James Merrill Linn Diary: 1861-1862 James Merrill Linn Diane K. Jakacki Bucknell University Professor, Lead Investigator Junior Alejandro Bucknell University Encoding editor Matteo Antenucci Bucknell University Encoding editor NinaArsov Bucknell University Encoding editor Caroline Colucci Bucknell University Encoding editor Drew Fisher Bucknell University Encoding editor Olivia Garcia Bucknell University Encoding editor Harvey Harvison Bucknell University Encoding editor Reilly Hope Bucknell University Encoding editor Matti Kruger Bucknell University Encoding editor Selena Liu Bucknell University Encoding editor Gayda Makki Bucknell University Encoding editor Ben Maya Bucknell University Encoding editor Calvin McGuire Bucknell University Encoding editor Natalie Monroe Bucknell University Encoding editor Luke Nowicki Bucknell University Encoding editor Ori Raz Bucknell University Encoding editor Grayson Renkert Bucknell University Encoding editor Amadou Samb Bucknell University Encoding editor Ben Samuels Bucknell University Encoding editor Rose Schmidt Bucknell University Encoding editor Nyah von Haam Bucknell University Encoding editor Bucknell University
Lewisburg Pennsylvania USA
Attribution-NonCommercial-ShareAlike 4.0 International Bucknell University Special Collections and University Archives
Sunday 11.

This was a bright fine day. A lot of us got into a surf boat and went to shore. We first went to the Fortress. It is immense and the number of cannon surprised us. I think it is a mile and a half around the ramparts, and encloses 80 acres. In the inside are houses for officers and quarters, and trees - live oak. The 10th N. York Vols or National Zouaves are quartered in it. Their uniform light blue, with pink selvage trimming. We saw the Union Gun down on the beach, 12 inch bore, and the Floyd lying beside it, not mounted. There are an immense number of guns, many of them ten inch, lying outside. 150 at least are mounted. Grass is grown over the piles of ball inside. From one side we saw Camp Hamilton, and the ruins of Hamilton - nothing but the stacks of chimnies standing up, like ghosts. We went to a store - a little store but got everything you asked for. I got some drawing paper. The grocery also furnished everything wanted at very advanced prices however. Capt. Cook, formerly of the old Fourth met us on the beach and came over and took dinner with us. I amused myself trying to sketch the ripraps - but the vessel kept swinging around and I was so slow that I did not succeed & wound up my labors sketching a hermaphrodite brig lying near us. As the Adjt. came in Blair says "There comes consolidated report." "Consolidated Bible" says Mallory. "Bound in calf" says Blair. The "Scout" and the Brig that we towed sailed somewhere this afternoon. Part of the fleet is gone. We have to coal - 25 tons & take in water yet - 100 tons of coal last six days. Do we go up the Potomac? Up the James River? We have our bay pilot on board yet. Captain says he won't know but his pilot will be changed. 1/2 past nine o'clock. P.M. Lt. Reno just came in, and gave orders to get upstream and start. It may be interesting, hereafter, to note our conjectures. Rodamel asserts that we will not go out of James River. Bently, the reporter, says we are going to Lynhaven Bay - behind Norfolk. Beaver asserts that we go to Savannah. The Col. said that we go to sea.

Saturday January 11.

Ten o'clock P.M. anchor heaved and we start. The water in the roads smooth as glass but it heaves now that we are out in the bay. The Col, rec'd sealed orders, merely told us that we were going to sea. Blair gets the prop but can't fish it yet. The Col. says he will tell us our destination in the morning. The commissary says that there are no better [?] than we have. The chief engineer has been on this boat 8 years, plying in the stormy coast between Portland and St. Johns that she was thoroughly overhauled at New York before coming to Annapolis - so that so far as good steamanship, good enginners and a staunch boat can carry us we will go safely. 12 o'clock, our bay pilot takes leave of us at the light ship, and we steam out into the [?]