Category Archives: Robinson Diary

February 8-12 1863

Henry S. Robinson Diary, February 8th -12th 1863
Henry S. Robinson Diary, February 8th -12th 1863

8th Feb. On the Potomac
The “Wilson Small” was loaded [ ]
deeply there was considerable [ ]
in the river, floating – not quite so much
however as yesterday, the trees were
bare so had good view of Mt. Vernon
Fort Washtn. has 40 or 50 barbette guns,
left Washtn. at 8am and at the Creek
about 1P.M. – Got my freight  off
through the Warehouse +loaded
go on the 6OClock train- arrd.
at Falmouth about 71/2 P.M.
– Guard put on the boxes
Read letter written from Mary written 2
on containing -stamps and change

9th Got trams and took boxes to
Camp + delivered them to the men
Gave $10 towards Col. Bowmans
horse- cost $300-
Wrote to Adams + [ ]
[ ] [ ] [ ] Col Presidentialwith
horse + in the evening a
Social meeting was held at
his Quarters

10th Opp. Fredbg – Wasin day
a great day of Ball playing in AM
Orelens came about 12 to get seen
to start in Formal Line about
2OClock- F.A.G. +H. G.+P.G.
Got started in Gass (?) about 4 ½ 
arrd at Cequia(?) creek about dark
Went aboard Str.(?) S. America
all of the 36th [ ] of 100th

11th Got under way about 7 ½ AM
Raw wind + finally rainy
Came to anchor about 8 Pull in
St. Mary’s river
Paid for breakfast + dinner 75

12th On board the S. America
Got underway about 6 ½ AM,
Foggy, drizzly, can’t see
anything on shore
[ ] #29 to Mary = just ½ in the
mail. After geting into the Bay
the weather cleared up + could
Chesapeake Bay

 

 

February 12-16 1863

Henry S. Robinson Diary, February 12th-16th 1863
Henry S. Robinson Diary, February 12th-16th 1863

Chesapeake Bay

12th Feb. On board Str. S. America
see a mile or more.
Came to anchor in the Roads after
dark ­–

13th Got underway about 9 AM
steamed(?) around nearly to the
landing in front of the Fort.
passed, near the [R… ], +
[ ] Point, passed the Firegate(?)
Minnesota which hailed us, IronClad Nahart(?)
+  several other Gunboats to the
Wharf at Newport News
Halted 2 or 3 hours in the intrench
-ments, then marched up the
James River 2 miles, past the
brick building intrenched, +
camped a quarter of a mile or
so from the river, on a Sandy
plain ­– Cut logs for a
house + had part of them [ ]
to Camp

14th Camp Nior Newport News
– Got our logs placed for house
the same as the one used on the
Rappahammock – Got on A lent + [ ] it
– Got letter from May
written the 8th

15th Sunday – rainy + warm
Went on Picket in rear of Camp –
– Pretty wet towards night + in first of
night. Read letter from Mrs. Peggy
+ R.H. Heywood.

16th Relieved by Camp Guards
Drew 2ds. rations meat, Bread. S + C
1ds. ration Rice, Potatoes + Onions
Candles                     Dep  Parade
Went down to the wharf + got a lot
of Equip. boxes for [R… ]. I got the one
sent by Kilbern the 20th Jan. shower
2 ½ long can 1 large + 3 small cans To. 2 bottle
ketchup 3 of Huckl. 2 cans Peppers 1can Jam
1 Pot Jam – 1 glass Jelly – Pickles + apples

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

June 7-9, 1862

Henry S. Robinson Diary, June 7th to June 9th 1862
Henry S. Robinson Diary, June 7th to June 9th 1862

7th June 1862 – Clinton

Paid fare to Lawrence    $1.40
on business for J.R.R-
Arrd at L.11 1/2 A.M
Boarded with V.O. Baleon(?)
94 Essex St-
Mill is below the Spicket-
2-boilers-(Lowell?) J.R. $3.00

Mirror(?) has been burning 2,000
lbs coal to dry 3,000 lbs.Paper

8th Sunday –

(Heard?) Ru       of (Lasserie?)
st. Church in A.M.
Dea.          in Sabbath school
Rev.  (Mrs.?) (Jenny?) at Central chch.(church)
in P.M. + at concert –
New American Encyclopedia pre
– sented by the L. School –

9th   3 masons at work on the
setting – several tenders
worked all day

June 10-14, 1862

june 10-14
Henry S. Robinson Diary, June 10th-14th 1862

10th Jun 1862- Lawrence (May?)
& masons at work on setting
also several tenders
worked all day –
I

 

11th Tested [M…?] boiler
to 85 lbs. – leaked a little
on top – in two seams –
Went into boiler + found
it scaled badly – old rivets
remained from the patching
several years ago –
Masons finished
Got the grates in
Worked 1 ½ days

 

12th– Started [fire?] about
8 P.M. Head to build
wood fire in blue to start
smoke up chimney –
worked 1 day 2 hours –

 

13th June Lawrence
Run [M…?] boiler enough
to dry the clay on top –

Packed lower head of heater
+ commenced attaching pipes
to it – worked all day-

 

14th– Got heater connected
+ let steam into it.
Got Wilders grates in +
water running in –
His boiler was not so dirty
as [M…?]
Left mill for house at 3 ¼
P.M. got started from Lawrence
about- 3 – 35 and in Lowell
5 minutes too late for train
Paid fare to Boston 75

Went to Old Harbor wharf
to Boston

June 15-21, 1862

June 15-21
Henry S. Robinson Diary, June 15th – 21st 1862

 

15th June Boston – Sunday
Attended church A.M + P.M
at Springfield st. chapel
S.S. Concert in evening at 7¼
Ms. Mellen spoke to children
– a poor sailor who goes about
doing good.

