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Civil War Diaries

Started by beenthere, April 21, 2006, 09:53:19 AM

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beenthere

This morning I meet with an archive curator at the Wisconsin Historical Society, with the plan to deposit four diaries written during the Civil War by my Great grandfather. He mustered into Company E, 33rd Infantry in October 1862 and out 3 years later. He kept writing in his diaries about where they marched, how far, what they had to eat, and who was sick. No battle details (probably forbidden to write those down). He traveled to the Vicksburg area, up into MO, and to Atlanta, GA and back to Vicksburg. A note that he didn't participate in the Vicksburg Siege, but was in the vicinity. Very interesting reading.

My father ended up with these diaries, and he always wanted them to reside in the WI Historical Soc. archives so they wouldn't get lost over time. I plan to carry that out for him today.



Not the most exciting image, but to show the relative size with the year printed on the cover. The cursive writing is quite legible and the diaries are in good condition.
south central Wisconsin
It may be that my sole purpose in life is simply to serve as a warning to others

sawguy21

   8) Fascinating reading for a history buff like me. I am happy you are donating them where they can be preserved and studied.
old age and treachery will always overcome youth and enthusiasm

CHARLIE

That is really interesting!  I think that would be a lot of interesting reading.  Often, I'll go to Google and search for Civil War Diaries that have been transcribed onto someone's homepage on the internet (I also search for WWII diaries to read).  The first thing that really struck me was how much marching they all did.  It seems they would march for miles, set up camp only to break camp and march somewhere else. Always on the move to either attack or counter attack.

I have an out of print book written by one of my ancestors, William Meade Dame, titled "From the Rapidan to Richmond"  He was a young private in the First Company of Richmond Howitzers attached to the Army of Northern Virginia under General Robert E. Lee.  It also covers the Spottsylvania Campaign. It has a copyright date of 1920. It's a "Sketch in Personal Narrative of the Scenes a Soldier Saw."  It is eerily interesting how much my mother's brother resembled this man's picture.  Anyway, it talks about their daily lives as soldiers. What they had to eat, how they set up camp and some about the battles he was involved in.

I just love reading soldier's accounts of their time in war. It differs so much from the historian's view. My readings have made me appreciate the hardships these men endured.   
Charlie
"Everybody was gone when I arrived but I decided to stick around until I could figure out why I was there !"

Jeff

Kent have you considered taking the time to scan the pages to have electronic copies that you can keep?
Just call me the midget doctor.
Forestry Forum Founder and Chief Cook and Bottle Washer.

Commercial circle sawmill sawyer in a past life for 25yrs.
Ezekiel 22:30

bushhog

BeenThere -

What a great and unselfish donation you are making.  Reading material such as this can have a profound impact on many people.  I have always been interested in Civil War history as my Great Grandfather also served.

The real impact of this period did not hit me until I made a visit to Gettysburg.  That visit changed my life forever. 

One can only imagine what it must have been like for the actual soldiers -  The visit to Gettysburg put me closer to the reality.

Thank You to ALL of our soldiers - past, present, and future!!!

beenthere

Jeff and others.
It is done, and now anyone can read them, but just can't check them out of the archives.

In the Spring of 1914, the Cedar Rapids Gazette (IA) transcribed the Diary's to print and published every Sunday for about 5 months. Copies of these old newspapers were assembled by my father in a display that is like a large book and hanging on my rec room wall. The Historical Society didn't want it (not surprising to me) and as well, I have copies of these papers, thanks to my Dad. He wanted all the kids and grand kids and great grandkids to know their past association with our ancestors.
Also, Dad went through the Diaries and copied down the 'travel' information. Miles marched and to where. I am going to translate that to typed copy as I find it interesting where all this regiment marched, rode the train, and the river boats. Just today I noted that they went from Janesville, WI to Vicksburg and up into MO, then back to Vicksburg, and then to Atlanta, then New Orleans, and back to Vicksburg. After 3 years and 2 days, were discharged in Wisconsin. His home was just North of Cedar Rapids, IA and he's buried at Paris, IA. 
When I get that travel route typed, I'll send a copy to anyone interested.
south central Wisconsin
It may be that my sole purpose in life is simply to serve as a warning to others

