Tuesday [June] 30 [1863]

I have felt constrained
in writing these memoranda
of daily incidents, for my
future gratification and re-
collection, because I have had
the apprehension ever with me
that they might possibly
fall into the hands of some
beastly disciple of old Abe,
who might make dis-
agreeable use of them. A
thousand incidents -- " of moving
accidents, by flood & field: of
hair-breath scapes" -- which
I would like to record, for
reminiscences, in years to
come, on this a more re-
liable and permanent tab-
let than memory, I
do not, lest they should
by ill chance come into the
possession of the aforesaid
follower of the northern
ape and be by him put to
some use that might prove
offensive to the persons
therewith named; and for
lie reason must I be
mum on the military feeling
here and in the sentiment
and acts of the individuals
of our soldier circle.

Some of our garrison
have taken consider-
able gusto to eating mules,
horses, rats etc -- the last
named have been sold for
the last week at $2 1/2 apiece
and are in great demand --
mules are slaughtered reg-
ularly and I'm told some
have been exposed in mark-
et for sale -- horses
are esteemed a great
luxury, and as an instance
how such food is appre-
ciated by our men -- a fine
stallion was shot near
the line a day or two ago,
and no sooner did he fall
than the hungry fellows
were at him, and had
him skinned & quartered
in double quick time, and
he doubtlessly soon went
the way that all such
flesh now goes in this
garrison.

At night the powder
barrel tried against the
enemy's mine at redan on
the Jackson road -- thought
to have accomplished
the purpose.

Quotation is from Othello