[Saturday] Dec. 6 [1862]

Fine bright day, passed very comfortable night tho.
tent floor is still covered with Snow. Roasted two turkies
during night. We march to & then cross river this morng.
I sd. to act as Burnside's reserve -- the march thro. the
low thick pine woods, covered with Snow -- in a forest by road on
the bright morng. was very picturesque -- tho ice half ice [inch?] thick.
Crossed river -- with 9. Cos. very cold -- about 1 oclk -- marched
a mile or so up
riverrail road. from Aquia Creek to
Fredericksburg -- encamped on low hlls left of R.R. I staid
at Wharf waiting for baggage rear guard till dark -- hungry
& cold. It did not come -- found poor Maryland boy whose horse
was stolen -- by Brigade before us. He was shivering without an
overcoat in cold eveg. air -- biting & keen -- He had nothing to eat --
not a cent -- no friends & no way to cross over to his home.
I asked Capt. of a St. Bt.to take him in -- give him supper -- lodging &
passage over in morng. Capt. promised to do it --
The boy was very grateful, he had not found his horse --
Col. Wisewell
losthorse fell in river in crossg. Col. Brown
12th R.I. came over abt. dark -- I led him & regt. up to camp
ground -- & then went back to dock with Col. D. to wharf --
& slept on table of St. Bt. haversack for pillow -- Mr. Budan
gave me part of his shawl for cover but very cold.
One officer sprang up in night. Sd. cannonading was going
on at Fredericksburg (abt. 15 miles distant). it was
unloadg. Army Supplies -- Saw 1st Conn. & heavy guns on
wharf loaded up to go to Burnside. We are now under
him. Rebel Army under Lee is a F. & B. this side river
So we are not over 14 miles fr. the two larget Armies ever
massed on this Cont, I suppose & we a part of
itone of them.
[word lined out] We marched only abt. 3 miles today. Sailed 6 miles
diagonally across Potomac, which is abt. 4 miles broad here.

Col. Moses N. Wisewell, 28th New Jersey
Col. George H. Browne, 12th Rhode Island

[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.

Dec. 4 Thurs. [1862]

Marched at nine -- fine calm clear frosty
morng. the band playing -- soldiers winding thru the hedge
rows & woods of oak & holly advance wearing holly
in hats -- The blue coats -- & knapsacks -- white on top with
Shelter tents. The woods echoed to shots for squirrels
The boys sang -- Dixie --Marchalong [?] -- &c. as we passed
down a broad well cultivated valley skirted by
Steep round hills -- reached Port Tobacco at 12.
delayed in passing stream -- rode into town went into
Court room -- Court sitting -- good lookg. men an officer
brot. an old curious trumpet to door & called out Gentlemen
of petit jury attend &c. Yesterday boys made cigars
of tobcco -- which is raised in this region.
We could buy nothing in town -- every place was
closed -- The colors flying looked beautiful from heights --
wrote & mailed a letter to Henry, at Port Tobacco.
Asked if we were going to Dixie -- A Planter sd. he never
saw so many persons before. Another knowing I was
a Chaplain asked as I entered room if I "was going
to give prayers" -- I led regt. into a field -- & we
encamphalted
for dinner -- Cols. horse rolled while we ate a sandwich.
15th Conn very nearly burnt a barn by setting grass
afire -- Marched a foot about 3 miles with same Mr. K
on my horse -- encamped about 4 -- at a run [?] near
Bumpass -- He called for guard -- I had some words with Brigade
Q.Master about our staff wagons - Mr. Hamilton called
for Guard -- We sent Lt. & 8 men to house, bot two turkeys
for Mess @ 2.00 -- Walked up to his house -- he recd. us
cordially -- Brigade before us killed shot turkies &
two oxen -- our brigade
kilshot one ox. I saw it
lying dead in yard -- One of his slaves followed us
to Camp to hear band -- Thot. it fine --
finelysd he
liked it better 'n religion, loved it better 'n a gal--
[?] [?] [?]Came in & sang plantation songs --
one very plaintive -- then changed to a merry jingle --
As I went up market St, I met a yaller gal --
Bot. a cent
apie & gave it to her -- & off she went. She didn't
go slow. Never mind dinner Sd. weather dont blow Could make letters --
tho. he could'nt tell names.

