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William H. McCleary

 

 

Civil War Diary

 

7 Oct 1861 – 31 Dec 1864


 

 

 

 

 

 

 

DIARIES TRANSCRIBED BY

ANN COTT, PUEBLO, CO

GREAT-GRANDAUGHTER

 

 

CREDITS

 

COPIES OF CIVIL WAR RECORD

MUSTER ROLLS, PRISONER OF WAR RECORD AND DISCHARGE

GULLEY’S, MONROEVILLE, AL

 

CIVIL WAR MAPS USED TO TRACE HIS ROUTE

NATIONAL GEOGRAPHIC

 

REFERENCE FOR DIFFICULT TO DECIPHER PASSAGES AND NAMES

“THE CIVIL WAR DAY BY DAY

AN ALMANAC 1861-1865”

BY E. B. LONG WITH BARBARA LONG


 

 

 

 

 

 

ACKNOWLDEGMENTS

 

Special thanks to the following people for their assistance in this project:

 

Ø      Ann Cott:  Ann transcribed the original hand written diaries.  What a job!

 

Ø      Joyce McCleary Horn:  Joyce was kind enough to loan out her personal copy of this diary for use in this project and she also submitted the cover picture that appears on the title page.

 

Ø      Dan Reigle: Dan was gracious enough to make available his excellent footnotes for this diary.

 

 

 

 

Final formatting and editing of this electronic document was completed by Tim Beckman for inclusion on the 42nd Indiana Volunteer Infantry Web Site http://www.42ndindiana.com

 

Please direct all comments to Tim Beckman at the following e-mail address: [email protected]

 

 

 

 

 

NO PORTION OF THIS DIARY MAY BE PUBLISHED WITHOUT THE PRIOR WRITTEN CONSENT OF THE McCLEARY FAMILY


 

Diary #1

 

Wm. H. McCleary

 

Enlisted in the United States Service on the 29th day of September 1861.  Given the rank of Private on 7 October 1861.

 

Born 5 December 1839.  Age 21 years upon enlistment.  Wife is Jane C. Kirkpatrick.

5 feet 9-112 inches, fair complexion, gray eyes, black hair, Farmer from Gibson County,

Indiana.

 

7 Oct. 186 1: Went to Princeton company.  All met there and went into the court house and elected our capt and Lts and first seargeants.  S. G. Barret was elected Capt. - J. W. Skelton, first Lt., Wm.  H. Cochrum second Lt., G. F. Asteel, first seargent and then we scattered out over town and got our dinners an then met at the court house at two oclock and joined in with Capt French Co C. Then marched down to the depo and got on the cars and started for camp Vandenburgh and bid our friends and brothers good by and went on to camp and got off there at the fareground and marched in to camp and taken up quarters in one of the old fareground houses and then began to fix round for super.  Eavning (evening) fair and pleasant.  We had a pretty hard bed that night for some of us had no blankets and we had to sleep on the naked plank.

 

8 Oct: Morning cool, eavning pleasant.  Nothing of importunce pased during the day.

 

9:  Morning clear and cool.  Was sworn in to the united states servis.  Eavening clear and pleasant.

10:  Morning clear and cool.  Drilled some that day.  Eavening pleasant.

11:  Morning clear and cool.  Eavening clear and pleasant.  Kept up drilll.

12:  I got a furlow and got on the cars and started for home.  Arived there two oclock

in eavening it being clear and pleasant.

 

13:  Morning clear and cool.  Eavning clear and warm.

 

14:  Morning clear and cool.  Eavning clear and pleasant.

 

15:  Clear and cool.  Hacking round home.  Eavning clear and pleasant.

 

16:  Morning clear and cool.  Eavening clear and pleasant.


17:  Morning clear and cool.  Eight oclock started back to camp.  Got there about two oclock in the eavening.

 

18:  Morning cool and went on dril.  Eavning fair and pleasant.

 

19:  Morning clear and cool.  Kep upon drill.  Eavening pleasant on drill.

 

20:  Morning clear and cool.  Went on guard.  Eavening pleasant.

 

21:  Morning clear and cool.  Came off guard.  Eavening pleasant.

 

22:  Morning clear and cool.  Drawed our uniforms.  Eavning pleasant.

 

23:  Morning fair and pleasant.  Eavening changible on drill.

 

24:  Morning  raining.  Nothing of importance pased during the day.  Eavning pleasant.

 

25:  Morning fair.  On Drill.  Eavning fair and pleasant.

 

26:  Morning clear and cool.  Went on guard.  Eavning pleasant.

 

27:  Morning clear and pleasant.  Came off guard.  Eavning fair.  Orders to march.

 

28:  Morning fair.  Taken up the line of march.  Marched a distance of about three

miles close to Eavansville and taken up quarters and piched our tents.  Eavening fair and pleasant.

 

29:  Morning fair and pleasant.  Eavening fair pleasant.  Named our camp camp Jones.

 

30:  Morning fair.  Went on guard.  Eavening pleasant.

 

31:  Morning cool.  Came of guard.  Eavening fair.  Dres parade.

 

November 1:  Morning cloudy some rain.  Nothing of importance pased during the day.

 

2:  Morning cleard off.  Eavening dril dress parade.

 

3:  Morning pleasant.  Went on guard.  Eavning nothing of importance.

 

4:  Morning raining.  Come of guard.  Eavening pleasant fair.

 

5:  Morning fair cool.  Drill.  Eavening fair.  Drill.


6:  Morning fair.  Drill.  Eavening cloudy prospect of rain.

 

7:  Morning cool.  Drawed our guns.  Nothing else pased during the day.  Eavening fair.

 

8:  Morning changible.  Drill.  Eavening cloudy.  Drill.  Dress perade.

 

9:  Morning cloudy rained.  Eavening raining.  No perade.

 

10:  Morning fair on drill.  Eavening dres perade.

 

11:  Morning fair.  Went on guard.  Eavening pleasant.

 

12:  Morning come of guard.  Eavening fair.  Drill dres perade.

 

13:  Morning cool cloudy.  Drill.  Eavening rain no perade.

 

14:  Morning fair cool.  Drill.  Eavning fair.  Drill dres perade.

 

15:  Morning clear cool.  Drill.  Eavening went to town.

 

16:  Morning fair cool.  Drill.  Eavening cool. Dres perade.

 

17:  Morning cool.  Went on guard.  Eavening drill dres perade.

 

18:  Morning fair.  Drill.  Eavening fair.  Drill dres perade.

 

19:  Morning cloudy.  Rained all night.  Had marching orders for Henderson KY.  Struck tents and marched down in town to the wharf and there got on steam boat and started for Henderson.  Faired off eavening fair and pleasant.  Got there and marched out from town a little and taken up camp.  Name our camp Dandy for our Lt Col.1  Piched tents.

 

20:  Morning fair pleasant.  Favening fair.  Dres perade.

 

21:  Morning clear.  Went on guard.  Eavening pleasant.

 

22:  Morning cool clear.  Came off guard.  Eavening fair.  Drill dres perade.

 

23:  Morning fair cool.  Eavening drill dres perade.

 

24:  Morning fair pleasant.  Eavening fair.  Drill dres perade and that night got marching orders for Cahoon.

 

25:  Morning fair.  Went out on picket.  Eavening cloudy and at night rained very


hard.

 

26:  Morning cloudy and wet.  Called in off picket about two oclock eavening and about four oclock taken up the line of march and marched about eight miles and camped in a woods pasture for the night.

 

27:  Morning raining.  Taken up the line of march about eleven oclock.  Rain stoped.  Eavening cloudy.  Marched about twelve miles and taken and stoped and piched tents for the night close to Curdsville on Green River KY. and retired for the night it being cool.  Commenced snowing that night.

 

29:  Morning  snowing.  The day recommenced moving our teames across and about eight oclock that night we got all across. (Assume crossing Green River.) Still snowing.  Marched out about half a mile from the river and camped and piched tents for the night.

 

30:  Morning cold.  Struck tents and started on the march about six oclock.  Snow about six inches deep.  Eavening cleared of and turned some warmer.  Marched on about fourteen miles and taken up camp and piched tents for the night in an old field and retired for the night.

 

December 1:  Morning clear and cool.  Struck tents and started for Calhoon KY and got there about twelve oclock.  Piched tents and taken up camp in our regular way it being Sunday.  Eavening fair.  Our camp being very low bottom near Green River.

 

2:  Morning fair cool.  Eavening fair pleasant.

 

3:  Morning fair cool.  Went on guard round the quarters.  Eavening fair.

 

4:  Morning cloudy rained.  Came off guard.  Eavening faired up.  Dres perade.

 

5:  Morning cloudy cool.  Eavening raining.  No perade.

 

6:  Morning fair.  Went on guard.  Eavening fair.

 

7:  Morning fair.  Came of guard.  Eavening fair.  Went on guard in Charles Ohinny's place for a quarter.2 Stood all night.

 

8:  Morning raining.  Came of guard.  Eavening raining.

 

9:  Morning fair with some clouds.  Eaven fair.  Drill dres perade.

10:  Morning cloudy.  Eavening rain so moved our camp about 1/4 of a mile west.

11: Morning cloudy.  Went on guard.  Eavening faired of cool.  A nice camp.


12:  Morning fair.  Came of guard.  Eavening fair.  Drill dres perade.

 

13:  Morning fair cool.  Eavening fair and cool.  Dres perade.

 

14:  Morning cool.  Drill.  Eavening fair.  Dres perade.

 

15:  Morning cloudy.  Drill.  Eavening rained faired off.  Dres perade.

 

16:  Morning fair.  Went on guard.  Eavening fair and cool.

 

17:  Morning cool cloudy.  Came off guard.  Eavening snowed a little.

 

18:  Morning fair.  Drill.  Eavening fair.  Drill dres perade.

 

19:  Morning fair cool.  Drill.  Eavening fair pleasant.  Dres perade.

 

20:  Morning fair.  Drill  Eavening fair.  Went on drill and was taken sick.

 

21:  Morning cool.  Not very well.  Eavening cool.  Worse again.

 

22:  Morning cool rained.  Worse eavening.  Cool.  Measels came on me and I was vaxenated.

 

23:  Morning fair cool.  Worse.  Eavening fair.  Measels out big on me and bad sick.

 

24:  Morning raining and snowing.  Taking medicin for the measel.3  Eavening fair.

 

25:  Morning fair.  Felt some better.  Eavening fair.  Felt pretty sick.  Christmas.

Had fun through camp that day eating chickens and turkeys.

 

26:  Morning cool cloudy.  Still sick.  Eavening fair.  Getting weak.

 

27:  Morning cold.  Measels going away.  Eavening snowing cold.

 

28:  Morning cold.  Still better.  Eavening fair cool.

 

29:  Morning fair cold.  Still better.  Eavening fair and pleasant.

 

30:  Morning cold and snowy.  Eavening moody.  Nothing of importunes pased during the day.

 

Jany 1 (1862): Morning cold and snowing.  Better.  Eavening cold and stormy.

 

2:       Morning cold and stormy.  Better.  Eavening cold with appearance rain.


3:  Morning clear moderating.  Better.  Eavening fair but cool windy.

 

4:  Morning cool and went worse.  Eavening windy and prettysie-k.

 

5:  Morning changible.  Taking medicin from the doctor.  Pretty sick.

 

6:  Morning cool and still taking medicine.  No better.

 

7:  Morning cold.  Still worse.  Eavening wet mudy.  Very sick.

 

8:  Morning cold.  Geting very weak and still taking medicine.  Eavening cool wet mudy.

 

9: Morning cold snowing.  Still worse and taking medicine.  Eavening changible.

 

10:  Morning clear cold.  Still weaker and taking medicine.  Eavening changible.  Very sick.

 

11: Morning cold.  Still worse.  Gettingso weak can’t stand hardly alone.  Still taking medicine Eavening cold and frosen.

 

12:  Morning cold and appearance of rain.  So weak that I couldent walk and quit taking medicine and got a pas to go to the marine hospital Evansville Ind and started to the boat about half past eleven oclock and got on a boat and started about one oclock PM.  Eavening cold.  Got to Evansville some time that night.  Lay on the boat that night.  Felt prety bad.  Coulden only just walk.

 

13:  Morning cold.  Got of the boat and made my way up through town to the Washington hotel.  Stayed there tell about eight oclock PM and then went down to the depo and there got on the nine oclock train for Princeton.  Got there about eleven oclock AM.  Got of the train and went up in town and stayed there till about two oclock eavning and then got out to Washington Mc millon that night it being very cold and commenced snowing.  I stayed there all night it being about two miles from the town.  Still very weak.

 

14:  Morning very cold.  Snow on the ground.  Felt some better and started home about eleven oclock AM.  Suffered right smart with cold on the road.  Had about fourteen miles to go.  Got home about two oclock PM and was gladly received by my people.  Eavening fair.

 

15:  Morning cool.  Felt come better and got something that I could eat and soon commenced geting well.  Eavning fair.

 

16:  Morning pleasant.  Still on the mend but very weak.  Eavning fair pleasant.


 

17:  Morning fair.  Still on the mend.  Eavening fair cold.

 

18:  Morning cool.  Looks like snow.  Still gaining.  Eavning fair.

 

19:  Morning cold and snowing.  Still on the mend.  Eavening cool.

 

20:  Morning cold snow on the ground.  Eavening faired off.

 

21:  Morning raining.  Still better.  Eavening turned cold.

 

22:  Morning cold and snowy.  Still on the mend.  Eavening cool.

 

23:  Morning cool.  Still on the mend.  Eavening cloudy.

 

24:  Morning cloudy snowing.  Better.  Eavening snowing.

 

25:  Morning snow on the ground.  Able to nook round.

 

26:  Morning cool.  Able nook round.  Eavning fair pleasant.

 

27:  Morning cool.  Able to work a little.  Eavning fair cool.

 

28:  Morning snowing.  Hauled corn.  Eavening snowed very hard.

 

29:  Morning cold snow on the ground.  About well.  Eavening cold.  Getting ready to start back to my Regim.

 

30:  Morning cold.  Got ready and started for Pinceton about eight oclock.  Eavemng fair cold.  Got on cars at Princeton for Evansville 3 oclock PM and got to Evans that night and stayed at the tavern till morning.

 

31:  And then went up in to town with the calculation of geting a boat for calhoon but it was a mistake.  None there runing.  Morning fair.  Eavning cool.  Went to the hospital that night and stayed till morning.

 

Feby 1 (1862): Morning cool and windy.  Geting prety stout again.  Eavening clear an cold.  Went to the hospital again.

 

2:  Morning cold.  Geting tired of the hospital.  Eavning cool.  Went down to the river and got a boat for Calhoon the river being very hy the boat had to run very slow.

 

3:  Morning raining.  The boat still runing slow.  Eavning raining.  Got to Calhoon about 9 oclock that night.  Got off the boat in the mud and marched out to camp a distance of about half a mile.  Got to camp very tired.  Went in my tent puled of my things and caught cold that night.


4:  Morning cool.  Felt bad.  Eavning cool.  Not able for duty on account of cold.

 

5:  Morning cool.  Not able duty.  Eavening cool.  Felt some better.

 

6:  Morning fair cool.  Felt better.  Eavening fair.  Felt still better.

 

7:  Morning cool.  Clen up my gun and got ready for duty.  Eavening fair cool.

 

8:  Morning cloudy.  Looks like snow.  Eavening cool.  Felt well.

 

9:  Morning cool.  Went on guard.  Eavening cloudy snowed and I took ague.4  Came

off guard bad by fever.

 

10:  Morning cool.  Felt pretty bad.  Nocked around camp and as the day advanced

felt better.  Eavening cool cloudy.

 

11:  Morning cool and bad.  Eavning cool.  Taken the ague about 2 oclock.  Pretty

sick during the night.

 

12:  Morning cool.  Felt tolerable well.  Went to cooking.  Snowed eavening and

cloudy.

 

13:  Morning cloudy and appearance of snow.  Still cooking.  Eavning looks like rain.

14:  Morning changible.  Eavning raining very wet.

15:  Morning cold and wet and apearance of rain.  Eavening snowing a little.

 

16:  Morning clear and cool.  Eavening fair.  Got marching orders for Owensborough and struck tents and taken up the line of march about ten oclock PM.  Travailed all night.

 

17:  Morning raining some little.  Got there about thwelve oclock that day then put our teems and things on a boat and then some time that night started for Evansville.  Landed there that night some time.

 

18:  Morning fair.  Laying at Evansville. Got marching orders to go down the river and ran down about ten miles and something rong with some of the pipes and tied up and lay there till late in eavning.  Eavning fair.  Boys in good spirits.  Started again.

 

19:  Morning rainy looking.  Landed at Smithland 3 oclock PM and lay there a while.  Up in the day and got marching orders back up to the mouth of Green River.  Started up in the day and ran on up that way.


20:  Morning fair.  Landed at Evansville about 2 oclock.  Lay there till about four oclock and then started and ran up to the mouth of Green River and there got orders to come back to Evansville.  Landed back there and lay there till about 10 oclock that day and got orders to go back down the river.  Started down the river for Smithland.  Weather fair.

 

21:  Morning fair.  Landed at Smithland 4 oclock AM and lay there till 8 oclock and left there for Paducah.  Went on down to Paducah KY a distance of about 12 miles.  Landed there 10 oclock AM.  Weather clear and pleasant.

 

22:  Morning clear pleasant.  Eavning fair cool.

