March 12, 1862

2nd Lieut. Elliot:
Diary:
     March 12-Wednesday
     Morning cold and cloudy. commenced raining about 9 O Clock AM bids fair for a stormy day.
     No drills to day on account of the storm.
     Noon a vessell have in sight that looks very much like the Constitution, there is much speculation about wether it is her or not.
     3 ½ O Clock P.M. the Constitution now lays out in our harbor at Anchor. for the vessel spoken of above appears to be her. She has on board for troops. a Wisconsin Regiment. the one that relieved us at the Relay house last summer and a Minnesota and an Indiana Regiment in all 2,900 and some old men Dr. Kimballs son is also on board. they report the Mississippi at Port Royal with Major Gen. B.F. Butler and staff on board, she put into Port Royal to repair damages done her by running aground are a shoal. she has 1 whole and some 600 men of another Reg’t. on board. I also hear by the Constitution that Billy Fiske has command of a Company of Zouaris in the Western Bay State, or Mass 31st Reg’t. I hope this is so.
     Constitution was fired into from [Sewalls - ?] point by the Rebels one shot [---] between her smoke stack and main mast. a number of then struck quite close to her, 5 shots were fired she had to go up to Newport News to get her troops as Gen. Wood would not permit them to land at Fortress Monroe.

Corpl. B. B. Smith:
Diary:
     Wednesday 12
     Rather a cool morning the
     Pay master has begun to pay off
     Our regiment Our company
     Have signed the pay roll and
     Will be paid off this evening if
     Nothing happens.

January 20, 1862

Qr. Master Sergt. Howe:
Diary:
     January 20, 1862.
     Disembarked and lay round on the neck of land which runs back from the fortress. In the meantime I tried to issue stores and tents to make the boys comfortable. High tide drove us back into a graveyard. General Wool won't recognize us, so we must get along until General Butler and Governor Andrew settle their trouble in regard to our organization and appointment of officers.

2d Lieut. Elliot:
Diary:
     January 20-Monday
     Pleasant and quite warm this morning this morning we disembarked or rather were let out of prison on to the beach for a sunning as the Colonels says. afternoon the order came for us to go and get our tents and Camp Equipage we commenced getting them at about 3 P.M. about 5 P.M. then suddenly came up a very severe Thunder Shower. and as a consequence we are all well wet through to our skin and our best uniforms wet through. dark over taking us before our tents got along and then no pins with them it began to look rather hard, when we hit upon the expedient of putting them up and using our bayonets for pins. after working for some time we suceeded in getting up 5 and turned in all wet as we were for a little sleep about 12 at night some rice and sugar came from our prison and was dealt out to the men. the first thing they have had since morn-ing except a little hard bread they had brought in there haversacks. Adjutant Dimon slept with us in our Quarters and, no distinction seemed to be made between Officers and privates for this night for all were glad enough for any kind of shelter.

Corpl. B. B. Smith:
Diary:
     Monday 20
     A fine morn we got orders
     To go ashore.  the men all aboard[?]
     The jump.  went ashore in
     Small steamer.  pitched our
     Tents to the right of the fort
     It began to rain and thunder
     And lightning before we got
     Them up.  we got wet to the
     Skin.  what a good bath is the sea

January 18, 1862

Qr. Master Sergt. Howe:
From a Letter:
     Fortress Monroe, Va., January 18, 1862.
     ...No doubt you are anxious to hear from Warren, accordingly I will write. We are still on board, waiting for orders. The more I see of this, the greater humbug I think it is. A fortnight has passed since we came aboard. The men and the officers are discontented. Last night, the men broke open the ship's stores and got liquor, a row followed, several were put in irons, one or two injured. I went ashore Friday and stayed all day; enjoyed myself finely. Ate a hearty dinner of baked beans with the boys. Everything about the Fort looked natural. The boys are all well, but wish to get away from the Fort. The company has been changed to a Flying Artillery Corps. They are to have six rifled pieces, drawn by horses, and will go into the field next spring. It will take some time to learn the drill and obtain an outfit. The boys live "like fighting cocks " now. I suppose you have seen George Pray. He will be here in the morning. A flag of truce went up to Norfolk to-day. The report is that General Wool sent word to have all the women and children leave the place, which would lead one to suppose that an engagement is to take place soon. Some think that Burnside's expedition has gone there by way of Hatteras, and our war vessels are to go down Elizabeth River; but it is impossible to tell. Our Major, Charles J. Paine, arrived from Washington to-day. Parker is no longer Quartermaster. G. C. Easterbrook supersedes him. He is from Worcester, Mass. Parker feels well; he will probably get something as good, if not better. Captain P. A. Davis is attending to my transfer. Gus Ayling, of the 7th Battery, stayed aboard with me last night; he had an influential uncle in Boston, who helped him to his new position. We expect orders to sail every morning when the Baltimore boat arrives.

2d Lieut. Elliot:
Diary:
     January 18-Saturday
     Becoming very pleasant and quite warm.
     I went on shore to day. went to Charlys and had supper with him and Ann. also Mr. Briggs had a fine supper of fried oysters and Beef Steak. and although Charlys habitation is not according to our Northern ideas of a tenement or a house. but still it seemed at that time a home almost for it really seemed natural little Gus is as happy and merry as possible. I had have been fortunate enough to have got on shore yesterday I should have seen Georgette & Emma. I would certainly have liked very much to have met them.
     Went in and slept with Nell in bed. played serichre until quite late and had a fine time enjoying myself as well as I could anywhere away from home wife, friends and all a man has to care for. [Illustration]

Corpl. B. B. Smith:
Diary:
     Saturday 18
     Rather Rough.  the same
     Old thing not landed yet.