15 - 21 Dec 1863

Dec 15 - Lovely morning.  Rode to fort and bridge with Col Swayne.  Finished letter to W[estern] Episcopalian.  P.m. reading of a devoted and successful minister stirred me up.  Went and prayed, devoted myself amen.  New spirituality I feel.  Praise to God.

Dec 16 - Mild, but cloudy and showers; very heavy rain at evening.  Had a good p[rayer] meeting and a poor boys afterward at school.  Called on Col. Noyes.  A.m. [?]kend a window at chapel.  Four good and affectionate letters from mother.  A pretty good day.

Dec 17 - Cold and wintry but stirs the blood.  High water carried off half the new R[ail] R[oad] bridge.  Read some in L[?]g's Columbus letter from Ella.  They had been robbed at night of a watch and some money.  She had not been well but is all right again.

Dec 18 - Cold bright day.  Wagar inventing hot air engine.  Got on well in study.  School in eve.  Rode over at 3 to Mr. Motman's a citizen near.  An excellent family apparently.

Dec 19 - Cold day.  Ground frozen.  Studied as usual.  Eve presided at debating society.  Feel at times a great longing to see my dear wife.

Dec 20 - A little more moderate.  A.m. preached at chapel then with Brush left for Brown's Mill.  Preached there by the saw mill.  A number of officers and men present.  Courteously received.  Eve much interested in memoir of Adjutant Stearns, a Christian officer of 21st Mass[achusetts].

Dec 21 - Talked with a few on religion.  Bought poultry etc.  Got back to Prospect at 1:00.  Wrote Ella.  At eve a good society about re-enlistment.  This is as good a field for usefulness as I have usually had.