 

23:  Morning cloudy warm.  Left Paducah by order of General Nelson.5  Pased up the Ohio to mouth of the Cumberland River.  Taken up it it being very full and rising made it very rough travailing on the water.  Eavening cloudy.

24:  Tied up after pasing Ft Donelson for the night.6  Weather warm river rising.

 

25:  Weather clear and warm.  River very hy and rising.  Pased on up by Clarksonville.  Landed at Nashville Tenn.  Eavning fair.

 

26:  Morning clear and warm.  Leaving the boat march out about three miles from the city and taken up camp and piched tents.  Eavning clear warm.

 

27:  Morning clear warm.  Went to cooking again for Co. Eavening fair.

 

28:  Morning clear and cool.  Eavening fair.

 

March 1:  Morning cloudy cool.  Eavening cloudy cool.

 

2:  Morning clear and pleasant.  Eavening clear and warm.

 

3:  Morning cloudy and cool.  I quit cooking and went on guard.  Showers of snow

falling all day.  Windy cold.

 

4:  Morning cool rain shower but came of guard.  Eavning clear.  Went on skirmish drill.

 

5:  Morning cloudy and cold.  Drill.  Eavening cloudy cool.  Battalion drill.

 

6:  Morning cloud snowing very cold.  Went on guard.  Chily winds.  Eavening cold

and windy.  Taken the ague.  Had to come off guard.

 

7:  Morning clear and col.  Eavening clear pleasant.  Felt some better.


8:  Morning clear cool sun shower warm.  Had the ague agam.  Eavening fair pleasant.

 

9:  Morning windy pleasant.  Eavening fair.  Felt some better.

 

10:  Morning cloudy raining windy.  Eavning cleared of warm but windy.  Mised the ague.

 

11:  Morning clear cool.  Not able for duty yet.  Eavening clear cool.

 

12:  Morning fair pleasant.  Paymaster paid us off for two months and twenty three days.  Eavening fair.  Not able for duty.

 

13:  Morning cloudy raining.  Not able for duty.  Eavening cloudy warm.

 

14:  Morning fair pleasant. Not able for duty. Eavening fair. J Asteel elected second Lt. J D Skelton promoted to first seargeant. James Kenedy promoted to second seargeant.  nothing more of importance.

 

15:  Morning cloudy raining.  Not able for duty.  Eavening cloudy warm.

 

16:  Morning cold blustery.  Not able for duty.  Eavning cold windy.

 

17:  Morning cool and changible.  Eavening cool cloudy.

 

18:  Morning clear warm.  Had orders to march.  Struck tents and started on the way to Columbia.  Marched about 6 miles in that direction and stoped to rest.  Orders was changed to division into Michels and then had to turn and march back and General Michel being on his way to Murfreesborough we marched back to our camp and taken the road for Murfreesborough.7  Marched about three miles and stoped for the night.  Eavening fair.

 

19:  Morning raining very hard thundering very heavy.  Ceased raining about nine oclock.  Struck tents started marched on during day.  Had the ague in the eavening.  Halted for the night.  Piched tents.  Felt very bad.

 

20:  Morning warm cloudy.  Struck tents early and started on our march for another day being very sore from marching day before.  Having to march some 10 miles, out of the way on acount of the rebels burning some bridges.  Halted at night and piched tents.  Eavening cloudy warm.

 

21:  Morning cool.  Struck tents and taken up the line of march and landed at Murfreesborough about 9 oclock AM.  Near three oclock piched our tents and taken up camp.  I was then caled out on guard.  Stood two hours.  Came off and taken the ague and had to have a man take my place.  Eavening very cold.


22:  Morning warm pleasant.  Felt some better.  Went doctorr.  Eavning fair cool.

 

23:  Morning clear and warm.  Went doctor.  Eavening fair cool.  Had the ague.

 

24:  Morning raining.  Went doctor.  Eavening fair pleasant.

 

25:  Morning cloudy and a little changible.  Went to the doctor.  Had the ague again.

 

26:  Morning clear warm.  Felt some better.  Went to the doctor.  Eavening fair.

 

27:  Morning clear warm.  Went doctor.  Eavening fair.  Had the ague.

 

28:  Morning clear warm.  Went doctor.  Eavening cool rained.

 

29:  Morning warm.  Had ague and getting very weak.  Quit going to the doctor.

Eavening fair pleasant.

 

30:  Morning clear warm.  Felt some better.  Eavenng fair pleasant.

 

31:  Morning warm.  Very weak.  Felt some better than I had been.  Eavening fair

pleasanr.

 

April 1: Morning clear warm.  Felt some better.  Eavening fair pleasant.

 

2:  Morning warm clear.  Still on the mend.  Went on drill.  Eavening fair pleasant.

 

3:  Morning clear warm.  Went on guard.  Got orders to march.  Struck tents and

taken up the line of march 2 oclock PM.  Marched about fifteen miles and camped for the night.  Eavning very warm and swoltry.

 

4:  Mornmg fair and struck tents very early and taken up the line of march reaching Shelbyville Tenn.  About 10 oclock AM.  Rainy got wet it being twenty five miles from Murfreesborough to Shelbyville.  Marched on pased town about ?? miles.  Struck tents and taken up camp again.  Eavening fair warm.

 

5:  Morning cloudy misty.  Eavning clear warm.  Drill dres.

 

6:  Morning clear cool frost.  Eavening fair pleasant.

 

7:  Morning cloudy comfortable.  Went on guard.  Eavening cloudy.

 

8:  Morning cloudy raining.  Came off guard.  Eavening cloudy warm.

 

9: Morning clear pleasant.  Moved into town and taken quarters in houses as


provost guards.  Eavning fair.

 

10:  Morning clear warm.  Eavning clear warm.  Went on guard.

 

11:  Morning cloudy pleasant.  Came of guard.  Eavening fair pleasant.

 

12:  Morning clear cool.  Eavning cloudy cool.  Went on guard at depo.

 

13:     Morning warm.  Came of guard.  Eavening fair.  Dres perade.

 

14:  Morning cloudy pleasant.  Eavening fair.  Marched out to Wartrace about 8

miles from Shelbyville.  Went on guard that night.

 

15:  Morning pleasant.  Came of guard.  Marched through town and taken up camp

and piched tent near the town of Wartrace on the Nashville and Chatanuga railroad.

Eavening fair pleasant.

 

16:  Morning clear warm.  Eavning fair pleasant.

 

17:  Morning warm pleasant.  Eavening fair pleasant.

 

18:  Morning cloudy and pleasant.  Eavning cloudy warm.

 

19:  Morning raining.  Eavening raining cool.

 

20:  Morning raining chilly cool.  Went on picket railroad bridge about two miles

from camp.  Eavening cloudy raining.

 

21:  Morning cloudy and blustery.  Came of guard.  Eavening cloudy raining sleety.

 

22:  Morning cool cloudy with apearance of clearing off.  Eavening fair moderating

some.

 

23:  Morning clear pleasant.  Troops exercised in the amanner of armies. Eavening cloudy.  Allarm in night but false.

 

24:  Morning clear pleasant.  Drill.  Eavening cloudy.

 

25:  Morning cool cloudy apearance of rain.  Eavening fair.

 

26:  Morning warm pleasant.  Received pay for two months.  Went on guard to

railroad bridge.  Eavning fair pleasant.

 

27:  Morning warm pleasant.  Came off guard.  Eavning fair pleasant.


28:  Morning warm pleasant.  Struck tents and moved to Shelbyville.  Piched tents for the night.  Eavning fair.

 

29:  Morning fair pleasant.  Struck tents and taken up the line of march for Fayetteville.  Traveling on during the day.  Halted at night.  Piched tents.  Eavening fair pleasant.

 

30:  Morning cloudy raining.  Struck tents and taken up the line of march. landed there about 10 odock AM.  Took up quarters and piched tents near Elk River.  Have a fine camp.

 

May 1 (1862): Morning clear warm.  Musterd for pay.  Eavening cloudy looks like rain.  Went on guard in town.

 

2:  Morning clear warm.  Came of guard.  Eavening very warm.

 

3:  Morning cloudy raining.  Eavening warm.  Dres perade.

 

4:  Morning cloudy warm.  Eavening cloudy raining.

 

5:  Morning raining.  Eavening cleared off.  Dres perade.

 

6:  Clear warm.  Went on batillion drill.  Eavening fair warm.

 

7:  Morning clear warm.  Drill.  Eavening fair.  Drill dres perade.

 

8:  Morning clear warm.  Drill.  Eavening fair.  Dres perade.

 

9:  Morning clear warm.  Building fence for to defend the cavalry away from us.  Eavening fair.  Dres perade.

 

10:  Morning clear warm.  Went on guard.  Eavening very warm.

 

11:  Morning clear and came of guard.  Eavening very warm.  Dres perade.

 

12:  Morning clear very warm.  Eavening fair warm.

 

13:  Morning clear warm.  Eavening fair.  Dres perade.

 

14:  Morning clear warm.  Went on drill amanner of armies.  Eavening fair.  Dres perade.

 

15:  Morning clear warm.  Went on guard.  Eavening fair.

 

16:  Morning clear warm.  Came of guard.  Eavening fair.


17:  Morning cloudy pleasant.  Drill.  Eavening fair. Dres Perade

 

18:  Morning clear warm.  Eavening fair.  Dres perade.

 

19:  Morning cool pleasant.  Eavening fair.  Dres perade.

20:  Morning clear pleasant. Went guard.  Eavening fair pleasant.

21:  Morning cloudy apearance of rain.  Came of guard.  Eavening fair.  Dres perade.

22:  Morning clear pleasant. Co drill.  Eavening fair.  Dres perade.

23:  Morning warm cloudy rained.  Eavening cloudy raining

 

24:  Morning cloudy misty.  Co drill.  Eavening fair.  Dres perade.

 

25:  Morning cloudy but pleasant.  Eavening fair.  Preaching.  Dres perade.

 

26:  Morning clear cool.  Visited by General Michel.8  Eavning fair pleasant.  Had

dres perade and a speech from General Michel.

 

27:  Morning clear warm.  Battalion drill.  Eavning fair pleasant.  Dres perade.

 

28:  Morning clear warm.  Eavening fair pleasant.

 

29:  Morning clear warm.  Orders to march.  Struck tents about four oclock and taken up the line of march for Huntsville Alabama.  Marched on during the day within about seven miles of Huntsville.  Halted at night lay without our tents the night pleasant and us tired slept well.

 

30:  Morning fair warm.  Taken up the line of march again for Huntsville and there about ten oclock AM was gladly received and escorted through town by Brigidier General Lytle to our camp ground.9  Got there piched tents and taken up camp as usual.  Eavening clear warm.

 

31:  Morning clear warm.  Great joy over surrender of Corrinth.  Went on polese guard.  Eavning fair warm.  Stood aline tent at night. 34 guns was fired during the day.

 

June 1: Morning clear warm.  Came of guard.  Eavening fair pleasant.

 

2:  Morning raining but ceased.  Went out on Picket fourteen minutes.  Guns fired during the day over the death of General Smith.10  Eavening cloudy pleasant.

 

3:  Morning cloudy apearance of rain.  Came of picket.  Eavning fair warm.


4:  Morning warm.  Went on picket about two miles from camp for three days.

Eavening fair pleasant.

 

5:  Morning cloudy apearance of rain.  Still on picket.  Eavning cleard of very cool.

 

6:  Morning cloudy.  Still picket.  Eavning fair pleasant.

 

7:  Morning cloudy.  Came of picket.  Eavning faired off.

 

8:  Morning clear cool.  Caring water.  Eavning fair pleasant.

 

9:  Morning banks of clouds passing over.  Went on picket out about three miles

from camp.  Eavning fair pleasant.

 

10:  Morning clear cool.  Still picket.  Eavening fair pleasant.

 

11:  Morning clear cool.  Still on picket.  Eavening warm dry.

 

12:  Morning clear and still picket.  Total eclips of the moon early in the morning.

Eavening clear warm.

 

13:  Morning clear cool.  Still on picket.  Eavning warm dry banks of clouds.

 

14:  Morning clear pleasant do.  Eavning clear warm dry.

 

15:  Morning clear cool.  Still picket.  Eavning warm dry.

 

16:  Morning clear pleasant do.  Eavning warm dry apearance r

 

17:  Morning cloudy apearance rain.  Still picket.  Eavening clear warm dry.

 

18:  Morning cloudy misting rain but has apearance clearing off.  About eleven

oclock came of picket and while out on picket they had moved our camp about two

miles.  Eavning clear warm.

 

19:  Morning cloudy rained.  Careing water.  Eavening clear warm.

 

20:  Morning clear cool.  Went on guard Colonels tent.  Eavening clear warm.

 

21:  Morning clear and came of guard.  Eavning clear and warm.

 

22:  Morning clear cool.  Eavning fair warm.  Moved our regiment from the west side of town to the north where we have a beautiful camp.

 

23:  Morning clear warm.  Went on picket.  Eavning cloudy warm.


24:  Morning cloudy pleasant.  Came of picket.  Looks like rain.

 

25:  Morning cloudy fogy.  On polese party.11  Eavening fair.  Dres perade.

 

26:  Morning cloudy pleasant.  Eavening fair.  Dres perade.

 

27:  Morning cloudy apearance of rain.  Went on picket about eight miles from

camp to guard a railroad bridge.  Eavning cloudy rained.

 

28:  Morning cloudy.  Still picket.  Eavning cloudy rained after night.

 

29:  Morning cloudy pleasant.  Came of picket.  Got in camp about twelve oclock.

Eavenmg fair warm.

 

30:  Morning clear warm.  Went on picket about two miles from camp.  Eavning banks clouds west.

 

July 1 (1862): Morning cloudy.  Came of picket.  Eavening fair pleasant. Dres perade.

 

2:  Morning fair warm.  Got a pass and went to town.  Eavning fair warm.  Dres perade.

 

3:  Morning cloudy warm.  Went on guard.  Eavning still warm banks clouds in the west.

 

4:  Morning fair warm.  Came of guard twelve oclock while guns fired 34 times.

Eavning fair warm its fourth of July.

 

5:  Morning fair warm.  Went on guard.  Eavning warm and banks of clouds in the west.

 

6:  Morning clear warm.  Came of guard.  Eavning fair pleasant.  Dres p.

 

7:  Morning clear warm.  Went on guard.  Eavning fair warm.

 

8:  Morning clear warm.  Came of guard.  Eavening fair.  Dres perade.

 

9:  Morning fair pleasant.  Went on guard.  Eavening cloudy.

 

10:  Morning clear warm.  Came off guard.  Eavening warm.  Went in to a cave near

Huntsville and was very well pleased with the various things that I saw in there.  Is almost every thing that you can call for.

11:  Morning cloudy and pleasant.  Went on picket.  Eavning cloudy rained.


12:  Morning cloudy.  Came off picket.  Eavening fair warm.  Dres p.

 

13:  Morning clear warm.  Caled on minute duty.  Eavening fair warm.

 

14:  Morning clear pleasant.  Looked all night forsome rebel cavalry to atact us

and the artillery kept themselves rady horses guard and hiched up.  Came off minute duty.  Eavening fair pleasant.  Visited the 17 and 58 Regt Ind Vol and saw several of my old friends and connections.12

 

15:  Morning clear pleasant.  Caled on picket out on the pike about a mile and half from camp for one days time.  Eavning cloudy rained.

 

16:  Morning cloudy pleasant.  Came off picket, Regt review.  Eavning cloudy misting rain.  Dres perade.  Our rations redused one half

 

17:  Morning cloudy raining.  Detailed out on picket about seven miles from camp.  Eavning cloudy raining of and on all day.

 

18:  Morning warm cloudy has the apearance of rain.  Still on picket.  Eavening fared off pleasant.

 

19:  Morning clear pleasant.  Came off picket.  Came in on cars.  Eavening cloudy rained after night very hard.

 

20:  Morning pleasant flying clouds from the west.  Detailed on picket about two miles from camp on the south side of town.  Eavening clear pleasant.

 

21:  Morning clear warm.  Came off picket.  Eavening fair pleasant.  Dres perade.

 

22:  Morning clear pleasant.  Caled on minute duty.  Noon hazy cloudy.  Eavning a little cloudy.  Warm night clouded up.  Dres perade.

 

23:  Morning cloudy droping rain air cool and pleasant.  Detailed out on picket about three miles from camp on south side of town for two days.  Eavning cloudy looks like rain.

 

24:  Morning clear pleasant.  Eavning fair pleasant.  Bands plaid till about 11 oclock in camp PM.

 

25:  Morning fair pleasant air cool for the time of year.  Came off picket.  Eavning

clear pleasant.

 

26:  Morning cloudy but cleared off towards twelve sun came out.  Eavning clear

pleasant.  Dres perade.


27:  Morning fair cool.  Drill befor breakfast.  Detailed out on picket about three miles from camp on the south side of town on the Whitesburg (Alabama) road.  Eavening clear pleasant.

 

28:  Morning cool with banks of clouds raising in the east and passing over but sun still shines to.  Eavning clear till late in the eavning clouded up looked like rain in the west.

 

29:  Morning hazy cloudy and cool.  Eavning clouded up looks like rain about night.

