Horace Purdy Journal, June 1863 Entry (Still Image)

Horace Purdy Journal, June 1863 Entry

Purdy, Horace, 1835-1909

3pgs

6/1 MONDAY - Pleasant. But little work in the shop though it took nearly all day to do it on account of waiting for the Facers. Gussie did her washing today for the first time since last fall. George came to the shop in the P.M. just before I finished work. We were paid off today. We had not received any pay before in 4 weeks. I came home by way of Joseph Ives store and paid him for my range and I brought home a spider (Ed note: a kitchen utensil ' a basket with a long handle). After tea, I hoed garden for Harriet. Went into the street in the evening and exchanged the spider for a longer one and brought back a fish line to use on tomorrow. Henry Rider, the enrolling officer, took my mark preparatory to a draft. 6/2 TUESDAY - An eclipse of the moon last evening. Pleasant today. I hoed in my garden before breakfast. George and myself got Mr. McDonald's horse and went on Thomas Mountain and dug some sarsaparilla roots to send to Harewood Hospital, Washington D.C. (where George came from) to a friend. We fired at a mark with my revolver and then went over to Mill Plain Pond fishing in the P.M. We fished off the bridge and had very good luck. We each had a good mess besides giving Mr. McDonald a mess. After tea, I dressed nicer and went to the Post Office. I then went to Joseph Ives and arranged for a new bottom to our new Prizer range which has broken. 6/3 WEDNESDAY - Pleasant, but cool. We had our fish for breakfast. I had the headache in the P.M. George went to Bridgeport this morning. I went to the depot in the evening to meet him, but he did not come. I stopped at the Office and got a letter from Harriet. Mr. and Mrs. Ford and child (preacher in Ridgefield) spent the day at Father Griswold's. 6/4 THURSDAY - Pleasant, but rather cool for summer. I worked as usual in the shop. George came home on the morning train. He got left in Norwalk last night and stayed with John Brayman. I worked late in the shop. I hoed in my garden after tea. Did not go into the street in the evening. Was very tired. 6/5 FRIDAY - Cloudy and cool in the morning. Pleasant in the middle of the day and cloudy again in the evening with the appearance of rain. When I came home from the shop, I borrowed Mr. Cocking's scythe and mowed my door yard. Gussie went into the street in the evening and George came home with her. 6/6 SATURDAY - A little rain in the morning. Sunshine and cloudy at times during the day. Gussie went up home in the P.M. When I came home from work, I raked up my door yard grass which I mowed yesterday and got my own supper. Gussie, George and Bell came down after 7 o'clock. Bell stayed with Eddie while we all went to Concert Hall to hear Mr. Montgomery from Vicksburg, Miss. speak. It was free lecture and a collection taken. It was very interesting. 6/7 SUNDAY - Pleasant, but cool. Gussie, not having her new hat stayed at home and I attended church all day. Brother Crawford preached as usual. Text in the morning - Psalm 18-35, in the P.M. Philippians 3-8. George sat in the gallery in the morning and with me in my seat in the P.M. I have had a headache all day. I wrote to Cousin David Mills in Turner's Lane Hospital, Philadelphia, Pa. and sent it to the Office by Gussie in the evening. I stayed at home in the evening and Gussie went to prayer meeting. She scalded her arm at the tea table by turning over the tea pot. 6/8 MONDAY - Prospects of rain a part of the day and sunshine the remainder. I got my grass in with the wheelbarrow and piled it up to rot for manure. I then took the grass hook and trimmed up after the scythe. Consequently, I was late to the shop. I did not feel very well and left my work before the night. I got my stove, the Paige Range changed for the Opal. I gave a dollar in exchange. George went into the woods in the P.M. with the girls. When he returned, he brought down the 3 dozen yeast cakes to be sent to Mrs. Boyle in Brooklyn and the Sarsaparilla roots to be sent to Harewood Hospital in Washington tomorrow morning by John Grannis who returns to his Reg't ( the 17t)h ). I hoed in the garden after tea and went to the market in the evening and brought home a loaf of bread and a 4 lb. shad. George came from his Lodge here to pack the Sarsaparilla. He is to stay all night. Before he retired, he wrote a letter to his friend, Baker in Harewood Hospital, the one he sends the sarsaparilla to. 6/9 TUESDAY - a little