February 20, 1862

2d Lieut. Elliot:
Diary:
     February 20-Thursday
     Weather in the morning rather cold and windy at about noon it grew warmer and quite pleasant, thus we have one hour storming violently the next hot enough to roast a person alive.
     We drew this morning our first ration of soft bread which was very acceptable to our men I find for hard bread they have become heartily sick of seeing.
     Drill in morning from 8 to 9 in manual.
     Today we have taken to repitch our tent and floor it over, we have made of boards a circle about 2/3 of the size and have succeeded in getting bricks enough to fill the balance. and whole new bricks the Island seems to be full of them. probably brought here by the rebels and buried when they found they were to lose possession of it.
     The South Carolina came in this P.M. towing the Galveston loaded with Cotton if rumor is true. it seem the Galveston is one of the fastest vessels own by the so called Southern Confederacy and runs or did run from Mobile to New Orleans but this time she was caught by a boat much slower than herself it seems she had no steam on when taken.
     5 O Clock P.M. the Pensacola has at last arrived. she did not lose her guns as was reported but had them taken off in some small vessels that came from the shore she has the mail on board.
 
Corpl. B. B. Smith:
Diary:
     Thursday 20
     A fine morn but rather cool a
     Fire in the tent very comfortable
     Went over to see the battery boys
     Had a job blacksmith work for
     The cook the paymaster arrived
     Yesterday and we expect some
     Money soon had white bread this
     Morning.  2 Large gun boats come
     In this morn one in tow of the
[Mem]
     Other.  report says she is a prize loaded
     With amunition taken by the colorado
     And that Enginer in trying to
     Blow her up got scalded so that
     He died and will be buried here
     Tomorrow.  theirs a steam frigate
     In sight supposed to be the
     Pensacola.