 

30:  Morning cloudy and cool.  Liveing on half ration set and the Co has to suffer and peaches and everything that is fit to eat such as hogs cattle chickens turkey and milk.  Came off picket about 11 oclock AM.  Eavning cloudy rained.  Taken by brothers place on guard on accoun of him being unwell and I rather take his place as to let him stand in the rain.13

 

31:  Morning cloudy and raining.  Came of guard and went on minute duty and was caled out to work and went to the depo.  Out there got on the cars.  Ran up the road about four miles.  Got off and went out on a mountain to cut logs to build a stockade in Huntsville.  We being on half rations the boys went to killing hogs and sheep.  Eavening cloudy rained.  Marched in to camp through the rain wading through water and mud.

 

August 1 (1862):  Morning cloudy lookes like rain.  Detailed out on working party again to cut logs at the same place.  Went down to the depo got on the cars ran up there.  Got of cut logs till noon and then cut roads to them in eavning.  Eavening fair pleasant.  Cars came out after us at six oclock and taken us in camp.

 

2:  Morning clear warm.  Detailed on working party again.  Got on the cars and ran down the railroad about eight miles.  There got off and went to cutting logs.  I went to cooking for the boys we having 3000 logs to cut and haul.  The boys piched in prety hard to try to get done.  Eavening cloudy rained a little.

 

3:  Morning cloudy.  Still cooking.  Eavening cloudy very warm.

 

4:  Morning clear.  Quit cooking and went to choping logs.  Eavening cloudy rained a shower.

 

5:  Morning clear warm.  Still choping.  Eavening fair warm.  Still out.

 

6:  Morning banks of clouds.  Eavening raining in the southwest.  Still at work and

got all of the negroes and teems near here a hauling logs for us.  Eavening fair pleasant.

 

7:  Morning clear pleasant.  Relief came out to relieve us.  Eavening fair warm.  Got


on the cars about nine oclock.  Got to camp eleven oclock PM.  Night warm.

 

8:  Morning fair warm.  Eavening fair pleasant.

 

9:  Morning clear warm.  Detailed on poles guard.  Got to Colonels tent.  Eavning

fair pleasant.  Went on review and General Rousan inspected us.14  Five oclock in the eavning came on guard at night at Colonels tent.

 

10:  Morning fair warm.  Came on guard.  Eavening fair warm.  Went on dres perade by parade was dismised on account of part of the regiment being gone away.

 

11:  Morning clear warm.  Detailed on provost guard in town but dident have to go.  Worked around camp.  Eavening fair.  Dres perade.

 

12:  Morning clear warm.  Drill befor breakfast.  Detailed for picket and was dismised and dident have to go.  Eavening cloudy warm.  Dres perade.

 

13:  Morning clear warm.  Detailed out on picket one mile west of camp for two days.  Eavning fair pleasant.

 

14:  Morning warm with banks of clouds rising and pasing over.  Eavening clear dry hot.

 

15:  Morning clear warm.  Came of picket.  Eavning fair pleasant.  Dres parade.

 

16:  Morning clear cool.  Drill befor breakfast.  Detailed on water squad but drill in forenoon.  Eavning fair pleasant.  Dres perade in evening.

 

17:  Morning clear cool.  Drill befor breakfast.  Detailed out on picket about one mile from camp on the west side of town for two days.  Eavning clear warm.

 

18:  Morning clear pleasant.  Eavning fair pleasant.

 

19:  Morning cloudy sprinkling rain.  Not relieved on acount brigade drill today.

Eavning cloudy pleasant.

 

20:  Morning cloudy pleasant with apearance of rain.  Eavning cloudy pleasant.

 

21:  Morning cloudy pleasant.  Rained a little before dalight.  In the morning had

orders to march on 22.  Eavening cloudy pleasant.  Dres perade.

 

22:  Morning clear pleasant.  Orders countermanded till 23.  Detailed out on picket about half a mile from camp to stand still night.  Eavening cloudy with apearance of rain.  Was relieved by the 15 Kentucky.  Came in camp our tents being torn down.  We drawed one days ration and put in our haversacks (?). Lay down for the night.


Orders to march at four oclock next morning 23.

 

23:  Morning clear pleasant.  Got up at two.  Got breakfast eat a bight.  Marched at four the roads dry and dusty.  Halted at Flint Creek 11 miles.  The bridge was burnt.  We had to wade the creek.  The old Colonel throed our napsack out of the wagon it being a wagon that we hired to hawl them through for us.15  The Capt talked to him to let us put them back in the wagon again.  Started again.  Halted at a well got water started again.  Halted at New market 17-1/2 miles for refreshment at the creek.  After eating at 5 oclock we started.  Marched through the place that McKook burnt the houses.16  Haulted at 1/2 past 9 oclock.  Camped in a tobaco patch without tents.

 

24:  Morning fair pleasant.  Got up at 3 oclock.  Marched at four without eating.  Halted at Branchville 6 miles march.  Got breakfast.  Started marching to Aslem (?looks like - not on maps) 3 miles.  Halted to get water here.  The wagon that we had hired broke down.  I got my napsack put it in the corn wagon.  Started marched 4 miles further.  Halted at dinner water being scarce.  We rested till 4 oclock through Winchester just to dark.  Halted just after crosing the river.  Eat super.  Retired after night.

 

25:  Morning fair pleasant.  Got up at three oclock.  Marched at 4 oclock to ?? station by half hour by sun.  Halted 1/2 mile from the station.  Eat breakfast.  Took arms marched west of the depot.  Took up camp in a nice field.  Piched tents.  Got permission went down to the creek to go in swiming.  Water mudy didnt go in.  Came back to camp.  Eavning fair warm.

 

26:  Morning clear cool.  Detailed on water squad caring water.  Eavening clear pleasant.  Orders to pack up everything and be ready to march at any moment.

 

27:  Morning clear cool.  Slept without tents or napsacks.  I was detailed on polese guard.  Helped put up a shed for the sentinels to stand under.  About two oclock I was called off guard and all went out on picket one mile and a half east of camp to relieve the third Ohio.  Eavening clear.

 

28:  Morning cloudy warm.  Troops pasing all the time.  Was relieved about twelve oclock by the 38 Ind Regt.  Eavening cloudy pleasant.  Dres p.

 

29:  Morning cloudy pleasant.  Co F was ordered to go on the cars as guard to Stevenson.  Went down to depo one oclock got on the cars.  At four oclock PM started.  Ran cars down through the tunnel.  Stoped all night.  LAy on cars till morning.

 

30:  Morning cloudy pleasant.  Started at five ran on to Stevenson.  Got off there stacked arms at eight oclock.  At nine was ordered on the train again to guard it to Huntsville.  Ran on the rebels fired in the train.  Some twenty or thirty miles from there wounded one negro doing no other damage.  We never saw them.  We ran on some distance and saw some fifty or seventy five cavalry near paint rock.  We fired


on them and they returned fire.  We fired some three rounds at them.  They were running all the time to get away they doing no damage.  Ran on within about 11 miles of Huntsville.  Stoped there to water.  Something got rong with the engine had to leave the cars and ran on to town and sent back another engine after the cars.  It came back hiched on then ran on into town.  Got off at the depo.  Lay there till 9 oclock PM.  Got on the train again for Stevenson.  Ran very slow and bothered for water.

 

31:  Morning clear warm.  Got to Stevenson about 7 or 8 oclock AM then about 9 was ordered off the train they looking for a fight.  We was orderd into a larg brick building prepared for infantry upstairs.  Boath sides canonading all the time prety heavy.  The Colonel orderd us out of there into a stockade near the depo.  Ordered us to hold it as long as we could.  Still cannonading but doing no damage to us.  We got orders to retreat from there.  We all left there 3-1/2 oclock PM for Decard station.  Marched about half a mile.  Was over taken by cavalry one Co of the 10 Wisconsin.  Was deploid out as scurmish in week end.  Let them run up on them and they fired on them killing 11 of them.  They ran without fireing again.  We marched down over the mountamz through the valhes having a very bad road to march.  Marched 20 miles.  Halted on the railroad.  About twelve oclock lay down for to rest and sleep.

 

September 1 (1862):  Morning cloudy pleasant apearance of rain.  Put some cars on the train that had ran off the day before. 11 oclock marched on over mountains and through vallies 15 miles.  Halted at dark at Tantallon on the railroad.  Got super lay down for the night.

 

2:  Morning cloudy pleasant.  We war orderd as rear guard with one of the 38 Ind Regt.  Marched at six having a large mountain to go over.  A wagon broke down on the mountain delayed us some time.  We got behind the battalion two miles.  We then had to march on and ketch up.  Pased Deckard about three oclock in the eavning.  Troops all had left there.  Reached Talahoma (Tullahoma, Tennessee) 36 miles 8 oclock.  Eat super lay down for night.

 

3:  Morning clear cool.  Orderd to join the 37 Ind Regt there men in good spirits.  Marched at 6 oclock AM botherd with the division train of wagons all of the forenoon.  Eavening clear warm.  Made up the lost time having to wad the river some too or three times it being very bad on our feet.  Halted Wartrace.  Got super.  Marched 9 oclock PM took the rong road.  Had to come back making about three miles march out of the way.  Started on the right road marched about three miles.  Halted at 2 oclock.  Lay down rested slept till morning on the ground.

 

4:  Morning clear cool.  Marched at five about half a mile.  Halted for breakfast.  Got breakfast men in good spirits.  Marched at eight oclock for Murfreesboro.  Marched on halted some two or three times on the way.  Marched through Murfreesboro about 8 oclock.  Marched out about two miles from town.  Halted in a field for the night.  Lay down to rest and sleep and bout ten oclock our regiment


marched past and we got up and got orders from Colonel Jones to get on the division wagons.  We got on them rode on that night about 7 miles. Stoped till morning.

 

5:  Morning clear cool.  Went up to our Co wagons got our breakfast.  Marched at six for Nashville.  I then marched the most of the time on till twelve.  Halted got dinner.  I then started on in front of the regiment marched on 9 miles halted till the regt came up.  We marched off the road about two hundred yards.  Halted for the night.  Lay down till morning.

 

6:  Morning clear pleasant.  Got breakfast.  Marched at twelve about a quarter of a mile on to a nice little hill.  Halted piched tents got dinner.  Got orders to strike tents half past four.  Five marched on through Nashville cross the Cumberland river on the railroad bridge.  Halted close to the river.  Lay down till morning in the open air.

 

7:  Morning clear warm.  Marched at 8 oclock in the direction of Bolingreen (Bowling Green, Kentucky).  Marched three miles.  Halted.  Piched tents.  Got dinner.  Got orders to strike tents and march.  Struck tents marched at five oclock PM.  Halted seven miles for the night.  I went out with some other boys a foreging.17  Got a lot of chicken and a sheep.  Lay down at 3 oclock.  Got up at four oclock AM.

 

8:  Morning cloudy and pleasant.  Got breakfast.  Marched at half past 5 oclock AM a mile.  Halted wated for the rest of the brigade.  Marched.  Halted again for the same.  Got orders to unload our wagons and put the rest of our things off our wagons.  Only our blankets in the Co wagons.  Marched on.  Halted again for water.  Marched on making ten miles.  Halted for dinner about one oclock.  Got dinner.  My feet very sore.  Marched at five four miles to Tyra springs.  Team halted for the night lay down slept.

 

9:  Morning cloudy pleasant.  Got up at 3. Marched at 5 oclock AM.  Halted three miles got water.  Marched.  Halted seven miles for breakfast.  At 9 oclock got breakfast.  Marched at ten.  Halted a time or two for water.  Halted Michaelville (Mitchellville, Tennessee) 3 oclock for dinner about two miles from the line dividing Tenn and Ky.  Marched at five crossed the line gave three cheers to old KY.  Marched on halted some two or three times.  Halted two miles from Franklin for the night.  I went on guard.  Got up two oclock next morning.

 

10:  Morning cloudy pleasant.  Marched at five.  Halted just after pasing town.  Marched on 10 miles.  Halted for dinner 11 oclock.  Got dinner I being guard over a prisner.  Was sent for water out in the country about two miles.  The rebels being plenty got back as quick as possible.  Marched at 8 within 3 miles of Bolingreen.  Halted for the night.  Lay down for the night.

 

11:  Morning cloudy warm.  Marched at 6. Halted in about a mile of Bohngreen.

Halted rested a moment marched on through Bolingreen out about a miles east of


town.  Halted in an old field.  Piched tents.  Eavening cloudy pleasant.  Went down to the river went in swimming.

 

12:  Morning cloudy pleasant.  Helped to clean up our streets.  Eavning cloudy cool.  Went down to the river.  Went in washed off again.

 

13:  Morning cloudy and apear of rain.  Eavening clear pleasant.  Went down to the river went in swimming.  Came back detailed to work on the College Hill fortification.18  Went up there stayed there a while.  Was ordered back to our quarters and keep ourselves ready to march at any moment.

 

14:  Morning clear pleasant.  Detailed to work on the same fortifications.  At twelve went and got dinner.  At one went back to work again.  Eavning clear warm.  Worked to sun down.

 

15:  Morning hasy cloudy.  Went down went in swimming.  Eavening cloudy pleasant.  Went out on brigade review 3/4 of a miles from camp.  Reviewed by brigadier General Rousau commanding 3 division 17 brigad.  Colonel Little commanding brigade came into camp again.19

 

16:  Morning cloudy pleasant.  Regment went out on picket.  Our Co about a mile and a half south from camp.  Eavening cloudy warm.  Got orders to come into camp at two PM oclock and marched at three oclock PM down crossed Berren river on a pontoon bridge in the direction of Louisville.  Took the pike road marched out seven miles.  Left the pike marched out to the left a north direction about a mile and a half near Barren river.  Camped for the night in an old field.  At dark got super lay down.

 

17:  Morning clear pleasant.  Ris at 4 AM marched at 5 AM without breakfast back to the pike.  Marched on toward Louisville 3 miles.  Halted a few minutes.  Marched on two miles.  Halted near a pond of water wating on the trops in front of us. March on halting 10 minutes every hour.  Marched on 10 miles to dripping springs.  Halted got water about two oclock ourcavalry skirmishing along the road in front of us all the time with the rebels.  Marched on 3 miles left the pike on our left.  Marched out five miles halted on a large hill in a field it raining us without blankets or anything to turn rain and nothing to eat.  Had to set up by the fire all night.

 

18:  Morning cloudy little cool.  Got up.  Wagons come up to us we got breakfast having flour.  Got orders to cook 3 days rations and had nothing to cook in.  Had to cook in the ashes and on the rocks.  Marched at 12 oclock back toward the pike some 5 miles.  Halted some two hours then marched on halting every little bit.  Marched 11 miles to Pilot knobs.  Halted there for the night.  A large number of troops was camped there and the fires made nice scenery to behold after night.  Got super lay down without napsacks or blankets.

 

19:  Morning clear cool.  Got up at four oclock AM.  Eat a bite.  Marched at half


past six AM five miles.  Halted 1/2 past 8 oclock.  Troops in front of us drawed up in line of battle about 13 miles from Munfordville.  Eavening clear pleasant.  Company E and F was ordered out.  Skrimishes about half a miles from camp.  Formed a line east and west.  Co E formed north and -south the men some 20 steps apart all quiet.  Co F caled to the reserve at dark and about 9 oclock were all ordered in to camp.  Very dark and had to go through the woods to camp.  Got there lay down for the night.

 

20:  Morning clear cool.  Orders to keep in redings.  Eavening clear pleasant.  Still prepareing for a fight.

 

21:  Morning clear cool.  Still in redings.  Our Regt caled out on a picket in morning about a mile from camp.  Eavening clear pleasant.  Caled in off picket about 4 oclock PM with orders to march on after the rebels.  Marched on a northern direction some 11 miles.  Halted for the night.  Cos A and F caled out on picket half mile distance on the road toward town.  Cavalry in advance I stood on post one hour at night.

 

22:  Morning clear cool.  Geting breakfast.  The Regt came up and we moved on ahead a quarter of mile toward town in a lane by a Mr Bagses house.20  Got breakfast and dinner both together.  I still on guard we was caled to the Regt at 3 PM.  Marched at four PM on in the direction of Mumfordsville (Munfordville) about a mile and a half.  Took the right hand road leading up Green river 9 miles to a crossing place.  Marched about 3 or four miles.  Halted to rest.  Got orders to countermarch back.  Marched back in half mile of town.  Camped in field for night lay down to sleep.

 

23:  Morning clear cool.  Got up at 2 AM marched at 3 AM without breakfast on through Woodsenville to Green river.  Puled off our shoes and socks and waded the river.  Put on our shoes and marched on through Mumfordsville.  Halted a few minutes then marched on some 8 miles.  Halted at 8 oclock near Bacon creek bridge close to the railroad where Gen Charles Meser was camped last winter.21  Got breakfast.  Marched again at 11 oclock AM on to Upton about four or five miles. Marched through town and on to 6 or 7 miles to Nolin creek.  Halted at the red mills for the night.  Got super lay down for the night.

 

24:  Morning cloudy misting rain.  Got up at 3 oclock AM.  Got breakfast.  Marched at five on to Elizabeth town about 9 miles.  Marched through town out on the west side a miles.  Got dinner at one oclock PM.  Marched at 2 oclock on in the direction of Louisville 13 miles.  Halted at 8 oclock PM.  Our Regt came in last as they was rear guard.  Got super lay down for night.

