Category Archives: Robinson Diary

January 20-24 1863

Henry S. Robinson Diary, January 20-24th 1863
Henry S. Robinson Diary, January 20-24th 1863

 

 

 

 

20th Jan. Opp. Fredburg
Frosty + unpleasant + sun absent +
signs of snow- Drilled A.M. + P.M.
Had orderts to be ready at an early horn
tomorrow – Dreps Parade- Sen. Bods.
orders read- saying we should soon meet
the Enemy again- About 9 P.M. had
orders to form line at 3 A.M.
Drew today 1 Ds. Rtn. Salt Beef S.G+H.N.
[ ] raining 6 P.M.
Franklin+ Hookers (Din?)moving to the right

21st Called at 2- ready to form line at 3am
raining with strong N.E. wind
About 4 a.m. had orders to be ready at a
minutes notice0 Rain continued all day
-Know nothing of the other Grand Divs.
– Monday it was reported that we had the
preparations made for bridges both to the
right+left.-
Drew 1ds. Rtn. C.S. HB. + Salt Beef-
Read letter from Mrs. Perry- Answered it

 Thirty Two Years old Today

 
22nd– Rain continued till after noon
-Heard from Hooker+Franklin that they are
608 miles north East of us- (pontoon’s?)stuck
in the mud + no prospect of making any
move across the river- Dab of. [ ]
-Drew/ds.etn. S.G.HB. Pork + Whisky
-Lt.Rd. sent in quarterly setting of muskets
– [ ] G in on hands. 13 returned to Gd.
7 with Jewel nd Houghton– I lost by Beers-
15- 3 deserters and 2 unaccounted for for- lost by Capt.
3- have been turned our this month
Sent #25 to Mary- Rain ceased about noon
-But sun not out

23rd Rain over but cloudy-
Read. letter from J.R.- Nothing new
only that the forward movement is de-
layed. – Drew 1 ds. est. G.S.HB. + meat
Boys playing ball- man in GRA sat on a barrel

24th Cloudy- Artillery enemy back
Drew 1 ds. rtn. G.S.HB. Fresh. meat. 2 ds. ets.
beans-20 lbs. Dried apples. – no drills
Read letter from Mary(20th) + from D.M Rd
burn –

January 31- February 5 1863

Henry S. Robinson Diary, January 31st-February 5th 1863
Henry S. Robinson Diary, January 31st-February 5th 1863

31st Jan. Opp. Fredbg.
Snow still going- Had the regular
monthly inspection– Ltd. B. insp-
-ected all the Rest. – Lt. Morse took
comd. of 60 as Capt. [ ]  he was
away + Lt. Lucker sick- I went
to Depot to wait for Capt. Mt(?) he
came at 4 ½ PM  + says my boxes are
not at [ ] + have not been there.
60 drew 3ds. Rtn. G.S. + HB.

1st Feb. Pleasant day-
Lt.Rd. at [ ] Creek – Had
Bible [ ]    Drew 2ds. rtn. Meat
-No Inspection, serves on Dept. Parads
Lt. Rd. couldn’t find his trunk

2nd Order to get ready for Inspec-
-tion + Review at 10 a.m. – as had to leave to go to Washington
Payrolls came + signed them. Pay to
1st Nov. MIne is from 200 Sept. to 1st Nov.
-Drew 3ds. rtn rice, 60lbs. potatoes 2
1ds. rtn salt pork- Read letter from Mary 26th [ ] wrote to [ ]
#27 + to J.R. + to Mary Lawyer-Mary’s letter had .50 + 3 [ ]

3rd Feb. Cold morning a little snow fall
ing- Orders for Inspection at 9 ½ a.m. Formed line
-No Insp. but had Batt. drill with [ ]
Learned that Ex. boxes were at Station + went
down- can’t see mine. – Drew 3ds.Rtn. HB.S.
+6. -40 lbs. Onions. about 20 each of Beans + Rice
Soap – + 2ds.Rtn. Fresh beef- Coldest night of
the season- Strong Northerly wind- Water freeze
in the tent our [ ] nice with good fire in fire place

4th Wind went down but it was a
very cold night- the coldest we have had.
Lt. Rd. made his bunk beside mine.
Ex. Boxes at Case H.2. – Went there
3 Times- Weather moderating. Read letter from [ ] in [ ]
Dep. Parade. at 5. P.M.

5th Another very cold night- Snow
falling wind about N.East. Boxes came to [ ]
Drew some clothing- 3ds Rtn. meat. Sugar
Soft + Hard bread. Coffee. – Rumors of our
going to Fort [ ] [ ]– Rain after 3 P.M.
Goodwill + Fuller not paid
– Men got pay to first Nov. 62-

 

 

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