John A. Steinbeck's diary, primarily during the Civil War, handwritten mainly in pencil, leather-bound, over 200pp, [195] 1859-1862

4 March 12

Duponts landing – On Tuesday night we camped out in the open air in a short[?] launch[?] – Being very tired I slept very good & in the morning started again a foot to Lang’s landing a distance of about 30 miles from St. Augustine. The boats being light were taken round to the same point. Here we also found encamped the detachment under Lieut Drysdale who had come by land with the teams which now had to take the boats & transport them to Bulows Landing a distance of about 10 miles

M. 12 7

ready the bell missed [illegible] [ory?] ran after him a [giant?] whole and waited for him all night to come and take to his boat but he was to been for us - he got away. Mr. Lovany remains with us - That same day Wednesday a man arrived at the camp. At Lang’s landing where the Captain had stayed to wait for everything to be gone from St. Augustine when informed us that on the next day after we left St. A the Federals took possession of the city under a flag of truce and on condition that all private property should remain undisturbed.

8 March 12-13

he reported that the day after we left the blockading steamer was gone but very soon another one the Wabash arrived with a gun boat. About 5 o clock p.m. a boat arived on shore with 20 men & a flag of truce & the citizens gave up the City & c. We camped on Wednesday about 6 miles from Buhlows landing & on the next morning March 13 we went to Buhlows were we awaited the arrivel of all the rest of the Companie the boats &c.

March 13. Mr. Linany[?] was sent home this morning & also a portion

March 13 9

of our wagons. I was detailed with a party to go by land to clear the road of any dead wagons trees to allow the wagons to pass. W had a severe march that day hoping to arive a New Smyrna the next. We encamped in the open roads as we had done on all the previous days build great fires of light wood & cooked our suppers about 9 o'clock a captain of a companie from Mississippi who had come come with us from St. A. & who had been sent ahead of us

10

March 14, 15, 16

in a boat anxious to join his companie. Arrived in our camps & informed us that all the troops had left Symrna for Volusia & that a Federal gunboat was laying off the bar. We accordingly set out the next day March 14 for the same place distant from the place where we where about 34 miles. We arived there March 16 & camped there overnight. We learned there that the troops which had left Symrny had returned again except the Miss. Companie who had gone to join the Regiment