[Friday] Dec. 5 [1862]

Marched at 8 -- It began to rain some -- changed to snow
& snows now 9 P.M. We reached camp at 2 1/2 but waggons arriv
detained by steep hills -- & did not arrive till 8 P.M.
I rode back 5 miles to see about them. The Q.M. very polite &
gentlemanly today -- Our men & preceding have
committed great depredations on farmers -- In one house where
I bot. some butter, I saw a bullet hole thro. side of house which
had been shot by a soldier firing at hogs hens or something -- it
grazed the woman bonnet -- & Cut off some of the trimings
Another widow woman begged me with tears to place a
guard -- or come in "for ^'a' warm", but I was not out of saddle for
over 12 hours -- roads fearfully muddy -- many stragglers --
As I rode at dusk thro. the snow covered pine forests -- after
the wagons toiling thro. mud & snow -- it seemed like revolutionary
times -- saw quail close by road. We are now about 1 1/2
miles fr. river. Liverpool [?] point, & cross tomorrow probably
nr. Berday & V. followed us in carriage & brot word of severe
illness of both Col Ayres & his wife. Also sd. Banks expedition
had failed (in part) to take Richmond while Burnside
held Lee at Fredericksburg & we are to cross over
to act as his grand reserve. We shall see by Sunday
night probably -- A hard days march tho. onlyabout
13 miles -- men halted, built fires & tried hard to keep
up & be comfortable -- we are now in a pine forest
snow falling & tent floor covered with wet leaves &
snow. We saw men catching rabbits in field where
we halted last night. Been in saddle 12 hours, rode
abt. 22 miles --back & forth.