 

25:  Morning clear cool.  Got up at 4 oclock AM.  Got breakfast.  Marched at half past six on something near 12 miles.  Halted at 10 oclock AM in one mile of the mouth of Salt river.  Got dinner.  Marched out on the road at 2 oclock PM.  Halted lay there some time then marched on through west.  At 4 oclock PM I went with


some of the rest of the company to the wharf boat to draw some crackers.  Got them and had to cary them on our shoulders crossed Salt river took up the Ohio.  Carried my box about half a mile.  Put it in headquarters wagon.  Went ahead caught up with the Regt marched 10 miles.  Halted at 8 oclock in a woods pasture for night. Got super lay down.  Orders came to march at eleven.  We got up at eleven marched at half past 11 oclock PM.

 

26:  Morning clear cool.  Got to Louisville at dalight a distance of 12 miles.  Camped in an open place without tents or napsacks and this half of us had no blankets.  I went in to a sweet potato patch and got a mess of sweet potatoes for breakfast and cooked them.  Eavening clear pleasant.  Went up to Louisville and nocked around a while over town.  Came back to camp.

 

27:  Morning cloudy raining.  Had no shelters to stay under and had to stand out and take the rain.  Eavning cloudy.  Made shelters out of plank to sleep under at night.

 

28:  Morning cloudy pleasant.  Drawing clothing.  Eavening cloudy pleasant.

 

29:  Morning cloudy apearance of rain.  Ordered to prepare for brigade review at 3 oclock PM.  Co inspection at noon.  Eavening cloudy and warm.  Companies got ready marched out formed a line and marched up Broadway street into town to 6th down 6th to Jefferson down Jefferson to 8th down 8th to main up main to lth out 1th to Walnut down Walnut to 5th out 5 to Chestnut down Chestnut to 8th out 8th to Broadway formed a line halted fronted presented armes to the General.22  Streets crowded with citazons and soldiers women cheering us with many flag and good words and handkerchieves on the side walks.

 

30:  Morning cloudy pleasant.  I went over to the 11th and 58 Ind regiment to see my friends.23 Came back about noon.  Eavning cloudy warm.  Orders to march at 6 oclock tomorrow morning.

 

Oct 1 (1862):  Morning cloudy pleasant.  Marched at 7 oclock AM.  Got orders to halt and rest 10 minutes every hour.  Marched into Jefferson (Jeffersonville) a distance of __miles (he left a blank space here).  Marched on through some miles.  Halted for night.  Got super lay down to sleep.

 

2:  Morning cloudy pleasant.  Got up at 4 oclock AM.  Got in line with our arms stood in line a while.  Broke ranks got breakfast.  Marched at 8 oclock AM on 2 miles to Fischerville.  Marched through town on about 12 miles.  Halted for night near Taylorville.  I eat super then went on guard at headquarters.  It rained near all night.

 

3:  Morning cloudy raining.  Got breakfast.  Quit raining up in the day awhile.  Eavening banks of clouds pasing over but sun came out in eavening late.  A man in the 3 Ohio got his neck broke by rasehng.24  Got orders to march at 6 oclock PM.


Marched on crossed a little creek on an old bridge on up into Taylorsville some 2 or 3 squares turned to the right crosed Salt river marched out about two miles and a half.  Halted formed a line of battle near a stone fence on the side of a hill looking for the rebels to retreat on us from hardstown.25  Stacked arms broke ranks got orders to lay close to our guns. Lay down and slept.

 

4:  Morning cloudy warm.  Marched at 10 oclock AM on in the direction of Bloomfield about 9 miles.  Halted in a woody pasture.  Formed a line of battle.  Stacked arms got dinner.  Eavening cloudy apearance of rain.  Made shelters out of cut up corn to sleep on.

 

5:  Morning clear cool for the time a year.  Orders to keep ourselves in readings to march at any time.  Eavening clear pleasant.  Still awating orders.

 

6:  Morning clear cool.  Orders to march at half past 9 oclock AM.  Marched at 9 oclock AM to Bloomfield 1 mile.  Marched down main street some distance turned to the left a southeast course marched on a distance of 3 miles to Chaplainsville.  Marched through the town 1/2 past four oclock PM.  Marched on out about 2 miles.  Halted in an old field for the night.  Got super lay down.

 

7:  Morning cloudy cool.  Got breakfast.  Marched at 7 oclock AM.  Came in the pike again at Minnysburgh a distance of 8 miles.  Marched on a long the pike to Mareville (Mooresville) 7 miles.  Marched through town camped out close to town on the other side.  Got super.  Cos E and F was ordered out on picket on the road to Perryville at sundown Co F being put in advance was about 2 miles from camp on the opposite side of town.  I stood 3 hours at night.26

 

8:27  Morning clear pleasant.  Got up early got breakfast and was just ready to eat and the Regt came up and we had to march without eating breakfast at half past 6 oclock on in the distance of Perryville.  Heavy scirmishing in front all morning 42 Regt hill as minute men marched up behind on to a hill and then it was sent in front of the battery into a little creek betwixted two hills.  Canonading commenced betwixt our men that is Leomisses battery 28 and the rebels about 11 oclock AM and about 12 oclock the canons ceased and changed direction and about one oclock they commenced heavy canonading and about half past one of the rebels commenced light firing with muskets and in very few minutes we saw them advancing on us with their canons and we opened fire on them and fired some several rounds and had to fall back some 20 pases.  Formed behind a stone fence and fired some two or three rounds on them and was over powered by a large number of rebels on three sides of us and had to fall back to keep ourselves out of the rebels hands.  Fell back fireing as we went some 2 or 3 hundred yards and formed a line in rear of the 10 Ohio our Regt being cut up right smart and severall taken prisner right in that contact.  We was then ordered to fall back to a piece of woods in the rear of Loumises battery it being about 4 of a mile acrost a corn field.  Got to the fence and formed a long the fence and being a very hot fire all of the time and our major


being wounded in crossing the corn field.  We then fell back a short distance and lay down behind a fence.  Lay there some time our men all being overpowered.  Was compelled to fall back by degrees near a mile the loss on both sides being heavy.  About 4 oclock I was ordered with three others of our company to cary the wounded off the field.  We took one Ralph Shelton29 and carried him something near a mile to the hospital he having no canteen and being hot and his wound hurting him very bad he wanted water and I gave him my canteen about half full of water and was almost exhausted myself for want of water and the wounded men was all crying for water and we then started to hunt some water for them and our serves and went about two or three miles and then had to drink our of a mud hole.  Started back it was then dark and we went in to an orchard and got a lot of apples and started back to hunt our Regt.  The fireing had then ceased.  We found our regiment about 9 oclock PM the rebels still on the battle field our men hauling off the wounded as fast as they could to the hospitals the men almost exhausted for want of water and food having nothing to eat all day.  We lay down close to the road on the ground without blankets or napsacks byt being so exhausted we would lay anywhere.

 

9:  Morning clear pleasant.  Our Co having 18 men at roll call out of 44.  Had no rations atall our Regt moved back about half a mile in an old field near water.  I was detailed to go to the wagons after rations.  We then had the wagons come up to the regiment.  The regiment then moved out in to the edge of the woods and camped.  Drawed our rations got a bite to eat about 12 oclock.  Eavning clear pleasant.  The rebels leaving Perryville as fast as possible.  I went out on the battlefields to look after the dead and wounded.  We found all our men that was kiled and wounded.  Our Co lost one man.

James Skelton kiled

Ralph Skelton

Wm Sanders

Charles Hopkins

Wm M Hunter

Hank H Wallace

Wounded John Dill

Wm W Owen

Wm W Oliver taken prisner and paroled.  Sent to camp chase Ohio.

The total loss of the killed in the Regt was 20 all together men and officers.  Only one commissioned officer kited Capt. Olmstead.  The number wounded I don’t know for certain but tolerable heavy near about one hundred men all together.  Number taken prisner about 25 all together out of the regiment.  Night got super lay down to sleep I not sleeping much for studying about the poor men that sufford on the field.30

 

10:  Morning clear cool.  Marched at 6 oclock AM through the battle field leaving

some of our men to help to bery the dead.  We marched on near Perryville leaving it on our right hand marched on over the field where general Michael fought the rebels on the 8 of October the same day that general Rousau fought them on the other side.31  Our men was fighting them on booth sides at the same time.  Marched round


making about 3 or four miles march of it.  Camped only about a mile from our battleground for the night.  It commenced raining and we turned in and made shelters to sleep under out of cut up corn.  Got super lay down for the night.

 

11:  Morning cloudy and cool.  Looking for orders to march.  Eavening cloudy pleasant.  Marched about 4 oclock PM near a mile and a half.  Camped on the Harrodsborough and Perryville pike near Perryville close to a large spring.  Got super drawed two days rations about ten oclock PM.  Ready to march early next morning then lay down.

 

12:  Morning cloudy cool.  Got up at 3 oclock AM.  Got breakfast.  Marched at seven on in the direction of Harrodsburgh some 4 or 5 miles on to Newady a little town on the road that was deserted by the people.  Marched on 5 miles.  Halted a mile of Harrodsburgh in an field near the road about 12 oclock for dinner.  Got dinner.  Eavening cloudy misting rain.  Got orders to stay there all night.  Got straw and made shelters to sleep under not yet having any blankets.

 

13:  Morning cloudy cool misting rain.  Got breakfast.  Marched at 8 oclock AM our Regt being detached as rear guard for the division train.  The wagons came to us just as we was ready to start with our napsacks.  We had to take then and carry them.  We marched out about amile on to the Danville pike and wated for the hole train to pass.  Got dinner there about two oclock and about 3 marched on about 5 miles.  Camped in a woods pasture with the ballance of our brigade.  Got super lay down for the night.

 

14:  Morning clear cool.  Got up at day light got breakfast.  Marched at 8 oclock AM to Danville 4 miles.  Lay there some time.  Marched on east through town out 6 miles and a half on the Louisville Craborchard pike.  Crossed a small creek and then left the pike.  Turned to the right down the creek about half a mile.  Camped for night got super for night.  Got super lay down for night.

 

15:  Morning clear and got up at 4 oclock.  Got breakfast.  Marched at 6 oclock AM back on to the pike and on to Stanford 4 miles.  Halted at the edge of town.  Lay there a while.  Marched on east through town being in hearing of the cannon all morning.  Marched out 6 miles toward Crab Orchard.  Halted off from the pike at one oclock for dinner.  Got dinner.  Marched at 2 oclock on to Crab Orchard 4 miles.  Went in east to main street to the right.  Marched on through town.  Marched out about 2 miles.  Halted for the night in an old field.  Got super lay down for the night.

 

16:  Morning cloudy cool.  Got up at 4 oclock AM.  Had no rations and were none to draw only shugar and coffee.  Toward noon got bread and meat for two days.  Eavening clear pleasant.  Still in camp got super lay down.

 

17:  Morning clear cool very disagreeable.  Our soldiers laying pit without tents.  Eavening clear pleasant.


18:  Morning clear frosty.  Orderd to draw rations and be ready to march at any moment.  Eavneing clear pleasant.

 

19:  Morning clear cool.  Eavening clear pleasant.  Moved our camp about half a mile.  Went in to the woods and made shelter of brush to lay under at night.

 

20:  Morning clear cool.  About 1 oclock AM got orders to draw 2 days rations and be ready to march at half past 5 AM.  Got breakfast: marched back through Crab Orchard and out to Louisville pike 10 miles to Stanford.  Marched through town out about a mile or so.  Took the left hand pike leading past Parksville.  Marched out about 4 miles.  Halted off the side of the road on a large hill in a woods pasture near Hanging Fork creek.  Got super.  I and some of the rest of the Co went out about two miles to hunt some apples.  Got a lot of them.  Came back to camp lay down.

 

21:  Morning clear cool.  Got up at 3 oclock AM.  Got breakfast.  Marched at half past five on to Parksville 9 miles.  March through town out about a mile.  Halted and Colonel told us that we could get dinner and we had to march without dinner.  Left the pike on our right marched out about 4 miles on to a little creek caled north Roling Fork of Salt river.  I stoped back along the road and got a bucket full of green apples and got behind the Regt and the cavalry caught me and was going to take me up to headquarters and then came along another Regt and I sliped away from the guard and went on and caught up to the Regt.  They was camped near a large church

caled the Sicamour church.  Got super lay down for night.

 

 

22:  Morning clear cool.  Got up at four got breakfast.  Marched at half past 5 oclock AM on down north Rohling Fork of Salt river about 11 miles then left.  The creek turned to the right.  Marched 6 miles to the Leebanon pike then marched on to Lebanon a distance of 6 miles expecting to camp there but marched on through town a west direction it then sundown.  Marched on out to Newmarket about 7 miles expected to come to the creek every mninute and the men very tired and lots of them gave out.  Marched through Newmarket about half a mile on the other side on to north Rolen Fork of Salt river.  Camped right on the bank of the river under the side of a hill.  Got rails and built a fire.  Got super.  I went on guard at headquarters.

 

23:  Morning clear frosty.  Relieved off guard at 9 oclock AM.  Eavening clear pleasant.  I went out in Co with two or three others to kill a hog as we had no meat.  Killed a fine hog that weighed about one hundred and fifty pounds and skined ut and carried it in to camp.  Had a fine meal of fresh meat for super.

 

24:  Morning clear cool.  Went out a hickory nut hunting with Jas M harper.32  Got a lot of shellack hickery nuts.  Came back to camp.  Eavening clear pleasant.  Laying round eating fresh meat and crackers.

 

25:  Morning cloudy cold.  Eavening cloudy apearance of snow.  I went to town to


help load our tents on the wagons.  Commenced raining about 2 oclock PM.

Commenced snowing and the wind blew very cold.  Got our tents loaded and got back

about dark.  The boys had up two tents and we slept in them for the first time since we left Boling Green.  Snowed all night.

 

26:  Morning cloudy cold.  Snow about four inches deep.  Eavening cloudy cold.  Drawed three months pay from Uncle Sam 39 dollars.  Eavening cloudy cold.  Snow going on some little.

 

27:  Morning clear cold.  Laying round camp and burning rail.  Eavening clear and moderating and moderating my travails since I came in the United States service up to Newmarket the 27th day of October but got up very poorly as I am no scholar and cant help that.

 

The end of the first diary

 

*********

 

Note:  No diary has been located for the period from October 28, 1862 to April 16, 1864.  The following is taken from the Muster Rolls for this period:

 

28 October 1862:  Wm. H. McCleary is promoted from Pvt. to Corporal of Regiment 42 Indiana Volunteers.

 

3 January 1863:  Missing in action at Murfreesboro, Tennessee.

 

3 January 1863:  Captured and Paroled at Stone River.  Now at Annapolis,

Maryland.

 

10 April 1863:  Transferred from Camp Chase, Maryland to Indianapolis, Indiana.

Now at Indianapolis.

 

May 1863:  Not yet returned.

 

July 1863:  Present

 

31 December 1863: Discharged by virtue of reenlistment as Veteran Volunteer under the provisions of G.O. No. 191 series of 1863 from the War Department.


 

Diary # 2

 

Wm. H. McCleary

 

Saturday, April 16, 1864:  Sent to Princeton to know if any orders had come but not there.33

 

Sunday 17:  Morning clear pleasant.  I and my family went on a visit till near night and returned.  Received my orders late in the eavning.

 

Monday, April 18, 1864:  Morning clear and pleasant.  Making preparations to leave for my Regiment tomorrow morning or rather to Indianapolis.  Eavning clear and pleasant.  Late concluded to wait till Wednesday morning to start.

 

Tuesday 19: Morning pleasant.  I and family and my mother went on a visit to see a sick child at my brotherinlaws.  Eavning pleasant.  Went from there to my motherinlaws to stay all night.  I went down home and fixed up my things to start.

 

Wednesday 20: Morning cool.  Got breakfast early and we went home and I started for Princeton at six AM.  My father accompanied me there.  Got on the train for Indianapolis eleven AM.  Got to Indianapolis at six.  Went to tavern. (In those days taverns were places to stay, like YMCA's in more recent times.)

 

Thursday, April 21, 1864: Morning cool.  Went down to headquarters after breakfast and reported.  Then made out my commutation rolls and was qualified to them.  Then went and moved my baggage to Commercial Hotel to wait to draw my money.

 

Friday 22: Morning cloudy and rainy.  Went and finished my rolls and drew my ration money but have to wait fill 4 PM for my lodging money.  At four got my sixteen dollars in bill then got my supper and went down to the depot.  Got on train for Jeffersonville.

 

Saturday 23: Morning cloudy.  Got to Jeffersonville at the break of daylight.  Crossed the river (Ohio River) on the ferry.  Went down to the depot and got on the train for Nashville 7 AM.  Got to Nashville near 4 o’clock PM.  Went to soldiers home stayed all night.

 

Sunday, April 24, 1864: Got my breakfast and then went to Hospital number 19 and saw a friend that is there.  It is raining pretty hard.  All the former evening cloudy.  Half past 12 we got on the train for Chattanooga.  The cars run ever so slow as the track is bad and several trains has run off.

 

Monday 25: Morning clear and cool for the time of year.  Chattanooga at 6 AM.

 


Marched out to camp near one mile.  Found the boys in good health and in pretty good spirits.

 

Tuesday 26: Morning clear and cool.  Felt pretty sore from my ride but feel well other ways. Late in the eavning I felt rather under the weather.

 

Wednesday, April 27, 1864: Morning clear.  Cool for the time of year.  I am detailed on working party.  Today had charged of a squad of men cleaning off this gravel yard.

 

Thursday 28: Morning clear, cool.  During the night last it rained.  A. A. Keys and myself fixed up our tent in style being very warm.34

 

Friday 29: Morning cloudy with the appearance of rain.  Lt. detailed me to help make out pay rolls and muster rolls.  In eavning got marching orders for Graseville (Graysville, Georgia) tomorrow morning at 8 AM.

