Monday, November 17th, 1862

To day Sam Sharp with the little wagon and mules and Masoline riding my horse Rat left Liberty after bidding us all good bye in route for the mill, to which point I am now moving my furniture with a view of settling up the Country permanently [i.e., Houston County]. I attended a mass meeting at the Court house for the purpose of furnishing labor to obstruct the navigation of the river and against the advance of the enemy's gun boats, but I regret to say that no definite action was taken and the Government steamer Col. Stell was compelled to leave without the hands for which she came, thus making two grand failures to arouse the people to a sense of their danger. weather cloudy, warm and occasional showers of rain.

Friday, November 14th, 1862

To day I went up town and remained there pretty much the whole day expecting to attend a mass meeting of the people called for the purpose of devising ways & means to obstruct the mouth of the Trinity River in order to prevent the gun boats of our enemy ascending the same but from the luke warmness of the people no meeting was holden and every body appeared to be resigned to their fate if the enemy should come and take the village which does not at all seem improbable. weather changeable & cool.

Wednesday, November 12th, 1862

 
To day I am still busy in making out the Muster roll of Conscripts, conscripted by me since I have held the office of enrolling officer for Liberty County, and also in arranging all the papers belonging to said office preparitory to my resignation. The Government steamer Col. Stell arrived here from Lynchburg in quest of negro men to assist in erecting fortifications at the mouth of the Trinity River and in sinking obstructions in said river to prevent the gun boats of our enemy from ascending the same. weather cold, cloudy & rainy with a strong north wind blowing.