In the letter Hays asks the governor to declare a state of martial law in Greene County because of hostilities against Republicans there: "There is no safety here for any Republican that wishes order and the laws enforced....Republicans cannot go...
In the diary Willett discusses enlistment; camp life; the procurement of equipment and supplies; the health, background, and fate of the men in his company; his participation in a court martial committee; and troop movements and campaigns...