Tuesday, December 24. — Good weather. Moderately cold; ground frozen so it will bear teams, whitened with a thin sprinkling of snow. Captain Sperry left this morning with Sergeant Hall and Private Gillet for home via Cincinnati. . . .
Fayetteville, Virginia, Wednesday, 25.— A beautiful Christmas morning — clear, cool, and crisp (K. K. K.), bright and lovely. The band waked me with a serenade. How they improve! A fine band and what a life in a regiment! Their music is better than food and clothing to give spirit to the men. . . .
Dined with McIlrath’s company — sergeants’ mess; an eighteen-pound turkey, chickens, pies, pudding, doughnuts, cake, cheese, butter, coffee, and milk, all abundant and of good quality. Poor soldiers! A quiet orderly company under good discipline; speaks well for its captain.
In the evening met at the adjutant’s office the commissioned officers of the regiment. Much feeling against the promotion from third sergeant to captain of Company G of Sergeant Haven, Company A. It was an ill-advised act. I think highly of Sergeant Haven. He will, I think, make a good officer. But the regular line of promotion should [be departed from] only in extraordinary cases, and then the promotion should be limited to the merits of the case. The lieutenants passed over — all the first and second-lieutenants — are much dissatisfied and the captains who are not yet reconciled to the major are again excited. They have a story that the colonel recommended Sergeant McKinley for promotion to a first lieutenancy. It can’t be possible, and if not, the other case will lead, I think, [to] no unpleasant action.
We adjourned to my quarters. I sent for oysters to the sutler’s; got four dollars and fifty cents’ worth and crackers. They were cooked by Lieutenants Warren and Bottsford. A good time; Bottsford, a little merry and noisy. Present, Major Comly, Captains Canby and Moore, First-Lieutenants Warren, Hood, and Rice and Naughton, Second-Lieutenants Bottsford, Hastings, Ellen, Adjutant Kennedy, Stevens. Retired at 11 P. M.
