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April
31st.

Himself dischared from his Pastorate but he considered that it was every ones duty in the present dreadful crisis to express a positive & fearless opinion. After the Bombastes Furioso [[notice?]] of the little man we felt anxious to hear him but the house was so crowded we found it impossible to get inside of the doors.

May
Sat. 2nd.   Read aloud this Afternoon to Father & Nell from Madame [[D?]] [[blank space]] letters. She describes the Cathedral at Exeter Father said he had seen it & was exceedingly impressed with its beauty, He was told to take off his hat when he entered, but the injunction was quite unnecessary he should have done so involintarily.

The Army of the Patomac has at last moved various rumours are afloat concerning it.

Mon. 4th. Went this morning to Armory Hospital to see Mary [[Felton?]]. While I was there a comotion in the street called our attention & going to the door we saw passing a number of rebel prisoners walking two abreast with a federal soldier on each side of them. They were mostly dressed in Virginia homespun & seemed to be labouring men rather than soldiers: some of them appeared to be very feeble. 800 are said to have been brought in to day but I think the number must have been exagerated. Gen. Hooker has crossed the Rap.
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April     in several places & is moving "onward to Richmond There has been some terrible fighting but it is impossible to found out whether we are victorious. Mrs. Olmstead stopped at the door this evening just before tea & told us. we had been successful but that our loss was great.- 10h. P.M.- Henry the watchman has just come in; he says it is reported in the city that gens. Sickles & Sykes are both killed. Father had gone out with Mr. Patterson an Irish gentleman travelling in this country & intensely interested in our affairs. Later -- Father has just returned he went to [[see?]] Mr. Sumner with Mr. Patterson & had a very interesting interview with him. He said one thing that surprised me much that he had strongly opposed the [[retaking?]] of Fort Sumter & had told the President that such a measure would certainly bring on the war. Father said a number of ambulances had been sent down ^to the [[warf?]] for the wounded from the Rapahannock. From the great reserve in regard to our supposed victories he seems to think with [[me?]] that they may possibly turn out a defeat. -- Still later -- Father has been reading scraps of Johnson's poetry much to our mutual enjoyment. He like his poems very much, his favorite being [[blank]] It is almost twelve oclock.
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