Creator

Purdy, Horace, 1835-1909

Title

Horace Purdy Journal, February 1862 Entry

Date

1862-02

Description

9pgs

Subject

Danbury (Conn.) -- History.

United States -- History -- Civil War, 1861-1865 -- Personal Narratives.

Benedict and Nichols

Brother Pegg

Charles Reed

David Mills

George Washington

Henry Crofut

Henry Taylor

Mary Purdy

Mr. Olmstead

Mr. Warren

Smith Pulling

Publisher

Western Connecticut State University

Abstract

FEBRARY 01 – SATURDAY – Stormy, snow. I have had a half day’s work in the shop. I waited all the PM and then came home without getting more. I found Mother Griswold, Fanny and Miss Watson there. They stayed to tea and spent the evening. FEBRARY 02 – SUNDAY – Pleasant. I attended church in the morning. I attended church in the morning. Brother Pegg preached from John 10, first clause of the ninth verse, “I am the Door”. I came home after Sunday school and Gussie attended in the PM. After tea, we went over home and stayed until meeting time. I attended in the evening and a good prayer meeting we had too. I did not enjoy it as I would like to have done on account of a severe headache. FEBRUARY 03 – MONDAY – I spent the better part of the day at Deacon Stone’s office where the Board of Selectmen were examining persons who claimed exemption from military duty who were drafted. There being some disagreement in my case as to the time served in the active militia heretofore, I was therefore set aside for the time to await further investigation. It was finally taken up again and my name was stricken from the enrolled militia, there being a provision in the law to exempt me, I having served the required time under the old law. But the drafting was stopped by an order from the Adjutant General which arrived by mail. The seats in the church were re-rented at 2 o’clock this afternoon. Henry Taylor’s corpse came by express on the evening train. Sewing Society meeting at Abel’s. We went over. Ira Dikeman died early this evening. FEBRUARY 04 – TUESDAY – I have worked in the shop. The day has been a broken one on account of a shop call for a Bill of Prices. Father came over and spent the evening with us, a thing rather unusual for him. FEBRUARY 05 – WEDNESDAY – It has been a pleasant day. Ira Dikeman was buried this forenoon at 10 o’clock. I worked in the shop until noon and then turned out with the returned volunteers to attend the funeral of Henry Taylor of the 8th Regiment of the Connecticut Volunteers who died of a fever at Annapolis, Maryland. It was attended at the Methodist Church at 2 o’clock. The Bethel company came up and aided in the demonstration. The funeral was largely attended and was very interesting. The Disciples’’ preacher, Mr. Gilbert, opened with prayer. Mr. Coe read a chapter in the Bible and then Brother Pegg, Father Griswold and Mr. Stone talked to the friends and congregation in a very appropriate and interesting manner. The Bethel company fire the usual salute of three volleys over the grave. We took tea over to Father Griswold’s. I attended class in the evening. FEBRUARY 06 – THURSDAY – Pleasant in the morning, but before noon it snowed and soon turned to rain. I have worked in the shop. I went to market in the evening to get something for breakfast. FEBRUARY 07 – FRIDAY – Pleasant. It has thawed considerably today. We were to have a reply from Mr. Crofut in regard to a Bill of Prices, but on account of the death of his father, it was postponed until 12 o’clock next Monday. FEBRUARY 08 – SATURDAY – I have worked nearly all day in the shop. There is good news from the seat of the war. Fort Henry on the Tennessee River has been captured by Union troops. The battle was fought with gunboats on the river and the rebels surrendered before our land forces came up. The victory was complete, the rebels fleeing for their lives and leaving everything behind. The loss was small on both sides. The most disastrous event of the battle to us was that one of the rebel cannon shots passed through the boiler of one of our gunboats and 32 persons were scalded to death. This was a dreadful affair. FEBRUARY 09 SUNDAY – Pleasant. Communion Day. I attended in the morning. Brother Pegg preached from ____. I remained to the Sabbath School Prayer Meeting. It continued pretty late so that I did not get home in time to return to the Sacrament. As Gussie had concluded not to go, we were both home in the PM. Gussie attended in the morning while I stayed at home to take care of Edwin. FEBRUARY 10 – MONDAY – This noon being the time appointed for Mr. Crofut to give us an answer about a Bill of Prices, it took all the afternoon to attend to it. It was finally settled between Mr. Crofut and the men, but not in time to do much work after it. I went to Sunday School Teachers’ Meeting in the evening. It was used as a Prayer Meeting for the scholars who were seeking religion. Lucy Wildman was converted during the day and was there to speak of it. I received a letter from Cousin David Mills who is in the 5th Regiment of three year troops now near Hancock, Maryland. Gussie is afflicted with a swelling under her arm which is worse today. William B. Bradley was treated today for his girl baby. FEBRUARY 11 - TUESDAY – I have had about a half day’s work in the shop. Smith Pulling gave 50 cents to treat the men on account of a new baby his wife has. It is a daughter. FEBRUARY 12 – WEDNESDAY – There was about 2 inches of snow which fell last night. Pleasant today. I have had a full day’s work in the shop. It was so late when I came home from work that I did not go to class in the evening. FEBRUARY 13 – THURSDAY – A very little snow in the morning, but it soon cleared off warm. The snow has wasted fast. I went to market in the evening, but did not attend meeting. I came home to take care of Eddie so that Gussie could go over home to visit Miss Watson. FEBRUARY 14 – FRIDAY - St. Valentine’s Day. I have had work in the shop all day. I got an