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            <title>James Merrill Linn Diary: 1861-1862</title>
            <author>James Merrill Linn</author>
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                  <persName>Diane K. Jakacki</persName>
                  <orgName>Bucknell University </orgName>                 
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               <resp>Professor, Lead Investigator</resp>
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                     <persName>Junior Alejandro</persName>
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                     <persName>Matteo Antenucci</persName>
                     <orgName>Bucknell University</orgName>
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                     <persName>Caroline Colucci</persName>
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                     <persName>Drew Fisher</persName>
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                     <persName>Olivia Garcia</persName>
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                     <persName>Harvey Harvison</persName>
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                     <persName>Reilly Hope</persName>
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                     <persName>Ben Maya</persName>
                     <orgName>Bucknell University</orgName>
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                  <name>
                     <persName>Calvin McGuire</persName>
                     <orgName>Bucknell University</orgName>
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                     <persName>Natalie Monroe</persName>
                     <orgName>Bucknell University</orgName>
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                     <persName>Luke Nowicki</persName>
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                     <orgName>Bucknell University</orgName>
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                  <name>
                     <persName>Grayson Renkert</persName>
                     <orgName>Bucknell University</orgName>
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                     <persName>Amadou Samb</persName>
                     <orgName>Bucknell University</orgName>
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                     <persName>Ben Samuels</persName>
                     <orgName>Bucknell University</orgName>
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                     <persName>Rose Schmidt</persName>
                     <orgName>Bucknell University</orgName>
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               <region>Pennsylvania</region>
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            <pb facs="https://leaf.bucknell.edu/sites/default/files/2026-01/diary29jpg.jpg"/>
            <head>Monday January 27th</head>
            <p>This <name type="Weather">morning was pure and delightful</name> - the <name type="Weather">sound waters were calm and placid</name> - <name type="Weather">all forenoon there was but the slightest ripple</name> - We were on deck most of the morning
               watching the <objectName>gunboats</objectName> practicing with their <objectName>guns</objectName>. <persName>Lt Col Bell</persName> came over from the
               <placeName>Scout</placeName> - He told us that yesterday a <objectName>small rebel gunboat</objectName>, bearing U.S. colors came
               into the <placeName>inlet</placeName> and lay within a hundred yards of the <placeName>Scout</placeName>. One of our <objectName>gun-boats</objectName>
               happening to go that way - she put up and off. That was real cute [They?] - much
               to be admired. Another part of <objectName>the mail</objectName> of the other day came in but no <objectName>letters</objectName>
               for me. Our life is so monotonous that slight things interest - &amp; it is
               interesting to watch how at one time we gather in knots and how the conversation
               floats from one topic to another, &amp; how the one group to another - Last night
               - Sunday - in the fore part of the evening <persName>[Gib?]</persName> &amp; I talked of <placeName>home</placeName> and many
               things that happened in our early lives - <persName>Shorkley</persName> <persName>Charley [Kline?] </persName>&amp; some
               other one got talking of <persName>Muncy</persName>, got around to [?town] <placeName>Shirleysburg</placeName> - Then at that
               town <persName>Capt Snyder</persName> floated in somehow - they got talking of <objectName>stage coaches</objectName> - that
               reminded the <persName>Capt</persName> of a story of [?] who got into a <objectName>coach</objectName>, with a <persName>woman</persName> with a <persName>baby</persName>
               - and [?] to put his hands in improper places - got his fingers daubed by
               mistaking the baby's posterior, for something else, exclaiming <persName>Coachman</persName>, stop this
               <objectName>coach</objectName> I am disgust - Then he told the story of a hair lipped fellow - which we
               recognized as the story of <persName>Chas McGregor</persName> &amp; the <objectName>cow</objectName> - <persName>Blair</persName> floated in -
