“Wednesday,” Spartan Band diarist, lawyer and quartermaster clerk William H. Hill recorded. “Morning clear and cool, evening cloudy and sleeting…”

17th Mississippi Private Robert A. Moore was more eloquent:

“To-day closes the year 1862 & it had been an eventful one in the history of our country. At the beginning of the year it looked as if our enemies would by the strength of numbers, overrun our whole country but by heroic endurance, hard fighting and the favor of a just God, we have successfully resisted their every attempt at [our] subjugation.

“Snowing a little to-night. The Christmas holidays have been very dull with us.”