For Educational Use Only www.MaineMemory.net Copyright 2010 Private Note Book of John Marshall Brown 1st Lt –– Adjt. 20th Regt. Maine Vo[blot] Contributed to Maine Memory Network by Maine Historical Society (Coll. 2145, Box 6/Ms 2) MMN #34733 Date: 1862-1863 Description: John Marshall Brown’s private notebook 1862 Dec 29th After dinner w. Col. C. to Fredericksburg. after return whole rgt went on picket. Dec. 30th. Rode into camp & got forageand rations. called on the 17th. found Corning sick. [?] regt. & changed camp of H. Q. chicken for dinner. went to a farm house & bought apples. x x x Recd. Col. Ames for mess .65 8lb apples for mess .70 x x x In afternoon Col. Vincent was relieved of command of picket to take the Brigade Col A takes picket. after dark I [?] Some new posts. Dec 1s 1s day of winter I took a bath in Potomac creek under a great persimmon tree. or sycamore. Shortly after we were relieved. Rodin[?] & spent the day on monetary returns. [Drawing of tent with label:] Hd Qur Dec 1t Dec 2 Busy on reports. a court of inquiry sitting here Col. A. pres. fixed up my tent –––– Pd. Fields for mess 5.00 –––– In eve wrote to Jim (no 18). ––––– Dec 3d Busy on reports &c. got a mail in the Eve. & also my [?] from Washington. got news in letter from Nellie of Mrs. Quorlts [?] death wrote to EBQ. ––––––––––––– Dec. 4t Miss Eaton & Miss Fogg visited us today. Bat drill afternoon – Pd. Field for mess 3.00 – – got a l ––––––––– Dec 5t Rain & Snow. Major [?] up. got my box but some things stolen from it. Rode to [?] to see about them. Mail from home 2 letters fr. moth 1 Jim 1 Em –––––––– Dec 6th Col. C. & I rode to Gen. Howards then to Falmouth & saw the [?] pickets then rode back through the woods to camp. Dec 7t anniversary of Col. C’s wedding being promoted to 2d maine. drank last bottle of ale. mail from home letter fr Phil. Dec 8t Started on picket. beyond old ground. rode all over the line built splendid fire. Dec. 9t changed Hd Qurs. rode out the woods. had veal & potatoes for dinner. Dec. 10t rode into camp. picket with- -drawn at 12. got ready to move tomorrow 6t Mess Field . 4.00 wrote to Mother (18) & Nellie (19) Dec 11t Broke camp. marched to front. did nothing wrote to Phil (20) bivouacked in woods. sent horse back to camp for [?]. Dec 12. Brigade moved & halted all day, rode over into Fredericksburg camped for night in woods. went foraging got chickens &c. Pd for mess .75 Dec 13. Brigade moved early & halted in pontoon bridge. at 3 crossed & went into battle. gained the crest of the middle hill & slept on the field lost 3 killed & about 28 wounded. Dec 14. My birth day. Staid on the field all day, musketry so heavy that no one could reach us. 1 man killed & several wounded. at night relieved marched in & bivouacked in the streets. Dec. 15. In Fredericksburg. afternoon went [?] & found wagons when I got back regiment had moved. found them at the upper end of the town. Hd. Qurs in a large house of Dr Shoff[?] wrote to mother (21) & Jim (22) Dec 16. at midnight the regiment ordered to fill rifle pits at the front went out Col. A. in charge of 3 regts. after went into town, reported to Gen G. & walked back at 3:30 ordered to fall back & evacuate town. crossed to old camp rested a few hours & then went to old camp. changed regimental lines. Dec. 17t Fixing up. Got men to work on log house for major & myself. sent in report. 4 killed. 30 wounded 2 [?] & missing Col. A off on picket. Col Hathaway came up with letters from Phil. mail. Dec 18.. Fixing up. mail fr. home. mince pie Pd Field mess 5.00 [?] at Dress Parade [?] on Col. Vincent. Slept in my log house Dec. 19t Inspection. Trimonthly report. Adjts. office. Col. Tent fixed up. Supper at 17t Regulars, rode home with Col. Vincent. Dec. 20th At dress parade Phil & Mr Gilman came up supper. Col sick. Dec 21t Rode over to Sykes & saw Sam Gilman. wrote to Mother (23) Dec 22. Col. to Washington. Sykes, Fredericksburg, Burnside Euchre in Evening. Jones Express Dec 23. Sickles. 