Duty in Virginia

September, 1861

1 Another very lovely day. Got along very well although I did not sleep any. Last night's sleep did me a great deal of good. I would like to hear some preaching today, but it is not possible.

2 My good luck favored me today so that I got clear of guard duty. We got paid today from May 28th to July 1st, $12.46. Many of the men got quite drunk on Lager Beer, etc. immediately. But the shops were soon shut up.

3 Had to go on picket guard today. A great number of the men were sick and managed to get off. We had the 3rd Division, quite pleasant posts. The mosquitoes were awful bad. When I was off post I could not sleep. If I covered up my head I would be smothered. If it was not covered the mosquitoes would eat me.

4 Quite warm today. The Mass. 16th relieved us and it was 11 o'clock before we got in. Did not do much or sleep any either.

5 A little cloudy today. Am on police duty. Sent a letter and two photographs to my sister, one letter and photograph to my brother in Ky., letter and photograph to A. F. Howell, Vienna, N. J. Also sent N. Y. Herald to Thomas.

6 Was on guard today at the hospital. It rained quite hard from 8 to 10 P. M. Nothing unusual occurred today. The streets and tents were changed today by order of Col. Wyman of the 16th Mass, Volunteers. The Germans had to change too. It made us all very angry.

7 Very unpleasant today. Considerable rain. Had nothing to do today. Our streets as well as the Germans were all fixed so nice. We all thought it very foolish to change them just for a little appearance.

8 A pleasant day. Had no meeting to go to. Would be very glad to go to a prayer meeting or hear some preaching. Our officers did not attend to the moving of our tents on Friday, so we had to move them again today and at last got them right. A little rain toward night.

9 Another fine day. Was detailed for the home guard. Was put in as acting corporal. Only had to post three reliefs. And had nothing else to do. Had a very easy time. Only had six posts.

10 Another very pleasant day. Yesterday had some more photographs taken: just the bust. My friends will think more of them than the money if I never return. As we are liable to be called on to the battlefield at any moment and life is so uncertain, I think it is useless to hoard up my money.

11 Slept a little today. Had another day of rest. Nothing unusual occurred.

12 Was detailed for picket guard today. It rained a little this morning. Had quite an easy time today. Everything quiet. A negro came in from near Fox Hill for protection.

13 Another warm day. My eyes are bad again with a bad headache. About dark we had orders to get ready for a march with 24 hrs. provision. As I was so unwell I did not get ready to go. But had to help cook some bacon for the men. I heard that they were going to Newport News.

14 A very warm day. The men did not go last night but slept on their arms.

15 One company of our corps (100 men) went into the fort this afternoon to take the place of some regulars who had been sent to Washington, D. C. I had to take the place of one of them on the home guard.

16 Another pleasant day. Nothing unusual occurred. A heavy rain this evening.

17 A heavy wind this evening. Matters go on as usual. About 60 recruits have just arrived. Felt very unwell today.

18 Felt very unwell today. Went to the Doctors. Very feverish last night. Caught cold. Tonsils swelled.

19 Another warm day. Went to the Doctors this morning.

20 It still continues warm and pleasant. Went to the Doctors again; am relieved of duty.

21 Another lovely day. Went to the Doctors. Some prospect of being paid.

22 A little rainy this forenoon. Could not go to the fort as I was unwell. Sore throat. A fine afternoon.

23 A pleasant day. Throat very sore. On the sick list: excused from duty.

24 Another pleasant day. Off the sick list.

25 A pleasant day. Went on guard. Was put as orderly for the Colonel. Had but little to do. Staid in my tent all night. The paymaster began to pay off this evening.

26 Another pleasant day. Got paid from July 1st to Sept. 1st $23.66. Sent a ten dollar treasury note to my sister by Adam's Ex. Went to the fort. Adams Express was a company that provided reliable delivery of financial documents.

27 A very stormy day. A terrible easterly wind. I was afraid that it would blow the tents down but they stood it well. Two of my mess mates were drunk so I staid out of camp to be out of their noise.