[Wednesday] Dec 3 [1862]

roused at reveille -- 6 A.M. breakfast sweet potatoes -- fried
ham toast coffee -- feel reinforced -- prayers before breakfast ---.
Camp in stir -- we take rear guard today -- hard job --
Yesterday 15th straggled & advanced so much that our boys
sd. there was a "telegraph line" of them reaching ^'from here' to Camp
Casey. Fairfax Sem -- It looks like rain -- We have had
fine weather & good roads only steep hills so far. Gen. Wright
is lame fr. being turned over -- & rides in Ambulance.
We do not march until 10 today to allow train supplies to
come up. Assisted in march of regt. Pretty good road --
not so hilly -- Abercrombie's brigade has a large baggage
train just behind -- us -- marched slow at first & two fast
at last -- but two stragglers fro. our regt. large numbers from
15th Connt. & other regts. men shot & skinned pigs, chickens
geese -- on march. They have 15th Conn. has used too much
whiskey & quinine, I reckon -- encamped at 5 1/2 in a
beautiful wooded slope -- oak oenings -- a bright
moonlight night. The band of 13 N.H. discoursed while
we were at Supper -- on roast chickens (those I brot. in fr.
Picket) potatoes & toast. Tis sd. one of Co. Iy [Connecticut Infantry] men is
crazy, left hospital & joined regt. he thinks Jeff Davis is
in his Knapsack -- & thrusts his bayonet into it at times
to kill him. We passed Piscataway a sleepy old village
early this morng. region thinly poulated & inhabitants
complain of depredations of yesterdays troops.
(I marched a foot with musket -- about 3 or 4 miles while
a tired soldier rode. At a halt the boys cut down a
persimmon tree & charged on it as it fell & left in
three seconds not one persimmon on it. I among them.
We are sd. to be about 6 miles fr. Port tobaca, if so marched
about 11 miles -- today -- most of it was done since
about 2 P.M. Some think we go to Acquia Creek &
join Burnside before Fredericksburg, others by transports
to fortress Monroe & so up &c.

General Horatio Gouverneur Wright (1820-1899)

[Tuesday] Dec 2 [1862]

Col. D[errom] went back to Washington. Major Brown
commanded & I assisted. March thro. fine country
panoramic view of Washington & Alexandria -- &
down river -- We led advance -- but little straggling
in 25th. Ate sandwich at noon -- much impeded by
Abercrombies' Brigade supply train. fr. 1 to 5 marched
faster. encamped then near good water. in shelter
tents. one train far in rear. I ate bit toasted
ham bread -- & sipd. a Lieut's Coffee -- spread my
green blaknet & bivouacked by a fire under open
sky, but before well asleep train came up & pitched our staff tent. hot
coffee & blankets. prayers.

John K. Brown, Major of the 2th New Jersey
Brigadier General John Joseph Abercrombie (1798-1877)

Dec. 1. Mon. [1862]

rose early bathed, settled mess & mail
a/cs reduced baggage -- struck tent & about noon
marched 5 Regts. back to long bridge thro. Washington
across Eastern branch of Potomac to Maryland, en
route it is sd. to Burnside's Army Fredericksburg
Marched about 13 miles. the 15th Conn. men threw away
thr. hats, & many straggled, one man sd.
As thseeing
them line the road as we came up -- "Are you guard
ing the road, one fell down in fit raved & tossed --
he was put in ambulance encamped about
8 PM in field by roadside -- got up Mess tent
Col. Major. Dr. B. Adjutant. their attaches & myself
occupy it. eat toast & coffee for Supper.
Fine moonlight night as I write the camp is
still. Men in shelter tents. mules fastened to
baggage train. a little cat at my feet which
followed us here -- how picturesque. near 11 1/2 P.M.

Sun [November] 30 [1862]

Fine. Inspection so long, no morng. service. must see
Col. about it. Visited hospitals -- talked & prayed with
them -- hung up cards of SS -- in four dift. tents & [?]
Just as Afternoon Service ^'was about to' begin -- orders came to march
at 12. tomorrow with shelter tents & seven days rations --
Preached. fr. Surely [symbol for God] is in this place & I knew it not--
We have abt. 200 off duty. It is sd. Burnside is repulsed --
don't believe it -- Don't know where we are to go --
Camp all astir getting ready. I went to hospitals -- & at
suggestion of a pious nurse established family worship
in four wards -- while I am away -- also conducted a
[Either a word missing or Butler intended to write "one" instead of "a"]
in Company F, in P.M. Much pleased both they & I
& now may God prepare us for what is before us
tomorrow -- we leave one sick -- & one doctor -- & the Camp
standing
forin charge of Adjutant.

Butler uses a symbol for word God in the above quote from the story of Jacob in Genesis.