 

Saturday, April 30, 1864: Morning cloudy rained.  Before daylight got ready, Marched at 8 AM in the direction of Graseville Georgia.  Near noon it rained.  Got there a distance of 15 miles at 3 PM.  Went in camp half mile north of the town.

 

Sunday, May 1: Morning cloudy and raining.  Orders to be ready to march at 6 AM.  At 6 orders countermanded and got orders to make out pay rolls or finish them and muster at 1 PM.  Mustered at 1 PM by Lt. Col. McIntire.35

 

And from the Muster Rolls for 1 May 1864 - Promoted  to 5th Sergt from Corporal.

 

Monday 2: Morning clear cool.  I am making rings of gurtapershin (???) buttons.36  Eavning clear pleasant.  Made about 4 dollars today making rings.  Check sent back to Chattanooga.

 

Tuesday, May 3, 1864: Morning clear and cool.  Orders to march at 9 AM.  Marched at 8 AM in the direction of Ringold (south of Graysville).  Got there at 12 noon a distance of 5 miles or 6. Went in camp in an field close to Chickamauga creek near Taylors Ridge.  Fixed up our tents in good order.

 

Wednesday 4: Morning clear.  Cool for the time of year.  Lt. Steel appointed James Wilson and myself to drill the recruits.37  Squad drill four hours each day and we have so I wrote a letter home to my wife.

 

Thursday 5: Morning clear cool.  Orders is to drill 6 hours each day, 1 hour squad drill, 2 hours company drill in forenoon.  Eavning two hours scirmish drill,  2 hours Battallion drill.  Had dres parade and a letter from a veteran soldier about the


veterans to General ??.

 

Friday, May 6, 1864: Morning clear pleasant.  Has the appearance of a hot day.  Drilled till noon.  Got orders not to drill any that eavning and then we got orders to be ready to march tomorrow morning at daylight with three days cooked rations.  I have made about 15 dollars this week making rings at night.  We drew some whiskey.

 

Saturday 7: Morning clear and got up at 2 AM.  Marched at daylight down the vally.  About 10 oclock came in hearing of the guns but did not find them as they fell back.  We marched about _ (he left the blank space) miles and went in camp in line of battle in the woods and built breast works of logs and rails.

 

Sunday 8: Morning clear and pleasant.  Up in the morning we started at or near sunrise on toward Buzzard Roost.  We marched about 2 miles and over ruff hills then fell back half a mile and could see the rebels some four miles off on the rebels ridge.  About 2 PM got the nuse (news) that the ?? ??  was ??.  Moved east 1 mile.  Camped.

 

Monday, May 9, 1864: Morning cloudy and smoky.  Supposition is the ?? Gone. 6 oclock no orders.  Our men lost 26 men on scirmish line yesterday. 8 oclock marched over to the foot of Buzzard Roost rise.  Our Regt. threw out 7 Cos scirmishers up side rise. 3 wounded.  Relieved at 5 PM.  Came to the foot mountain guarded.  Eat super.  Scirmishing pretty heavy on left.  Sharp shooters pretty bad.

 

Tuesday 10: Morning cloudy pleasant.  Up in the morning it rained. 11 oclock James Wilson and I got leave from colonel and went up the ridge to get some sharp shooters.38  Got 150 yards of the top saw some of them.  We got 8 fare shoots.  Came back at one and half.  Got our dinners. 3 oclock Regt. got orders to be in reach if rebels preparing to charge our line.  Lay down at dark.  Rained very hard in night.

 

Wednesday 11: Morning cloudy.  Relieved off the front line.  Moved back to the timber about mile and half just at daylight.  Put up our tents as it commenced raining.  Got breakfast. 8 oclock sun came out.  Orders came in eavning to march at seven for snake gap.  Orders countermanded to 5 AM the 12th.  Put up tent again.

 

Thursday, May 12, 1864: Morning cold and windy.  Very disagreeable.  March near six in the direction of snake gap hole. 4 corps along.  Made very slow time.  Got through the gap and camped at 9 oclock PM.  Got super.  Pased the 33 Inf.  And saw some our old friends.  Marched pretty hard toward night. 3 corps ahead of us.

 

Friday 13: Morning clear cool.  Had inspection of arms near 6 oclock AM.  Troops moving out toward the front.  About 9 we started out.  Moved an east direction about 2 and a half miles and our front line came in contact with rebels about ten.


We being second line were not engaged.  Lasted about two hours hearing.  We then relieved by Hookers men.39  Fell back.  Made coffee at 12 noon up near the front.

 

Saturday 14: Morning clear cool.  Still skirmishing a little in front.  Slept till near sunup.  Sent men after rations.  Got 2 days.  Then moved up.  Between 12 and 1 oclock we charged to the edge of the field Took refuge in a creek.  Hear firing pretty near all eavning.  All men on the line relieved at dark.  Fell back.

 

Sunday, May 15, 1864: Morning cloudy cool.  We lost one man and the total of Regt. one killed, 32 wounded. 2nd Ohio lost about 90 all together yesterday.  About six firing commenced again.  We moved still to the left and took a front position.  It is said our men got them surrounded.  Heavy firing all day from our side men and artillery.  At eleven at night firing commenced again.  Didn’t last long.  Talking backwards and forwards.

 

Monday 16: Morning cloudy.  Rebels left their fortification our men in them.  A party of men sent out to berry the dead.  Near 9 there were orders in and we marched in the direction of Rassaca (Resaca) passing our division hospital.  Saw the wounded.  Got to Rassaca at 2 PM.  I went out and saw the fortifications and several dead rebels.

 

Tuesday 17: Morning cloudy and raining.  Troops moving out.  About 9 oclock we started through the ram, our brigade in the rear of a large train.  We crossed the river at Rassaca, marched 6 or 8 miles.  Then at Calhoun halted.  Got super near sundown.  Marched ahead about 6 miles.  Camped at 12 midnight at night.

 

Wednesday, May 18, 1864:  Morning cloudy and foggy.  Our men had a pretty heavy scirmish here yesterday.  Lost several men and rebels fled.  Our men taken a lot of prisoners at Kingston.  Moved at 9 AM in direction of Kingston 5 miles.  Halted.  Dinner near Adarrisville (Adairsville) on the east.  Halt past four marched down the railroad track and quick time near 8 miles.  Camped in field at 11 PM.

 

Thursday 19: Morning clear pleasant.  Some of the troops moving out.  Our rations out yesterday.  Got none yet.  At 9 drew Thursdays rations and then marched to Kingstown 4 miles.  Halted a bit near a small river name unknown to me.  Lay one hour.  Crosed the river went ahead four miles.  Near Talacose river halted for the night.  Could hear firing on left.  Got super.

 

Friday 20: Morning clear and very smoky.  Drew sugar and coffee.  Marched at seven oclock AM up to river.  Cars came into Kingstown at dalight four trains.  Marched about four miles.  Halted.  Colonel told us to take of our acountrements and make ourselves comfortybil.  Fighting in front by reprisom of rebels. Surrounded.  Late eavning cars sent up to us from Kingstown (Kingston, GA).


Saturday, May 21, 1864: Morning clear pleasant.  No sign of moving this morning.  Four trains came in loaded with rations.  Officers say we will move tonight.  Monday next drew three days rations.  Our Co ordered out two miles to Cap. station forty yards.  Rations near night.  I took charge.  Second relief took 200 rebels prisoners.

 

Sunday 22: Morning clear pleasant.  Went down talked to rebels a bit.  Found out some word from some connection. 162 on about 9 AM train.  Drove up and we went to loading them with cracers (crackers?) and meat. Loaded four hundred and fifty wagons.  Company went to camp.  Left me and five men.  We came in at dark.  I got a letter.

 

Monday 23: Morning hasy cloudy.  Orders to march at 8 AM.  Marched west then south all about 6 miles to Atawa (Etowah) river.  Waded it waist deep.  Got acros.  Ring our socks.  Marched on south direction some 6 or 8 miles.  Now in camp with Battallion Drill Persistant.  Two or three others hunt hogs.  Got money from wife.

 

Tuesday, May 24, 1864: Morning clear pleasant.  Straglers coming in.  Marched at 10 AM southeast direction half mile.  Crossed Tworun creek on bridge. Marched on some four or five miles.  Halted at 12 noon and lay till half past five PM.  Marched on some 3 miles half to a small creek.  It rained very hard for a good while.  We fooled along here and then waded it.  Went up hill.  Camped on backbone.  At 11 PM lay down.

 

Wednesday 25: Morning cloudy and pleasant.  Hookers train passing at 6. Moved our camp over on another ridge.  Drew rations for 3 days.  At sunset our Regt moved to the foot of a long ridge to help (it commenced raining) up wagons.  Helped till 10 PM. Quit raining.  Went to camp.  Lay down with orders to have revellee at 12 at night and to march at 1 AM.

 

Thursday 26: Morning cloudy and pleasant.  Marched at 1 AM south direction on blue ridge about 6 or 7 miles.  Halted for the train to pass. 4 Corps had a right hard fight out at ?? last night.  At 11 marched out pased battleground (some wounded and some killed) all 8 miles or more from our line of battle in rear of our front.  Orders to get super.  Lay down.

 

Friday, May 27, 1864: Morning clear pleasant.  Got up at daylight.  Got breakfast.  About seven canonading commenced from our guns.  I think rebels fell back some.  Our men fortified all night. 8 or 9 we moved to extreme left.  Our Corps 3 Brig 1 Div on front line.  Heavy firing in front rebels in forty.  Our loses pretty heavy.  At dark moved still to left making in all about 4 miles.  Stopped for day about 9 PM.  Firing close our unit.

 

Saturday 28: Morning clear cool.  Our Regt moved on front line at five or seven. Firing commenced on skirmish line out on right at 9.  Scirmishes all along line.  Our


Regt. got good fortifications.  Capt. ?? killed or captured.40  Regt advanced forward one hundred yds.  General came up ordered us back.  Still scirmishing.  One of company B got shot in temple at night.  Drew 3 days rations, one of beef and two of pork.  Got divided at 10 PM.

 

Sunday 29: Morning clear cool.  Tolerable guilt on line at 7. I went down to fire and waked my help at 12.  Some scirmishing but very light.  Toward night scirmishing sounded heavyest.  I lay down at night and I had to get up two or three times during the night.

 

Monday, May 30, 1864: Morning clear cool for the time of year.  Our men advanced the scirmish line some without much action.  About 2 PM rebels advanced on scirmish line around Company H. Reinforced the line at night.  They came in some scirmishing all night.

 

Tuesday 31: Morning clear and cool.  I detailed to go on skirmish line.  Went out at 8.  (Lt. Johnston in charge of hole line.)  Took charge of first relief.  Took them around like guard rebels firing on us all of the time.  As soon as I got the relief on I started back the line and the rebels charged the right.  Drove back killing David W. Wal?? We drove through line back to hill and repaired Corp.41  (Here there is more about wounded but can't read it.)

 

Wednesday, June 1: Morning clear pleasant.  I went out and took coffee out to our scirmishers.  I brought in two guns with me.  Our boys berrying David W. W?? in a box.  They scirmished our line on the left of ours.  Not much resistance from rebs.

 

Thursday, June 2, 1864: Morning cloudy and pleasant.  Still skirmishing on line lightly.  Put up small little forts of logs for scirmishers.  At noon orders came to relieve the scirmishers every six hours. 12 it commenced raining very hard.  At seven our hole Brig relieved by 3. Brig 3 Div 14 Corps moved back half mile.  I bought 3 dollars worth of tobacco and ??.

 

Friday 3: Morning cloudy pleasant appearance rain.  Got tents up.  Still scirmishing in front.  Rained some little during the day.  It is reported that the rebels is leaving our front at dark.  Still raining a little.  I washed my shirt during the day and I rote a letter home.

 

Saturday 4: Morning cloudy and rainy.  Orders to be ready to march at a moments warning.  Rained off and on all day.  This mountain is Altonia (Allatoona) Mountain Range.  Rebel prisoners ask us how them that we was surrounded on made out.  We are a going to get out their officers.

 

Sunday, June 5, 1864: Morning cloudy and still raining.  The rebels has left our front some mile or more.  At noon it cleared off and I went out on left and saw the


ground where rebels openfired andsaw one dead rebel lying roton (rotten).  It is an awful sene (scene).  Got in 3 PM.  Feels real good in front of a lot of my friends come over from 65 Ind.42

 

Monday 6: Morning clear pleasant.  Orders is to not push the rebels.  News is that Grant is in Richmond Vir.  Reba evacuated at 9 marched out and lay in a hot field in sun till 11 AM.  Marched on half mile or so.  Halted again near Hoovies Brig of boys.43  Lay till 3 with our friends then marched making in all about 6 miles east.  Camped in woods at 10 PM.  Some scirmishing in front 2 miles.

 

Tuesday 7: Morning clear pleasant.  Drew some breakfast.  The boys is holding counsel over it whether to eat it or not.  James Wilson and I went out and tried to kill a hog but did not get ary one.44  Came in at noon mad at ourselves.  Built breast works in eavning.

 

Wednesday, June 8, 1864: Morning cloudy and pleasant.  It is reported that our wagon got in last night with crackers and sowbelly.  Plenty rations rather scarce in Company.  I had plenty.  James Wilson and I went to beef yard got nothing.45  At noon shot of our guns.  Orders to clean for inspection.  Had none.  Drew 3 days crackers and 1- 1/4 sowbelly.  Orders march.

 

Thursday 9: Morning cloudy and pleasant.  Order countermanded.  I rote some letters.  About noon I walked around for my health.  Came back lay down and went to sleep for two hours.  Then got up at half past 4 PM.- Hear some canonading on right.  Orders march in morning.  After night got some letters. 2 men captured.

 

Friday 10: Morning cloudy and apearance of rain.  At 6 we marched on 2 miles and lay there till noon it raining hard and marched on some four miles and went in camp in field near sundown with camp up in each brigade company.  I went on picket one mile out and Ralf took charged first relief.46

 

Saturday, June 11, 1864-.  Morning cloudy and pleasant.  We was relieved at 6 oclock.  Went in camp marched out 2 east one mile.  Halted lay there till one PM.  Some canonading on right moved in line of battle 3 hundred yards to right.  Piched tents. (Two more lines written here but unable to read it or make it out.)

 

Sunday 12: Morning cloudy and rainy.  Laying still.  Get the news that Grant has gained a great trust at Richmond and that he nominated again for president.  Still raining at night.  Drew one days rations of fresh beef.  John Simpson and John H. French came in.47  Wrote a letter home.

 

Monday 13: Morning cloudy and raining.  Scirmishes all night in front and left.  Still scirmishing on the left one PM.  Still raining. Orders came at 9 to do up knapsacks and be ready to march.  Still scirmishing at night.  Still in camp and


raining.

 

Tuesday, June 14, 1864: Morning cloudy and pleasant.  Orders to be ready to march at 6 AM some carry.  Marched to west & formed line behind works.  Lay one hour.  Moved out south 3/4 mile into and old field.  Formed 3 lines.  Rebs report is strong.  Past in front near night.  Made coffee.  Drew 3 days rations.  Right smart scirmishing and canonading.

 

Wednesday 15: Morning clear and cool for time.  Rebs coming in all time scirmishing.  Our men is advanced the line on left and charged there works.  Taken one line one hundred prisoners.  About 3 PM advance line again and taken 800 laying in ambush.  We was ordered to be ready to march at a moments warning.  At 10 PM heavy firing in front line.  We lay still.

 

Thursday 16: Morning clear pleasant.  At sunup we marched out to our left front and formed on the breast works.  Our advance had left.  Not much firing going on only at times. 2 PM marched out on the front line.  Canonading still to left near sunset.  Marched works before we got our places round mile 8 and confronted the 3 lines.  Worked till 11. Lay down to sleep.  Got 3/4 of day rations sowbelly.

 

Friday, June 17, 1864: Morning hasy cloudy.  Some scirmishing going on all night and yet still at work got pretty good works a sharpshooter trying us.  At 9 our company was sent out on scirmishing.  Advanced line about 3 or four hundred yards through a thick woods of under brush.  Drove the rebels scirmishers into the breast works.  Halted 2 hundred yards from the scirmishing.  Rebs came in a heavy charge on our left.  One man kiled from our Regt Thomas Tri???.48  47 Ohio relieved us after dark.  Came back to second line of works got days rations 2 persons.

 

Saturday 18: Morning cloudy & rainy.  Still shing on front.  I drew pair of pants and shoes.  Rebels is coming in our lines in squads.  At 3 PM moved our line of battle up 1/4 mile built breastworks.  Our scirmishers has taken all their front line of works.

 

Sunday 19: Morning cloudy and appearance of rain.  Rebels fell back about one mile or more.  At 9 AM our canon fired on them.  They replied back.  I and James Wilson went out and seen their works.49  Near night our brig marched 1 mile 1/4.  Camped in old field near front.  Still scir near mountain.

 

Monday June 20, 1864: Morning cloudy appearance of rain.  Constant skirmishing on front near foot of (he left a blank here, probably for name of mountain, but never filled in) mountain.  About noon we moved up near eg (edge) of timber to shelter from rebs artfllery off of the mountain.  Left Lt Steel 3 McClearys & H. French.50  At 3 PM we moved to the left near one mile.  Wounded our men in 88th Ind lay about then moved back a piece on our own line.  Then got orders to lay down to sleep.  Heavy


canonading all eavning.  Rebs charged our front lines got in close contact but I was ?? ?? ?? ??.

