Camp New Fairfax C.H. Va.Thursday December January 8th 1862 [1863]My Dear Sister

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For a letter to night I will continue my diary from where I left it a month or more ago. Some days I have written nothing & others I might as well have done so for it dont seem to amt. to much after all, still I may be glad to look it over in after years. I notice the first date on my book is Thursday Nov. 25th Camp Vt Near Alexandria Va. 9 o’clock P.M. Quite lively in camp. The 13th 14th & 15th have just recd marching

orders. It is very dark and begins to rain. I can hear the 14th just marching off to the tune of “Old Shady” or, “Away, Away, I cant stay with you longer” They will have a wet time of it before morning. Probarbly what saves our Regt from going is that it is on picket.

Wednesday Nov 26th We who are left in camp are having an easy time as there is nothing to do. I understand that the Regts that left last night have gone to Burks Station about 15 mls from here. Rained hard all night.

Thursday Nov. 28th Nothing worth notice Saturday Nov 29th Battalion drills.

Got a detail for 2 commish & all privates for duty from our Co. for picket tomorrow. Capt & myself are going. Looks like rain Recd your letter of Sunday. Sunday Nov 30th Not rainy after all. Had a fine time for picket so far.

Monday Nov. 31st Still pleasant. Tuesday Dec. 1st 1862. Came into Camp about noon.

Wednesday 2d. [Snowed some here] Thursday Dec4th Thanksgiving in Vt. Our Regt has gone on picket again to day I did not go Ours & the 12th releive each other now the others are gone. We make no account of the day as so many of the boys are gone. It is a beautiful day.

Friday Dec 5th On Brigade Guard. Have an old log hut with a good fire place in it for my Head Quarters. Dr Osborn & Fred Merrill are here. Snowed quite hard all day.

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Saturday Dec 6th Very cold. Saw a total eclipse of the moon last night about 2 A.M.

Sunday Dec 7th Detailed for picket again. Started at 7.30. Pretty cold. The other Regts have got back so we shall have help again. They have been doing picket duty out on Bull Run.

Monday 8th Was releived this morning by the 14th We are going to stay over but 24 hours at a time here after instead of 48.

Tuesday Dec 9th Good weather again. Snow not gone yet.

Wednesday 10th George & I have been over & visited the Convalescent Camp 3 miles from here. Looks rather hard to see. Uncle Sam’s worn out soldiers cast aside & left as they are.

Thursday Dec. 11th Been banking up our tent & preparing to live comfortable. 7 P.M. We have just

recd an order to be ready to march with 2 days rations tomorrow morning. It comes very unexpectedly & we rather hate to leave our comfortable quarters.

Friday Dec 12th Started with the rest of the Brigade at 5 A.M. We are stoping in the woods near Fairfax C.H. to night. I think we have marched from 15 to 20 miles to day.

Saturday Dec 13th Started again at 8 this morning for Centerville. it is about 8 or 10 mls from here. We missed the road & went around by Chantilly battlefield making about 3 miles more. As we passed the field saw plenty of bayonets, broken guns &c. Many of the graves there are marked 5th La. Regt. Saw one mans skull sticking out of the ground. One of Co. D. boys went up & pulled out one of the eye teeth & put in his pocket, says he is

going to make a breast pin of it. When the rebs do so we complain of their barbarities. (By the way, after we got down to Bull Run one of our Lieuts visited the battlefield and came back with a handful of human bones.) Arrived at Centerville about 2 P.M. Encamped a mile or two beyond. Half the Regt have gone on picket a mile or two beyond our encampment. Williams has gone with our Co. Uncomfortably warm. We can hear the cannonading at Fredericksburg

Sunday Dec 14th Went on picket with the other half of the Regt to day. Took dinner with a family near the picket line. The family consists of an old lady her 2 sons one daughter (about 18) & the oldest sons wife. Think them very agreeable folks. The Col. discovered a box in thier barn this morning

& ordered it opened thinking prehaps it might contain arms; found inside a common wooden coffin, & inside that a metalic one. did not open the metallic one but took the mans word for what was in it. He said it contained the body of an officer (did not state his rank) from (I think) the 9th La Regt. Said his name was (I think but am not certain) Weims. Said the rebs left it there when they fell back from here in the Spring, & were going to send for it, it was going to New Orleans.

Monday 15th Releived about noon to day. The releif I had charge was on in the day time so I slept last night in the rebs house with Capt Foster. Have been looking over the fortifications this P.M. about Centerville. There are 8 or 10 forts & all connected by breastworks. A mighty strong position Broken guns sabers &c are scattered

about.

Tuesday 16th Rained last night & is a little colder to day. Been doing nothing but making ourselves comfortable as possibly through the day.

Wed.17th The 12th came down this morning to releive us. We started back this P.M. & arrived here at Fairfax C.H. about sundown. Encamped for the night in the woods

Thursday 18th Went about 2 mls from here to a Brigade Review. Cool weather.

Friday 19th Moved our camp about 100 rods further south into the pine woods. Recd tonight of our Co. He was left behind in the Hos. when we moved from Camp Vermont. He was a fine fellow & a good soldier, one of the best; tis the first death in our Co.

Saturday 20th Had battalion drill to day for the first time since we left Camp Vt.

Sunday Dec 28th Have not written since the 20th for there was nothing of any account Had an occasional battallion drill &c.

