February 1863
1st Weather pleasant clean up camp & prepare to live once more Reg. in excelent Health
2d this is a beautiful day
3d weather fine. roads good boys in good Heath & spirits
4th this morning the snow is three inches deep & still snowing very cold O. Serg't. Merrill kills a fine Deer
5th very cold. snow six inches deep in the woods Cap. starts for Springfield
6th very cold this morning but this afternoon it is peasant & the snow is fast disappearing under the influence of a warm sun Lt. F. J. Abbey kills two fine deer
7th a beautiful morning snow melting fast & the roads are becoming bad again
8th weather warm and pleasant
9th cloudy with some rain roads very muddy
10th pleasant weather Uncle Jimmy on another spree & every body has to fly around it is very muddy which makes it very disagreeable dodging for him
11th cloudy very muddy & disagreeable today
12th still in camp Schofield cloudy, muddy & very nasty generaly our wounded arrive from Fayetteville stay over night with us & then pass on to Springfield where they can have better care some look very well some very bad
13th Splendid weather roads are better
14th last night it rained but it is a beautiful morning we march two miles into a more suitable Camp we are now encamped in a beautiful valley 40 miles S.W. of Springfield on the wire road it is St Valentines day but we are too far from civilization to procure anything worth sending to our friends
15th beautiful weather Reg. in excelent Health. this is the Sabbath day we have no Church to attend, as we have no Chaplain. this is a beautiful camp in a magnificent valley close to a large clear spring at which we get out water
16th this morning we have our second dress parade since leaving Ozark Nov. 16th/62 this P.M. it rains which prevents Co. drill which we must have hereafter by Order Brig. Gen. Jm's. Totten Com'd'g. Schofield being absent in Springfield
17th Camp Bliss. cloudy some rain have drill
18th this is a beautiful morning but it clouds up at night & rains some
19th snows some today the days are long and lonesome we have so very little to do & not much to read at present
20th Weather fine dress parade twice per day drill three times Regiment in excelent Heath
21st rain & snow roads very muddy so bad we cannot drill today
22d weather fair rather cool sign the Payrolls
23d this is a beautiful morning roads are excelent
24th beautiful weather
25th rainy day go to Mt Vernon with a forage train a pretty town but nearly ruined by the ravages of war. the 76th Enrolled Militia are guarding the town they are a pour excuse for Soldiers
26th leave town go down Spring river six miles load our teams & come back & stay over night again in town
27th last night five of our men deserted taking four good Horses one mule saddles &.c. with them come back to camp Bliss weather fair roads good &.c.
28th another rainy day in camp & another month has gone & still the Southern Confederacy seems to be in a thriving condition as ever & for all our power we lack in some one thing it must be wisdom in our leaders we have men enough now in the field to wipe out the Reb's at a single stroke why should we go groping about in the dark