 

Tuesday 21: Morning cloudy and apearance of rain.  At 12 at night they woke us up and marched us to the right half a mile formed us on front line.  Lay down & putout tents as it was raining then.  At daylight we got up got orders.  We eat breakfast.  Still raining some.  Scirmishes all along the line.  Rain continude all day.  Scirmishing also in late eavning.  I had a light chill and some fever.  Canonading ceased at night.  We lay down some.  Heard balls come through five of tents.

 

Wednesday 22: Morning clear pleasant.  Scirmishing continues the Regt. strenthening their breastworks.  I got some Quinine and took it about 10 AM.51  Heavy canonading all along the line.  In eavning a shell came over where boys of Co E was cooking at.  Fire exploded kiled one man wounded three others one leg off at knee one in head one in body.  At dark we were relieved and marched round about one mile and a half.  Halted in rear wher we left for night.

 

Thursday, June 23, 1864: Morning clear pleasant.  Still in hearing of the musketry yet one line battling front of us from 2 till 6 oclock was very heaving canonading.  Our Regt.  Moved up in about 4 mile of front to the under side of a hill. lots of shells bursted near us done no damage.  Drew three days ration.  The scirmish line advanced a short distance with very heavy musketry.  Light loss of men.

 

Friday 24: Morning Clear pleasant.  Comany F diging pits to shelter in every thing along the line.  I got two letters last night from home in the afternoon I answered them.  Our left appears to be in rear of Rebs.  No canonading in our front. Light scirmishing musketry all day.  The talk is that the rebels is evacuating here.

 

Saturday 25: Morning clear pleasant.  The rest of our brig marched out last night or a portion of it but little scirmishing during the day or canonading either some on the left.  At 6 oclock our Regt fell in marched to left about half mile.  Stoped sent out the east road a mile in order at 9 to lay down sleep.

 

Sunday, June 26, 1864: Morning clear pleasant.  Everything still this morning.  Near noon James Wilson and myself went up on hill to take a view.  Not much to be seen.  Came back near two PM.  Had a sermon by our Chaplain.52  Attended it.  Drew four days ration.  But little canonading during the day and some skirmishing as usual.

 

Monday 27: Morning clear pleasant.  I went and washed out my shirt.  Canonading come very early from both sides.  Our line charged there works in front of us but had to fall back.  At dark we moved out on front line sent out 20 men on scirmish line from right.  Not much firing in line.


Tuesday 28: Morning clear pleasant.  We had to keep up one third of the men at a time all night.  Relieved in the line at 4 AM.  Some little canonading today and musketry.  Very little canonading.  Some talk of us moving to the right.  I got a letter from Charle Oberg (? If this name is correct -- difficult to read).53

 

Wednesday, June 29, 1864.  Morning cloudy and pleasant with appearance of rain.  Scirmishing still continues about the same.  Answered my letter.  Up in morning it cleared off but very little canonading.  During the day scirmishing about the same as usual.  Talk of us being relieved had us to take tents down at dusk.

 

Thursday 30: Morning cloudy.  I got up at two oclock AM.  There was a hard fight on the right some 2 or 3 miles.  Not yet herd the result.  It lasted nearly 1/2 an hour.  Got orders near night that we would be relieved at dark.  Scirmishing all day as usual not much canonading.  Relieved at 9 went back to second line.

 

Friday, July 1: Morning cloudy and appearance of rain.  They had another heavy scirmish on right during the night.  Nothing gained on the two nights previous.  About 10 AM I had a light chill and some fever.  In eavning I got some paper ??.  I had a very bad headach not yet relieved.

 

Saturday, July 2, 1864: Morning cloudy with apearance of rain.  About 9 oclock it

rained hard shower.  I got some pills from Doctor James Wilson of my F Company.54

Went out to view arond with his glass.  Got worse in head.  Drew 3 days rations.  At

dark we was relieved moved to left some distance formed 3 lines commenced building a lot of works.  Got timbers put up on the earth works.

 

Sunday 3: Morning clear pleasant.  Getting our work pretty well along.  Rebels was evacuated.  I see our flag on top of Kenesaw mountain.  Early orders to march immediately about since we marched on after enemy toward Maryettee (Marietta, Georgia).  Reached it a very nice place.  Marched on through halting some times and Maryette is a nice place 20 miles from Atlanta situated on railroad.  We halted several times in hot sun in heat or scirmishing.  We are now 13 or 14 miles from Atlanta.

 

Monday 4: Morning cloudy and warmer with apearance of rain.  Still scirmishing in front about half miles rebs making a stand here get trains away.  In afternoon we commenced building breastworks in about 8 hundred yards of the rebel scirmishers.  At night the right moved up.  We worked all night.  At 1 we heard artillery moving out.

 

Tuesday, July 5, 1864: Morning clear pleasant.  The rebels is gone our men after them.  At seven we started after them leaving our good nights work.  Our brigade in front we marched about 5 or 6 miles and came on to the rebels at noon.  Formed line of battle scirmishers firing one mile from river.  Near sunset canonading.  Moved


line to the left at dark and drew 3 days rations and lay down to sleep.

 

Wednesday 6: Morning clear pleasant.  At 6 our Regt went out on scirmish line.  Near all of Regt on line.  Rebels 3 hundred yards off behind works on railroad.  Our cars came up in eavning.  Right smart scirmishing all long the line but no damage done.  I stood on advance post 50 yards in front.

 

Thursday 7: Morning clear pleasant.  Was relieved at seven AM.  Came in camp to where 88 Ind left.  Wrote 3 letters home.  At 4 PM moved our camp back about two hundred yards.  Went in regular camp clean it off.  We can see steeples in Atlanta and see the rebs works this side.

 

Friday, July 8, 1864: Morning clear warm.  Got orders to build a works commenced at 8 AM built good works against artillery.  We can see Atlanta from our works and we can see the rebels forts and works and see them moving to the left.  During the day scirmishing continues about the same.

 

Saturday 9: Morning clear pleasant. 15 Ky on line. 94 Ohio ordered out to support them.  Scirmish line advanced crossed the first line of rebels works.  Drove them from their entrenchment.  Rebels came on then with strong line of battle.  Drove them back with right smart lads. Scirmishing ceased.  Some canonading all day.  I went and washed my shirt.  I rote two letters.

 

Sunday 10: Morning pleasant.  Rebels gone across the river and burned the railroad bridge.  Our troops following them with our scirmish line on bank of the river but little firing going on.  Rebels aims to make a stand on the other side of river from James R. Killpatrick.55  I started for teamster position (not sure about these two words but this is what it looks like).

 

Monday, July 11, 1864: Morning cloudy appearance of rain.  Pools our quarters the boys some of them has.  Drew new tents and are putting them up.  In eavning I rote 2 letters to my sisters and sisteinlaws.  Things very quiet in front.  Orders came round that there were a spy in side of our lines.

 

Tuesday 12: Morning cloudy warm.  Drew three days rations.  Got some more new clothing today.  The talk is that the rebes is gone.  I rote a letter to my wife.  Eavening I got a letter from my brother.  He is at Louisville KY.56

 

Wednesday 13: Morning clear warm.  Answered my brothers letter.  Can hear some canonading artillery and some musketry.  I rote some letters.  In eavning I got some letters from my wife one from mother one from Robert Kirkpatrick (his brother-in-law -- wife's brother).  Weather warm dry.

 

Thursday July 14, 1864.  Morning clear warm.  Answered my letters and sent one


to my brother.  Some canonading and light scirmishing with muskets.  Rebels is maneuvring around like they was agoing to leave.  Two three of our corps is a cross the river.  Rebs hollers to our boys and says they have got reinforcements.  Our men that is a cross the river is their reinforcements.

 

Friday 15: Morning cloudy rained last night very hard and wind blew.  Pretty heavy canonading on the right this morning.  Rumord here that the Rebels is near Washington city and the military is moving out well in all states.  I rote a lot of letters to friends.  At night it rained some and orders came to march at eight tomorrow morning.

 

Saturday 16: Morning clear pleasant.  Some canonading in the front and some scirmishing.  The talk is that our men is 8 miles a cross the river fortyfying.  Near night drew days rations.  At night got orders to march at 8 AM tomorrow morning.  Raind.

 

Sunday, July 17, 1864: Morning clear pleasant.  Orders to be ready to march at 8 AM. At 8 marched out on railroad.  Lay there till one PM then marched up the railroad 3/4 of mile turned to right 3/4 mile to river.  Crossed stacked arms half hour then marched left.  Stoped where there is lots of ??.  Lay a bit.  Marched mile formed line of battle right at house on right of company is to front.  Moved half mile halted & went on scirmish line.  At 10 PM came in to camp.

 

Monday 18: Morning clear warm.  Moved out by the right flank short distance at a time and forming line of battle to a distance of about 3 miles.  Halted in second line of battle. 4 of our boys went out kiled calve brought in to company near night.  Some scirmishing and artillery firing.  Borrowed the kettle and cooked our meat.  Got two letters from home.

 

Tuesday 19: Morning cloudy and rained a little.  Some scirmishing front.  Laying still at 10 AM.  I answered my letters.  At dark we moved to the right for one mile.  Halted in field.  Lay down.  To left some scirmishing in front during the night.

 

Wednesday, July 20, 1864: Morning clear pleasant.  Got up marched at 3 AM on cross ?? River.  Stoped got breakfast 3 Division in front.  At 8 marched on half mile through out scirmishers they advanced half mile.  Moved line of battle and commenced to fortyfying at 9. At 10 orders to quit.  About 4 PM rebels charged our lines.  Drove in the scirmish line.  Charged 104 Illinois works drove them back killing several. 2 lSt Wisconsin drove the rebels back.  Our scirmish line went out again.

 

Thursday 21: Morning clear pleasant.  Rebels quiet.  I went out and Seargt Stuckey and I went out crossed the Rebel works.57  They was all gone we came back. The ?? moving and I went out again finished our works.  During the night some


scirmishing on the ?? . Late in the eavning our men drove the rebels from there works by a charge and kill them.

 

Friday 22: Morning cloudy had rained some during night.  Early in morning got orders to move immediately.  Our Regt in front moved on pasing a straight line of rebel works moving on 2-1/2 or 3 miles along the railroad in about half mile of the town our Regt supporting the skirmish line come on.  Rebels had commenced to build works rebs come on us compelled us to fall back but in order formed behind our line of battle half mile back company. 2 men wounded commander of Regt wounded one Lt kiled.58  2 men moved to right built works some light work.

 

Saturday July 23, 1864: Morning cloudy pleasant.  Still fighting on the left.  We finished our works this morning.  I rote a letter home to my wife.  I got two letters from home one from mother one from wife.  Middle of eavning our men advanced the line of scirmishers and had some pretty heavy fireing and we got ready to support second line.  After night Hooker achieved his line.

 

Sunday 24: Morning clear cool for the time of year.  I rote an answer to my letters received yesterday.  Late in eavning I rote a letter to Msr.  Masen.59  At 10 oclock at night our men blowed attention on the bugles and rased the yell to find out where the rebel battalion is at.  I never herd such yell.

 

Monday 25: Morning clear warm.  Still canonading pretty heavy on the left some in our front.  The officers went to the 21 Wisconsin to a ?? presentation.  After noon I went and helped draw three days rations of everything but meat. (More at the very bottom of this page that I cannot make out.)

 

Tuesday, July 26, 1864: Morning clear pleasant.  Got orders to clean up our camp.  Done so.  I rote a letter to my uncle Elihar Martin.60  In the evening I got one from Charles Ohring.  Got orders to put up tents regular order then got orders to be rea y to move at moments warning.  Near night moved on front line.  Relieved 3 Brigade.

 

Wednesday 27: Morning cloudy warm.  Colonel Layton orders us to clean up in our rear one hundred yards or near so we done.61  So then I rote a letter in answer to one received last eavning.  We then drew three days rations. (Troops moving to our right 3 corps.) I was detailed on picket went out at 7 PM.  I stayed on the reserve all night all quiet and dark but raining all eavning.

 

Thursday 28: Morning cloudy warm.  I went on the line at 4 AM.  Some shooting done by the rebels (a spent ball hit me on the arm) troopes still going to our right.  Orders is to move forward.  Started at half past 4 PM.  Scirmish line advanced slowly in about one hundred yards of rebels works.  They fired on us and we had it hot for near one hour and a half till our line firing ceased and we fell back to our old


line by order of a major.  Relieved at 8 PM.

 

Friday, July 29, 1864: Morning clear pleasant.  I rote a letter to my wife.  Some canonading all the time.  At noon I went out to the scrimish line with coffee for the boys.  They had moved out the second line and they came in while I was out.  No men hurt.  I came back mail came in I got a letter from wife and got answered.  Then rebels came on our scirmish line and we was forced back.

 

Saturday 30: Morning cloudy pleasant or rather hot.  After breakfast I went to branch washed a pair of drawers.  Scirmishing pretty heavy rebels showes themselves in line of battle this morning.  Eavening Company G went out to build works on scirmish line.  Has the appearance of rain.  I went down washed a shirt pair of socks.  Scirmishing about.

 

Sunday 31: Morning clear warm s shing about.  Our chaplain came up and held preaching at 4 AM.  I attended preaching at noon.  I went out to scirmish line with dinner for boys.  Rebels put some balls close to me came back.  Orders is to ?? the scirmish line at 4 AM tomorrow.  It raining raind all eavning.  Our men had built a fort on scirmish line and put a bottle in it.

 

Monday August 1, 1864: Morning cloudy pleasant.  Got up at daylight.  Got orders to put on accoutrements.  Scirmishing the same as usual.  Two companys from our Regt sent out to reinforce the skirmish line.  They came in in eavning.  At night I went out on scirmish line got on past I was detailed.  At night two skirmish lines about one hundred yards apart put only ?? (looks like vielets) thirty yards in front.62

 

Tuesday 2: Morning cloudy pleasant.  Was relieved at 4 oclock AM.  Came in to the reserve.  It clouded up and rained a little.  Scirmishing about the same as usual near noon.  They moved out the right wing of our brig to build works.  Our Regt put up works at night. 3 brig ?? and 15 Ky went out on their right.  Us and me moved back to the reat (??) where we lay back and went on line.

 

Wednesday 3: Morning cloudy rained before day a bit some little.  Got orders to be ready by six to move.  Marched at six in ?? march to the extreme right of the arm where we halted had the Regt rest.  Soon came up distance about 5 miles.  Rested awhile.  Drew 3 days rations then moved out on from line about one mile.  Our Regt now all went on picket round off and on.

 

Thursday, August 4, 1864: Morning cloudy appearance of rain.  I went out to scirmish line to take out coffee to some of the boys.  I saw plenty of Johny at a distance building a fort.  Our men moving artillery on front line.  Had a hard fight on our left late past eavning.  Near noon I went to hunt 65 Ind.  Didn’t find them.  Came back camp. 2 Div moved out in front.  Near sunset we got orders to march marched north and west and then south 3 miles.  Halted half mile from where we started.


 

 

 

Orders to lay down make no fuss.

 

Friday 5: Morning cloudy.  Got up at 4 AM got breakfast.  Everybody disputing about where we came from last night.  At 6 oclock moved out to the left half mile.  Lay till one oclock.  Move out on front line seen my friends (and got a letter wife) in the sixty fifth and our brig went out on a scout about one mile and half out on the extreme right and front and found but little resistance.63  Came in at dark.  Stoped till I went got some water then marched on about one mile and half toward the left.  Halted on the road near a little creek lay down for the night.

 

Saturday 6: Morning cloudy warm.  Got up started without breakfast crossed creek at saw mill marched up to front line.  Maneuvered around there awhile and then marched back just in rear one hundred yards or so.  Got breakfast then marched up near front line.  Lay on side of the hill at eleven oclock.  Canon commenced firing late.  In eavning one side or the other made a charge on our left it lasted some half hour or so.  I rote an answer for the letter received drew days rations of everything.  We had one man killed John Warrick by a shell exploding in his bowels.64

 

Sunday, August 7, 1864:  Morning cloudy.  Everything quiet on front line.  We drew one gill of whiskey to the man.  A.A. Keys and my self sent to Indianapolis for the Indiana staple (?) journal 75 cts a piece for one year.65  Some 3 men wounded in our Regt ?? and one died from wounds last night.  At one PM our brig was sent out to Asheville.  The line achieved half mile to edge of an open field.  Halted.  Our company and A sent on scirmish line.  Most of the line fell back from artillery firing.  I stood on line and watched our men and rebels charge on each other some.  Two or three different ?? from our men kill theirs.  Takes some prisoners.

 

Monday 8:  Morning cloudy pleasant. Our Regt moved up to us last night and built good works by daylight this morning.  Some skirmishing on the line.  Fifteenth Ky moved up on the line with us our Regt on extreme left of our corps fortifying the fifteenth corps. 3 men wounded in our Regt today one died near night others severly wounded.  Sent detail and buried John Warrick.  During the day the fifteenth Ky is looseing several men and they came on the line at dark & 3 Ohio came up on our left to build works.  Have to (can't read the rest of this line).

