Christmas quiet. A number of us rode to Staunton. The snow of the 20th is still with us, heavy and cold. 29th.—Snowing. 31st.— New Year's eve, and what a night the boys are having; no sleep for them. They brought in about two gallons of brandy, roasted near a bushel of apples, procured a large tub, put in two camp kettles of hot water, mashed and putting in the apples and brandy. This mixture of a tub full they took in small doses of a tin full at a dose. Near my house was a tree growing at an angle of about thirty degrees. They moved the tub to this point. The speakers or orators would run up this tree for about ten feet and declaim. Some singing, others full of devilish fun and jokes, tales, etc. Tuesday, 3d.— Rumors of disbanding Shoemaker's and our batteries, owing to scarcity of forage and rations. Saturday, the 7th of January, 1865.— A Godsend. The county of Augusta gave us a dinner in camp—cakes, apples, turkeys, beef, light bread, etc. 14th.—Another snow. The 16th of January.—Shoemaker's and our (Thompson's) batteries disbanded to be called in by general order at any time. Called in through the papers April 1st, 1865; orderdered to report to Captain Tucker Carter at Washington Hotel, Lynchburg. I saw the order on the 2d; was then at Blacksburg, Montgomery county; reported to Captain Carter on the 3d at noon; the men reported for duty daily. Captain Carter was placed in command of a number of the fortifications around the city. He gave me the command of a small fort with two fine twenty-pound Parrott guns, with forty dismounted cavalrymen to drill in artillery exercise for action. 7th.—Drilling the men for inspection. Morning of the 8th.—Just heard of the death of Major James Thompson, our old captain. A more gallant and brave man would be hard to find, and a gentleman with his company. He was killed while leading his third charge at High Bridge, Amelia county. Sunday, the 9th.—Moved our section early to White Rock, east of the city. The stragglers coming in by hundreds. 10 o'clock.—Just heard officially of General R. E. Lee's surrender of eight thousand men in arms at Appomattox. Lieutenant John
