Diary Entries 1865 January 1 January 1865Sunday 1stLondonI begin this year with thanks to the Almighty giver of all good gifts for the many blessings it hath... 2 January 1865Monday 2d.WaltonThe morning passed with some rapidity, as I was engaged partly in my private affairs, and partly in ... 3 January 1865Tuesday 3d.LondonOwing to the fatigue of last night, the party did not assemble to breakfast until half past ten. It ... 4 January 1865Wednesday 4thLondonA mild, pleasant day. The hours fly and I can give little account of them. My mode of life is more u... 5 January 1865Thursday 5thLondonCloudy with rain. The customary preparation of Despatches. Also one or two visits from Americans. A ... 6 January 1865Friday 6thLondonHenry who has been absent some days between Mr Baring’s at Norman Court and Walton, came up this mor... 7 January 1865Saturday 7thLondonMild, pleasant day— Morning devoted to the preparation of my Quarterly public account, and also of m... 8 January 1865Sunday 8thLondonMild. Attended Divine service at the Church in Vere Street, with Mrs Adams. This is the place to whi... 9 January 1865Monday 9thLondonThe Despatches, letters and papers came in this morning, and absorbed my attention wholly during the... 10 January 1865Tuesday 10thLondonA quiet day, with little interruption. Disposed of my correspondence which is getting less and less ... 11 January 1865Wednesday 11thLondonCloudy with light rain. The accounts of Mary are favorable, and the surgeon is now of opinion that i... 12 January 1865Thursday 12thLondonClouds and rain. Quiet day, with less of Despatch writing than usual. Though a great many letters ca... 13 January 1865Friday 13thLondonClouds and heavy rain at night. Busy in the routine of private letters which kept me until nearly fi... 14 January 1865Saturday 14thLondonWalked before daylight by a sudden burst of wind on the house such as I never experienced before. It... 15 January 1865Sunday 15.thLondonCool, but calm and clear. Went into the city, and made another attempt to get the Church of Saint Di... 16 January 1865Monday 16thLondonCool but rather a fine day for London. I notice the rapid increase of the light, especially towards ... 17 January 1865Tuesday 17thLondonMrs Adams is now suffering from a very severe cold. Henry has gone to Walton, so that it is again ra... 18 January 1865Wednesday 18thLondonMrs Adams had a good night after two o’clock, but she suffered severely all day. I had an extraordin... 19 January 1865Thursday 19thLondonMrs Adams is still extraordinarily affected by her cold. She is however better this morning than she... 20 January 1865Friday 20thLondonColder but with a fine air, so far as the smoke of the city will admit. Much absorbed all day in the... 21 January 1865Saturday 21stLondonMrs Adams had a rather rough day with her cold, which was not improved by the state of the weather. ... 22 January 1865Sunday 22d.LondonThe smoke vanished in the night, giving way to a cold, clear atmosphere. Went to the city and groped... 23 January 1865Monday 23dLondonCloudy with a fog for a short time. Received the American mail and the newspaper files, which I read... 24 January 1865Tuesday 24thLondonMrs Adams was better today, but the difficulty lingers painfully. On consultation with the physician... 25 January 1865Wednesday 25thLondonMrs Adams improves daily, but the weather is not propitious. Having again a good deal of leisure I c... 26 January 1865Thursday 26thLondonThe weather is gloomy and wet, and by no means propitious to invalids. Yet Mrs Adams is decidedly im... 27 January 1865Friday 27thLondonA snow storm all day reminding me much of our New England weather. The temperature was not however l... 28 January 1865Saturday 28thLondonFor the first time this year the sun shone in clear across the dining room at breakfast time. The wh... 29 January 1865Sunday 29thLondonThe snow continues and this morning there was a heavy fog for an hour or two. I went to the city to ... 30 January 1865Monday 30thLondonThe first thing I saw on my dressing table this morning was two telegrams by the Steamer from Americ... 31 January 1865Tuesday 31stLondonMilder but still the same thick atmosphere. The mail arrived from America and the newspapers natural... February 1 February 1865Wednesday. February 1stCanterburyThe day opened thick but mild and calm. So it was deemed best for our party make the attempt at depa... 2 February 1865Thursday 2d.Canterbury—LondonA soft cloudy morning, Up in season and after breakfast left the good town of Canterbury to transpor... 3 February 1865Friday 3d.LondonMy solitude would probably depress me if I had the time to think about it. But somehow or other an u... 4 February 1865Saturday 4thLondonThe newspapers from America came in today and full details of the brilliant affair at Fort Fisher an... 5 February 1865Sunday 5thLondonCloudy, drizzly, chilly day. I was glad the family were not here. Had some idea of desiring to Pembr... 6 February 1865Monday 6thLondonA heavy fog gave way to the ordinary grey sky which shuts from our sight the sun a great part of the... 7 February 1865Tuesday 7thLondonDull, heavy day with rain. My son John having sent me his last Quarterly Account I was busy analyzin... 8 February 1865Wednesday 8thLondonSomehow or other there has been such an uncommon pressure of occupation upon me that I have missed t... 9 February 1865Thursday 9thLondonThe events of the past week have been fruitful of labour for me, so that pretty much all my time was... 10 February 1865Friday 10thLondonHenry writes me that the family have safely reached Avignon where the weather is fine. I pursued my ... 