Saturday, February 15.—Heavy firing in the direction of Drainesville. Snow-storm.
Sunday, February 16.—Official news of the taking of Fort Donelson.
Monday, February 17.—We (centre section) were relieved from picket duty by the right section, Lieutenant J. G. Hassard.
Saturday, February 22.—Camp Wilkes. The rebels fired salutes in honor of Washington’s birth-day.
Sunday, February 23.—The rebels opened with their artillery, the first time during the winter, demolishing a government wagon.
Monday, February 24.—Orders came in the afternoon to get ready to march the coming day. New knapsacks were issued, and rations kept ready for three days. Great times in camp, especially in the sixth detachment, all the rations on hand being sold to Benson’s for whiskey. Who would not remember S. that evening, the stove, and O! Su!
Tuesday, February 25.—Sedgwick’s division left Poolesville at eight o’clock, A. M. Marched through Barnesville, and after several unsuccessful attempts to get the artillery across the Sugar Loaf Mountain, stopped over night at the foot of the mountain. A very cold night. No tents.
Wednesday, February 26.—Marched at seven o’clock A. M. Arrived at Adamstown by eleven o’clock A. M. General Banks was at Harper’s Ferry already. Troops were passing by railroad, en route for Harper’s Ferry, all the time. Our battery went in park, for the rest of the day, close to the railroad. General McClellan passed through in a special train. Rain all night.
Thursday, February 27.—The battery was loaded on cars in the morning. The baggage teams, and the drivers with the battery-horses, went on the turnpike road, through Jefferson City, Petersville, Knoxville, and Weavertown, and arrived at Sandy Hook by nightfall. The cannoniers, coming by railroad, made a raid on a number of express boxes, after which, eatables and all sorts of liquors being plenty, all night, the happiness of the men reached such a degree, as to make it impossible to post a guard,—Novel and Drape being the happiest men in the sixth detachment, while Jim Lewes hallooed for Billy Knight all the time. The night was extremely windy and cold.
Friday, February 28.—The battery crossed the Potomac to Harper’s Ferry on a pontoon bridge. We occupy one of the government buildings on the hill.