Diary of US patent clerk Horatio Nelson Taft.

Monday January 20th 1862

Another wet mudy day. The Govt Teams are in constant motion and the streets are a complete bed of mortar three or four inches deep over the roadway and two or three inches over the crossings. News rcd today of a Victory of my old friend Schoepf over Zollicoffer in Kentucky. Will get more news in reference to it tomorrow (probably) if true. The citizens are much alarmed now on account of the prevalence of the Small pox in the City. It is in fact all over the City. Betwen my house and the patent office, down 9th street which I travel every day, there are five cases. The Small Pox Ambulance with the Yellow flage carrying Soldier patients is seen every day in the streets. It is generaly given a wide berth. Called with wife this evening at Mr Pecks and Mr Bartletts. Wife got a letter today from Mrs Brownson which was quite gratifying with its photograph of Willie Brownson as Midshipman at the Naval School at Newport R.I.

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The three diary manuscript volumes, Washington during the Civil War: The Diary of Horatio Nelson Taft, 1861-1865, are available online at The Library of Congress.

Sunday January 19th 1862

A rainy day, but Julia & I went out to ch in the afternoon. Dr Dwight, Missionary from Constantinople, officiated, rather a thin “House.” Mr Short did not come up on account of the rain I presume. It is very foggy this evening. Mrs Fenwick (Wido[w]) has been here all the evening. I have just been home with her to I St. She is a very pious Baptist but somewhat excentric as her Sunday evening visit might prove, but she is and [sic] old acquaintance. The City has been very quiet today, but the Drums are beating this evening. Last year at this time we were expecting an attack upon the City and the public mind was much agitated. The hideous form of Treason was just showing its head. None then imagined that the Civil War then threatened could possibly attain anything like its present proportions.

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The three diary manuscript volumes, Washington during the Civil War: The Diary of Horatio Nelson Taft, 1861-1865, are available online at The Library of Congress.

Saturday, January 18th 1862

Weather still soft and the crossings horrible. For the first time in Washington I saw boys cleaning off the crossing on [our?] street, and taxing the passers bye. Mr Short of Buffalo (the “Greek fire Bomb” inventor) called upon me today. He married my cousin (long ago). Expect him to go to church with us tomorrow. I had quite a lengthy conversation with Geo W Prentice in the office today. He questions a great deal, listens attentively to all that is said, but rarely expresses an opinion in conversation. No particular news in the City, did not go on to the Ave tonight, staid at home. “Bud” came from the Presidents about dark. Young “Bob” Lincoln has just got home from Cambridge to spend the vacation.

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The three diary manuscript volumes, Washington during the Civil War: The Diary of Horatio Nelson Taft, 1861-1865, are available online at The Library of Congress.

Wednesday Jan’y 15th

Nothing new in the City or from the army. More Cabinet changes talked of, and I think necessary. Julia had letter from Mrs Dr Barnes of the 27th Regt. She has been staying in Camp for the last ten weeks living in a tent. She also had a letter from Miss Mirrick of Lyons. It has been a cold unpleasant day, freezing until near night with a misty sleet falling all day. The ground is covered with snow, tonight it thaws and the snow & water on the ground render “rubbers” an absolute necessity. What the poor soldiers do it is hard to tell [in] this kind of weather. There is an immense amount of sickness in the City now among citizens. Small pox & Typhoid fever are both prevailing to a great extent. The mortality in the Military Hospitals is very great, forty or fifty pr day are carried off to their long homes. Bad management I fear there.

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The three diary manuscript volumes, Washington during the Civil War: The Diary of Horatio Nelson Taft, 1861-1865, are available online at The Library of Congress.