Don P

 I'd sure like to see that when its done. One of my ancestors was a Vicksburg twice on t'other side. He was captured and exchanged before he had to take the oath and went back for more.
If I remember right Wisconsin had an eagle as a mascot that went through the war and later resided in the capitol until it was claimed by fire. I think that might be the Case equipment eagle  ???.
At VA Tech there is a history professor, James Roberson who wrote a very good book on Stonewall Jackson a few years ago. He is a regular feature on public radio Friday mornings. He will read a passage from a soldiers diary or flesh out the details of some campaign I only know the history book version of. I like reading and hearing personal histories. One that springs to mind was the story of Mudwall Jackson, I think a cousin. Where the Stonewall Brigade had stood their ground like a stone wall, his cousin's troops melted like a mud fence. This morning it was about Lincoln's dislike of his security, thinking it ridiculous that anyone would want to assasinate him.

Bro. Noble

Beenthere,

Have you traveled the route that your GGrandad traveled?  I would think that would make an interesting vacation.  Vicksburg is an interesting area and The battlefield and museum there is a 'must see' for Civil war buffs.
I would like to see a copy of his route.  Probably enough of us do that you might want to put it on the forum.

I have quite a lot of info on some of our ancestor's activities during that war.  Some of it occured here where they lived.
milking and logging and sawing and milking

beenthere

I was inspired to sit down and type this up this afternoon, and a rough draft word doc. is attached. Quite the itinerary. I will be trying to verify some of the 'stops' that he made, to see if spelling is correct and also be sure to identify the states. Probably understood with most of the names.

I get the feeling that keeping this regiment on the move all the time served two purposes. One to be so mobile the other side couldn't make any good plans, and the other to keep the troops busy packing up and making camp. Probably more to it than that though.


Diary travelogue for Alex McDonald, Civil War
Aug 11, '62   Enlisted @ Lima,             
Sept 29      Racine, WI Mustered into Service
Oct 13      mustered into US Service
Oct 21      to Whitewater, WI on furlough (sick)
Nov 12      Racine to Chicago
Nov 13      Cairo, IL by train
Nov 14      Cairo to Columbus by foot
Nov 15      Aboard "Universe" boat
Nov 16      landed @ Memphis
Nov 26      marched 12 mi.
Nov 27      marched 20 mi
Nov 28      marched 28 mi to "Pigeon on the Roost"
Nov 30      marched 30 mi to Chulahoma
Dec 2      marched 13 mi to Tallahatchee river
Dec 7      marched 3 mi to College Hill
Dec 12      marched 15 mi to Oxford
Dec 13      marched 8 mi to Smoky Hill
Dec 21      marched 5 mi to Young Station   
Dec 22      marched 15 mi to Holly Spring
Dec 23      marched 6 mi to Tallahatchee river
Dec 25      marched 1 mi to Hungry Hill

1863
Jan 5      marched 17 mi to Holly Springs
Jan 10      marched 10 mi at night
Jan 11      marched          to Moscow, TN
Jan 12      marched 2 mi
Mar 8      aboard 'cars' (train) to Memphis, TN
Mar 9      in hospital @ Memphis
Mar 19      back to regiment
April 19      marched 30 mi to Hernando
Apr 20      marched 10 mi to fight 5 hrs
Apr 20      marched 10 mi back to Hernando
Apr 21      marched 12 mi
Apr 22      marched 11 mi
May 18      onboard boat to Crescent City
May 19      onboard boat to Youngs Point,
May 20      Up Yazoo river 25 mi north to Haynes Bluff
      Marched 4 mi to Vicksburg, and back to
      Haynes Bluff.
May 24      marched 15 mi toward river
May 25      marched 8 mi
July 16      left Vicksburg
      Marched 13 mi to Big Black
July 18      rode 13 mi to Clinton by horseback
July 19      marched 2 mi, rode 8 mi to Jackson
Jul 21      rode 15 mi to Raymond
Jul 22      marched 16 mi to Big Black
Jul 31      marched inside the Rebs breastworks @ camped
Aug 18      aboard sternwheeler downriver from Vicksburg
Aug 19      landed at Natchez
Nov 30      aboard steamer "Empress" to Vicksburg
Dec 1      arrived Vicksburg
Dec 2      marched 10 mi
Dec 3      marched 3 mi toward Haynes Bluff

