The Press., 1896-07-30
Number IS.
A SOLDIERS DIARY-A FRAG-
 MENT


 The following is from a diary kept by George N. Champltn, member of the 18th Regiment, Connecticut Volunteers. It covers the entire year of 1884.
 Nov. 3. More rain to-day. No im- portant news. Beans, molasses and meal our ratiOns.
 Nov. 4. A pleasant day once more. It is said that we have several express boxes at the depot. Rations the same as yesterday.
 Nov. 5. Pleasant weather continues. Went into the hospital to see the boys. Was told that four had died out of the 18th during the past forty-eight hours William Farrell and Elijah Baldwin, of Go. c, Maine of co. E. and Chas. ChurciiFs hill of Go. K. George Pierce of Co. ID, died to-day. Rations the same as yester- day. Heard that Plymouth, N. O., wasl taken by the Yankees"
 Nov. 6. Another mild day. Heard the reading of the Charleston Mercury, of the 4th, which admits the recapture of Ply mouth, N. c. and the sinking of the ram, Albe1marle, by the Federals. Marion A. Fisk, of Go. I, 18th Conn.,, died about eleven o'clock last night. George F. Whitney, I. s. Ham, and l, had candy daub last evening. Rations, flour, salt beans
 Nov. 7. Showers to-day. There Is no exchange of prisoners, although there Is much talk of it. We ale waiting in quiet patience Rations are about the same as we had yesterday.
 Nov. 8. More showers to-day. This is election day at home. Most of the prisoners in the camp have voted, and 1t is said that Lincoln received seven votes to McClellan's one. think Lincoln will be elected. spent the greater part of the day with Albert West, Charles Thrall, BrownelI and Howard, making molasses candy. We had good time. Nov. 9. There were no showers to-day, and 1t was very pleasant. The average death rate in the camp and hospital is twenty-five or thirty. RatiOns-meal, beans, grit and molasses.
 Nov. 10. We are favored with showers to-day. Heard that more transports had arrived off Hilton Head with troops, SUD- posed to be Confederate prisoners for ex- change. Rations the same as last night. Jason Clark, of Go. c, and Flinty, of Go. A, died in hospital to-day.
 Nov. II. A pleasant day. Rumor has 1t that the Rebels are going to put the Negro into the field as a soldier. It is said that we are to go from here soon The report is that Gen. Sherman was il Atlanta with five corps, while Thomas with forty thousand men, was in front o Hood, where he could take care of him RatiOns-rice, flour, mOlasses and shorts
 Nov. 12. A pleasant, but windy day Rations-meal, beans, molasses and salt Sweet potatoes a1e ten dollars, and Irisl potatoes twenty dollars bushel, in Con federate money. Confederate money k selling in here at the rate of seven apC ten dollars for one in greenbacks.
 Nov. 13. Sunday, and fine day. Ra tions-rice, salt, fresh meat and meal Had for supper rice soup and hoecakes which were good. There is much excite ment over the exchange of prisoners More clothing has arrived for us from the Sanitary Commission.
 Nov. IA. A cool, but nice day. Cold and frosty night. Had for breakfast, 6 good rice soup, made of rice and beef anC seasoned with salt and red pepper. Also had hoecake to go with it. For supper we had hoecake and molasses. Rations- meal and molasses. About thirty-flve sailors and seamen were brought in to night, captured about forty miles from New York.
 Nov 15. A pleasant day. Breakfas for three of us-three hOecakes and two quarts of rice coffee. Rations, meal, grit salt and molasses. George s. Faulkner Isaac c. Hamilton, and Samuel s. Mich
 ols, of Go. I, and Sessions of Go. K, 16tl
 Conn.,, with about one hundred and lift!
 more, were brought in to-day from Col f umbia. Hoecakes for supper. r Nov. 16. The weather continues to b' . fine. This Is Old Jeff's Fast day. Ra t tions-fresh beef, flour, meal, grit ant ? salt. My breakfast was mush and molas f ses. For supper I had soup made O t sweet potatoes and beef, flour dumpling 8 and red pepper Several more took thu r oath and enlisted in the Rebel army to ) day. Nelson Holt of Co. A, Frank Allel ? of Go. D, and Walter Reynolds of Go. B r died yesterday.
 a1 Nov. IT. Another pleasant day. 4 1l large number of the Yankee prisoner 8 who took the oath and enlisted in tn q Rebel army were brought back to-day
 My breakfast was the same as my suppe s last night, except in the the place Q ) dumplings we had corn bread. For sup 3 per we had rice soup and corn dodgers. l Nov. IS. A pleasant day. Nothing 0 importance happened to-day. Rations- rice, salt, molasses.
 Nov. 19. A little cloudy, but pleasant . Our rations were flour, beef and salt. w drew three cords of wood for the thou = sand men, The report is that Gen. Shel . man is marching on Charleston. Nov. 20. A rainy day. Our ration u the same as last night.
 Nov. 21. A wet day. No rations tc - day. Had for breakfast, about twelv o'clock, four dumplings, a little ricC sweet potatoes and beef soup. For suI 3 per we had little over pint of thi a gruel, made of flour, without salt. . cold evening.
 
 
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