Well everyone, here's the second Journal entry from Sergeant Tai Kamiya. Between having a 400 word limit per entry for the original project, and wanting to make the story flow better, I'm actually having to edit these a lot more than I expected to. But it's worth it if you guys enjoy it! (Hopefully you do!)

And I want to say a special thanks to Sweet Cari for reviewing the last chapter, thank you!

January 1, 1778

Praise the Lord! It did not take long before they began to order huts to be built in camp. Construction on the huts was unfortunately postponed by a massive snowfall which occurred last week, that ended around Christmas evening. We were practically confined within our tents for the duration of it. After much hard work, we have managed to clear much of the snow out of the camp, and the huts are being built again. My men and I have yet to receive a hut for ourselves, but we have been promised one by this coming Tuesday evening at the latest.

After being holed up in our tents for the duration of the blizzard the last few weeks, I've gotten to know my new troop members better. With nothing to do but talk to get our minds off of the cold, they spent most of the time pestering me for stories of my experiences throughout the war. They seemed particularly fascinated by my story of encountering General Washington last Christmas, right before we crossed the Delaware River.*

Food is scarce here, and tensions are high. While I have become somewhat accustomed to shortages of food since I joined the army, and Izzy seems to be holding up fairly well himself, the Ishida brothers are not handling their hunger very well. Both have become moodier and more irritable in the weeks since they arrived. I can only assume that having been raised without ever having to worry about when they would have their next meal, having to go with so little for so long is taking its toll on them quicker than the rest of us. I can't blame them however; I was the same way after I first signed up.

To his credit, T.K. – the younger brother – seems to be handling his hunger better than Matt. While T.K. merely gives people angry stares, and makes the occasional comment under his breath that he thinks we can't hear, Matt seems to be looking for a fight. I'm trying to be patient with him, but sooner or later I'm afraid the two of us may come to blows.

When we first made camp here, I sent word to my family to let them know I was all right, and I finally received a response today. I signed up for service shortly after the war began, and I have not seen them in the over two years since. My mother tells me my little sister has grown so that I would hardly even recognize her. I wrestled with the decision, but after seeing other soldiers bring their families to live at camp with them for the winter, I have decided to invite my family to do the same. My father will be busy with his work of course, but I expect my mother and young sister may be able to make it.

Well, that's all I guess. I never know how to end one of these entries.

...

-January 1, continued-

Things came to a head between Matt and I sooner than I had feared.

Shortly after we bedded down for the night, I heard noise outside of my tent. Worried that someone was trying to sabotage our camp, I went out to investigate, and found Matt skulking around. Curious, I followed him at a distance. To my horror he went straight to the quartermaster's office and tried to raid the supply depot. When I realized what he was doing, I confronted him and we came to blows. After a brief struggle, I cam out the victor, and dragged him back to our tents. I am grateful that we were not caught or I would have not been able to find out the reason behind not just his actions in the night, but the reason for his increasingly belligerent behavior over the last few weeks.

After several minutes of whispered interrogation, he broke down and tearily explained everything. For the past several weeks, and without T.K.'s knowledge, he has been secretly splitting his rations between his younger brother and himself, and living on increasingly less and less food. Tonight, his hunger finally got the best of him.

We had a long talk – or more accurately, I chewed him out – and I made him see that in the long run, starving himself was neither good for him or for his brother. After he promised to straighten up, I agreed to keep this incident between the two of us (and to never tell his brother). I don't know whether I'm getting soft after so many years, or he and T.K. remind me of me and my own little sister, but before sending him off to bed I dug into our supplies and gave him some "emergency rations" to tide him over until the morning.

I hope my family, can come visit me. I miss them all so much.

*Historian's Note: After much research, it has been determined that Sergeant Kamiya's story about George Washington refers to the moment Washington left his horse with a previously unknown Sergeant, so he could relieve himself before getting into the boats and crossing the Delaware River.