Friday, September 2.— Captain McChesney went out into the town on parole. Our table and chairs came today. Cost $40. Received news of McClellan’s nomination on a peace platform, which will kill him.
War diary and letters of Stephen Minot Weld
Thursday, September 1.— Had our room washed and cleaned. We take turns at this, and will soon make good scrubbers. We get some sand or clean dirt from the yard, and scatter over the floor, then throw some buckets of water in, and then set to with bricks and scrub. We fenced off one corner of the room with a blanket, and made a bathroom of it, using half an old barrel for a tub. Usual routine gone through with. Captain Senn comes in twice a day, —morning and evening, —and counts us to see if we are all there.
Wednesday, August 31.— Nothing new in a war way, except Sherman’s movement at Atlanta. Chaplain Fowler of Connecticut left for Richmond to be exchanged. Sent my pipe home by him.
Columbia, S. C., Aug. 30, 1864.
Dear Father, — I send this letter by Chaplain Fowler. He goes home to-morrow.
We are all well. Chaplain Fowler lives in Cambridge, and will endeavor to see you.
Love to all friends. Please have the following list of men from my regiment inserted in the paper for the benefit of friends. They were taken with me on the 30th July.
| Captain W. W. Fay | Sergeant Dwelley | |
| Sergeant Ford | Private Smith | |
| Sergeant Halloran | Private Moriarty | |
| Sergeant Fletcher | Private Deering | |
| Sergeant Morse |
There are 12 more whose names I cannot recall. All the privates were left at Danville.
Tuesday, August 30. — News from the Weldon R. R. turned out to be untrue. Lieutenant Preston was taken sick with fever and sent to the hospital.
Sunday, August 28. — Captain Williams (afterwards lost on the Oneida) left prison to-day and went to the hotel, under charge of a son of Commander Ingraham, Confederate Navy, who is ordered to take him to Charleston. He is then to be released on parole for 45 days, to effect an exchange of all navy officers. He came down to see us in the evening before leaving.
Saturday, August 27. — Nothing unusual occurred. Night chilly.
Friday, August 26. — Passed the most comfortable night we have as yet had in the prison. Captain Amory is a little under the weather. He walked in his sleep. There are nine of us in the room : Colonel Marshall, Colonel White of the 31st Maine, Major Filler of Pennsylvania, Lieutenant Colonel Buffum of Rhode Island, Captain Amory and Captain McChesney.
Thursday, August 25. — We had the room used by the conscripts downstairs assigned to us field officers to-clay. We scrubbed it up with sand and brick, and moved down. It is on the corner and is much cooler and pleasanter than our old quarters, and we have much more liberty allowed us. Lieutenant Preston of the navy received permission to give his parole for 30 days and endeavor to get exchanged for Lieutenant Glascelle.
Wednesday, August 24. — The air of the prison is perfectly stifling all day and most of the night. I spend most of my time killing bed-bugs, etc. I am afraid we shall all have fevers if we remain here long.