1864
Feb 3      marched to Big Black
Feb 3      marched 12 mi to Edwards Station
Feb 4      marched 10 mi in line @ Bear Creek
Feb 5      marched 12 mi between Jackson and Clinton
Feb 6      marched 8 mi crossed Pearl River into Jackson
Feb 7      marched 12 mi to near Brandon
Feb 8      marched 16 mi
Feb 9      marched 7 mi to near Morton
Feb 10      marched 15 mi to beyond Hillsborough
Feb 11      marched 11 mi
Feb 12      marched 15 mi to Decatur
Feb 13      marched 12 mi
Feb 14      marched 14 mi to Big Chunky Creek
Feb 15      into Meridian
Feb 16      marched 18 mi into Enterprise
Feb 19      marched 19 mi to near Meridian
Feb 20      marched 12 mi
Feb 21      marched 14 mi into Decatur
Feb 22      marched 18 mi   
Feb 23      marched 10 mi to beyond Hillsborough
Feb 24      marched 12 mi
Feb 25      marched 6 mi
Feb 27      marched 15 mi to Smith's Ferry
Feb 28      marched 8 mi to Canton
Mar 1      marched 8 mi
Mar 2      marched 16 mi
Mar 3      marched 16 mi through Brownsville
Mar 4      marched 14 mi back to old campground
Mar 9      marched 10 mi into Vicksburg on Red River Expedition
Mar 10      aboard "Hastings" to Natchez
Mar 12      up Red River on troop transports, stayed overnight in Chefalis river
Mar 13      marched 9 mi starting 10 pm past 3 rebel forts,
      Ft Taylor, Ft Scurry, Ft Walker
Mar 14      marched 20 mi and captured Ft Derousa
Mar 17      aboard the "Autocrat"
Mar 18      landed @ Alexandria, LA
Mar 25       25 mi downriver by boat
Mar 26      marched 18 mi
Mar 27      marched 8 mi to Smiths Landing
Apr 1      aboard "Luminary" on river 7 hrs, landed
      Below Grand Ecore (6 mi from Nachitoches)
April 7      onboard "Emerald" up river to Compte
Apr 8      started upriver and shelled shoreline
Apr 9      upriver all day till 5 pm landed and fought on Pleasant Hill
Apr 10       upriver again to a blockade, so back downriver.
Apr 11      continue downriver
Apr 12      downriver, shelling rebs on shore
Apr 13      downriver til noon
Apr 14      downriver to Grand Ecore
Apr 20      marched 6 mi out of Nachitoches
Apr 22      retreat from battle line
Apr 22      marched 32 mi to Cloutierville
Apr 23      camped at Smith's Landing
Apr 24      marched 16 mi after fight, crossed Cane River
      Camped Smith's Landing
Apr 25      sick, rode ambulance train to Alexandria
May 4      in Alexandria camp
May 6      marched 9 mi to catch up w/ regiment
May 14      burned Alexandria, marched 14 mi
May 15      marched 10 mi, camped near Ft Derousa
May 16      marched 6 mi, to Monticello
      Marched 15 mi
May 17      marched 6 mi, camped Ft Scurry
May 18      crossed Yellow Bayou, fought
May 21      marched 7 mi to Mississippi River
May 22      on boat at Natchez
May 23      upriver all day to Vicksburg
May 24      landed in Vicksburg
May 27      aboard steamer "Madison" up river
May 28      passed Greenville, went aground at Napoleon,
      Wooded up near mouth of White river
May 29      upriver to Helena, ran at night
Jun 22      on cars, rode to near Moscow, AR
June 23      marched into Moscow, swam in Wolf River
Jun 27      marched 10 mi into LaGrange
Jul 5      marched 6 mi camped at Davis Mills
Jul 6      marched 12 mi
Jul 7      marched 12 mi (5 mi from Ripley)
Jul 8      marched 10 mi
Jul 9      marched 14 mi, crossed Tallahatchee River
      Camped near Emory
Jul 10      marched 12 mi, camped near Cherry Creek
Jul 11      marched 7 mi near Pontitoc
Jul 13      marched 18 mi, camped near Tupelo, MS (?)
Jul 15      marched 9 mi
Jul 16      marched 13 mi, camped near Hellistown

