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

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1864-02-20 -- 1864-02-21

Saturday 20.  I have my house completed and enjoyed it very much today.  I feel quite at home.  I wrote several letters to my friends today and read some news and some extracts from some of my books.  Lts. Kenedy, Kern and Kreitz were in my home and we had a very social time till eleven o’clock when our circle broke up. I do not court the society of men as much as most men but when I find men who are capable of making themselves agreeable.  I love to spend a few hours with them , in social intercourse, for I have sufficient trouble and must have some time for recreation.
Sunday 21  My company made an excellent appearance this morning at inspection.  We had divine services at the chaplain’s hut which is placed hermit-like, all by itself in the bottom near the river.  The chaplain made some remarks, while the [auditors?] were waiting for Mr. Bardell, an agent of the Christian commission who arrived pretty late, and delivered a short but interesting discourse, at its close he left a number of tracts and papers to be distributed among the men of the regiment, where the men snatched up very greedily.  I think the Christian Commission is doing a very good work among the soldiers in thus supplying them with useful reading this tends to allay the demoralizing influence of the yellow covered literature, which is extensively read.

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Saturday 20. I have my house completed and enjoyed it very much today. I feel quite at home. I wrote several letters to my friends today and read some news and some extracts from some of my books. Lts. Kenedy, Kern and Kreitz were in my home and we had a very social time till eleven o’clock when our circle broke up. I do not court the society of men as much as most men but when I find men who are capable of making themselves agreeable. I love to spend a few hours with them , in social intercourse, for I have sufficient trouble and must have some time for recreation. Sunday 21 My company made an excellent appearance this morning at inspection. We had divine services at the chaplain’s hut which is placed hermit-like, all by itself in the bottom near the river. The chaplain made some remarks, while the [auditors?] were waiting for Mr. Bardell, an agent of the Christian commission who arrived pretty late, and delivered a short but interesting discourse, at its close he left a number of tracts and papers to be distributed among the men of the regiment, where the men snatched up very greedily. I think the Christian Commission is doing a very good work among the soldiers in thus supplying them with useful reading this tends to allay the demoralizing influence of the yellow covered literature, which is extensively read.