Jan. 3d. Last night we were waked by firing, apparently heavy cannon down river. … Snowing during the night, & all day. Heavy thunder & sharp lightning a part of the time. This evening it is raining almost constantly, & the thunder is almost continuous. Our camp ground is getting very soft & will soon by muddy enough. This forenoon I rode to town … to see our men in the Hospital. All of them (ten in number) appeared to be improving, except poor George Langley, who lies very low with typhoid fever. He has lain almost wholly unconscious for several days. He opened his eyes while I stood by him, but did not recognize me. His brother has been with him almost constantly for a week, & will stay as long as he lives. The Surgeons say he cannot recover. Yesterday our Chaplain attended the funeral of two men of the 12th Reg[iment], and today that of two more of the same Reg[iment], one of whom accidentally shot himself with a pistol while on picket last night, as well as that of a member of Co. I in our Reg. who died in hospital yesterday. The sickness in our Reg. now is fearful, about 150 men being in Hosp. & excused from duty in camp. Most of the cases are manageable, though … there are a few who will not probably recover. As I write (9 ½ o’clock p.m.) the thunder is incessant, & the rain is pouring down in torrents. Such a rain I have not seen before for nearly a year. Our tent proves tight, however, & I think we shall escape being flooded out tonight, tho’ others will hardly be as fortunate. My diarrhea is not quite as bad as it has been, but I do not fell much energy or strength. Am living pretty, hoping to escape any severe sickness, though I have no doubt that I should have been in the Hospital ere now had I been as regardless of diet & as careless as many of the men are of themselves.