Sep 1      onboard steamer "Tycoon", stuck twice
      Tied up in middle of river
Sep 3       swam in White river
Sep 8      started for Brownsville
Sep 9      in camp at Brownsville Station
Sep 17      marched 10 mi
Sep 18      marched 18 mi, thru Austin at noon,
      Camped at Bull Creek
Sep 19      marched 17 mi, camped at Little Red River
Sep 20      marched 14 mi
Sep 21      marched 20 mi, camp on banks of White River
Sep 22       Forded White river, marched 18 mi
      Camped at Cherry Creek, 2 mi from Black River
Sep23      marched 10 mi
Sep 24      marched 22 mi, camp on banks of White River
Sep 25      marched 25 mi, camp near Pochahontas, AR
Sep 26      marched 18 mi
Sep 27      marched 16 mi
Sep 28      marched 16 mi, crossed Current River
Sep 29      marched 8 mi
Sep 30      marched 18 mi, forded river, passed through Poplar Bluff,
      Camped banks of a branch of the Black River
Oct 1      marched 10 mi
Oct 2      marched 18 mi, camped at Greenville
Oct 3      marched 18 mi, camped at Caster
Oct 4      marched 30 mi, camped at Whitewater Creed,
      Passed through Dallas
Oct 5      marched 20 mi, camped near Cape Girardeau, passed through Jackson
Oct 6      In camp at Cape Girardeau
Oct 7      onboard "Jennie Lewis", going upriver
Oct 9      Into St Louis at sundown (passed the "Omaha")
Oct 11      started up Missouri River 10 mi
Oct 12      upriver, short stop St. Charles, passed "Augusta", stuck on sandbar
      8 mi below Washington
Oct 13      off boat
Oct 15      Jefferson City at night
Oct 17      On cars, rode 50 mi to Lamane Bridge, which the rebs had burned
Oct 22      marched 16 mi to Sedalia
Oct 23      marched 17 mi camped near Knob Noster
Oct 24      marched 14 mi, camped at Warrensburg
Nov 1      marched 4 mi   
Nov 3      on cars, in Jefferson City
Nov 4      at Hermann
Nov 6      on cars, to St. Louis
Nov 12      marched 4 mi to Benton Barracks
Nov 23      on board "Prairie Rose"
Nov 25      Into Cairo in evening
Nov 26      up Ohio river 2 mi, tied up.
Nov 27      up river to Paducah, stayed all night at Smith landing
Nov 28      up Cumberland River, past Ft Donaldson at night.
Nov 29      arrived Nashville
Dec 16      marched 1 mi
Dec 17      marched 5 mi   
Dec 18      marched 10 mi to Franklin
Dec 19      marched 12 mi to near Spring Hill
Dec 21      in camp, 9 mi from Duck River
Dec 22      marched 10 mi to near Columbia
Dec 26      marched 12 mi
Dec 27      marched 15 mi, camp near Pulaski
Dec 29      marched 10 mi
Dec 30      marched 15 mi to near Lawrenceburg
Dec 31      marched 12 mi.  ended 1864 30 mi from Tennessee River

