DIY History | Transcribe | Civil War Diaries and Letters | George C. Burmeister diary, 1864

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1864-02-06

Saturday 6  The weather is quite cold during the night, and the majority of the men emigrate to a neighboring valley where they select some quiet corner of a cut and compose their weary bodies during the night, how very little it takes in this world to make a man comfortable and happy, but how few there are who think so; thousands are toiling from morning till night to acquire a competency to place themselves above manual labor and physical want, they are not even satisfied with a capital sufficient to make themselves comfortable, but must have the most extravagant luxuries, after they possess all that can be secured, they are not contented but foolishly ask for more, and die perhaps without having benefitted the world, ruined in morality, and unhappy beings.  Perhaps I would be happier if I could feel satisfied with everything, take things as they are, and not trouble myself about them to improve them as I frequently do, but I can not do this, something within me complels me to press on and make additions and improvements wherever I deem them necessary.  If God will spare my life I intend to add to the general stock of intelligence and leave in the treasury of the world more than I draw from it; it is every one’s duty to strive to increase his usefulness, and assist his fellow man to advance, it is to his own interest to do it.

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Saturday 6 The weather is quite cold during the night, and the majority of the men emigrate to a neighboring valley where they select some quiet corner of a cut and compose their weary bodies during the night, how very little it takes in this world to make a man comfortable and happy, but how few there are who think so; thousands are toiling from morning till night to acquire a competency to place themselves above manual labor and physical want, they are not even satisfied with a capital sufficient to make themselves comfortable, but must have the most extravagant luxuries, after they possess all that can be secured, they are not contented but foolishly ask for more, and die perhaps without having benefitted the world, ruined in morality, and unhappy beings. Perhaps I would be happier if I could feel satisfied with everything, take things as they are, and not trouble myself about them to improve them as I frequently do, but I can not do this, something within me complels me to press on and make additions and improvements wherever I deem them necessary. If God will spare my life I intend to add to the general stock of intelligence and leave in the treasury of the world more than I draw from it; it is every one’s duty to strive to increase his usefulness, and assist his fellow man to advance, it is to his own interest to do it.