16th Went to So Boston to
all the building lots –
also to old entrenchments
at the extreme end –
Old Harbor wharf best.

Sent application for [?]
of 2500 dollars life insurance
Saw Hibbard who wants me
to apply an Indicator to a
(Cerlip?) Engine for him

Paid fare to Berlin 100

17th June Clinton
Hoed garden + put down parlor
carpet-

18th

18th Put down sitting room carpet
– got 2 bundles straw 16

19th Finished sitting room
Paid for 3 [ds?] (backing?)3.75
– “ little chain 1.10
“ for horse to N. (Berlish?) 1.30

20th worked in garden + on
my Navy papers –

21st Paid for fencing stuff 13
“ “ “ nail + hinges 12
“ “ Toothbrush 15
“ “ Cord + [?] 15

June 22-27,1862

Henry S. Robinson Diary, June 15th-21st 1862
Henry S. Robinson Diary, June 15th-21st 1862

 

1862

22nd June, Clinton
Rv. Ms.               of Princeton [J…?]
– A.M. on the Rebellion + the (hopes?)
of good on its act.  S.S. in Vestry
+ on Green St. at A Rll.

 

23d   Left Clinton 3½ A.M with
Whitcomb fare to Boston 18/20
+ 20 cts. for last monday
Saw J.R. + also Ms. Hibbard
who isn’t ready to begin
Stayed at J.R.(s?) 218 (N…?)st.

 

24th Went to Harvard pl. opp.
Old S. church at 10 A.M. – saw
Mr P. Hobart – who has 27 tenants
has a 12” cyl x 36” Coslip Engine 44 rev.
50 to 8 lbs. steam – takes full stroke
if below 60 – (occasionally) use
213 lbs. of coal an hour – dust @ 2
2 boilers 24ft. x 36” – 2-( finish?)
see next page

1862

24th June Boston
Spent 2 hours on PP Engine
HS. in the boilers 420 ft – 213 lbs. coal dust
a 2 dols = 71 lbs cool
25th – Engine is doing from 35 to 40
Indicator PP =
Rev. Daniel Lenny was (instated?)
pastor of Springfield St. Church
Rev. Mr. Webb read scripture + prayed
D(?) Swain of (Rev Jesachell?) on faith
D(?) (B…?)prayed + charged the
Pastor – yet to preach politics
D (?) Thompson Rev.  gave right hand
of fellowship. Rev. A L. Stone charged
the people – D Adams prayed

 

26th

 

27th

June 28- July 2, 1862

Henry S. Robinson Diary, June 28th-July 2nd 1862
Henry S. Robinson Diary, June 28th-July 2nd 1862

1862
28th June Boston
Went to South Boston, E.( B…?)
Chelsea + Charles town
– The Old Harbor wharf seems
to be the best for the business
of which J.R. is intending to do-

29th Sunday Rev. Mr. Lenny
preached (S…?) St. chapel.
I went to S. School – + (?) (?)

30th News of the battles of
27th + 28th came –

Saw. Com. Sartori + Mr.
Stowt. Com. S. told me to
state in my letter to the Depart-
ment – that he did order
me not to have a watch at first
on acct of the report made to
him by Chf. Eng. + others.

1862
1st July Boston
Went to see Com. Sartori + Mr.
Green the Eng. who is going out in
the Genisee – he remembers that I
was going out in the Curlew –
Saw the Niagara –
Went aboard the Saxon –
(blg?) –                  variable cut off –

Went to E. Boston – saw them
about the Indicator
Saw the “Battery” Reel laid
Worked 3 hours on the EP Engine

2nd Settled with J.R.
Gave him (reel?) in full of all
demand to date $581.32
he giving me a note for $6.40 to balance
my act. as my act was that
much greater than his – This is
a settlement of all act since the
9th Nov. 1860 –

July 2-9, 1862

july 2-9
Henry S. Robinson Diary, July 2nd – 9th 1862

1862
2nd July Boston –
Started for home 3½ PM.
Sent my letter of explanation to
Navy Department, to be ans-
wered at 20 State St.
Fare both ways 240 + 260 = $5.00
total amt. spent –

3d Clinton
Paid for fire works.      .25

4th Fire department paraded

5th Made a cart for Josie
Paid for screws + c.      .20
“ Pew  rent
“ (Bre?)  “         .13.

6th Sunday – Rev. Mr. (Larboe?) preached
– communion – had clap
in S. School

Clinton
7th July – Hoed garden –
Started for Boston 12 M.         1.35

Paid fare to E. Boston + back. 14
“      Sweet oil for Indicator           .33
“      for supper                                 15
H.R.R.                                           10
Worked till 11 P.M. got the Ind.
attached to Shaft. End
Worked on the PP Engine 8 hours
spent – 62 cts. on the job.

8th Took Diagrams all day
Paid for breakfast + dinner                 34
“              “    Paper for  cards    6
“              “    (Pipefitting?)        20
Worked on PP. Engine 10 hours
Paid out                                               60 cts.

9th Taking Diagrams all day
Paid for breakfast dinner + supper                  46
“              “     Paper for cards                   6
.52
Worked on PP Engine 10 hours pd out .52
Saw the balloon Star Spangled banner