In recognition of the 150th anniversary of the Civil War, I hope to chronicle the daily life of my great-great grandfather, William Fleming. He served with the 130th Illinois Infantry. I also have a great-great grandfather, William Henry Ellis, who served with the North Carolina Cavalry. Unfortunately, I do not have much information about his service, but perhaps I'll mix in some of his story in when time allows.
Friday, January 1, 1864
The hard winter weather continued. It was very cold today - almost freezing - and the wind continued to howl. There was no opportunity to build a cook fire due to the wind. So, there was no turkey or chicken or anything special for their New Year's dinner. But the men were happy with their hardtack and cold rice.