Wednesday March 26th
Another pleasant day, in the office as usual. After dinner took the boys over to the River Wharfs where the Soldiers are embarking. Saw the “John Brooks” leave with the Mass 10th Regt (Col Briggs) leave. Some of the 36th N York left on the same boat. There was great Cheering when the Boat left. Just before the Boat left a lady made her way through the crowd and stood on the corner of the Wharf looking most anxiously for some one on the boat. Soon she caught the face and waved her hankerchief, and soon began to cry putting linnen to her face and sobbing violently. The Boat moved slowly off and I thought she would fall but as the Boat passed on she turned slowly away wending her way through the crowd alone, steped into an elegant carriage which was waiting and drove off. We got home before dark. Ed Dick[erso]n was up tonight and staid an hour. Julia stays with Mat[ty] Hartly tonight.
______
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.