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Monday Dec 29th Last night about 7 we recd orders to be ready to march with one days ration at a moments notice. About 8 recd orders to fall in. It was a beautiful moonlight night. There could not possibly have been better for a march. It seems there was fear of an attack from Stewarts Cav. which is in this vacinity. The 12th 13th & 14th were stationed near Fairfax C.H. We, (the 16th) at Fairfax Station about 3 mls from the C.H. Our camp is about half way between the two. We were drawn up in line of battle along by an old Catholic Church & ordered to sleep on our arms. The Capt & myself with some officers from other Co’s went into the Church & slept on the floor. We were not disturbed during the night, but the Regts stationed at the C.H. got a shot at the rebs as they were passing sometime in the

night. They killed one horse & took one prisoner. Dont know the force that passed. We came into camp about 3 P.M. to day.

Tuesday Dec 30th Nothing much.

Wednesday Dec 31st Recd orders about 3 P.M. to be ready to march with 2 days rations at a moments notice (7 P.M.) We have not yet marched nor are the orders countermanded. Tomorrow is our turn for picket again. Capt Sawyer & Lieut Sanborn of Co. H. (Felchville) & Lieut Sherwin, Co. D. (Townsend) have resigned & tonight their resignations came back accepted so they are clear of the Service. Muster day with the Regt.

Thursday Jan 1st 1863 New Years day. Bright & early our Regt was on the march for Centerville. It has been a beautiful day, like Indian summer in Vt. Arrived at C- &

got our pickets posted about noon. Cos. A. & G. taking it first. There is prehaps from a doz. to 15 standing in this place & as many more have been burned down, among them a very nice steam grist & saw mill. Half the houses now standing are empty, & the other half occupied by Secesh. Our Co. is quartered in a very good house. Since we were out before the picket line has been moved up nearer Centerville, so the Regt is quartered in the village. The Dr. has taken quarters in a house occupied by a family. The family live in one end of the house & he has rooms in the other, family consists of an old gentleman, wife & two daughters; a middle aged lady & daughter. The 3 girls are (I should judge) from 18 to 24, & they are very pretty, & sensible Williams was not very well so he did not come out with us. The Capt.

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& I quarter with the Dr. (Geo. Park staid in Camp) To day I have been looking around among the ruins of Centerville. This is a desolate country but must have been pleasant before the war.

Friday Jan 2d. Another beautiful day. The Capt myself & our Co. (E.) are on picket to night. Our Cavelry have been skirmishing with rebel cavalry on the right this morning. Nobody killed however.

Sat Jan 3rd We were releived by Co. K this morning. This P.M. the Dr. Hos Steward, Chaplain, Lieut Peabody & I have been out to Chantilly battle field which is about 4 miles from here, Discovered nothing new of interest. Tis a beautiful moonlight evening, & it makes me think of Greenbush, as it used to be to see the street full of small boys at play.

Sunday Jan 4th. Chaplain preached in an old Episcopal Church to day. Called on the family in the other part of the house this evening. The old man said he had a son in the rebel army, & one of the young ladies said she had a father there. One of the old mans daughters said she had rather her brother would be

there than to stay at home to be laughed at. I thought the girls very sensible & lady like.

Monday Jan 5th One of the girls spoken of yesterday asked me this morning if our ambulance was going to Fairfax C.H. to day, said she would like to ride there in it if it was, for she had just heard that her father was a prisoner there. Ours was not going but she got a ride in one of the 1st Va’s (Cav Regt) which was going there. She came back this P.M. & her father with her. It seems he was taken by the 15th pickets & sent there I have not seen him but he is here to night dont know whether he was paroled or how he got here. The Col recd a dispatch from Stoughton to night saying we should be releived tomorrow by a Regt from Du Tasseys command which is at Union Mills.

Thursday Jan 6th Gave what provisions we had left after breakfast to the family in anticipation of being releived this

morning. Du Tasseys Regt arrived about 2 P.M. We took dinner with the family. The rebel soldier ate with us, he is a reasonable, sensible, smart sort of man & talked freely about the war. Said if they had thought it would have been so great a war it would never have commenced, said he wished S.C. was where Va is, &c.

Commenced raining about 3 P.M. about the time we started for camp. did not rain very hard however & had entirely stoped when we got into camp; got in a little after dark.

Wed. 7th Nothing worth notice

Thursday Jan 8th This brings me up to the time I am writing & shall send you the letter. To day has been very pleasant & we have had a Brigade Drill. Dr. Strong of Proctorsville Vt. & Mrs. Gov. Fletcher arrived in camp yesterday. Mrs. F.

came on account of her son who is quite sick with a fever. He is Orderly Sergt in Co. C. (Ludlow). Now I will ans your letter which I recd last night. I have no one for waiter, shall get one if I have a chance but shall not detail one from the Co. Some of the officers resigned on acct of sickness & some because the Col. advised them to do so.

The 2d Conn. Battery is attached to our Brigade. I wish it had been the 2d Ill, would’nt it be fine. I think so. I had almost forgot there was such a person in the world until you mentioned it. I have written a long letter to night & it is getting late so I will close. Love to all, father, Mother, Grandmother &c

As Ever Your Aff. Brother Jo.

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P.S. since Geo. brought his letter in to have me put in mine I have managed to lose the mistletoe he gave me to put in it. I will tell him tomorrow & he may send some more in a letter or paper.
J.