Lovely May like morng. Capt invited Col. A[yres] & me to breakfast
& transport [?] on shore in his boat. Air calm & sweet. visited
fortress Monroe - & reported to Gen. [John Adams] Dix -- moat 75 paces wide filled
with water, immense work -- beautiful parade, large eno. for
a village 3rd N.Y. guard mountg. -- splendid drill & fine band.
Sketched Gen Dix's head Qrs while sitting with Col. [Ayres] Maj. [Brown] & Dr. Reily [sic] under
a live oak tree -- beautiful clumps of those trees all about
look like apple tree -- or olives -- dark olive green leaves.
pretty little acorns gathered some, birds singing --
We are ordered to Newport News immediately -- Saw the
rif rafs -- Am writing in Cabin by an open window near
fortress -- transports loaded with troops about us -- whole 9th A.C.
go to Newport News -- Sailed at noon -- about 10 miles to Nep. N.
Saw the wrecks of the Congress & Cumberland sunk by the
Merrimack -- Got boat of Capt. Stone & pulled off with Chester
Dr. R. & Captn. Stevens, to Cumberland climbed into her main
top to cut off some of her mast[?] &c for relics.
Regt. went ashore & encamped near shore -- which is sandy here
right bet. wrecks of Congress & Cumberland War ships in the
roads -- one a monitor, beautiful trees of pine -- cypress & live
oak skirt the beach -- & fig trees grow close by our quarters
took two old houses one for all our officers & one for horses --
Men in fine spirits -- & like it very much.
Possibly Private James Chester, Co. I, 25th New Jersey?
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