28 A very pleasant day. Nothing unusual occurred.

29 Still very pleasant. Had to stand guard.

30 Another lovely day. Nothing unusual occurred.

October, 1861

1 Still very pleasant. Went to the fort. Re'd. a box from A. C. Howell, Vienna, N. J., containing 1 qt. Linement, 1 bottle of blackberry wine, some cigars, and cakes. Had a good time talking with some of my old friends.

2 Rather cloudy today and rainy in the evening. Wrote a number of letters.

3 It rained very hard most all night. The street was nearly flooded. One tent blew down and had to be fixed in the rain. Today it is very pleasant.

4 Very pleasant today. Went on guard again today. Got along quite well. Was on the post at the guard house. Had a number of prisoners, some very drunk and troublesome. But I got along very well with them.

5 Another lovely day. Had a good rest today. Nothing unusual occurred.

6 A lovely day. Got a chance to go to church at the fort. Went to the Episcopal church inside the fort. Heard a good sermon. "God be merciful to me a sinner." Also partook of the Lord's supper. This is the first time I have been to church since I left New Jersey. This church, named the "Chapel of the Centurion," remains in existence at Fort Monroe. It is a well-maintained wooden structure with a number of beautiful stained glass windows. Notable persons, including Woodrew Wilson and Dwight Eisenhower, have attended services there.

7 Another quite pleasant day. Nothing unusual occurred today.

8 Quite cloudy and cool. Went to the fort again on business. Got back in time for drill. The Col. told us all to put on our overcoats with equipments outside, and to lie down as we were to be called at two o'clock in the morning.

9 Was turned out at two o'clock. Formed into a line: then in close columns: waited awhile and then were marched off to our tents, being cautioned to be ready to turn out at a moments notice. But we were not disturbed. Mounted guard again today. Quite sormy. Wind N. E.

10 Another cool disagreeable day. Only got my feet wet last night as I had an india rubber blanket & cap on. The ability to manufacture a rubber blanket had just been developed. It was very useful in a variety of ways including, as Goodwin is doing, wearing it to keep dry.

11 Quite damp and disagreeable day. Sent a letter to Sellers of the Belvidere Intelligencer. Nothing unusual occurred.

12 Cloudy in the morning; toward noon it cleared off beautifully. Had to go on guard again today. Got along very well.

13 A very pleasant day. Quite cold last night. Got but little sleep last night. Slept quite a good deal today.

14 A very pleasant day: nothing unusual occurred today.

15 Was on guard today. A very pleasant time. Matters are as usual.

16 Very pleasant moonlight night last night. Got about three hours sleep. Very unpleasant today. Nothing unusual occurred today. Quite rainy toward night.

17 Another unpleasant day. Matters the same as usual.

18 Pleasant today. Was on police duty today. Had a great deal to do.

19 Mounted guard today. Quite rainy toward night. But it did not rain while I was on post. Was at the Colonel's tent; a good chance to sit down at night.

20 No rain but cloudy, wind N. E. Got no sleep last night, but little today.

21 Had a good nights sleep last night. Wind N. E.

22 Quite stormy today. Mounted guard today. Got along quite well.

23 Quite pleasant today. Matters the same as usual. A large fleet of steamers, war vessels, etc. in the harbor with troops for an expedition.

24 A little cloudy today. Wind N. E.

25 Mounted guard again. A pleasant day. Got word that one of my brothers was 1st mate of the propeller Matanzas, a store ship of the fleet.

26 Went to the fort today but could not get off to the vessel as the vessel was a great way out in the harbor. Gen. Wool reviewed the troops today. I staid at the fort all day. A pleasant day.

27 Went to the fort again but met with no better success in getting off to see my brother. A fine day.

28 Another pleasant day. Had a seven hour drill. It went quite hard but just what the men deserved as they have been so careless.

29 Very pleasant. The whole regiment went over to Hampton. One company gathered lumber, the others stood picket and went scouting. I was sent with another on a road through a woods. I went out in the woods a little ways and shot a pig. Others fired their guns so I tried mine.

