Yorktown
August, 1863
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3 Had a shower every day for the past week. Weather very hot. A good deal of sickness among the men of the Garrison. They remain at Yorktown.
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9 Very warm during the past week. Rain most every day.
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16 Very warm today. Rain most every day during the last week. Moved to Gloucester Point today. Gloucester Point is north of Yorktown across the York River.
17 Very warm during the past week. My health quite poor. Still a great many men sick.
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24 Still very hot the past week. My health does not improve. A slight shower during the week.
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31 Quite cool the past week. One or two showers. Had several deaths during the past week.
September, 1863
1 Mustered in yesterday for two months more pay.
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7 Still quite cool. We still have a death most every day. Only 21 men for duty in the reg't. No news. It is remarkable that only 21 men in the regiment were fit for duty. Disease and illness caused many more deaths than battle wounds in the Civil War. In the 99th, 2 officers and 37 enlisted men were killed and mortally wounded while 3 officers and 161 enlisted men died of sickness or disease.
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9 Went to Camp Hamilton today to visit my friends in the Hampton Hospitals.
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12 Returned to camp today. Had a pleasant time.
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14 Quite pleasant the past week. Only about 20 men in the reg't for duty. Still have many deaths.
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16 Saw the new moon this eve. It pointed down. Some say it is a sign of wet weather; some say dry. I will try to observe hereafter how it does run.
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23 On picket yesterday and today. Had a pleasant time.
24 Got 4 months pay today.
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29 On guard yesterday and today again. Pleasant. Everything goes on as usual.
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October, 1863
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2 Today I was detailed to take charge of Slab Richmond. The 118th Reg't. went to Norfolk. Slab Richmond was a camp at Gloucester Point for escaped slaves or "contrabands." Gloucester Point is across the York River from Yorktown. A slab is the outside or first cut of a log that was discarded as having no value. However, it was used by the contrabands in building huts. Naming it "Slab Richmond" may have been an attempt to be sarcastic toward their former owners and capital. Goodwin was in charge from April 2-19. His military records list him as being the "Governor of Slab Richmond."
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12 Had quite a pleasant time last week. A plenty to do.
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19 Had quite pleasant weather. A little rain. Expected to leave last Monday. So I was relieved of the charge of Slab Richmond. We still remain at Gloucester Point. The new moon points down. The last month was quite dry.
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