11 February 1865Saturday 11thLondonA light fall of snow which did not disappear during the day, as it did not melt in the shade. Plenty... 12 February 1865Sunday 12thLondonThe east wind invariably brings cold, dry weather, which to me is rather wholesome, though not comfo... 13 February 1865Monday 13thLondonThe snow remains little affected by the temperature, though a few degrees of rise in the thermometer... 14 February 1865Tuesday 14thLondonCold and cloudy. Received a letter from my Wife at Nice. They have the cold wind there too. But the ... 15 February 1865Wednesday 15thLondonI found on my dressing table a telegram announcing the passage of the Constitutional Amendment about... 16 February 1865Thursday 16thLondonThe cold seemed to be passing off, and at night there was a warm rain which melted all the snow. The... 17 February 1865Friday 17thLondonIn the night the temperature had changed, and the ground this morning was a gain covered with snow. ... 18 February 1865Saturday 18thLondonMy usual holiday was nothing of the kind today. Obliged to work hard on the arrears of this Diary, a... 19 February 1865Sunday 19thLondonA strong gale from the north and west, very uncomfortable. The American news encouraging as far as i... 20 February 1865Monday 20thLondonThe hurricane lasted all night and much of this day. The frost which was sharp did not yield in the ... 21 February 1865Tuesday 21stLondonCloudy with light snow again. Busy in writing letters to the various members of my family on the con... 22 February 1865Wednesday 22d.LondonThick grey day. Little variation in the course of employment. I am however somewhat annoyed by the g... 23 February 1865Thursday 23d.LondonOn opening the newspapers this morning I found that by a later arrival, the accounts had come of the... 24 February 1865Friday 24thLondonWarm rain. Customary work today on my private letters,and not many interruptions. At the end of my l... 25 February 1865Saturday 25thLondonA quiet day, writing up arrears of Diary, and a letter to Mrs Adams. Only a single visit from Mr Bax... 26 February 1865Sunday 26.thLondonSteady rain. Thus far since the first of this month, there has been but one fine day, yesterday. Nev... 27 February 1865Monday 27thLondonQuiet day. The news by the Africa is again favorable. The chances for the termination of the war imp... 28 February 1865Tuesday 28thLondonSpring like day. Received my Despatches and letters which are generally cheerful. But nothing from M... March 1 March 1865Wednesday March 1stLondonVariable weather. This is Ash Wednesday by the Church Calendar. After the usual labors I went out at... 2 March 1865Thursday 2dLondonThe Post of this morning announced that I had dined with Lady Russell yesterday. Not long afterwards... 3 March 1865Friday 3d.LondonA better day for once. Worked on my private letters, and finished them in good season. Visits from y... 4 March 1865Saturday 4thLondonVariable with much rain at night. The news appears to produce a greater impression here than any sin... 5 March 1865Sunday 5thLondonA clear morning, but the west wind is cold and blustering. To Church in the City. This time it was S... 6 March 1865Monday 6thLondonClouds with rain towards night. Busy in writing, and disposing of my accounts which close the career... 7 March 1865Tuesday 7thLondonThe weather is better, but not genial. I perceive the leaf buds to be starting, but they have little... 8 March 1865Wednesday 8thLondonA broken day, but full of work with a visit or two into the bargain. Wore letters to Mrs Adams to my... 9 March 1865Thursday 9thLondonClear with a boisterous and cold north wind. Time devoted to preparing Despatches of which there wer... 10 March 1865Friday 10thLondonAt work writing my private letters, but I got through by half past four o’clock. The news from Ameri... 11 March 1865Saturday 11thLondonMy day which formerly I called one of leisure has now become one of work. I am obliged to employ it ... 12 March 1865Sunday 12thLondonTo the city to church. Mr Alward accompanied. Found with little difficulty St George’s in Botolph th... 13 March 1865Monday 13thLondonLetters from Sorrento and newspapers from America absorbed my morning very much. As usual my attenti... 14 March 1865Tuesday 14thLondonThe debate in the commons last night showed a very different sense of the position of America from t... 15 March 1865Wednesday 15thLondonBusy this morning in preparing a note to Lord Russell based upon instructions upon Mr Seward. There ... 16 March 1865Thursday 16thLondonThe sky relapses constantly into a cold grey which is very cheerless. My Despatches were rather nume... 17 March 1865Friday 17thLondonVery busy in writing home, but a good deal of time was consumed upon the files of papers from Americ... 18 March 1865Saturday 18thWaltonThe early arrival of the China brought the newspapers from America which took up time to read. There... 19 March 1865Sunday 19thWaltonA blustering cold wind from the East with a grey, cheerless sky. Attended Divine Service at the Vill... 20 March 1865Monday 20thLondonVery high East wind which kept every thing frozen out of doors all day, in spite of the sun. A large... 