APRIL 1862

Tuesday, April 1

Is very pleasant all day. Was inspection of arms, and skirmish drill in the forenoon. Was Regimental drill in the afternoon. Wrote one letter home. Was inspection in the evening. Dress parade in the evening. Is from five to ten Regiments comes past here every day. Mostly Pennsylvania and New York troops. All is quiet here.

Wednesday, April 2

Is warm and pleasant. Was inspection and Company drill in the forenoon. In the afternoon there was inspection and Regimental drill. Dress parade in the evening. The one hundred and third Regiment came past here this morning. Wm Story, Amos Steel, James Thompson and others is taken from camp to cut roads and build bridges.

Thursday, April 3

It thundred (sic) and lightened rained very hard last night. Was inspection of arms and company skirmish drill in the forenoon. The division was taken out in the afternoon to be reviewed, but the order was countermanded. Was dress parade at sundown when an order was read to be ready to march at daylight. All quiet here.

Friday, April 4

The Regt starts at seven this morning. I. N. Hays and myself did not go. We have something like the mumps. The doctor says it come from a cold.

Saturday, April 5

Rained some last night and some to day. Is warm. The wagons has not came yet to take our cooking utensils & c. at twelve oclo. Wagons came at three P.M. We drove till ten oclock came eight miles.

Sunday, April 6

Rained last night. Started at six A.M. The road is very muddy and hard wagoning (sic) . Came up to the Regiment again dark. Companies H, C and others is out on Picket. The part of the Regt that was here was taken down to the river to keep the Rebels from crossing. They returned soon.

Monday, April 7

Recd one letter from Home dated March 27 and one from F. Garwick of the same date, and one from John Cress. I came out to the Pickets and saw some of the Rebel Cavalry and Infantry on the west side of the Warwick River. We can see four or five forts from our Picket lines. Rained this evening. I am quartered in an old darkies Shanty.

Tuesday, April 8

Rained considerable last night. Nothing of any importance transpired along the lines last night. Wrote one letter to Frederick Garwick. Have had no crackers for two days and very little meat. Was some shells exchanged through the day. There is four Companies of our Regt and one of the N. Y. on picket under Maj. Poland.

Wednesday, April 9

Rained all night and is pretty cold. Is raining to day. Generals Keys and Peck was out along the picket line. Was a shot sent from a Rebel Gunboat this morning from the James River, but was no damage done by it. We are pretty bad off for something to eat. We received five crackers apiece for to day. All quiet.

Thursday, April 10

Rained last night and also some today. Is pretty cold and middling muddy. The road is almost impassable for wagons. The wagon train of twenty-five wagons with Captain Titus is reported captured by the rebels. All the cattle sheep and hogs is all gathered up as far as we have come and butchered.

Friday, April 11

Went into camp and brought out the fresh beef, got one hundred pounds for the company. Recd eleven crackers and drew coffee and sugar and salt. General Keys and staff visited the pickets to day also Colonel Rowley and Major Winecoop. Was a very pleasant day clear and sunshine.

Saturday, April 12

Last night clear. To day is pleasant. Was gathering some oysters. Received our rations of salt, sugar, coffee, fresh beef and two and one-half crackers apiece for one days rations. Is reported that Beauregard is wounded and taken prisoner and Rebel loss thirty thousand killed wounded and taken prisoners. The mail was brought in, none for me, all well at home.

Sunday, April 13

Last night was pleasant. To day is nice. There was an engagement to day between the Rebel Gunboat, Teaser, and a New York Battery of four guns on the Young Farm two miles below where our company is on Picket. Several shots were fired on both sides but no harm done on either. Only three of enemy's shells came to land; two exploded. In evening all is quiet.

Monday, April 14

Was nice last night. Sargeant  (sic) Wm Kennedy and W. M. Martin crossed the Warwick this morn at half past six oclock and was taken prisoners by the Rebels. Before reaching shore they asked if they would take them prisoners, responded no; then they landed. They crossed on a flat. Had one apiece. Did not intend to desert. Was reported as such. Four of us is building a shanty. Wrote one letter home. Drew twelve crackers apiece to day. All quiet.

                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                The” Teaser's” Thirty-Two Pounder

Tuesday, April 15

Finished our shanty. Shingle roof and weatherboarded(sic) and floored and bed of corn husks. Recd one letter from home. All are well. Is nice and pleasant, fine growing weather. We got our full ration of crackers to day. Heard heavy firing in the direction of Norfolk. The Rebels is moving their furniture and forage from the houses opposite where we are on picket. The countersign last night was Middleburgh.

Wednesday, April 16                                                    

Last night was pleasant. Very warm all day, nice growing weather. NY was taken into camp and our company was extended as far as both companys (sic) reached. Just got shantys built and had to leave them. Is reported that they are fighting at Yorktown, our forces takes three Batteries. Reported that we had sixteen killed by the explosion of one shell. The countersign last night was Roxburg.

