THURSDAY 23
Nothing in particular going on today here. The War seems to assume greater proportions every day, and a contest seems to be inevitable soon. Troops ar[e] arriving all the time from the North and generaly going into camp. Chas and Saml are better today, have been there twice today; tonight with wife, staid an hour. Troops drilling and marching in every direction through the streets. Quite a crowd at Willards tonight. Got the “Times” and came home early.
______
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.