight of them are wounded in the head, the face, or in the shoulder. One was shot in the palm of the hand, while the tenth was shot in the foot. One of his comrades, who is not hurt much, laughs at him and says he knows that fellow was standing on his head.
The one, whose hand was hurt, is just a child. He says he cannot remember his mother. His father was killed at Gettysburg and, when he heard of it and saw his father’s body brought back to Macon and buried, he could stay there no longer but ran away and came to Florida, where his uncle, whom he loved next to his father, was keeping the Yankees away from Tallahassee. He will not be twelve years old until August and he is small for his age, we call him High Private Watson. We do this because he expresses a great desire to be an officer, and he will not tell his Christian name.
Only two of our patients are dangerously hurt; one, a tall man about thirty, who has a very bad wound in his head and the other is the man whose foot is shot to pieces. Both of these have fever. The others say their chief ailment was hunger and now that they have had a good breakfast they will soon be all right and ready to take a pop at the Yankees again.
We will go in tomorrow to Lieut. Holland’s funeral; we have beautiful flowers to carry.