               <persName>Shorkly</persName> &amp; I floated to bed - <persName>Blair</persName> wanted to know why we couldn't have <objectName>roasted potatoes</objectName> for breakfast &amp; thought they might be roasted in the <objectName>galleys</objectName> of the
               men. Other officers opposed interfering in anyway with the <placeName>cook house</placeName> of the men,
               giving them a chance to growl - Interfere it won't interfere says <persName>Blair</persName>. "They
               don't use those roasting places Who cares if they do talk if we really don't
               interfere with them" but he [posts?] to ascertain. <persName>Capt [Shawl?] </persName>officer of the
               guard, said he wished he had known <persName>Blair</persName> was going out he would have slipped out
               and ordered the guard to allow no one to enter. Re-enter <persName>Blair</persName> "The cooks say that
               they will roast <objectName>potatoes</objectName> if they are taken out at five o'clock in the morning
               <persName>John</persName>" to <persName>John Smith</persName> Col's servant &amp; head <pb facs="https://leaf.bucknell.edu/sites/default/files/2026-01/diary30.jpg"/>
               <fw>Monday Jan 27 continued.</fw> manager. "<persName>John</persName> did you hear" <persName>Shorkley</persName>, commisary
               general for the officers mess, from his berth above. "There'll be no <objectName>roasted potatoes</objectName> for breakfast in the morning. <persName>John</persName>" <persName>Blair</persName>, high tenor, "I was not saying
               there would be <persName>Lt. Shorkley</persName>, only ascertaining whether <objectName>potatoes</objectName> would be roasted"
               <persName>Blair</persName> 'high mad', and picks a quarrel with the adjutant, which was very comical at
               the time, but has faded out of my memory. Morning. <persName>John</persName> sounds the <objectName>gong</objectName> - <persName>Shorkley</persName>
               rises first: finds that the dog "general" has [cacapufied?] in front of my
               [<objectName>berth</objectName>?] has been tramped around - &amp; his stockings are daubed - flings them
               incontinently out - <persName>Mr Blair's</persName> <objectName>light blue pants</objectName> discovered lying on the floor -
               <persName>Blair</persName> informed of danger, examines - finds the <objectName>light blues</objectName> daubed - By the time
               all are up in that region &amp; the <persName>General</persName> receives a liberal cursing and sundry
               threats. Meanwhile <persName>Capt. Shawl</persName> is dressings is annoyed by our remarks -<persName> General</persName> is
               caught by the neck and summarily ejected - conversation and [objurgation continues
               until breakfast. <persName>Shorkley</persName> passes some severe remark about <objectName>dogs</objectName> in general &amp;
               the general in particular - <persName>Capt. Shawl</persName> unable to justify, [espouses?] the <objectName>roast potatoes</objectName> [aside?] and sayd he'd rather have <objectName>roast potatoes</objectName> than that <objectName>tough biscuit</objectName> but <persName>Blair</persName> ain't on that side now - he's adverse on the dog question. <persName>Blair</persName> comes
               to the second table - &amp; the dog question absorbs his attention - the only
               sharp remark amid all the filth, was that the dog would have to die a soldier's
               death if caught again, &amp; if he would have only staid on his own side ([id
               est?] the side the <placeName>Shawl berth</placeName> was on) "but a dog always hunts a clean place."
               <persName>Blair</persName> appears in dark blue. The <objectName>roast potatoes</objectName> appeared at dinner - It is remarked
               that <persName>Blair</persName>, usually very talkative wherever he is, is silent. Now we get an
               explanation of how so many of our <objectName>towels</objectName> have disappeared. Every one complains of
               having lost <objectName>towels</objectName>, one two or three. We thought some one must be laying in a
               stock - but we are told that during the days of the sickness, the <persName>General</persName> was sick
               too - he wawsn't particular where he put his accounts [cast up?] - on the <objectName>sofas</objectName>,
               on the <objectName>carpet</objectName>, and elsewhere - most generally inconvenient for the rest of us -
               &amp; the <persName>servant</persName> that cleaned them up generally seized on one of our <objectName>towells</objectName>,
               wiped it up &amp; cast it into the <placeName>sea</placeName> - So it is with the general as with the
               rest of us - when once the general attention of the community is drawn to a
               criminal all faults, crimes and misfortunes are fished up. I tremble for the
               general if he commits any other bad deed. His faults are not his faults - but is
               rather his misfortune. There thats a <objectName>dirty sheet</objectName> - but one can't give a full
               description of our life without mentioning such incidents. Some two weeks ago I
               threw out my <objectName>chewing tobacco</objectName> - Thursday I quit smoking until I can get on </p>
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January 27, 1862