Octave Bruso Diary: Week of July 17, 1864

Note: This is one week’s worth of diary entries of Octave Bruso, who participated in the Siege of Petersburg as a member of the 50th New York Engineers.¹

Sunday July 17, 1864

Warm but Windy. Very long and lonesome day. Went to camp at night. Received 16 Packs Env. 15 Qrs (Editor: unclear) of Paper. 62 cts. Postage. Received my Tobacco by mail. Comfortable night.

Monday July 18, 1864

Cloudy, cool + pleasant. Received a letter from my wife and one from John C. Henry. Wrote to my wife and to John C. Henry. Went to camp in the evening. Rained a little at night.

Tuesday July 19, 1864:

Rain in the morning and forenoon. Stopped raining at 2 P.M. Rained again during the night. In camp all day.

Wednesday July 20, 1864:

Warm day. Recieved a letter from my wife. Wrote to my wife. Went to camp in the forenoon.

Thursday July 21, 1864:

Beautiful day. Recieved a letter from my wife with some Pills. Sick! Wrote to my wife. Recieved my stockings by mail. Went to Camp with my Tools at 2 P.M.

Friday July 22, 1864:

Pleasent day. Went to City Point in the afternoon. Met (Editor: unclear) all of our Boys, Lt. Roosa and Fred Bonneville (sic). (Editor, scratched through: “Started back in the forenoon.”)

Saturday July 23, 1864:

Pleasent day. Left City Point at 8 A.M. Took dinner with Lt. McNaught. Left for home at one P.M. arrived at 3 P.M. Received 3 letters. One from my Wife. One from home and one from my Uncle.

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