1862 May 31

To day has been the most sultry day of the
year. Early in the afternoon, we were star-
-tled by a very rapid and heavy cannonading
but a short distance to our left the
musketry fire was quite distinctly heard also.
The fireing continued until dark, we were in
harness expecting orders to move every moment.
Pleasant and warm.

1862 May 30

Yesterday several of the wounded prisoners
were brought in; they are mostly all North
Carolinians. To day the rebs threw a
number of shells into our lines, but as
usual no injury was inflicted by them.
During the evening a severe thunder
shower set in, which lasted all night.

MSS 8493

1862 May 28

The cannonading heard yesterday, was as
supposed, Porter's corps, who met, and after
a severe fight of eight hours, badly whipped
the rebs at Hanover Junction capturing 15.
pieces of Artillery. A train of cars, and its
engine, a train of wagons loaded with supplies,
500 prisoners, and seized and effectualy
destroyed the rail road. The balloons were up
to day. Gen Banks has been defeated
and driven across the Potomac by the
rebel Gen Stonewall Jackson, Pleasant
and very warm.

1862 May 27

Yesterday all was remarkably quiet, although-
- we were expecting to move every
moment. Today Bartlett's brigade, the
1st N.J. Battery, and a squadron of the
1st N.Y. cavalry were sent out to Mechanics-
-ville on picket, to guard the road leading
to Richmond and Meadow bridge of over
the Chickahominy. During the afternoon
two balloons were sent up, to reconnoiter:
a heavy cannonading is heard on our
right; supposed to be Gen Porters corps
engaged. Pleasant during the fore afternnoon
although it rained quite hard in the
fore noon.

MSS 8493

1862 May 25

Yesterday all was very quiet, received orders
to march, but they were soon countermanded,
To day we again received orders, and by
eleven A.M were in motion. at one P. M
after a short march we halted and encam-
-ped on the Gaines Plantation. about five
mles from R. and but one from our piquet
line. During the evening the rebs by way of
compliment, threw us over a few shells
but no damage was done by them.
Warm and pleasant.

1862 May 23

To day the Balloon made an ascent
near our camp to reconnoiter the rebel
position. They report a great number of
unoccupied tents, between the Chickahom-
-iny and Richmond. placed there probably
to deceive our picquets in regard to the
number of troops in the defenses of the
rebel capital. A heavy cannonading can
be heard on our left. Warm and
pleasant.

1862 May 22

To day Gen Bartletts brigade, a squadron
of the 1st N.Y. cavalry, a section of battery
D, 2nd U.S. and one of our batteries were sent
out to the Chickahominy on a reconnoisance
The cavalry lost two men. During the
afternoon a very heavy thunder shower
came up, and for one hour the rain
fell in a perfect torrent. warm and
peasant

1862 May 21

Reveille was blown at five A.M
harnessed and packed up, and by seven
were again in motion. At three P.M.
after a long and very fatiguing march, we
halted and encamped at Cold Harbor,
some seven miles from Richmond and
two from the Chicahominy. We are expecting
a battle in a very few days. Pleasant
and very warm.

1862 May 20

At one P.M we received marching orders
and by three were on the go. about six
halted and encamped on a plantation
in Hanover County. This county is so
thinly inhabited that it is not divided
into town ships. We are but twelve miles
from Richmond. Pleasant and quite
warm. during the day: in the evening a
rain storm set in which lasted all night.

1862 May 19

The 16th 17th and 18th were very quiet, nothing worthy
of note transpiring during those day's.
Gen Fitz John Porters corps (the 5th) arrived
and encamped here on the 16th. Last even-
-ing we received orders to march at day
light. At four. A. M were turned out and
by six were in motion, at two P.M we
halted and encamped on a plantation
some ninteen nineteen miles from the
rebel capital. Was taken suddenly very
sick last night, and was obliged to ride
in an ambulance. Rained hard during
the fore noon, in the afternoon cleaned
up and became quite pleasant.

1862 May 15

Turned out early, and by five A. M were
again on the road. At noon after a very
disagreeable march, we arrived at the
White House. (on the banks of the Pamunkey)
It was here that Gen George Washington was
married. This is the finest and best
cultivated plantation we have seen
thus far, it is now owned by the rebel
Gen. R. E. Lee's Rained very hard all
day.

1862 May 14

To day the first time for nearly a month
we have had a rainy day: the rain has
been falling in torrents all day. Prisoners
are constantly being brought in. During the
afternoon we received orders to be in
readiness to move at day light.

1862 May 13

Lay still all day yesterday. Were turned out
at three A.M. harnessed and packed up,
and by five were once more on the tramp.
At 12. M we arrived at Cumberland
and encamped on a hundred acre
corn field. this place is the Head Qrs,
of Gen McClellan. quite a number of
prisoners are being brought in, or give them-
-selves up voluntarily. there are 1300 in one
camp. Very warm and pleasant.

1862 May 11

This morning we received marching orders
and by 10. A.M were in motion.
Halted at one P.M. after a short march,
and encamped on the Richmond and
West Point turnpike, some thirty six miles
from the city. Pleasant and very warm.