McClellan's Guns and Gunners Ready To Leave Yorktown.  This Photograph of May 1862 Shows Artillery That Accompanied McClellan To The Peninsula Parked Near The Lower Wharf At Yorktown.

Thursday, April 17

Last night pleasant. To day is warm and fine growing weather. Was heavy firing in the direction of Yorktown and Fortress Monroe. Is said that the Rebel Gunboat Merrimac was sunk in an engagement yesterday morning between her and the Monitor and Yankee Fisherman and the Vanderbuilt the three latter on our side. Gen Carys (sic) Division passed here to day. All quiet on the picket line.

Friday, April 18

Clear and pleasant all night. Is warm some with a cool pleasant breeze. Heard some firing of cannon, but did not hear of any battle. Drew one days ration of potatoes, and four of coffee and two of sugar and three fourth days rations of salt pork. Lieutenant Colonel Kinkead is Officer of the day. Was in the Warwick taking a wash in salt water.

Saturday, April 19

Cloudy and warm all day. Heard heavy firing this morning in the direction of Yorktown and at intermissions all day. Saw a Balloon go up over the Warwick Court House at noon; they report seven thousand Rebels on the point of the Peninsula. Rained some in the evening and thundered. Was firing of muskets tonight at nine and at twelve in the direction of Yorktown. All quiet on the picket line.

 Professor Lowe In His Balloon At A Critical Moment

Sunday, April 20

Rained nearly all night and considerable today. It gets quite cool towards evening. Heard considerable firing through the day, but no report of any fighting. I went into Camp to help carry out rations. We drew two days rations of meat and one and half of crackers and one of sugar. There is eight or ten of our Company that has got the measles.

Monday, April 21

Rained some last night. Rained hard in the afternoon. Was a Rebel Gunboat came up to the point of the Peninsula and fired three shots and then drew off. She was answered by one of our batteries was no damage done on either side. We drew one days rations of crackers. The tide is very high since the rains has began.

Tuesday, April 22

Rained last night and also some to day, the air is quite cool. The letters was brought out to the company and given out, was none for me, or any of the Whitestown boys. We drew two days rations of meat, and three of coffee and two of sugar and some salt and one pint of beans and 11 oz. of rice each, for six men. All quiet on picket line.

Wednesday, April 23

Clear last night, wrote one letter home. Nice and pleasant all day, is fine growing weather. The cherry and pear and Apricots is all out in full bloom. The dogwood trees is in blossom. Was considerable firing in the direction of the James River and Yorktown. We drew ten crackers apiece this evening. All quiet on picket.

Thursday, April 24

Last night cloudy. Day is pleasant. Was some shells threw at the barracks opposite out picket line, they was not answered. Was heavy firing in the direction of Yorktown. Reported that Gen McDowell is within seven miles of Yorktown. We drew one days rations of fresh beef, two of sugar, two of coffee, one of crackers.

Friday, April 25

The company was relieved at noon from picket on the warwick. Also Co. C. We came into camp and put up our shantys. Sprinkled rain. S. P. Trimble, N. Wade, D. G. Brown, Francis Eastman, G. Daub and myself tents together now. We drew one days rations of beans and one of rice and some soap. The camp is handy to the warwick (sic) River.

 Serving Out Rations

Saturday, April 26

Rained considerable last night. The Company and part of Co. C was taken out three miles towards Yorktown and set at work on the roads making Corduroy roads. The Army has made several miles of that kind of road from Warwick toward Yorktown. Rained all day and is very muddy working on the roads. Came to camp in the evening. Drew meat and crackers.

                           Building a Corduroy Road

Sunday, April 27

Very cool last night and to day. We drew one days rations meat and crackers. There was company inspection in the evening. The mail has came in daily for three days. I received one letter from home stating they were all well. Also one from L. Garwick in same letter. Heavy firing next Yorktown this forenoon. Was prayer meeting at dusk. All quiet.

Monday, April 28

I signed the pay roll this evening. Very cloudy in the morning but clears up and shines out pleasant. I am Corporal of the third Relief Camp Guard. Lieutenant Brinker is Lieut (sic) of the Guard, Capt Duff is Officer of the day. The Company starts out this evening to work on a fort to night. Is Prayer meeting this evening. Wrote one letter to I. H. Crafty.

Tuesday, April 29

Cloudy and rained in the evening. Finished signed the pay rolls this morning. Began to pay off at ten oclock. Was trouble with Sutler he wanted his pay out of the soldiers pay before he (soldier) received it. At last paymaster gave pay to the men, then they paid Sutler. Part of our Company was paid this evening. I received my pay. Was at prayer meeting this evening.

Wednesday, April 30

Rained some. Co H is being paid the balance of their money this morning. The Regiment was mustered in for two months pay from first of March, by the Major of the sixty second New York Regt. The Regiment was taken out in the evening for one mile towards the river where we lay till midnight, then came to camp. Was prayer meeting.

The Company Cook With His Outfit  “In Action” Beef On The Hoof At Hand                                                                              Confederate Prisoner-Taken From A War Time Photograph