30 Had another review by Gen. Wool & Brig. Gen. Mansfield. It was well done. The fleet sailed yesterday.

31 Today was mustered in again for pay. Mounted guard again. Our streets were trimmed with bushes and bonfires in the streets in the eve, and the Col. treated us to apples, raisins, nuts, and lager beer. Some of the men got a little tipsy. (Hallow eve)

November, 1861

1 Quite an unpleasant day. It blowed very hard.

2 It blowed still harder this morning. It is bad for the fleet.

3 On guard again today. Wanted to go to the fort but had to mount guarrd.

4 Nothing unusual occurred today.

5 Had to work with a fatigue party today, but got clear in the afternoon and got a ride to the fort and got a box that was sent to me by David Parks. It had three pair of nice stockings in it. A fatigue party is a work detail.

6 Another pleasant day. On guard again.

7 A pleasant day till about dark: a little rain.

8 Part of our company went to Hampton and got boards to build small houses for themselves. I and another man got an old ten plate stove. It will do well for us. We got a lot of good boards.

9 We went to work today and built a small house: we built it it right around the tent and got it all inclosed before night. It rained a little about dark, but our house did not leak any.

10 Had to mount guard again today. It seems to be my luck to be on guard on Sunday.

11 Another pleasant day. Went to Hampton and took a lot of crackers to a poor white women, 80 years old. I also bought ¼ lb. Green tea, ½ lb. Butter, 1 lb. Sugar and tobacco for her. She thanked me a thousand times and seemed very glad. Attended the funeral of one of the privates of our regiment. Cracker was a term for hardtack, the staple of the Army.

12 Drilled about four hours today. A lovely day. Our house is very comfortable.

13 Another pleasant day. Detailed again to help level the color line, but got clear in the afternoon.

14 Rather unpleasant today: a little rain toward night. Was on guard again today. Got along very well. Rec'd a letter from my sister inclosing my brother George's little girl's likeness. It looks very nice. I have not seen her for most seven years and she is now most nine.

15 A little rain in the morning, but pleasant the rest of the day. Quite cold at night.

16 A pleasant day but quite cold. It makes us shiver a good deal. But I am very thankful for the nice little house that we have with the stove. We kept a fire all last night and slept very comfortable.

17 Quite cold this morning. We all turned out for inspection this morning with our new clothes and looked nice. We marched awhile and did well. After ten o'clock it was quite warm. Went to the fort to go to church, but went to the express office and found a box sent by W. L. Henry, Townsbury, N. J.

18 Another pleasant day but quite cool. Got a letter yesterday from Mr. Henry, but as it was not directed properly, it was advertised at the fort. The box contained ½ pk apples, pies, cake, jumbles, cheese, butter, honey, chestnuts, tea, new cider, 1 bottle 5 year old applejack from Nelson Vliet. The other articles were sent by my other friends. A jumble is a small, thin, sugared cake. Applejack is an alcoholic beverage distilled from apple cider.

19 Quite cold last night and this morning. Was on guard yesterday, but had the toothache so bad last night the officer of the guard let me off. I get it stopped about 12 o'clock.

20 A pleasant day. Nothing unusual occurred. I am getting along quite well.

21 Another pleasant day. Went to Hampton to help get some boards for lieut. Cawley. Did not get much. Staid there all day.

22 Another fine day. Went on guard. Got along first rate.

23 A pleasant day. It rained about three o'clock this morning. I happened to be at the Colonel's tent and Capt. Dyer, Ass't. Adjt. General, came for an orderly. I was detailed. I had enough to do. I had to go with orders to every camp twice, about ten. I had enough to do. Not very pleasant.

24 Another fine day. Inspection this morning. Our band came out this morning. They done well considering all things. I got rid of inspection. But as Gen'l Mansfield had been ordered to take command of Newport News, so I was not needed as orderly any longer. I was not sorry. General Joseph Mansfield.

