16th. Played at chess in the morning with Chester and Case. Co. returned from scouting. About noon rations came. Issued to the boys. Rushed them through rapidly. Had a shave and spent the evening in quarters. Read the Cincinnati Commercial. Wrote to Lucy Randall and Fred Allen.
War Diary of Luman Harris Tenney.
15th. Theodore brought over a letter from Melissa. Good. Reported this morning for duty. I am glad we can be together. We now belong to the 1st Cav. Brig. 4th Div. 23rd Army Corps. Another beautiful day. Morgan expected. Thede and Dod got two beef creatures and butchered. Wrote a letter to Minnie. Read some in Victor Hugo.
14th. Went down to H Co. after morning work and played chess. Beat Capt. N. three times and John Devlin four times. Cleaned up my revolvers. Col. Abbey appointed acting Brigade Com. Says Thede can be detailed here. Good. He has been sick with diarrhoea. Getting a little better. In evening read in “Les Miserables.” Has been a pleasant day. Girl of McGuire’s buried today. Alarmed last night. Morgan coming.
13th. Took our horses out. Issued beef. Cleaned up and went over to town. Col. Abbey bought me a good woolen hat. John Ritter moved over to town—Div. saddler—good place. Took Thede some cheese. Diarrhoea. Sorry. Played chess with A. B.—got the worse. Rainy evening. No letters.
12th. Sent a letter to Minnie. Played chess with Chester and Lt. Case, on the whole did well. Short talk with Bushnell. Could have done better in Arkansas. Let our horses into a field to graze. Read the Commercial of the 10th, some in Gazette. Drove up a beef from town.
11th. Issued five days’ rations in the morning. Watched the boys play chess. Had a good visit with Thede and Charley. News in papers a little more encouraging. In the evening heard Co. H boys sing. Enjoyed it much. Capt. Nettleton and Col. Ratliffe told me some news.
10th. Issued beef in the morning. After cleaning up and inspection, Mr. Brown preached. Small audience but good sermon. Psalms 2-11. He seems to study his sermons. Took dinner with Capt. Nettleton and Lt. Case at a widow’s in town. Very genteel and pretty lady. Read. Went to the woods and let Rowena graze.
9th. Killed beef for Sunday. Read considerably in “Les Miserables.” Reviewed “Fantine.” Never read a book which contained so much truth and sense on every page. Rob and I took a good bath and changed our clothes. Wrote home.
Friday, 8th. Clear but uncomfortably warm. The regt. came in during the day. Issued four days’ rations in the morning. Conflicting reports about a battle on the Potomac. Hooker whipped! Richmond taken! etc. All very anxious to get reliable news. Col. Miner in camp. Received no letters from home and Fannie. Wrote in the evening.
7th. Weather still bad. After breakfast ordered to the river. No chance for us today to cross. By orders of Col. Kautz, I went to the Div. train and helped myself to one day’s rations. Lt. crossed over. Robinson, Drake and I got permission to swim our horses and cross. Saddled and went round by the river road to avoid pickets. Glad to get back into a dry bed again.