order from Mr. Crofut for $5.00 on Benedict & Nichols. It has thawed a good deal today. Good news by the evening papers from the Burnside Expedition on Pimlico Sound. The loss at the taking of Roanoke Island was small compared with the rebel accounts at first. The victory was complete. FEBRUARY 15 – SATURDAY – Stormy. Snow. I have worked in the shop. Miss Watson went home this afternoon in company with Father Griswold who is going to New York. I went to the store in the evening. FEBRUARY 16 – SUNDAY – Pleasant. I went to church in the morning. Brother Pease from Bethel preached for us from Mark 6:5-6. I came home after Sunday School to take care of Eddie and Gussie attended in the afternoon. Mother came home with her to tea and stayed until evening meeting. Isabella came down and stayed to take care of Eddie while I wrote to Charles and David Mills in the army. Gussie attended the Prayer meeting with Mother. FEBRUARY 17 – MONDAY – I have worked as usual in the shop. It has been a day of rejoicing for us today. Fort Donaldson on the Cumberland River has been captured by our troops under General Grant and the gunboats under Commodore Foote. It surrendered after three days’ fighting. The rebel generals Johnson, Buckner and Pillow with 15,000 prisoners have been taken. Our citizens to express their joy, rang the bells, threw the Stars and Stripes to the breeze, fired cannon and paraded the streets. I went into the street in the evening to get the news, etc. Sewing Society at Abel’s. I went over after I got home. FEBRUARY 18 – TUESDAY – It had the appearance of a storm in the morning, but it cleared off pleasant and quite warm. In the evening, I took my ham and shoulder over to Mr. Olmstead’s to be smoked. I went to market to get something for breakfast. FEBRUARY 19 – WEDNESDAY – Pleasant in the morning, but it soon became cloudy. It began to snow just before night and continued hard in the evening. I went to market in the evening and engaged some beef of Amos Stone. FEBRUARY 20 – THURSDAY – I spent the forenoon in getting a ½ ton of coal home and in the cellar and making some arrangements for a ½ quarter of beef to come from Amos Stone. I went to the shop in the afternoon. It has been quite warm today and the snow that fell last night is nearly gone. It grew cold just before night and began to freeze. I salted down my beef in the evening. I got my coal of Charles Reed and he took an order from Mr. Crofut on Griffing for pay - $3.62. FEBRUARY 21 – FRIDAY – Pleasant. I have worked in the shop. I got an order from Mr. Crofut to pay Amos Stone for my beef - $4.25. Gussie attended the Middle District School Exhibition in Concert Hall in the evening. She went on her father’s complimentary ticket. I stayed at home and took care of Eddie. FEBRUARY 22 – SATURDAY 22 – Washington’s Birthday. It has been celebrated as I never knew it before. The people gathered at Concert hall at 2 PM and in pursuance of the President’s proclamation, Washington’s Farewell Address was read. The late Union victories have caused the day to be generally one of rejoicing. Thirty-four guns were fired at 6 ½ o’clock in the morning with the ringing of the church bells. Thirteen more were fired at 12 o’clock and 34 again between five and six o’clock in the evening. The cannon was placed in the rear of the 1st Congregational Church on Ives Hill. Washington’s farewell Address was read by Reverend Mr. Robinson of the 2nd church who was followed with short and interesting speeches by the Reverends Stone, Pegg, Gilbert, Coe and Mr. Jackson, Osbourne and others. I went to George Hull’s in the evening with Gussie to carry some rags and have her trade it out. Father, Mother and Bell called in the evening. They spent a part of the evening over to Aunt Louisa’s. FEBRUARY 23 – SUNDAY - Pleasant and warm. I went upstairs before church time and dressed Mr. Warren’s wound with he made yesterday with his broad ax while he was cutting timber. I went to church in the morning. Brother Pegg preached from John 12:29. I met my class as usual in Sunday School after which I came home and Gussie attended in the PM. I attended prayer meeting in the evening. The snow has melted away very fast today. FEBRUARY 24 - MONDAY – Warm rain in the morning which made the snow and ice melt off pretty fast. The wind began to blow about 3 PM and steadily increased and grew cold very fast so that it froze considerably at 6 o’clock. It is March weather completely accompanied by snow squalls. We were paid $5.00 today. Business has the appearance of being better, two more men having been shopped – John McDowell and David Scribner. FEBRUARY 25 – TUESDAY – Cold and very windy this morning. The cold died away about noon. I received a letter from Cousin David Mills. I have worked as usual in the shop. I wrote a letter to David before I retired. FEBRUARY 26 – WEDNESDAY – Pleasant in the forenoon, but cloudy in the PM with the prospect of a storm. I have worked in the shop. A large fire in Norwalk. Our fire engines were telegraphed for about 9 o’clock, but before they were loaded on the cars, I believe the received another dispatch that they were not needed. The fire was on Main Street and 8 to 10 buildings were burned, including George Holmes & Co.’s store. Our box of Babbitt’s new soap came today. I worked so late in the shop that. Having to go to market, I did not attend class meeting. FEBRUARY 27 – THURSDAY – Snow. I left the shop in the afternoon with a severe headache. It cleared off just before night. Father was here when I came from the shop. He stayed awhile to see Eddie and then went home. Cousin Mary Purdy came over and spent the evening with us. FEBRUARY 28 - FRIDAY – Pleasant in the morning and snow in the PM with a high wind. I have worked all day in the shop. I am afflicted with canker sores in my mouth again. I have one on the end of my mouth which is very sore. It is like penance to eat and it troubles me to talk even.