 

Tuesday 9:   Morning cloudy warm raining very.  George Manning (?) and I went out as sharp shooters at 8 AM.66  Came in at noon.  Got some fare shots at Johneys about one hundred yards out of a house came in at 10 AM still rainy showers.  Sharp shooters still wounding a man once and a while in our Regt.  In eavning our Regt sent out scirmishers in out of our works about one hundred yards.  Worked in our dich to night.  I promoted to 5th Seargt and dated back to the lst of May/64.

 

Wednesday August 10, 1864: Morning clear pleasant.  George Manning fortified


our tent against the sharp shooters.  The artillery is flying from both sides.  Some in eavning canonading pretty heavy for a while. 8 or 10.shells burst close to our works but done no damage.  One of our own shells killed one of the 33 Ohio and wounded two more.  At night I was detailed for scirmish line.  I went on first relief near 8 PM.  Near 10 oclock PM I ast the rebs to quit shooting and they said they would if we would quit and I told them all right and we quit shooting and the two lines fell back and forth and traded coffee on table.

 

Thursday 11:  Morning cloudy and fogy.  I got up at daylight and the Johnys and Yankes were tracking coffee and canteens for to take and I went over to their scirmish line and shook hands with them and talked a bit and I shook hands with a colored and talked to him a bit and he said that we could not take Atlanta a tall unless we went home.  I was releived at 7 AM.  At or near 10 AM the officers put a stop to paysing back and forth but still kept five on line.  One of our Regt was wounded out on scirmish line by accident by men on our side.  I suppose near one oclock PM firing commenced on the left of our corps.  Pretty-heavy came.

 

Friday 12:  Morning cloudy and foggy.  All quiet.  Some rebels came in last night.  All quiet on the line this morning.  Still talking and ??. Pretty heavy firing from our artillery all eavning.  I rote letter to Samuel Watt and one to my wife.67  Got one from my mother and one from my sister.  All quiet on the line yet.  I got Capt Kellums negro to wash shirt and drawers (3).

 

Saturday, August 13, 1864: Morning clear warm.  Rebels go by very tame.  I answered my letters from mother and sister.  Prety heavy from the canon on boath sides.  About 4 oclock the hole rebels skirmish line came in in front of our Brig and also in front of the fifteenth corps.  Our men ?? their ??.

 

Sunday 14: Morning clear warm.  I didn’t rest well during night. 8 AM I went in front to sharp shoot awhile.  I think I got one Reb.  Came in near noon. (The negro brought in my shirt and drawers.) At 2 PM I went out again with leave from Capt. Kellums commanding Regt.  I got one more I think.  Came in at 3 on account of rain.  At 4 PM Rebs charged our scirmish and we had our men killed many breast works from men all over the hill.

 

Monday 15: Morning clear warm.  After breakfast I and 3 others of F and one of H went over and dug a grave by John Warrick and when dug the Chaplain came up and delivered an able prair in behalf of the deceased friends and brother soldiers and after prair we proceeded with the burial.68  Got through about 10 oclock AM and then piled stones on the graves to keep the stock off.  In eavning I got a letter from my wife.  Right smart firing on line.

 

Tuesday, August 16, 1864: Morning cloudy appearance of rain.  Not much firing in our front but the 15 Corps keep up heavy Answered my letter and wrote one


to my oldest sister.  Got brush made a shade over our tent.  In eavning I bought 25 cts worth of stamps.  Not much shooting in our front but the 15 Corps keeps it up all of the time.  Nuse is here that rebels are 5000 strong and taken Dalton and cut our cracker line.  Got no mail.

 

Wednesday 17: Morning clear pleasant.  Everything very quiet all above the line.  About 9 oclock AM fireing commenced again and is still kept up pretty well and sharpshooters still try their hand at us but hasn’t ?? any man for two days past.  In our Regt talk is now that we will go on half rations tomorrow.  Fireing about the same as usual.  General Palmer is ordered to report to Washington City.  General Johnson is relieved and reports at comsery for to take charge of the post.  General Sans takes command of the corps ?? ?? ?? ?? Colonel Taylors Boys.69

 

Thursday 18: Morning clear pleasant.  Got orders to get ready to march.  Immediately drew 3 days rations full rations.  Tore down tents and had everything ready to march.  Still laying in and so I wrote a letter to my father in afternoon.  At night I was detailed on picket.  Went out and about 10 PM the rebels commenced firing on us and came out of their works and we fired vollyes into them and they went back into their works.  Got no mail.

 

Friday August 19, 1864: Morning clear smoky.  Four companies of our regt A B F and H went over and took possession of the second one works and they went to the right four co out of each moved over.  I was relieved at daylight and came in to the works and got my breakfast and then came over to the ??.  Rebels skirmishing about one hundred yards out in front of our works.  It is an awful place as there is some dead rebs buried in the works.  I went back to camp got my napsack and things.  Brought them over and relieved the ?? scirmisher at dark.  They soon left.

 

Saturday 20: Morning cloudy appearance of rain.  Rained right smart during day but little scirmishing in our front. 4 PM Lt. Skelton and my borther and I went up.70  I came and got mail, two letter for myself.  At 8 PM we was relieved by the left of our Regt.  Came back to our camp put up our tents it still raining some.  Rased a rash on scirmish line dident last long.

 

Sunday 21: Morning cloudy and raining some.  Report is that our right has possession of the Macon road and will hold it.  I lay around all day.  Got very tired at night.  A detail went out to put up a works in front of us about one hundred yards.  It rained very hard.  We were relieved at 12 M. Came in slept.

 

Monday, August 22, 1864: Morning clear pleasant.  Some of the regt came around and stoped them from work and said that we had to put them higher up on the hill.  I answered my fathers letter.  At night we went out each company built their own works.  I and the others of our company worked till 12 PM and then 6 others relieved.


us. We came in and lay down.

 

Tuesday 23: Morning clear.  They came in at daylight.  I and same 3 others went out at 7 worked till 9. Relieved by three others.  Some canonading from rebs and our men.  No damage done to us.  At night we went out staked in front of our works.  Order is to get up at 3 and get breakfast and be ready to rase a ?? on line.

 

Wednesday 24: Morning clear pleasant.  Got up at 3 got breakfast.  At daylight Cos B F and H went out to hold the works.  About sunup we was ordered back to camp.  I got a letter from Charles Ohring.71  Rebs rased a little scirmish in eavning. At noon I cut my finger very bad at time men was sent out ?? ??.  At dark we was relieved and fell back to second line.

 

Thursday, August 25, 1864: Morning clear pleasant.  Put up our tents my brother and I together.  Orders to make out muster rolls. Colonel McIntire retuned to right.72  I answered my letter I got yesterday afternoon.  I went down to creek bathed and washed my pants.  Came back to camp we drew two days rations make 4 on ??.  Got no mail today.

 

Friday 26: Morning clear warm.  I went out washed my shirt and drawers.  Rumored that the 4 and 20 is drawing off from the left and going to right. 3 o’clock PM rained.  Drew off and fell back about one mile and a half and we marched at 8 PM to rear about one mile and a half to the right and formed the line and one half of the Brig is on one line.

 

Saturday 27: Morning cloudy pleasant.  Got orders to put up our tents.  Done so.  Sent out scirmishers.  The rebels came on our scirmishers line but fell back.  I went out at noon orders to stop in camp and taken my brothers ?? on scirmish line.  Orders to be ready to march 3 PM.  Lay in readiness all eavning.  At night put up tents.  Orders is to march near dawn.

 

Sunday, August 28, 1864: Morning clear pleasant.  Marched at dawn out to right on sand town road 5 miles turned left marched 3 or 4 miles came to Montgomery railroad cross road.  Formed line of battle northeast and southwest threw up light wood works in our front.  Got our super.  Can’t understand anything about the move.

 

Monday 29: Morning clear pleasant.  Our men is tareing up the railroad track. 8 o'clock 2 & 3 Brig went out to tare up road 3 miles toward east point 9. 1st  Brig went out to support them.  We met with but little resistance.  None only cavalry on scirmish line.  Came in at four to road.  Tore up 3 miles in front and 12 in rear.  Near night drew 3 days rations.

 

Tuesday 30: Morning clear pleasant.  Got up at half past 3 got breakfast marched half past 5 south southwest and southeast about 10 miles 2 and 3 Brigs meeting


but little resistance on scirmish line and front of us formed in line our Brig lst in rear of them.  We pased through a fine country right smart of good corn by the road.  It is purposed that the rebs is leaving our front.  I got 3 letters one from my wife one from ?? ?? ??.  Our company has 10 privates and 4 seargts for duty. 6 present sick 2 on special duty.73

 

Wednesday, August 31, 1864: Morning cloudy.  Marched early south about one mile.  Halted on side of road some canonading on our left.  Light scirmishing in our front.  Wrote a letter to my wife and one to father.  Talk is our men is 2 and 3 Brigs in front of us.  We marched south about on mile and half toward Jonesboro.  Halted and then countermanded back to where we lay last night.  Halted got here at 9 PM.  Lay down for night some heavy fighting during eavning and still canonading some.  Didn’t get any letter today.

 

Thursday, September 1: Morning clear cool for the time a year.  Very heavy canonading in front commenced at daylight.  Some musketry visible at sunup.  Marched at 7 AM back the way we came in last night.  Our Brig guarding the corps train out about one mile.  Halted and built rail works in further making about 4 or 5 miles where we our front.  I went and got a load of roasting ears.  About 3 oclock sent out a forage party from the Brig as we have to forage one days rations in three.  Drew two for 3. Didn’t get much.  Very heavy fighting on front till late.

 

Friday 2: Morning clear pleasant. Very heavy canonading in the direction of Atlanta all the afternoon and part of the night.  I have the rhumatiz in my left rist so bad I can’t use it.74  At 8 sent out another forage party.  They are ordered in for fear of canonading.  Got no forage.  We marched out in the direction of Macon road at 1 PM.  Got to the road at 7 oclock.  Pased on through this boro out half mile.  Made camp.  Company F A E H and details went on picket out south of camp about two hundred yards.  I had charge of a post on the main dirt road.

 

Saturday, September 3, 1864: Morning cloudy and rained very hard.  About daylight wagon passing and reporting all the time out to the front.  Reported that Atlanta is ours comfirmed at 10 oclock AM.  This is splendid only for forager boys out all the time corn plenty.  I got a lot of gouber peas from rebs.  At sunset orders from General Sherman read to each Regt that the canonading is ended and he complimented his army.75

 

Sunday 4: Morning cloudy and appearance of rain.  Trains all coming back from the front.  My rist has got about well.  Chaplain had services close to camp in a citizens yard at 1 PM.  After servis I went out and dug a mess of sweet potatoes and came in and cooked them.  The most of our Regt has been on picket from ?? ??.  Back 5 PM.


Monday 5: Morning cloudy pleasant.  No appearance of moving yet rumored that our corps has to honor the retreat.  Lay still all day.  Some wagons and troops passing all day.  At night it rained very hard.  At dark we got orders to stay all night.  Near twelve oclock at night we got orders to be ready to march at daylight.

 

Tuesday, September 6, 1864:  Morning cloudy pleasant.  Got up at 3 AM got breakfast.  Marched out at 9 back 2 hundred yards.  Scirmishers ran in from front of us at 4 oclock.  Formed line built works of rails lay there till about 2. At 4 rained at rebel works.  Fell back near half mile formed in edge of town.  Built small works again.  Left them as soon as we got them about made and fell back near a mile.  Formed line again stood in line a bit and then fell back to a line of rebels works about half mile where our Corps charged the rebs.  Going front we formed our line of battle in rear of the works.  Lay awhile.  Got orders to get super.  Lay down be ready to march.

 

Wednesday 7: Morning cloudy appearance of rain. Laying still at 8 oclock AM.  Scirmishers report no enemy in front nor none in Jonesboro.  Marched out at 8 AM out onto the Ruff and ready road.  Marched on halting twice.  Pased through ruff and ready town a short distance.  Halted at noon in an open field with orders to put up tents stay all night.  Drew beef in eavning.

 

Thursday 8: Morning cloudy pleasant.  Got up eat breakfast at daylight.  Marched at 7 AM in direction of Atlanta about 6 miles.  Camped some mile and a half south of town late in eavning after marching all over creation to find a camp.  I went out and traveled left about 4 miles after some plank.  Didn't get any.  Came in and drew 2 days rations of bread, coffee no meat.

 

Friday, September 9, 1864:  Morning clear pleasant.  Up in morning got very warm.  Polised about our tent.  Sergt. Keys & P. Simpson & my brother & M. McCleary and myself put up a tent together.76  Keys and I went and damed the branch to a hole to wash in.  Got back.  Wrote a letter to my wife.  Some of our boys is in town.

 

Saturday 10: Morning clear pleasant.  I helped L. Steel post up company books all forenoon.  Eavning I and Hary T. Keys went and washed our clothes.77  Came back 3 PM. Got order draw 5 days rations.  I went draw them.  Got about half through order came to move.  Quit earning rations then tore down tent.  Order countermanded finished drawing.

 

Sunday 11: Morning clear and foggy.  Got no meat a tall.  Draw a little beef once and a while.  Had Co. Inspection at 9 AM.  I rote two letters to my friends.  At 10 had ?? also in afternoon.  At dusk ?? turned out very well.  Got my papers I sent for some time ago.

 

Monday, September 12, 1864:  Morning clear pleasant.  Got orders to clean up and


ditch our streets.  Lt. Steel put me in charge of Company to do work and to clean up hole camp.  Details made to clean up collor line.  Got orders to march on for we part at 6 tomorrow morning.  Draw two days rations of beef.  Orders countermanded at 9 PM.

 

Tuesday 13: Morning clear pleasant.  Regt all very well pleased at the countermanding of the orders to march.  Another detail to clean up camp.  Finished cleaning up our camp.  I rote some more letters.  Went and cleaned rest of my gear.  Wm. R. Williams and the rest of the camp fixed it up for the Chaplain to hold prair meeting.78

 

Wednesday 14: Morning clear pleasant.  Orders for inspection at 2 PM.  Got my gear in good order by noon but my clothes is not very good.  Went out on collar line at 2 PM.  Had regular Brig inspection.  I pased allright.

 

Thursday, September 15, 1864:  Morning clear pleasant.  I rote a letter to my wife. 88 Ind. took a vote on the election.79  Morton carried unanimous for govern and Linkin (Lincoln) almost undivided for President.  Lt. Steel got me to have the boys sign the clothing book and got

orders to report ?? ?? ??.  Got five days rations of beef.

 

Friday 16: Morning clear pleasant.  Lt. Col.  McIntire started for ?? this morning.  Got us our mail last eavning.  Talk is we have to go on picket tonight.  Night came and we didn’t go.  Got no mail yet.  I can’t account for not getting mail.

 

Saturday 17: Morning clear pleasant.  Some men coming up to the Regt every day.  I rote a letter to S. G. Barrett.80  Late in eavning we got a big mail.  I got one letter from wife and one from mother.  Sisters sent 3. Got orders to go on picket tomorrow morning.

 

Sunday, September 18, 1864: Morning cloudy pleasant with some rain.  Got ready for picket.  Marched out 2 and half miles at 8 AM.  Our Co. on first relief.  Went on.  Off at 9 AM came off 3 PM to reserve.  Got a letter Charles Ohring.  Went on at 9 PM. Rained all day or near so pretty hard the most of time.

 

Monday 19: Morning cloudy and foggy.  Came off at 3 AM.  Lay down slept till daylight.  Got up got breakfast.  My beef all spoilt throwed it away.  Relieved at 9 AM came to camp got here at 10 AM.  I have Elias Skelton at work making rings for me and I sell one every day or so.81 Rote a letter to Charles Ohring.

 

Tuesday 20: Morning clear pleasant.  I rote a letter to my wife.  Had drill  I rote a letter to mother one to youngest sister. 2 PM commenced rain a little.  I and Stevens went to rebel works to put a ??.82  (Can't make out the last two lines on this day.)

 

Wednesday, September 21, 1864: Morning cloudy rainy.  I never saw such gofer


holes in my life as the rebels has and racks in front of their works.  Best works I ever saw.  Still rainy in afternoon.  I don’t feel very well.  Still some talk among the officers and soldiers about going home to vote.83

 

Thursday 22: Morning cloudy & rainy some all forenoon off and on.  I rote a letter to Thomas Keillpatrick 10th Ind Cavalry.84  Raining off and on during day.  No drill in eavning as it raind two much.  Got orders for inspection tomorrow.

 

Friday 23: Morning cloudy appearance of ram.  Clean up got ready for inspection at 2 PM.  The Brigade all marched out and was formed in line and it commenced raining and the Brig comd dismissed us.85  We went to camp and fixed our tents up me and my brother.

 

Saturday, September 24, 1864:  Morning cloudy rained a little.  At noon got orders for inspection at 2 PM.  Got ready fell in at sound of bugle.  Marched out formed the Brig.  Was inspected by Brig Commander riding along the line.  At five there was the appearance of fair weather.

 

Sunday 25: Morning clear cool.  Co. Inspection at 9 AM preaching at 10 AM.  Day is very nice and comfortable.  Eavning too Chaplain had preaching.  At night the nights is getting very cool.  The rebels came and tore up the railroad at Big Shanty and burnt a train.

 

Monday 26: Morning clear and cold for the time of year.  I helped Corpl McGrew to make out pay rolls near all day.86  Went on drill at 3 PM.  Dres parade at 5 PM.  Men goes through the command of arms a heap better.

