May 20th. Our regular routine has been kept up for the past few days. Guard duty, drill, dress parade, Sunday morning inspection. When at liberty continue to take long walks out into the surrounding country. Call on the farmers. They laugh about the Yankee soldiers making friends with the cows. We tell them that’s because we like milk. We found out the cows would eat hardtack. We fed and petted them while they were out to pasture. Women do the milking in this section. I heard a woman say that she was a good milker but the Yankees could beat her and milk into a canteen at that.
Civil War Diary of Charles H. Lynch, 18th Conn. Vol’s.
May 11th. About midnight of last night, while I was in the Court House, I heard the cry of fire. Looked out and saw a great blaze to the south. Ran to the fire. It was a large barn on the Faulkner place. Watched it burn, as it could not damage other buildings. The Faulkners had many enemies in the neighborhood, whom he treated bad at the outbreak of the war. I heard Mr. Faulkner repeat “Poor revenge.” Sometimes revenge is sweet. The soldiers did not have any sympathy for the Faulkners. Looked upon as arch traitors. Soldiers were placed on guard over his property at the time of the fire.
May 10th. These are quiet days. Nothing special for the past few days. Getting all the pleasure we can when off duty. Take long walks out in the country. Detailed for duty in town. Report to the Provost Marshal. Guards posted on the principal streets continue. Must keep peace by preserving order. Headquarters in the Court House. Duty light and easy.
May 6th. About 9 A. M. I was relieved from duty. Turned the prisoner over to the relief guard. The prisoner asked me to shake hands with him, and thanked me for my kindness. Said that he had been used very kindly by the boys of the 18th Connecticut. After being relieved returned to camp. I was excused from all duty except dress parade. Turned into my bunk, had a good sleep and a fine rest. Cleaned up and took part in our dress parade. A fine evening. Visited among the other companies.
May 5th. Detailed for guard duty in town. Placed in charge of a rebel Major, who made claim of being on General Early’s staff. I was informed that he was placed under arrest because he had broken his parole. Appeared on the streets of his home town, Shepardstown, Virginia, in full uniform, making a show of himself, and insulting loyal people, for which he was waiting to be tried by a court-martial. He was confined in a room in the basement of an old church. I had three men on duty with me, making three reliefs. Guarding him was a tiresome job. When night came he told me not to sit up all night, he would not attempt to get away. I made up my mind that he would not get a chance, as I would not take any chances with a rebel. I did my duty. Sat up all night and changed my reliefs every two hours. While he was agreeable to me I formed an opinion of him. Thought him rather mean, but I used him well.
May 1st. Weather fine, and we are enjoying it. Our company remains at camp as headquarters’ guard. The other companies are going through surrounding towns, picking up all government property, and all that is collected is put in wagons and brought to this town. Everything marked U. S. must be collected and stored here. In time it will be sold by government officers at public auction. This is a fine country. Our boys are enjoying these collecting trips. We are all so happy over the close of this awful, cruel war.
April 30th. Fine growing weather. The leading topic in camp is, when do we go home. Picket duty suspended. Camp guard kept up, and provost duty in town to keep order and protect government property. Many horses and mules are corralled and guarded. This duty comes to our regiment. There is much that we must do to assist the government officers in collecting the property. The town has not been turned over to the civil authority yet, so we must do the duty of civil officers and protect the town, and do the duty of policemen. Guards on the different streets.
April 25th. Weather good. Regular routine of duty is now on again. Drill, dress parade, picket, and guard. Not much interest taken in these duties at this time. No danger now from the enemy. The only real interest is taken in our dress parades, as we have many visitors from town. Confederate soldiers are now on their way home, all having been paroled. Halt them at the outposts, send a guard with them to the Provost Marshal, when they are allowed to proceed to their homes in Virginia and Maryland. Many were glad the war was over. Some were very bitter. Would not admit they were beaten. We laughed at the poor fellows. Many having tramped for miles to reach home. Some shed tears when they were forced to admit that the war was over, and their cause was lost.
April 20th. Weather fine. Real spring. All is quiet in camp. The body of the martyr President is being carried across the country to his home town, Springfield, Illinois. These are days of mourning. The sudden taking off of Mr. Lincoln is the topic of conversation in our camp. It is generally believed there was a conspiracy among the leaders of the rebellion to murder Mr. Lincoln, so the cry is that the leaders must be punished.
April 19th. All duty except guard and picket suspended since the assassination of Mr. Lincoln. These are days of mourning. Officers wear crape on the left arm and on the hilts of swords for thirty days. The funeral takes place today in Washington. The towns-people have arranged for a funeral parade and service to be held in the Court House. Our regimental band is engaged to furnish the music for the procession. On the march a coffin was carried, making a solemn appearance as the funeral procession marched to the cemetery where the coffin was buried. The whole thing was in charge of the towns-people. It was a very strange proceeding in the eyes of down-east Yankees. It was a very solemn occasion all through, to the burial of the coffin.
