1862 April 30

To day were mustered for pay. The rebs
(it is reported) are evacuating their outer
line of fortifications. the day has been
cloudy and at times rains very hard.

1862 April 29

To day the cannonading at the Point
continues quite heavy and rapid. also a
brisk fire from Yorktown is added to
it. News of the capture of New Orleans
and the forts on the lower Mississippi
reached us to day. Pleasant and quite
warm.

1862 April 28

Yesterday and to day the 1st N.J. F. Co. 1st
N.Y. and our battery were busy disembar-
-king their pieces and cassions. there
has been an incessant cannonading between
our gun boats and the batteries at
Gloucester Point. D. Co. 2nd N.Y. re-embarked
their battery to day. Cool and pleasant.

1862 April 26

To day every thing inside our lines is very
quiet. Last night two companies of the 1st
Mass Inf't. Reg't. had a sharp skirmish
with the Johnnies, losing five killed,
and several wounded. Cool and very
stormy to day.

1862 April 25

Yesterday and to day have been remark-
-ably quiet. D. Co. 2nd N.Y. Art'y took their
gun's ashore to day. Cloudy and looks much
like rain

1862 April 23

To day the rebs have kept up a brisk cannon
-ade on our lines, doing however no materi-
-al injury. The day has been pleasant and
cool.

1862 April 22

To day the men and horses disembarked
and went in to camp. we expect how-
-ever to re-embark in a few days for
Gloucester Point, a position now held,
by the rebs, who have at that point,
an immense and powerful battery, mounting
18 eighteen thiry pounders (Columbiads).
These works will have to be carried,
before we can expect a landing that will
be permanent, and a most difficult
undertaking it will be to carry them,
as all our movements will be fully
exposed to the rebs. Quite warm
and pleasant to day.

1862 April 21

Today the horses of the 1st N.J. F. Co. 1st
N.Y. and our battery were disembarked,
and picketed ashore. The men and horses
will go ashore n the morning. the
rain has been pouring in torrents all
day re^'n'dering all around cold and
uncomfortable.

1862 April 20

To day. D. Co. 2nd N.Y. Artillery
disembarked their battery, the other
batteries will do the same tomorrow.
Very cool and quite unpleasant.

1862 April 19

One year ago today the first blood in
defence of the country was spilled in the
streets of Baltimore. At three P.M. we
arrived at Ship Point, where we are to
disembark and join in the investment
of Yorktown. This place is one, if not the
most strongly fortified places in the entire
South. having three immense lines of works
mounting a large number of siege guns
of the heaviest caliber. The rebel army
here is commanded by Gen. Joseph Johnston.
Warm and Pleasant.

1862 April 18

This morning the entire Division
having embarked, and all being in
readiness to sail, the anchors were
hove up, and in tow of a Government
tug boat. commenced to sail down
the Potomac, Passed several of the
batteries on the river with which
the rebs blockaded the river during
the winter. The day has been pleasant and
quite mild.

1862 April 16

Yesterday and to day have been very
busily employed in embarking the
troops. This afternoon our entire
battery having embarked we hauled
out into the stream and anchored.
Pleasant and mild.

1862 April 14

Today we were paid off. Shipped our
pieces and cassions on board. steam-
-transport Concord. The Ammunition
supply, and forage trains have embarked
also. the horses and men are to
sail on schooners. The day has been
mild and very pleasant.

1862 April 13

Turned out at 4 A.M. Packed and
hitched up, and were soon after in
motion. Arrived at Alexandria at twelve
N. and encamped just outside the
town. During the afternoon we cleaned
up the battery preparatory to embarking
it. We are to ship from this place
to join Gen McClellan in front of
Yorktown. which place is very strongly
fortified and held by the John. Henry's.
Mild and Pleasant.

1862 April 12

Turned out at 4 A.M. Breakfasted,
packed and harnessed up, and by six
were in motion. Forded the Bull Run Creek
passed through Centreville. at four P.
M. we arrived and encamped on the
north side of the town of Fairfax Ct. Ho.
Cool and very pleasant.

1862 April 11

During the afternoon cleared up
and became quite pleasant. At two
P.M. we harnessed and packed up,
and after a hard pull we succeeded
in fording the creek. The south side of
the run was so soft and muddy that
some of the carriages had to be
taken to pieces before they could be
moved. they having become stuck fast
in the mud. After a most difficult
and toilsome pull, we succeeded in
getting upon good firm ground again,
and were marching along quite comfort-
-ably when we were met by an orderly
from Gen Franklin, with orders for us
to return to Alexandria. We counter-
marched and at six P.M. we arrived
and at Manassas Junction, where we
encamped for the night.