25 On guard today. Quite pleasant.

26 Quite cold last night. I left the guard house and went to my house. Thereby the guard was detained a few minutes at three o'clock. The officer put me on for four hours extra, and another _____. But I stood it well enough.

27 Another fine day. Went out to help get logs to build Lieut. Cawley a house. When I came in, the paymaster was paying the reg't. My company had been paid.

28 Another fine day. Was on guard today. Got my pay. Sent 5 dollars home.

29 Another fine day.

30 Another pleasant day. Nothing unusual occurred. I get along very well, but I would enjoy myself a great deal better if there were more sober and pious men in my company. There are but two or three in the company but will get drunk as often as they can.

December, 1861

1 A very pleasant morning but quite cool toward night and cloudy. Was on guard. Our inspection was prolonged quite a while. We had to march around the parade ground four times. We did not get on guard till eleven o'clock.

2 Cold and cloudy today. Heavy firing at Newport News for about two hours, commencing at day-break. The steamer Yorktown tried to get out of the James River but did not succeed. A little snow this evening. Very disagreeable. Our house is very comfortable. I pity those who are in tents. Newport News is a few miles southwest of Hampton and Fort Monroe. The Yorktown was a Confederate vessel.

3 Quite cold indeed this morning, but the sun shone warm. Wind, N. W.

4 Very pleasant today, but very cold last night. The coldest night yet. Ice made ¼ inch thick.

5 Very pleasant today. Not so cold last night. A southerly wind today.

6 A very lovely day indeed. I never saw such fine weather in December. On guard today. Sent $8.00 to Charles F. Clark, 32 Harrison Ave., Boston, Mass.

7 Still very fine weather. Nothing unusual today.

8 Still very nice weather. Had quite a battallion drill this morning before the inspection. Went to the fort after dinner but it was too late for church.

9 A most lovely day. On guard today. All the reg't turned out to the funeral services of the physician. They all had epulettes, and made a fine appearance with the band. A good many of the Germans went.

10 Another most lovely day. Matters the same as usual.

11 A very pleasant morning, but about noon it clouded up and blew quite hard. Went with a party to get logs to build a house for the Colonel.

12 Fair weather but very cold. Very cold last night. Was on police duty today. Nothing unusual occurred today.

13 Very pleasant today, but not so cold as yesterday. On guard again today. Sent another letter to C. F. Clark, 32 Harrison Ave., Boston.

14 A very pleasant day. Nothing unusual happened. Still have good health, indeed. Better than I ever had before, I believe.

15 A little cool but otherwise quite pleasant. Staid in camp all day.

16 Another pleasant day. Nothing unusual occurred. Matters remain quiet in this department.

17 Another lovely day. Was on guard again today. Had a good time.

18 Another lovely day. Most of our company went on picket guard. Had no drill today.

19 Still another pleasant day. Had no drill. Everything went nice.

20 On guard again today. Quite cold at night. Rec'd a box from my sister containing various articles. Grey woolen shirts, cap, comfort, etc.

21 Quite cold today. Had nothing today. Was very comfortable.

22 Diary entry combined with the 23rd.

23 Another pleasant day. The Germans (N. Y. 20) at Newport News went out on a scout and were attacked. The rest of the 20th who were here went out in the forenoon. Our regiment went to Hampton Bridge in the afternoon and waited for orders, but the rebels fled, so we had to come back. Quite cold today. Had to go on guard again today. Got along very well.

24 Quite cold today. When we were on battalion drill this afternoon, we saw the Germans go toward Hampton, so we started after them. We only got part way when we saw them coming back, as they had got a false alarm.

25 A very pleasant day. Quite warm. Nothing to do today. The first time I ever spent Christmas in such a way. It is not a very merry Christmas to me. I hope it will soon be different.

26 Quite cool today. Got a pass and went to the fort. Could ascertain nothing about the box that Miss Carhart of Belvidere, N. J., sent me about three weeks ago. I did not get back in time for drill. Was out on dress parade.