17t Maine Gen [Paring?] & Gen. Howard. Col. Vincent. Dec 24t Franklin & Burnside & Gen Binny Package came up Dec 25 Christmas dinner 5.75 for mess Dec 26 Busy in camp Phil & Mr Gilman making calls Dec 27 Phil & Mr G. go home Dec 28 Inspection grounds & qurs. took long ride with Col. C. sick Dec 29t sick. after dress parade took ride with Col. C. Dec 30. to [?] creek 100 for mess coming back found regiment gone. Dec 31. went after regiment found them at Prichards Ford Jan. 1s. Returned to camp Jan 2. Muster & Inspection Jan 3d Busy on monthly returns & ct. martial, Band serenaded Mrs Vincent wrote Nel (24) Jan 4 Sunday inspection Jan 5 Called on Mrs Vincent Jan 6. Batt. drill by Major Jan 7. called on Mrs Vincent & Col Rice Jan 8 Camp reviewed. Maj. West dined with us Jan 9th Sent off muster roll Jan 10t severe rain. scotch toddy Jan 11th inspection, finished rolls wrote to Jim (25 Jan 12. Col. at Washington took a ride with Howell called on Maj. Andrews & got my field glass called on Mrs Vincent. Sent S. G. 2.00 Jan 13 Sent in application for tour called on Mrs Vincent Counting up my leave wrote to Mother no 26 Jan 14th got my leave for three days Jan 15 left camp & reached Wash called judge Clifford Jan 23. reached Washington & [?] creek . Jan 24 got to camp and joined the regt. rode with them from their bivouac Jan 25. rain getting fixed put up new tent. wrote mother 27 Jan 26 [?] changes hands Jan 27 Raining & uncomfortable read. Chs. Omalley Jan 28 Snow, severe storm Jan 29. clear, but very muddy rode over & saw Dick Pond got letter from Mother. C. J F. & C S W. Paid off Jan 30t Pd to Jan. got out monthly returns. Jan 31st sent in monthly returns calls from M Loughlin. new fife Feb 1st inspection called on 16 mich. undress parade orders about leaves Feb 2. Col off inspecting the Engineers. Euchre in the Evening. wrote to Phil & Mother (28). wrote to Lot Morrill Feb. 3d A very high wind & cold. got a field desk. Feb 4d wrote Jim (no 29.) time at 16 Michigan Capt Elliot Feb 5d Inspection by Col Sherman 22 Mass. Col Ch. leave came Snow and rain. [?] storm Feb 6. Col, Capt Bary & Clark off rain again Feb 7. Rode to Corps Hd Qurs & called on Capt Temple undress parade. called on major Capt Spear dined with us Feb 8th Sunday. inspection afternoon rode over to 17t Me gone out on picket. (10.000 a year Feb. 9th Capt Spear in command policed up the regt. Major got his leave. rode over to regt wrote nellie (30) Feb 10t Dick Pond called on me. read Caxtous. by Bulwer Feb 11t Posting up the Descriptive book. rained a little. got a letter from Mother & wrote to C.L.W. Feb 12 Regt on picket. reading Lady Audley’s Secret all day. rode over to 17tMe in afternoon with Major West. got letters from Nellie & Mother Feb 13t rode out to the picket line & called on the [?] coming back called at the Regs & saw Paul. Franny Winthrop & other “Lady Audleys” Feb 14t rode out to [?] again &made another call, coming in I lost my sword read “Pauline” Feb 15t – Regt came in fr. picket had undress parade & recd orders. at work on Register of absentees. Major came up Feb. 16. Batallion drill in the manual. got letter from Phil. working on quarterly returns Feb. 17. Snoweing hard all day read “No name” Feb. 18. Washed a dirty man in presence of the whole regt. Posted up the order book got letters from Jim & Nellie raining hard all day, a hard storm. wrote Phil (31) Feb. 19t made out trimonthly & report of absentees. called on 16 mich & got Wilber Spirit 10t Dana Howell & lady called on me. 11t Regt went out on picket clark in command Col. Lt Col & myself stayed in camp 12 Regt on picket 13 Regt still on picket. wrote to Hd Qurs to get ordinance [?] Called at 7t Maine & on Maj. Hyde. wrote to Mother no 32. 14. rode over to Cavalry with Capt Dana got a cask of ale from Washington[?] Regt came in from picket. 15. Carter called & we rode over to the regs. called on Mrs Wales not in called on Dick Pond. Saw Gilman brought me a letter from Father had inspection in morning in eve. a sleet storm. talk with colonel 16. Roan through me over his head had talk w. col. wrote to Father no 33. 17. St Patricks day. Col Kent & Maj. Hyde called went over to 9t Mass & saw [?]. They [?] to dinner. Policing 18. got ready for inspection. major went away. [?] at [?] H.Q. 19t. Inspect by Col [?] a fine affair. dined afterward at the Doctors. 20. Snow storm. Maj. West called & we herd a little about his promotion. wrote to Nellie 34 21. Snowing training had spirit rapping in Evening 22. rode to regulars called on Mrs Wales & saw Goddard wrote to Jim no 35. 23 [?] reports of Parrs called [Bab?] [sleeted?] in afternoon. 24 Raining Maj West called to see about the [?].