21 March 1865Tuesday 21stLondonClear and cold. I think it would do for home weather at the same period. Completed all arrears of wo... 22 March 1865Wednesday 22d.LondonClear and cold. Received a letter from Mrs Adams which I answered at once. Meanwhile, I remain in su... 23 March 1865Thursday 23d.LondonThe absence of Despatches to answer made my work pretty light today. Yet there are always more or le... 24 March 1865Friday 24thLondonThe ground white with frost, in the morning, but otherwise the day was pleasant. I worked at my priv... 25 March 1865Saturday 25thLondonThe morning hours were spent with my secretary Mr Moran in the labour of deciphering a Despatch and ... 26 March 1865Sunday 26thLondonThe mild temperature of last evening was today converted into a cold and blustering wind from the no... 27 March 1865Monday 27thLondonNot long after breakfast I received a telegram from the Canada giving accounts of the progress of ou... 28 March 1865Tuesday 28thLondonThere were no private letters from the family received from America today, but the newspapers as usu... 29 March 1865Wednesday 29thLondonThe news continues good. There are papers among the Despatches of great interest as giving an insigh... 30 March 1865Thursday 30thLondonFor the first time, a tolerably fine day in this month. The authorities on the weather report the av... 31 March 1865Friday 31stLondonA soft, pleasant day, rather verifying the maxim about this month. My work today rather harder than ... April 1 April 1865Saturday April 1stLondonClear, cheerful day. Busy, disposing of arrears, which once more accumulate. Went to the City to the... 2 April 1865Sunday 2d.LondonMr Alward called for me this morning to attend Divine service at the chapel in Margaret Street. This... 3 April 1865Monday 3d.LondonMorning devoted to a careful reexamination of the series of Despatches received of late from Washing... 4 April 1865Tuesday 4thLondonA genial fine day for once. Lord Russell had appointed an interview with me at his house at noon tod... 5 April 1865Wednesday 5thLondonRainy morning. Much broken by the necessity of attending a levee at two o’clock. The same routine of... 6 April 1865Thursday 6thLondonThe point being settled of my giving tomorrow, what I had to do today was to address myself to the w... 7 April 1865Friday 7thLondonUp half an hour earlier in order to get ready for the start, which was from the Waterloo Station in ... 8 April 1865Saturday 8thLondonThe weather has changed to the very fine, and the trees and bushes feel the effect at once. Morning ... 9 April 1865Sunday 9thLondonSummer has burst upon us in these three days, much as it does sometimes in America. Went in company ... 10 April 1865Monday 10thLondonAnother summer’s day. Morning taken up in writing, principally of small notes. It makes a great diff... 11 April 1865Tuesday 11thLondonAmong the letters this morning came a short one from Charles, saying that he had just got his orders... 12 April 1865Wednesday 12thLondonThe bag for America is made up this week a day sooner, in account of good Friday, so that my work to... 13 April 1865Thursday 13thLondonBusy day writing my private letters to America. Interrupted once or twice by visits. Once by Mr Fern... 14 April 1865Friday 14thLondonGood Friday, which is observed here much as our fast days are in Massachusetts. The Churches are ope... 15 April 1865Saturday 15thWaltonOn stepping into my Dressing room I found two telegrams on my table. The dual number gave me a momen... 16 April 1865Sunday 16thWaltonI had given directions to have private letters brought to me, if such should come in the bag from Am... 17 April 1865Monday 17thLondonReturned to London in company with Mr Sturgis in the early train, and got to my house by ten o’clock... 18 April 1865Tuesday 18thLondonQuiet day. A number of letters of congratulation from friends. But with me there is still the suspen... 19 April 1865Wednesday 19thLondonThere was later news from America today confirming the accounts of the successful pursuit of General... 20 April 1865Thursday 20thLondonBusy in writing my Despatches which this week are not numerous; yet they take up the best part of ht... 21 April 1865Friday 21stLondonFine weather now. Mr Sturgis came with Miss Grew to get a passport for her on her return home. Sir H... 22 April 1865Saturday 22d.LondonThe picking up of small work always appears to me on looking back, as a sheer waste of time, yet it ... 23 April 1865Sunday 23d.LondonOn my dressing table this morning I found telegrams from America announcing what I had hardly dared ... 24 April 1865Monday 24thLondonThe American post came in after breakfast, but it brought only one letter of interest, that of my so... 25 April 1865Tuesday 25thLondonThe weather is fine and dry. Busy in details as usual. Answered a note from Professor Goldwin Smith,... 26 April 1865Wednesday 26thLondonThe quiet tenor of my life was this day completely overturned by the reception from Mr Stanton, the ... 27 April 1865Thursday 27thLondonThis day was passed in a different but not less exciting way than yesterday. Soon after breakfast ca... 28 April 1865Friday 28thLondonAnother day passed in the midst of the bustle and excitement. I had barely time enough to finish my ... 29 April 1865Saturday 29thLondonWe had today the news to the 19th by the Steamer China. It reports the recovery f the two Sewards, f... 30 April 1865Sunday 30thLondonChilly, blustering, uncomfortable day. Went with Mr Alward, to the Church in Wells Street which is a...