1865
Jan 1      marched 12 mi
Jan 2      marched 17 mi to near Clifton
Jan 24      on board "J.S. Pringle"
Jan 25      started up Tennessee River
Jan 26      arrived Eastport
Jan 31      marched 13 mi, 5 mi beyond Iuka
Feb 1      marched 8 mi
Feb 6      on board "Kate Kinney"
Feb 7      started down Tennessee river, passed Clifton, to Paducah
Feb 8      left Paducah, down to Cairo
Feb 10      passed Columbus, to Memphis
Feb 13      arrived Vicksburg in morning
Feb 15      marched 4 mi, camped in woods
Feb 16      marched 6 mi
Feb 19      marched 6 mi back to river, aboard "R.J. Lockwood"
Feb 20      passed Natchez in afternoon, Red River and Port Hudson at night.
Feb 21      landed New Orleans, camped 4 mi out.
Mar 10      marched to Lake Ponchartrain
Mar 11      aboard steamer "R.C. Lockwood", past Ship Island, across lake into
      Mississippi Sound
Mar 13      landed at Dauphin Island at Ft Gaines, marched 3 mi.
Mar 18      marched 3 mi to Ft Gaines boarded steamer "John H. Grosbeck",
      Crossed to Cedar Point
Mar 19      marched 5 mi on the Mobile Rd
Mar 20      marched 1 mi
Mar 22      on board "J.C. Swain", crossed bay to lay at mouth of Fish River
Mar 23      started up Fish River, got stuck, changed to other boat. Ran up
      Fish River 15 mi.
Mar 25      marched 10 mi, toward Spanish Fort
Mar 26      marched 10 mi camped between Ft Blakely and Spanish Fort.
Mar 27      marched 4 mi and attacked Spanish Fort.
Apr 9      marched 3 mi toward Blakely and charged Fort Blakely
Apr 11      marched 2 mi to get out of reach of the sand battery.
Apr 13      marched 10 mi on road to Montgomery, AL
Apr 14      marched 18 mi
Apr 15      marched 15 mi
Apr 16      marched 12 mi
Apr 17      marched 16 mi
Apr 18      marched 18 mi
Apr 19      marched 15 mi
Apr 20      marched 16 mi
Apr 21      marched 13 mi
Apr 23      marched 14 mi, camp at Greenville
Apr 24      marched 20 mi, camp 13 mi from Montgomery
Apr 25      marched 18 mi, camped 4 mi past Montgomery
May 23      marched 16 mi
May 24      marched 22 mi, camp near Tuskeegee
Jun 15      w/3 others, drove 36 mi to a plantation in Barber County
Jun 17      started for Tuskeegee, stopped at Ridgely, passed thru Union Springs
Jun 18      through Tuskeegee and back to camp
Jul 6      out 12 mi to a plantation
Jul 7       back to Tuskeegee
Jul 19      rode in Govt wagon 12 mi to regiment camp
Jul 20      marched 15 mi to near Montgomery
Jul 21      marched 9 mi to old camp near Montgomery
Jul 25      aboard steamer "Red Chief" and started downriver
Jul 26      Arrived Selma, took cars to Demopolis (52 mi)
Jul 27      aboard steamer "Robert Watson" down Tombigbee River 4 mi,
      Took cars into Meridian, MS 45 mi.
Jul 28      on cars 5 mi to Pearl River
Jul 29      marched 25 mi
Jul 30      marched 10 mi into Big Black
Jul 31      took cars to Vicksburg, marched upriver to camp at Marine barracks
Aug 8      mustered out of US service, went onboard steamer and started up river.
Aug 9       passed Napoleon in evening
Aug 10      Into Memphis, and went ashore
Aug 11      back on boat, passed New Madrid.
Aug 12      Arrived Cairo, transferred to cars, traveled all day and night
Aug 13      arrived Beloit, WI
Aug 14      cars to Madison, WI.
south central Wisconsin
It may be that my sole purpose in life is simply to serve as a warning to others

Brad_S.