rain this morning, but it was so very little that it did no good. Pleasant during the day and another little spatter just a t night. I went to the depot in the morning with George to give his sarsaparilla to John Grannis who started for the Reg't. George went to the shop with me and stayed a short time. After tea, I commenced bushing my peas. 6/10 WEDNESDAY - Warmer again. We are still limited in our work at the shop. Albert Benedict was married today at 1 o'clock to Miss Sturdevant at the 1st Congregational Church. It was a grand affair. They left on their bridal trip by the 4 ' train. Gussie went to see them married. I took a nap after dinner to refresh myself and then went to the shop. After tea, I finished bushing my peas. And clearing off the ground next of the woodhouse where the brush lay to make room for Mr. Cocking to pile up wood. I went rather late to class. I did some marketing before going in. I got a letter from David Mills form Turner's Lane Hospital, Philadelphia. 6/11 THURSDAY - Pleasant and warm. I finished my work at noon. After dinner, I took a nap and finished digging up Plantains in my yard. I the cut up the coarsest of my old pea brush and burnt the finest. I hoed over the vacant space in my garden reserved for cabbage. Put a wooden bottom in my coal hod and helped Mr. Cocking get his wood near to the woodhouse and pile it up. It began to rain while we were doing this. When we finished, we took a seat on my front Piazza and talked while he smoked his pipe. Gussie being over to Mrs. Davis' making a blouse with Mrs. Davis' help. Thomas Stone and Hull's wife have eloped. Just heard of it today. 6/12 FRIDAY - A little rain last night. Very warm. George called at the shop and gave me a check to endorse to draw his bounty money. I left it at the Danbury Bank to be collected. The corpse of Charles L. Benedict came on last evening's train from Harewood Hospital, Washington D.C. He was one on George's old comrades in his company (Co. C) 17th Reg't. The funeral was attended at 1 o'clock this P.M. at his home over to Stony Hill. I finished my work about 4 o'clock and went up to Robert Lewe's for some pepper plants. On my way back I stopped a few minutes to see Nelson. Nickerson who has just returned home from Long Island. We had a fine mess of strawberries from my garden for tea. I then fired off my pistol at a mark and drove some stakes to my Dahlias. George then came along on his way downtown and I went with him. I left him at the Post Office waiting for meeting to be out to come home with Mother. I went to market; bought two small lobsters, two fresh mackerel and a bunch of radishes and walked up home with Mr. Francis. 6/13 SATURDAY - Gussie went up home in the forenoon and stayed all day. I came home and got my own dinner. I finished my work about 3 o'clock. On my way home, I borrowed 2 dollars of O.H. Swift and paid my taxes which was $4.95. It began to rain before I got home. George came home with Gussie and Eddy. Fanny came down in the evening and stayed with Eddy Gussie brought home her new summer hat. 6/14 SUNDAY - Pleasant and warm. George came down before church time and we both went to the 1st Congregational Church to hear Mr. Coe. I left George at our Sunday School and came home to let Gussie go in the P.M. George came home with her to tea after which we put Eddy in his carriage and all went up to the cemetery. George went over to Mrs. White's to see Harriet Mills and we came home. Mother and Bell were there having stopped on their way to evening meeting. We being tired did not go out in the evening. 6/15 MONDAY - Pleasant and warm. Unwell with Diarrhea. Did not work in the shop. Went over to Oil Mill Pond with George in the P.M. We fished a little and took a bathe. He took dinner and tea with us. We went downtown in the evening to make some arrangements for a picnic on Thursday. It is reported that Maryland is invaded again by the rebels. Moved my stove up to Father Griswold' house 6/16 TUESDAY - PLEASANT. Considerable air shining and cooler than yesterday. Not feeling well yet; I have not been to the shop. I carried the yeast cakes down to Charles Reed's store to be sent to Harriet for Mrs. Boyle by him. I have worked in my garden, some weeding and hoeing. The rebels are invading Pennsylvania. The evening papers say that they are within 15 miles of Harrisburg, the capital.

1863-06

Danbury (Conn.) -- History.

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

Western Connecticut State University