1862 November 25 camp near Fairfax Seminary

25. Cloudy towards Eveg.  Brig. drill in P.M.  read, wrote
letters, visited sick – talked personally with some –
a bright young Englishman came to my tent, under
serious impressions – talked  questioned & prayed
with him, he seems in hopeful state.
Burnside is moving towards Richmond – Will
Lee & Jackson follow or dash in on us & Washington
by Arlington heights – I have often wished I had
kept a record of my frail [?] barometric of the war
atmosphere – For nine tenths of time I have
been very hopeful – but lately from long inaction
of Army – depression of depreciation of govt. money –
(i.e. rise of coin)  democratic victories in No.
I began to feel discouraged a little – now

fr. statement that Govt. debt  will be only about 800,000,000
July 1863.  fact of rise in rivers – completion of our
enormous iron clad fleet & the movement of
Burnside – the wretched state of rebel army   I
feel as if God would yet speedily give us the
Victory – joined with Pres. proclamation, of
freedom to slaves of rebels [-] Jany.  only 6 weeks more.
A soldier recd. a letter of 22d. saying Mr. Hornblower was
dead – I knew it could’nt be true, but it gave me a
dreadful shock – a letter from Jane D. about Cols. health –
dated 24 – reassured me –

[transcribed by Mary Roy Dawson Edwards]

MSS 12935