Quote from: Don P on April 21, 2006, 02:38:56 PM
If I remember right Wisconsin had an eagle as a mascot that went through the war
That was "Old Abe", mascot of the 8th Wisconsin.
Old Abe
"Life is what happens to you while you're busy making other plans." J. Lennon

Radar67

Beenthere, many of the cities and towns you listed were in Mississippi. If you'd like, I can highlight them for you and PM them back or email you.

Stew
"A man's time is the most valuable gift he can give another." TOM

If he can cling to his Blackberry, I can cling to my guns... Me

This will kill you, that will kill you, heck...life will kill you, but you got to live it!

"The man who can comprehend the why, can create the how." SFC J

beenthere

Radar67
I thought that was the case. I'd be happy for you to identify any that you can. Thanks.
Some I know or have found, and some seem to be possibly local sites that didn't end up being a city or town.

Big Black may be a river, and not a town in MS. Like the Nov 28 march to "Pigeon on the Roost" and the Dec 7 march to College Hill (I found a road on the NW side of Starkville that was College Hill Road. May be part of the puzzle.

Apparently he camped about a month around Hernando, MS.  Then went to Crescent City (?) and Youngs Point (?) on the way to Vicksburg.

As Bro Noble mentioned, it would be fun to retrace the approximate route, just not use the same means of transportation.  :)
south central Wisconsin
It may be that my sole purpose in life is simply to serve as a warning to others

Bro. Noble

After reading his route,  I would revise my comment about it being a fun vacation--------I think I would limit my trip to just one time over each road :D :D  They must have got dizzy at times ::)  They even went around in circles on their short side trip into Mo. :)
milking and logging and sawing and milking

Brad_S.

I highly recommend retracing your ancestors journey. It's a very fullfilling adventure and often times you can feel as though there is a 'presence' or energy traveling with you.
I followed my great-grandfathers steps through Louisiana and found almost all of the places still exist. Sometimes the names of the towns had been changed through the years to honor a prominent citizen, but more often than not, the "visiting" Yankees were relying on the locals to tell them where they were and were given local landmark names rather than the proper town name. I found that by cross referencing Confederate skirmish accounts, the Confederates would refer to the locales by their proper name. I also found historical markers at nearly every spot of interest I was seeking, which helped greatly.
"Life is what happens to you while you're busy making other plans." J. Lennon

CHARLIE

The Confederates named the battle locations after landmarks (ie: Bull Run, The Wilderness) and the Union named battles after cities (Antietam, Gettysburg).  So a single battle could have two names depending on which side was talking about it. 
Charlie
"Everybody was gone when I arrived but I decided to stick around until I could figure out why I was there !"

Bibbyman

Great stuff. 

When I was in my late teens I tried to talk to my grandmother about her dad and my grandfather's dad's involvement in the War of Northern Aggression.  But all I was able to learn was that one was a horse shoer for the Confederate side and the other was a band leader for the Yankees. I was told there were some books containing music that he'd written or made music from.  There was a trunk that contained a lot of old pictures and stuff.

From what I could gather he was an educated man and was an officer.  I remember as a small child there were pictures on the wall of stern looking people – a man and a woman – that I take was my great grandparents on my granddad's side.

All this stuff remained with the two bachelor uncles that remained at home.  When my grandmother passed away,  it couldn't be fond.  We suspect they sold it off to antique stores or something.

A couple of years after Mary's mother passed away Mary's older sister was visiting and gave Mary a boot box full of papers and pictures she didn't want to keep.  It contained a lot of her grandmother's things – diplomas, teaching certificates,  etc. Among the papers was one typed document on onion skin paper.  It was the about Mary's great-grandfather's life.  Not until I was about through reading it that I come to realize it was his obituary.   I transcribed it and put it on our web site.

Of hearty pioneer stock

I sure wish I could have set down and visited with him.
Wood-Mizer LT40HDE25 Super 25hp 3ph with Command Control and Accuset.
Sawing since '94

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