27 Went on guard again today. Quite cold today. McDougal of Hackettstown, N. J., now in the 10th reg't of N. Y. quartered in the fort. Came up to see me. He told me of a friend of mine in Belvidere, N. J. who was in the reg't of Cavalry. Harlan's, Penn. We went over and took dinner with him- -Doc Angle- - and I was extremely glad to see him. This is Gideon Angle of Harlan's 11th Pennsylvania Cavalry. The roster of Company I of the 11th lists him as a saddler. Many of the men in this company were from New Jersey.

28 A pleasant day but quite cold. Had nothing today. Wrote an order to Charles F. Clark, Boston, Mass. Also wrote a letter to Miss Sarah Crate, Hackettstown, N. J. and also sent a few sprigs of hollie to her.

29 Quite cool today. Went out for inspection and had to march around the large parade ground seven times without stopping. And then went to our quarters without inspection. It was so late that I did not go to the fort for church.

30 Quite cool today and windy. Did not drill much. Nothing of much account occurred today.

31 A very pleasant day indeed. Were mustered in today for another two months pay. I suppose we shall not get the money for three weeks………….I have seen a good many places and passed through a good many scenes the past year. I feel very grateful to a kind God who has so kindly preserved my unworthy life. I have not improved the time the past year as I ought to have. But one thing I have done which I hope will prove to be of good account. That is, I have offered my services to my country; if need be, my life. I did it through a sense of duty and devotion to my country. I did not enlist for honor or pay. I want to help sustain the honor and integrity of our glorious stars and stripes. I hope that I may do good and that my country may speedily be restored to its former state of peace and prosperity. If I am called into action, I hope to be able to do credit to my name and family, as well as to the honor of my country. Let what may happen, I wish to leave this my record at the end of the year. I feel that I belong to my country: that money or honor would not tempt me to undergo the privations of various kinds which a soldier has to undergo. I hope that at the close of another year I can look back (if I am allowed to live) with greater pleasure, and know that I have done something of some account.

January, 1862

1 A very pleasant day. Had nothing to do for all day. At daylight the band serenaded the Colonel playing Home Sweet Home, etc. A dull time for me. Last year at this time I was in Ohio teaching school; Now I am in the U. S. Army, Union Coast Guard at Camp Hamilton near Fort Monroe, Va. I hope I shall be able to do something for my country this year. This is the first time he says he is in the U. S. Army rather than the Naval Brigade. The unit's nickname became the Union Coast Guard, not to be confused with the present day U. S. Coast Guard.

2 On guard today. Quite cold. Have word that we were all going toward Yorktown tonight. Yorktown, where the Revolutionary War battle was fought, is less than 20 miles away.

3 Cloudy and quite cold today. At nine o'clock our reg't., 4 companies of the 20th N. Y., and 3 companies of cavalry, started for Big Bethel. The infantry held possession of the different roads, and the cavalry went on. Found Big Bethel deserted, but drew the guns of two masked batteries in the rear of the town. Having thus found out the position of the batteries, we all retuned to camp just after dark. We marched altogether about 20 miles. The roads sandy & dusty. Big Bethel was the site of the first land battle of the Civil War on June 10, 1861.

4 Quite cold and rainy.

5 Quite cold today. The Col. gave us a march of about five miles through the woods, etc. A part of the way on the double quick with our knapsacks. A little rainy toward night.

6 A cold disagreeable day. It rained some last night and froze as it fell. This morning the ground was covered with ice. Did nothing today. Got a box from Charles Clark, Boston.

7 A pleasant day but quite cold. Nothing unusual occurred.

8 A very fine day. On guard: Countersign Ohio. Cloudy and moderate in the night. Goodwin starts writing the countersign in his diary. It would be changed regularly and this would help him remember the current countersign. It is intended to be a secret signal to allow friendly troops to pass a guard. From a military standpoint, it was not a good practice to record the countersign in writing in the event of capture by the enemy.