January 14th 1862

This has been a wintry day, the ground covered with snow, air damp and chilly. M. about 27. Cameron, the Sec’y of War, has resigned. Edw’d M Stanton takes his place. Ostensibly he retires voluntarily, the Papers say so. But in reality the “outside pressure” forced it upon him. He was compelled to resign. Other changes in the Cabinet are expected and talked of. Nothing new stirring, but news expected of great moment from the West and south. The day has passed with me as usual in the office. I have spent the evening at home keeping as comfortable as I could. Ed Dickerson has spent an hour or two here, a great talker and not uninteresting. He was from the Camp of the 35th Regt yesterday. Nothing new over the River, “all quiet & comfortable.”

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The three diary manuscript volumes, Washington during the Civil War: The Diary of Horatio Nelson Taft, 1861-1865, are available online at The Library of Congress.

Monday Jan’y 13th 1862

Colder today. M. this morning down to 34, tonight at 28. Have been in the office all day, moved into another room today on the Land office. A Brother of Geo D Prentice of the Louisville Journal is at the next desk to mine. Mr Rickets & Mr Osgood are also in the same Room, no. 10. The Room I left, no. 9, contained Mr Swan, Mr Darnell, both of Indiana, Mr Georgii (a German, from Minesota), Mr Ostrander of N York City, Mr Barnes of Detroit, and Mr Wheelock of California. It is said tonight that Mr Cameron (the Sec’y of War) has resigned, hope it is true. I called at Mr Pecks this evening. They have a very sick boy, have been at home the rest of the time. It is my Birth day today, fifty six years old. What a rough, smooth, sorrifull, pleasant, up hill, and down hill, road I have trodden for forty years past, such is life. I bear my years extremely well being perfectly healthy and quite active and spicy and walk with as quick a step as I ever did and am usualy taken by strangers for a man of 45 years. My eyes are bright, teeth good and my hair (thanks to Prof Wood) is not much grey. We are living very quietly this Winter, Self, Wife, Julia & the three boys. H N Junior, about 15, rather pale and languid, not very robust, pretty good schollar. Halsey C., 12, all motion and activity, never idle, impatient of restraint, quick to learn when he tries, impetuous, all “go ahead.” Willie, 8, dark hair & eyes, a ceaseless talker, ambitious to know everything, always asking questions, always busy, never sitting still like “Bud.” “Willie” & “Holly” are much alike in their disposition. Julia, 17 in March, is willing to take things as they come, rather inactive, somewhat indolent in her habits, but growing fast, quite handsome, quick tempered naturaly, but kind hearted and governs her spirit quite well, does not like study much, reads & writes most of the time.

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The three diary manuscript volumes, Washington during the Civil War: The Diary of Horatio Nelson Taft, 1861-1865, are available online at The Library of Congress.

Sunday Jan’y 12 1862

A warm pleasant day. Julia is over her cold and went out to church. Chaplin Booth of NY preached all day. He is a Methodist. Young Thos Lincoln (“Tad”) came up this morning and went to Sunday school and to church with our boys. I was down to the Hotels this evening, saw Fred Sickels at the “National.” He informed me that the “Pensecola” War Steam[er] which left her anchorage at Alexandria yesterday had safely run the Blockade of the Potomac. The night was misty and she was not seen. Only two shots were fired at her or in the direction of the noise she made. No news afloat tonight but it is expected that this will be an eventful week in the history of the War. It is thought that at least 400,000 Men, good Union soldiers, will “move” this week, and that will leave a quarter of a Million more stationary. To what immense proportions has this war grown. Such a demonstration of power made in so short a time the world has never seen. The pecuniary affairs of the Country are just now in a critical state. Treasury Notes at a discount of from two to four pr cent and gold at a premium of 4 [pr ct?]. All parties are awaiting the action of Congress to authorize another issue and to make them a legal tender. It is said that the expenses of the Govt are now near two millions pr day. If the war lasts a year more we shall be a thousand Millions in Debt, but that is nothing compared to the Value of the Union and the integrity and preservation of the constitution inviolate.

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The three diary manuscript volumes, Washington during the Civil War: The Diary of Horatio Nelson Taft, 1861-1865, are available online at The Library of Congress.