Abstract This diary of American soldier and painter John Rogers Vinton (1801-1847) covers the period September 20, 1827, to March 22, 1828, and provides a detailed look into the political and social atmosphere of Washington, D.C., in the late 1820s. Vinton discusses Washington, D.C., politics (including the upcoming 1828 election between John Quincy Adams and Andrew Jackson), his duties as an officer in the military, as well as his social life, interest in painting, fashion, and theatrical...