Diary Entries August 5th, 1863
Wed. Aug. 5 1863
Have seteld up all my accounts in russell today bid my friends farewell and headed for Dixie
Thu. Aug. 6, 1863
at potsdam I saw em overocker on the cars from there to malone I saw mrs bill butterfield bought me a masonick pin here today for $165
Fri. Aug. 7, 1863
in camp this morning today I received a gun and hole rig with 20 rounds of ammunition with the promise of staying here until the draft is over
These three entries from WWV's diary best explain why I chose to 'modernize' his spelling and insert punctuation.
On the 5th did he settle his accounts in Russell today or did he today bid his friends farewell. I would have chosen the former, but with no punctuation (and WWV, true to the style of many of his day, uses virtually NONE!) it is difficult to tell.