1862 April 10

By daylight the snow had fallen
to the depth of eight inches. about
9. A.M. the snow turned to hail.
late in the evening the hail turned
to rain. which fell in torrents all
night. The creek has been found ford-
-able and if pleasant we shall cross
tomorrow. Two of the 16th N.Y.V. were
murdered by the citizens of this place.

1862 April 9

Still continues to hail. Are very short of
raitions, we never have suffered as much
before. During the afternoon the hail
turned to snow, which fell all night. I
was too cold to sleep, so made my
self miserable by keeping fire warm
all night. Our horses are up to their
girts in the mud, and are half frozen
to death.

1862 April 8

Were turned out at 4. A.M. This
morning as was expected, we are
having a very severe rain storm.
Harnessed and packed up and
by eight oclock the Cavalry and
Artillery were again in motion.
Forded two deep runs which were much
swollen by the recent rains. Arrived
at Milford Mills on Broad Run Creek
at 10 A.M. but finding the run unford-
-able we were obliged to encamp on
an open and newly plowed field,
with no covering except our
blankets. some of the men slept in
a hog pen which chanced to be
in our corner of the field. Toward
night the rain / which had been
falling all day./ turned to hail, which
fell steadily all night, rendering the
ground and all around, cold and
disabreeable.

1862 April 7

To day the Infantry continued their march
toward Warrenton. which is some twelve
miles distant. Nothing else of importance
transpired. During the evening we
received orders to be in readiness to
move at day light. It has been quite cool
and unpleasant and at times rains
quite hard.

1862 April 6

Day in camp at the Junction all
day, every thing being very quiet. visited
the battle field of the 21st of July, 1861.
here was found several bodies of
those who fell in that battle still
unburied, the rebs having left them to
be eaten by the dog's and birds. In
the woods the skeleton of a member
of the 14th N.Y. was found tied to a
tree. having been either burned or
starved to death. Mild and Pleasant.

1862 April 5

Were turned out at five. A.M. Breakfasted
and by seven were in motion, at ten,
we forded the famous Bull Run
Creek, after which we entered up on
the battle field of the 18th of July, where
the 1st Mass Regt. was repulsed. Passing
over this field we came to the fortifica-
-tion of Manassas. These works though
not as formidable as those of Centereville,
are so much more difficult to approach,
that the position is nearly impregnable to
any assault. At three P.M we arrived
at the Junction, where we went into
park and encamped using the barracks
of the 7th Va. and 16th Miss regts. The
Rebs when they evacuated this place
destroyed immense quantities of all kinds
of military goods and stores, Ammunition
Engines. Cars and the rail road for
many miles. The weather has been
cool and very unpleasant.

1862 April 4

This morning at three, we very suddenly
received orders to march and join Gen
Banks column at Warrenton, and to
prolong his line as far as Fredricsburg
on the left. Were turned out at five
A.M. hitched and packed up al
and by seven were again in motion,
halted at Annandale for a rest.
at ten moved on again, passed
through the village of Fairfax Ch--Ho
at six P.M. we arrived at Centrevi
-lle, making a march of 22 miles. this
place is very strongly fortified, the
fortifications being situated at the
brow of a very long and steep hill,
the flanks of these works being very
strongly fortified and protected by rifle
pits, and if it were not that this place
could be so easily outflanked it
would be perfectly impregnable. We
occupied for the night the barra^'c'ks
which the rebs built when they occupied
this place. During the day quite mild
and Pleasant. In the evening a
driling rain storm set in.

1862 April 3

For the past three weeks we have
laid in camp expecting orders to move
every day, but yet no orders have as yet
reached us, and for all I can see, there
is no prospect of any. The army has been
divided into six Corps. The 1st Command
by Maj Irving Gen. Irving McDowell. the
2nd by Maj. Gen. E. Y. Sumner, 3rd by
Maj Gen. S. P. Heintzelman, 4 by Maj
Gen Keys. 5th by Maj. Gen Fitz J. Porter.
6th by Maj Gen. W. B. Franklin. All of
whom, with the exception of the 1st
Corps are under the immediate
command of Maj Gen G. B. Mc
Clellan. and have sailed for Fort
Monroe and Ship Point, but their
final destination is unknown. The
weather has been mild, and un pleasant