9 Moderate: rainy in the forenoon.

10 A little rainy this morning: pleasant the rest of the day. A part of Gen. Burnsides expedition has got in. General Ambrose Burnside went on to more notoriety later in the Civil War. The word "sideburn" was derived from his famous mutton-chop whiskers.

11 Another pleasant day. A few drops of rain. A part of Gen. Burnsides expedition arrived here today. General Burnside was on an expedition along the Carolina Coast that later included the capture of Roanoke Island, North Carolina.

12 A warm and pleasant day, indeed: like spring. Gen. Burnsides expedition sailed again this morning. At our inspection this morning We marched around the field 7 times. Was on guard but did not get on till one o'clock. Countersign Lafayette.

13 The wind in the south yesterday. This morning about five o'clock it came around into the North. Quite cold and a little rainy. Co B went on the expedition yesterday, or started. Co. D has also gone.

14 Quite snowy and sleety last night. And very bad today with a little rain.

15 A little rain today. Went on guard. Countersign Oswego. It rained some today. A very disagreeable day. Not very cold.

16 A very pleasant day but awful muddy. The relief was divided last night so I only stood two hours in the night. Got a box sent by Miss Ella Carhart, Belvidere, N. J. It was started December 5, but as the freight was not paid, it remained in Philadelphia and the office there got afire, so that everything in the box was wet; the cakes, etc., spoilt, but the _______ etc. was all right.

17 Today it was quite pleasant. Nothing done today. The Colonel is away; to Washington, I expect.

18 A little foggy today. On guard. Had four reliefs. Countersign Warren. Had quite an easy time.

19 Quite a warm and pleasant day. Did not have any marching of the reg't; only a slight inspection. Had no chance to go to church. Colonel not home yet.

20 Very pleasant during the first part of the day. A heavy thunder shower in the evening with lightning.

21 Another unpleasant day. Cool and foggy. Went on picket guard to Hampton Bridge. Countersign Brandywine.

22 Another cool and foggy day. Got along very pleasantly on guard. Got home about ten o'clock. Did nothing all day in the way of drill. Got a box from Charles F. Clarke.

23 Cool and cloudy today. Snowed a little in the afternoon.

24 Cool and rain. It rained about all day. Had to cook our own dinner & supper for the weather was too bad for the cooks. But we did it better than it had been done for a long time.

25 Cool and cloudy. On guard today. Countersign Gates. Quite a pleasant day.

26 A very warm and pleasant day. The part of the reg't remaining here went on a scout to Back River. I went on guard again for another man as I wished to remain in camp, not knowing but what my brother, 1st mate of the steam transport Matanzas, might possibly come ashore to see me. He did not come. I expect the vessel did not remain in port long enough. The countersign was Morgan.

27 Quite moderate today and pleasant. Went and saw Lieut. Buttz of Belvidere, N. J., now in Harlan's Penn. Cavalry. Had a pleasant time. 11th Pennsylvania Cavalry.

28 A warm and pleasant day. Drilled some during the day. Had not much today. Got a letter from Belvidere, N. J. (Helen Sharp)

29 A very pleasant day. Went out after wood. John McMahan of Brooklyn, N. Y., but now in the company shot Michael Dolen of the same place. Done in cold blood on account of some old grudge. He was buried this afternoon. I was one of the escort. The murderer made no effort to escape. He had been on guard and just came off post.

30 Cloudy and rainy. On guard. Countersign Lincoln. The dead body was disinterred and sent home today by some of the 10th reg't in the fort.

31 A tolerable pleasant day. Drilled in the afternoon a little while.

February, 1862

1 Quite rainy and disagreeable today. Did not do anything today.

2 Quite a pleasant day. A little cool. Looks like snow. On guard again. Countersign Crown Point.

3 Began to snow at about 7 o'clock A. M. Wind N. E.

4 A very pleasant and warm day. At least the paymaster has commenced to pay off. I got paid today.

5 Another lovely and warm day. Was on police today. Had quite an easy time.

6 Quite cloudy and rainy today. Had nothing to do today.

7 Quite pleasant today. On guard again today. Countersign Mansfield.

8 Quite rainy today. Nothing unusual occurred.

9 No rain but cloudy. Did nothing today. Very nice and warm toward night. Two contraband negro women came in today. These would be escaped slaves.

