Saturday, November 28th, 1863

To day the boys are still at work in the woods splitting boards. John is still at work running tar. In the morning early the ground was covered with sleet and when I went down to the stables I found my horse Gladiator had seriously hurt himself some time during last night. he died about 10 o'clock a.m. from the injury, thus perished the finest horse that was in the County, and one that I had refused twelve hundred dollars for. Poor old horse let him die and he has now ended his labors on earth. Fawn [Florence Mahala Hall] is still improving with her arm. Sam [Samuel Houston Sharp] ground 10 bushels of wheat and 1½ bushels of corn. I had the skin taken off of Gladiator, and intend keeping the same to remind me of him. I am at work painting Mr. Cox's sign. Weather clear and bitter cold, with a hard freeze at night the ice forming ½ in. thick in all the vessels that had water in them.