Albert Husted Diary, November 1, 1864-December 16, 1864
Wed. Nov. 2
2 PM start for home, call at Mr. Wile's, not home. Find letter from Kimball, inviting me to come, back to the Normal. I hardly know what to think of it but conclude to see what they will do.
Thurs. Nov. 3
Fine day. AM go to village, lose my pocket book find it again. 3 PM start for Uncle Ed's, all well. He is quite copperish and we have a pretty strong talk. Uncle Ed pays up his note in full.
Fri. Nov. 4
AM rainy. 12 M clears up and I start for New Paltz after dinner. Arrive at 4 PM. Find Brother "E", well and rather nicely situated. I am pleasantly disappointed in the country. The villages are thick and look flourishing.
Sat. Nov. 5
Cold and windy. AM look about town and visit with Ed. 2 PM start for home, arrive at 6. A cold ride.
Sun. Nov. 6
Pleasant. AM attend church at P. Valley, a very fine, poetic discourse by Rev. -----. PM call at Capt. Tobey's. Bring home girl for Mother. ------ and Jury Ganse take tea with us at home.
Mon. Nov. 7
Rainy. 7 ½ start for Albany, arrive 12 M. Call at Normal School, find M ------ gone, Jewell sick, Cochran in Brooklyn. All seem glad to see me, Dr. Woodworth wishes to know if I will come for $1000 and the "Prospect." I tell. him yes.
Tue. Nov. 8
6 ½ AM call on Prof. Cochran who reached home at midnight. He advises me not to lower my terms as he will employ me if they do not. 8 ½ start for home, reach P. 0. in time to vote for "Uncle Abe."
Wed. Nov. 9
Misty and Muddy. 1 PM with Mother and Father start for Mr. Ganse's. Have a fine visit. Calvin and Amelia come over and spend the evening with us. Home before ten.
Thurs. Nov. 10
AM rainy. PM fine. 9 ½ AM start for Uncle Geo. B's, find then all well except Cousin Mary, who is suffering from Dropsy. Have a very pleasant visit. Home at 9 PM.
Fri. Nov. 11
12 M letter from Cochran telling me he is authorized to offer me my old position at a salary of $1000, no "extras". 1 PM Father, Mother and I start for Po. M and I take train 3 ½ for Troy, arrive 7. All well.
Sat. Nov. 12
9 PM start for Albany, call at Cochran's etc. Agree on a boarding place, Mrs. Hurd's. 27 Grand. Mr. Marian, to room with me. $6.00 per week each, including all but washing. 5 PM get up my trunks and move in. Mr. Benjamin comes down with --- and ----.
Sun. Nov. 13
Quite snow storm. AM attend Dr. Palmer's church. PM Pearl St. Baptist.
Mon. Nov. 14
9 AM recommence work at Normal. It almost seems as though I had not been away at all. Some of the scholars evidently wonder what sort of a fellow I will be.
Tue. Nov. 15
Snow again. PM call on Dr. Lighthill, pay him $50 in advance for 3 mos treatment. He gives me 3 bottles of medicine with directions. Thinks he can cure me, so he says.
Wed. Nov. 16
Fine day.
Thurs. Nov. 17
Warmer, snow melts some.
Fri. Nov. 18
Warm and muggy.
Sat. Nov. 19, Sun. Nov. 20, Mon. Nov. 21, and Tue. Nov. 22
(No Entries)
Wed. Nov. 23
Fine day. 2 PM school closes for the week. 4 ½ I start for home. Find Geo. in Po. That city is brilliantly illuminated in honor of the late victory. 9 Start for home, Ed with us, roads very heavy.
Thurs. Nov. 24
Thanksgiving. Attend church at Po. Discourse by Mr. W. Attendance small. Calvin, Luther and families reach father's. All the boys are home once more. We weight. L. goes 169, G. P. and C, each 163, E. E. and A. N. each 158. I 157. How thankful we should be for all God's blessings to us.
Fri. Nov. 25
10 AM ride up to Luther's with Calvin. Mother, Ed. and Naomi come up. Have a pleasant visit. Sundown start for home. Tonight our folks conclude it is best for Judson to go to Albany with me.
Sat. Nov. 26
12 ½ PM father starts for Po. with 3 boys and 5 sheep and 1 pig. The traveling is much easier. We arrive in ample time for 3.27 train. Ed. leaves us for New Paltz. Judson goes to A. with me. Get in all right.
Sun. Nov. 27
Cloudy and warm. AM attend church at Dr. Halling's with Judson. Evening at Dr. Matoon's.
Mon. Nov. 28
School moves rather pleasantly. Judson commences at High School, on State St. PM look about for a boarding place for him. Mrs. Cass concludes to take him in at $4 per week, including all. PM at Faculty meeting, Prof. Cochran presides.
Tue. Nov. 29
Warm. Prof. Jewell sick and out of school. Tonight at lectures by Prof. Upson, Subject, Poetry of Life. Home with Misses S. and G.
Wed. Nov. 30
Very warm and pleasant. PM composition exercises. They are tolerably interesting.
Thurs. Dec. 1
Splendid morning. PM help Kimball on Q ------- Tonight we learn that Thomas has repulsed an attack of Hood at Franklin, Tenn. Rebel loss 5000 killed and wounded and 1000 prisoners. Union loss 500.
Fri. Dec. 2
At meeting of Executive Committee of State Normal School this PM, Prof. Oliver Avery, of Buffalo was appointed to fill vacancy of Principal, vice Cochran, appointed President of Brooklyn Polytechnic Inst.
Sat. Dec. 3 and Sun. Dec. 4
(No Entries)
Mon. Dec. 5
Evening call at Mr. Roger's.
Tue. Dec. 6
Evening call on Mr. and Mrs. Cooley.
Wed. Dec. 7
(No Entry)
Thurs, Dec. 8
After morning Exercises, Prof. Avery is introduced as Prof C's successor, he makes a brief Inaugural. We are pretty well satisfied with what we see of him.
Fri. Dec. 9
Quite a snow, sleighing fine.
Sat. Dec. 10
(No entry)
Sun. Dec. 11
Attend church AM and PM. Also at Sabbath School.
Mon. Dec. 12
More snow.
Tue. Dec. 13
(No entry)
Wed. Dec. 14
Continues cold, river freezing up. Tonight attend lecture of John B. Cough, Subject Fact and Fiction. Big crowd.
Thurs. Dec. 15
Splendid day. Sleighing very fine. Tonight at lecture of Bishop Clark. Snowing again.
Fri. Dec. 16
(No more entries for the year 1864).
References:
The Civil War Day by Day, An Almanac, 1861 - 1865. E.B. Long, Doubleday & Company, Inc. 1971
A Concise History of the War. Designed to accompany Perrine's New War Map of the Southern States, with an Introduction and Statistical Appendix, Compiled from Authentic Sources by Capt. John S. Bishop. Charles O. Perrine, Publisher. 1864 [This accounting begins with the Dec 17, 1860 South Carolina Secession Convention and ends on Sept 26, 1864]