10 Quite cold last night and this morning. It got quite moderate by noon. On picket guard. Countersign Italy. Did not have any post till night; then went over in Hampton on a double post. No. 2 outside the breastwork. Quite a dangerous one, but heard nothing.

11 An old Negro, six large boys, two women and a baby came in today. The woman that had the child had been severely whipped by her master and three others: then she left. Her back was all cut to pieces. Today very pleasant. Went to the camp of the Mass. 16 reg't to a class meeting. The first I have been to since I left New Jersey. Had a very good time.

12 Another warm and lovely day. The blue birds are about singing merrily.

13 Another warm and lovely day. Drilled a little. Gen. Burnside had captured Roanoke island. Roanoke Island, North Carolina.

14 Very warm and nice till one o'clock; then it began to blow and rain and continued stormy the rest of the day. On guard again. Countersign Cairo.

15 Very stormy all day. Nothing new.

16 A little more pleasant today. A little snow last night. A bad night last night.

17 It rained most all day; very hard. On guard again. Countersign North. I had a good place to stay so I was out of the storm and my post was taken off at night.

18 Quite pleasant today. Went to the fort. Fort Donnelson on the Cumberland River, Tenn., was captured last Sunday with 15,000 prisoners. After hard fighting. Fort Donelson was captured by Union forces, under the leadership of General Ulysses S. Grant, on February 16.

19 Quite rainy today. Nothing new.

20 Pleasant today. On guard. My post was taken off at nine o'clock so I had a good nights sleep.

21 A warm and pleasant day. Nothing to do. Went and saw G. C. Angle of the Penn. cavalry. Gideon Angle of the 11th Pennsylvania Cavalry.

22 Very rainy most all day but moderate. On picket guard. The outer one. Countersign Cumberland. Was in the grave yard of the old Episcopal church. Saw the grave of John Goodwin, born in Ramsgate, England. Also saw the grave of a man buried in 1781, aged 128 years. John Goodwin was born in 1778 and died in 1808. He probably was not a relative of Eugene Goodwin. The tombstone remains legible today. It is located in a prominent position in front of the Church. We were not successful in locating the tombstone of the 128 year-old man.

23 Moderate and cloudy. Did nothing today.

24 Pleasant but very windy. On police duty. Got a box of articles ready to send to D. V. Crate, Hackettstown, N. J. It contained two bricks from the old Episcopal church at Hampton, Va. Also two or three pieces of china ware, a marble urn, some shells, etc.

25 Had nothing to do today but drill a little. A very pleasant day.

26 On guard today. Quite pleasant till nine o'clock P. M. Then it began to rain and rained most all night. I did not suffer any. Countersign Benton.

27 Very pleasant. Drilled some in the afternoon. Got a letter from Wm. T. Henry and daughter. Called on G. C. Angle and the other Belvidere boys in the Penn. Cavalry camp. Belvidere is across the border from Pennsylvania and had a number of troops in the 11th Pennsylvania Cavalry.

28 Quite pleasant but a little cool. Mustered in again today for another two months pay.

March, 1862

1 Very cold last night and this morning. Otherwise quite pleasant.

2 Rather unpleasant today. Some rain. On guard today. Countersign Roanoke. Some rain during the night.

3 Quite rainy today. Heard some very heavy guns from the vicinity off Craney Island. It made the earth tremble here.

4 The company went on picket guard today. As my back was rather lame, I went on the sick list. Quite a pleasant day.

5 Another pleasant day. On the sick list.

6 Very nice and warm till noon; then clouded up and snowed quite hard part of the night. Wind North. On guard. Countersign Jackson. Rec'd a box from Ella & Len Carhart & others, Belvidere, N. J.

7 Quite pleasant but a little cool and quite windy. Had nothing to do for the day.