1862 May 10

Quite a number of prisoners were brought
in to day. We are encamped on the
plantation of a rank reb. named
Sathy. who forced his Negro slaves to
murder the Federal soldier's who were
wounded and taken by the rebs. In the
evening the Gun Boats. sailed up the
river and opened on a fatigue party
of the Johnnies, who were building fortifica-
-tions. The day has been very warm
and pleasant.

1962 May 9

Battery drill. during the forenon. Early in
the afternoon, our div. (Slocum's) and Gen.'
Sedgwick's received orders to march to the
banks of the Pamunkey, in prolongation
of the line. encamped at five P.M near
the river. Warm, and pleasant.

1862 May 8

Remained in harness all night. every thing
is very quiet. The celebrated Hampton
Legion, 2nd Va. 4th Ala. two regts of dismou-
-nted cavalry, and several Louisana regts,
were among the reb's who fought us
yesterday. Reinforcements are constantly
arriving. In the evening. Gen McClellan
and Staff arrived. News of the capture
of Norfolk, and the iron clad Merrimac
reach us to day. The woods in which
the heaviest of the fighting took place
are on fire. Prisoners are being
brought in constantly. Mild and
pleasant.

1862 May 7

Our Maiden fight took place to day. I
trust we may be as successful in all
our future ones. At ten A.M. our
div. and a portion of Gen Sedgwich's
having disembarked, a line of battle was
formed. Bartlett's and Newton's brigades
were thrown forward into the woods
to reconnoiter, and if possible to draw
the rebs out into the open field: by
eleven A.M the right of our line began to
engage the rebs, and in half an hour
the entire line was engaged. four peices
of our battery were sent to support. D.
battery 2nd N.Y. Art'y. they being on the
extreme right. the 1st N.J. supported by
F. 1st N.J. occupied the center. our battery
the left. or rather a single section held,
the left. supported by the Gun boats. About
1/2 past 12, the rebs opened on our left.
and on the shipping, from the woods
opposite us. A few well directed. 100 pdrs
from the Gun Boats, and some of our
parrott shells, soon caused them to cease
their firing. From one P.M. until 4. all
remained quiet. both sides were trying
hard to out manoeuver each other.

Abut 4 P.M the rebs were discovered
to be concentrating their artillery on
their right. for the purpose of destroying
our shipping. and turning our left flank.
a very rapid and heavy fire from one
of our guns caused them to abandon
their project. Soon after, a general charge
of our entire lines drove the rebs at
every point, and gained for us a complete
victory. At three P.M we received reinfor-
-cements, but they did not take part in
the battle. We had from 15. to 20,000
men engaged on our side. The rebs had
some 16,000 with a heavy reserve. a few
miles in their rear. The New York troops
have suffered the most of any, our loss
is from two to three hundred in all,
that of the rebs 500, our piquets are
extended two miles to the front. Mild
and pleasant.

1862 May 6

At seven. A. M. got under weigh again.
Arrived at. West Point at four P.M.
Here the Gun Boats rounded into
position to cover our landing, a
company of rebel cavalry being seen on
the shore they opened on them--but
a few well directed shots, caused the
Johnnies to retreat to the woods in a hurry.
In these woods. there are some 10,000 rebs
commanded by Gen'l Longstreet of Va. and
Whitting of Mass. at six P.M. the div.
commenced to disembark. Skirmishing
briskly all night long. several were killed
and wounded on both sides. the day has
been cool and unpleasant. We expect
a break down. in the morning.

William Henry Chase Whiting (1824 – 1865)

1862 May 5

At three A.M. a rain storm set in and,
continued unpleasant all day. Got under-
-weigh at seven A.M. having two schooners
and three barges in two arrived at York
town, at four P.M. where we anchored
for the night. we are under convoy of
four steam Gun boats and one steam
corvette: passed the French. Gun boat Gasinch [sp?]
The rebs in their hurry to evacuate the place
were compelled to abandon all their heavy
guns and mortar's which they spiked,
then rammed home a solid shot into each
gun.

1861 May 4

This morning were inspected by Capt Platt.
Chief of Div. Artillery, who informed us
that Yorktown had been evacuated
during the previous day and night.
At eleven A.M. we received marching
orders but did not move until
7 P.M at which time we embarked on
steam-transport Stars for West Point,
a point some 40 miles up the York River
By midnight all having embarked, we
hauled out into the stream and anchored,
to await day light. Pleasant and
warm.

1862 May 3

This morning the cannoading from the
rebs very suddenly ceased, and until dark
all was very quiet. just at dark however
they re-opened with redoubled fury on our
entire lines, and all night long kept up
a very rapid and heavy fire, not one
shot however out of fifty, taking any
effect, and even those which did strike
in our lines, did no material injury
either to the men or horses. Cool and
pleasant.

1862 May 2

Yesterday and to day, also during the
entire nights of both day's, the rebs have
kept up a very heavy and rapid firing
upon our lines, but they have done
very little or no damage. Their Artiller-
-ists are very poor calculators of ranges
and distances: more than one half
of their ammunition is foolishly wasted.
Wather changeable, at times rains hard.