Civil War Blog

Maine

July 31, 1863

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7-31Friday.  The last day of my birth month signalized by my final happy admission to the Junior class.  I believe I shall indulge in self congratulation after I have brought my record down to that occasion.

But before I relate the manner of my obtaining the ticket I must tell of my grievous disappointment in not getting it at first.  I had been in on Tuesday evening  before Cross and made up on Trigonometry and Surveying, leaving only three books of Geometry which I endeavored to prevail on him to excuse, promising to make up after I had received my ticket.  He assured me that he would do his best, which promise added to Prof. Whittlesey’s left me little doubt on the question and in the evening I devoted myself to the task of sum making in which I distinguished myself.  The following are some of my base attempts. [Read more…] about July 31, 1863

July 22, 1863

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7-22Wednesday.

Emma’s letter states that Lieut. Lowell is probably killed, as he was left desperately wounded on the field and has not been heard of since.  Charlie Hunt is wounded and to return home for a short time.  How I wish I could be where the bullets are flying, but my fate forbids and I submit.  No letter yet from Etta though I am daily expecting one.

Charlie Andrews called in the afternoon, having found at last who the Rev. S. B. Craft is.  We enjoyed ourselves “fighting our battles o’er again” and letting our respective adventures for an hour or two and arranged to go down together in the Tuesday evening boat.

George and I went to the Butler Combination Troupe’s performance in the Museum on Monday evening where I saw ballet dancing for the first time.

I am bound to say that my Puritanical education prevented my enjoyment of this part of the evening’s entertainment.

Diary of Horatio Fox [Civil War Miscellany]

July 14, 1863

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Farmington

My dear Lizzie,

I was very glad indeed to hear from you again. I wish I could see you, which would be far better. Rowland has not yet come home and I don;t know when he will come – though I shall look for him now everyday a little. I think he will go to Augusta if he can. But he has been away so much more yet than he anticipated, that I suppose he’ll feel as if he must hurry home as soon as possible. I hope he can go to Augusta – It would be so pleasant to see some one right from Otis. He was with Perry when he wrote last. Perry has lost an arm close up to the shoulder. I don’t know which one. Rowland said he was very much frustrated by it. The shock to his system was very great. […]

Mary Ellen “Ella” Howard to her sister-in-law, Elizabeth “Lizzie” Ann Waite [Oliver Otis Howard Papers]

July 11, 1863

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7-11Saturday.  My time was occupied mostly in reading books from the Circulating Library—Reade’s “Live me little, love me long” and one other.  The doubt about our uniforms still continued.

Kenyon got a letter from Major Gen. Robbins in the afternoon ordering the Q. M. Gen[eral] to uniform us, but he made some technical excuse.

We were marched to and fro a great deal from one place to another, but did not succeed in effecting anything.

Diary of Horatio Fox Smith [Civil War Miscellany]

July 10, 1863

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7-10Friday.  Everything is so dull that our present at the Recruiting Office seemed unnecessary, so Cas and I called at the Circulating Library on Westminster St. and drew out two standard fictitious works, Scott’s Ivanhoe and Dickens’ David Copperfield.  I devoted my whole time from ten o’clock in the morning to two the next morning, to reading Copperfield for the hundredth time, and found it as interesting as ever.  It is one of my favorite books, the characters are portrayed so finely and the narrative is so full of interest that I never can lay the volume aside till I have devoured it all. [Read more…] about July 10, 1863

July 8, 1863

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7-8Tuesday.  My valise having given out in some unaccountable way, I proceeded to the lockmaker’s and endeavor to get it mended, but the worthy artisan did not consider himself competent to fix it and I returned with confusion of face to No. 47.

Wright and I were instructed by our friends the recruiting officers to procure passes for the South Ferry and with this object in view, we visited the Adj. General and other officials, but did not succeed in obtaining our papers.  At last, however, we reached Maj. Pierce and Capt. Tetlow who expressed a perfect willingness to all us to go.  We embarked on board the tug-boat Am,[erican] Union under the protection of Tetlow, Capt. of the College Company, who is a splendid fellow.  He is called the first scholar in his class, and ought to be an Alpha Delta.  He told me that our Society stood first in College, and the Delta Kappa Epsilon next.  The Omega Lambda Chi are hard, the Psi Upsilon digs.  He did not tell me why he had not joined any society.  Our boys afterward told me that while he always expressed a preference for Alpha Delta Phi he had never concluded to join any Secret Society.

We had a very peaceful trip down the bay.  There is some beautiful scenery along the shores but we miss the hills of Maine. […]

Diary of Horatio Fox Smith [Civil War Miscellany]

 

July 5, 1863

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7-5Waking rather late, I bid my friends goodbye and left for the seat of war.  Found Wright at the Parker House and while talking with him was accosted by [George Newton] Jackson (graduate Alpha Delta Phi).  Wright had just left three Williams Alpha Delts whom he met in the street, fellows full to running over with the true Alpha Delta spirit.  I went with Wright at his request to see the colleges again and also to Bunker Hill for the first time, up the 358 toilsome steps which lead to the tower from which Boston, Cambridge and Charlesto[w]n with all their historical and pleasant associations are plainly seen. [Read more…] about July 5, 1863