1862 December 24 Staunton, Va.

[from the diary of Joseph Addison Waddell, former newspaper publisher and civilian employee of the Quartermaster Dept.]

Wednesday night, Dec. 24, 1862

Every face was bright this morning, on account of the Northern news published in the Richmond papers of yesterday. There seems to be no doubt that Seward has tendered his resignation. Wm. B. Reed, of Philadelphia, has written warmly advocating peace. The last report from Millroy is; that he was moving towards Harper's Ferry. Kate just came in with a volume of sermons — "Pulpit Eloquence of the Nineteenth Century" — as a Christmas present for me. To-morrow we have holiday, and I anticipate it with as much pleasure as I used to feel in boyhood.

[transcript by the Valley of the Shadow project]

MSS 38-258