 

Tuesday, September 27, 1864: Morning clear and cool.  The news is that General Grand (Grant) has captured Richmond and is killed but not affirmed. Our company took a vote for president and Governor.  Lincoln and Johnston (Andrew Johnson) 22, McClelland (McClellan) and A. Morton 28 the voice of the hole camp.87  Kain and Skelton came up in eavning.88

 

Wednesday 28: Morning cloudy and rain.  Seargt Georg ?? started home on furlough 20 days.89  Got orders to prepare for review but didn’t have it.  Still have some hopes of going home to vote.90  Some of our Corps 2 Division has orders to go on a five days scout.  Started home two night.

 

Thursday 29: Morning cloudy and raining some.  Havn’t had any mail for 3 days.  Up in the morning got a small mail.  I went and washed my clothes.  Had drill at the usual hour.  Rebs has cut the railroad betwixt Murfreesboro and Nashville.

 

 

Friday, September 30, 1864: Morning cloudy appearance of rain.  Some of our troops still leaving here going back to defind our cracker line.  Had our usual 2


hours in forenoon and 2 after dres at 5 PM.  At dark it rained very hard.

 

Saturday, October 1: Morning cloudy appearance of rain.  I rote a letter to my wife.  Drill as usual.  Orders for Batt Drill at 2 PM countermanded.  Orders to get ready for company inspection in morning.

 

Sunday 2: Morning cloudy pleasant.  Co inspection at 9. Fell in line without knapsacks.  Lt. Steel came up mad and made us stack arms and get our knapsacks.  Preaching at 10 AM and drill at usual hour.  At dark orders to go on picket.  Rained at night very hard at 4 oclock.

 

Monday, October 3, 1864:  Morning cloudy raining some little.  Got orders, at one AM to be ready to march at daylight with every thing.  Three days rations.  I baked my meal to save.  Didn’t march at 10 AM.  Went on picket at 3 PM.  Pased only our camp for all gone in front of our Regt.  Marched very hard bothering some with train. After dark got to railroad bridge 8 miles. 10 PM crossed over.  Marched out one mile and half.  Camped for the night at 11 oclock and heard firing on right.

 

Tuesday 4:  Morning cloudy and cool.  Got up at daylight.  Boys coming in all of the time.  Marched at 8 AM in the direction of Maryette (Marietta, GA) 7 miles.  Camped in an old field at 11 oclock AM put up tents.  Today very moderate.  Most of men out of rations.  Got no meat.  At 3 PM marched direction of Maryette I think near 7 miles.

 

Wednesday 5: Morning clear cool.  Got up at 2 AM got orders to be ready to march or fight.  I went and got a lot of Guber Peas.  15 Corps pased by.  We marched at 11 AM,southwest.  Marched very hard. Turned east making about 10 or 12 miles.  Halted one mile from Maryette.

 

Thursday, October 6, 1864: Morning cloudy and rainy.  Marched at sunup north 4 miles pased Altoma Mountain (Allatoonana, now Red Top Mountain, GA) 3 miles and halted in the woods for dinner.  Raining all day.  About 4 PM our Brig marched back 2 miles on picket.  Got. 2 days rations of beef rations pretty scarce.  Built works of rails facing west.

 

Friday 7: Morning clear cool.  Everything as wet from dew as if it had rained.  No ,sign of moving.  Dried my things.  Went and got a lot of grapes and muscadines.  Late in the eavning I went and got a large mess of southern May apples.  Drew 3 days rations of bread groceries.

 

Saturday 8: Morning very cool and windy.  The officers is fireing around to muster out the old soldiers.  It is reported that the Rebels is recrossing the river.  Marched at 3 PM back to where we left the 2 nights before.  We drew 2 days rations of beef and carried it along.  Halted and got super.  At dark went on at 1/2 past 8 PM.


Marched very hard about 9 miles. 3 miles of Acworth at one AM.

 

Sunday, October 9, 1864:  Morning clear and cold.  Got up at daylight got breakfast.  Still holding the nonveterans and they are crying about it.91  At noon no sighn of moving yet.  At 3 PM I went out and got some corn to parch.  Came back to camp.  Railroad not open yet.  Preaching at dark in Co. G quarters by Rebels.

 

Monday 10: Morning clear and cold.  Co. Officers is ordered to make out the muster out rolls for the nonveterans.  At noon I went with them to turn over their guns.  I turned my gum over and took the flag to cary.  Near night we got orders to be ready to march.  Marched at sunset very moderate 3 miles and halted.  Got super at 8 PM then went on to river 7 or 8 miles in an open field.

 

Tuesday 11: Morning clear and cool.  Got in camp at 3 AM.  Got up at six.  Marched at 10 AM to Cartersville 2 miles pased on halting 6 miles at one PM for dinner.  Marched at 3 PM passing cap station 6 miles south of Kingstown (Kingston, GA) out 2 miles toward Roam (Rome).  Camped in thick woods.

 

Wednesday, October 12, 1864:  Morning clear and cool.  Got up at 4 & 1/2 AM.  At daylight got a large mail.  I got 6 letters.  Marched at or near sunup crossing the Roam Railroad.  Marched west direction 10 miles.  Halted.  Got dinner at one PM.  Marched at 2. Struck the main Roam road 8 miles from Roam.  Turned down south and bore a little east of south.  Marched about 8 or 10 miles.  Halted 2 miles from Roam for the night.

 

Thursday 13: Morning clear cool.  No orders about morning at 8 AM.  Lay around camp all day till noon.  Got orders to keep the men all in camp.  At sunset for orders to march.  Marched at night back the Calhoun road.  Marched pretty steady till one at night.  Made about 11 or 12 miles.  Camped for night.  In an old field I lay down.

 

Friday 14:  Morning clear and cool.  Got up at 3 and marched at 4 AM out a short distance and halted on roadside.  The boys turned out to killing hogs and cattle.  The guns sounded like near scirmishing for awhile.  Then marched on in sight of Calhoun 2 miles.  Halted got dinner at 2 PM then marched to Rasaca 6 miles.  Camp at sunset.  Lay side of railroad.  Rebels at Snake Gap and heard scirmishing.

 

Saturday, October 15, 1864: Morning cloudy appearance of rain.  Heard skirmishing in Snake Gap.  Orders marched half past 6 AM back to Chattanooga that we left.  Say here that our knapsack is sent here.  Swaped my old shewes for a new pair with James G Kaln (? last name)92 as they were two large.  I went over to Rasaca to see about our knapsacks.  They are all tore up and destroyed.  Got nothing.  Regt. came across the river at 8 AM.  Marched out the railroad toward Dalton.  Railroad all tore up.  Halted a time or two.  Marched very slow.  Went into camp at 9 oclock at night at the foot of Green Mountain about 10 miles from Rasaca.


Sunday 16: Morning cold.  Got up at daylight.  Marched at 8 oclock AM crossed the mountain into the gap.  Marched on about 10 or 12 miles passing a lot of fallen timber but by the rebs and pased some two or three dead rebels.  Went in camp in the woods.  I got a mess of potatoes sweet for super.  One man killed and one wounded by men out forging wagons.

 

Monday 17: Morning clear and cold.  No sign of moving.  Drew 3 days rations.  No sow belly yet.  We are about 6 miles from Lafayette.  Rumored that olf Thomas whiped the rebs yesterday at Tumblehill (Tunnel Hill) at sunset.  Drew 3 days rations during the day.  At night put up tents.

 

Tuesday, October 18, 1864: Morning clear and cool.  Orders to march at half past 5 AM. Got up at 3 as nonvets was mustered out during the night and left for Chattanooga this morning and we marched at 8 AM crossed Noak (?) river east then turned south making about 10 or 11 miles.  Stoped for dinner & sent out a forage party then marched on about 3 miles leaving the big road marching near east about 6 or 7 miles.  Went in camp for the night.  Got no foragers it being late.

 

Wednesday 19: Morning clear cold.  Got up at 4 AM got breakfast.  Marched at 6 AM toward range of Lookout Mountain crossed the Cattooga River marched about 8 miles alltogether.  Halted got dinner.  Had a fine mess of fresh pork and potatoes then marched on about 3 miles.  Went in camp for the night dose to Summerville.  Got a fine lot of forage at dark.

 

Thursday 20: Morning clear cool.  Got 3 days rations.  At daylight marched at 10 AM through Somerville took the Gatesville road.  Marched out 8 miles.  Halted one hour for dinner at 2 PM then marched on.  Sent out foragers.  Marched about 8 or 9 miles to Chattoogaville then marched 2 miles.  Camped near old field for the night.  Lay down.

 

Friday, October 21, 1864: Morning clear and cold and foggy.  Got up at daylight.  Foragers detailed at 10 AM.  Got orders to be ready to march at 11 oclock AM.  Orders countermanded and foragers sent out 20 men from Regt.  I went out and got some Pumkins.  Foragers came in at dark.  Got no food of any importance.

 

Saturday 22: Morning clear cold.  Set up till one AM cooked pumkin.  No sign of moving at 12 M. Foragers sent out late in eavning.  Moved camp about 2 hundred yards into the woods.  Foragers came in without anything. 6 days rations has to do 8 or 9 days with the forage.

 

Sunday 23: Morning clear and cold.  Sent out foragers at 6 AM.  I went out and got a fine lot of peas for dinner.  Chaplain had preaching.  At one PM at night foragers came in had plenty of meat.  Drew one days ration of meat.


Monday, October 24, 1864: Morning clear and cool.  Foragers went out at 6 AM.  I rote a letter to my wife.  Some talk of moving tomorrow morning.  Have bountiful rations now.  Near night foragers came in with lots of beef and sweet potatoes about 1 hundred more then not know what to do with.

 

Tuesday 25: Morning clear and cool.  Foragers sent out again.  Drew no rations yet only salt and 2 days desicated potatoes and the rest is foraged.  Foragers came in at 8 oclock PM got about 15 bushels of sweet potatoes.  Has some appearance of rain.

 

Wednesday 26: Morning cloudy dropping rain.  Had a fine breakfast of pork and sweet potatoes boiled.  Foragers sent out again.  Orders still read every other day.  I put up my tent.  Foragers didn’t get in.  After night it commenced raining and kept it up.

 

Thursday, October 27, 1864: Morning cool and rainy.  Foragers not in yet.  I sold a gold pin for 500 to William Sanders.93  Toward night foragers began to come in one at a time.  About 9 PM the wagon came with a fine lot of meat and potatoes.  I went along to divide them tonight.

 

Friday 28: Morning clear and cool.  We had a fine breakfast of Chicken and sweet potatoes.  About noon got orders that we would move this evening or tomorrow morning.  At 3 PM got orders to be ready to march at a moments warning.  Drew 3 days rations and marched at 2 PM on to Gaylesville (Alabama) 2 miles marched on crossed the river.  Marched on 3 miles out from town camped.

 

Saturday 29: Morning clear and cool.  Got up got breakfast and marched at sunup on 2 miles to Chatoogaville a courrier station there.  Passed on making 12 miles in forenoon.  Stopped for diner one hour.  Marched on got to Rome or in sight 10 miles.  Went in camp at sunset in apple orchard.  After night we got a mail.  I got 2 letters out from wife.

 

Sunday, October 30, 1864: Morning cloudy appearance of rain.  I rote a letter to my brother in law about a piece of land.  The Co commander got orders to finish up the pay rolls ready for pay up to 31i;t of August 12 M (midnight) signed the rolls & helped to make out muster rolls for 31st Oct.  All eavning some talk of moving tomorrow.

 

Monday 31: Morning cloudy and cool.  No sign of moving yet.  Helped to make out rolls till noon.  After rolls some monthly returns paying in our Brig.  No orders yet about moving.  I got 2 dollars that John Ahrens owed me.94

 

Tuesday, November 1: Morning clear and cool.  Rote one letter to my wife and one to my father.  Eavning cloudy appearance of rain.  Some talk of the paymaster


paying us tonight at 10 PM.  He commenced paying.  Paid our company at 2. I got

235.00.     November 3 I started home four hundred dollars to wife.

 

Wednesday, November 2, 1864:  Morning cloudy and rainy.  Ever man busy settling up his little debts.  Got ready marched at 7 AM out on the Kingstown road through Rome.  It’s a very nice place.  Marched 9 miles.  Halted one hour got diner.  Marched on roads went in camp m sight of Kingstown 5 miles march.

 

Thursday 3: Morning cloudy and very cold.  Drizling rain drizled rain all day.  About noon our Regt. was detailed to go out a forage.  Went out about 2-1/2 miles.  Didn’t get any forage came in at dark.  Still raining.  Boys made all sorts of sport.

 

Friday 4: Morning cloudy and raining.  Detailed to go foraging again.  Started a 6 AM. Went out about 10 miles got ary amount of corn and meat of all kinds.  Came in at 7 AM 8 and 10 men at a time came till 9 oclock.  I bought a dollars worth of sowbelly at Altonia.

 

Saturday, November 5, 1864: Morning clear and cold.  Had a fine time eating meat and sweet potatoes.  Regt got orders to report to Capt. Todd to guard cattle.95  Got there at 10 AM a distance of 2-1/2 miles.  Put up tents.  Eavning I rote a letter to wife.  Drew 3 days rations at dark.

 

Sunday 6: Morning cloudy and cool.  Marched at 8 AM back through Kingstown.  Passed Cass station.  Took down railroad.  Got diner at 12 noon half mile from Cass station.  Marched on crossed (blank space in diary) River (assume he didn't know name of river) half mile.  In camp for the night making about 12 miles altogether.  Drew whiskey.

 

Monday 7: Morning cloudy appearance of rain.  Marched out at 6 AM.  Right wing in rear marched 5 or 6 miles.  Halted for diner and marched to Altonia Station 3 miles pased there 3 or 4 miles.  Halted for the night.

 

Tuesday, November 8, 1864: Morning cloudy appearance of rain.  Marched at 6 AM. Right wing in front came to Aguesworth (Acworth) 1- 1/2 miles.  Pased on 2 miles.  Stopped at 9 let cattle graze one hour.  Marched on one mile pased Big Shanty.  Marched 4 miles pased around the foot of Kennesaw Mountain.  Went in camp.

 

Wednesday 9: Morning cloudy appearance rain.  Got coffee and sugar last night snf rice but no bread.  Marched at 6 AM right wing in rear.  Marched to Maryette (Marietta).  Stoped.  Drew bread wagons and rear guard.  Stayed there till one oclock PM. Marched out 7 miles camped for the night.  Raining at dark.

 

Thursday 10: Morning clear and cold.  It is talk some that Farygut has taken


Savanah and we won’t go there.  Marched at 8 AM 8 miles crosed the Chattahoochee (River).  Got diner.  Marched on 7 miles into the edge of Atlanta. Went in camp at Dark.

 

Friday, November 11, 1864: Morning clear and cool.  John J. Murry and Dock Shewnbom (? Spelling) came over to camp from hqs.96  J. Murry paid me what he owed me Twenty three Dollars and 55 cts.  I bought 34 Dollars worth of notes from Dock Shewn for 25 Dollars.  Drew bread and beef.  No coffee or sugar.

 

Saturday 12: Morning clear and cool.  Moved camp about one hundred and fifty yards within a nice grove.  I went down to hospital got a new wedge tent camelso (??) Put it up.  Got no sugar and coffee yet.  I got my close washed.

 

Sunday 13: Morning clear and cold. 2OTh Corp is tareing up the railroad back toward the river and burning houses in town.  We have plenty of rations now as we steal some from the cattle.  Don’t get any mail now.

 

Monday, November 14, 1864:  Morning clear and cool.  No talk of moving yet.  Still burning houses in town.  Troops marching in all day.  Drew 6 days rations pork and ???? To be hauled.  The place is luminated with fires in the city.

 

Tuesday 15: Morning cloudy.  Orders at daylight to get ready to march.  Drew one more days rations.  Put my tent in head 2 R wagon.  Still in camp at noon.  Marched at 2 PM out through the edge of town making about 12 miles.  Camped for the night.

 

Wednesday 16: Morning clear and cool.  Marched at 6 AM out one mile on the Augusta road.  Stoped and lay till nearly one oclock.  Moved on making about 7 or 8 miles.  Went in camp at 9 PM.  Appearance of rain.

 

Thursday, November 17, 1864: Morning clear and cool.  Drew 2 days more bread and sowbelly.  Left several cattle behind yesterday.  Marched at 6 AM out on the road (right wing) fooling along behind the cattle.  Marched about 9 or 10 miles.  Went in camp at 7 PM in an old field.

 

Friday 18: Morning clear and pleasanter than it has been.  Marched out at sunup on the road citizens say that this is the McDonald (McDonough) road.  Marched on making good time till 2 PM.  Came to McDonald 12 miles.  It is surround with fine country and pork.  Pased town one mile.  Went in edge got plenty of pork meat and potatoes.

 

Saturday 19: Morning clear and pleasant.  Got up at one oclock with orders to march at 2 & 1/2 AM.  Marched half past 3 AM.  Marched very hard.  Got to Jackson 14 miles more throughout about 6 or 7 miles.  Went in camp.  Foragers got plenty.


Sunday, November 20, 1864: Morning cloudy and misty rain.  Slept in a corn crib last night.  At sunup heard some guns fireing like skirmishing at the river.  Marched out at 9 AM.  Sent out Cos.  B and H in advance.  It is a comatesents (?) ocurrance shooting mules.  Came to river crossed on pontoons.  Marched out 6 or 7 miles.  Went in camp 9 PM.  Rained all fore hard of the night.

 

Monday 21: Morning cloudy and still raining.  Marched out 10 AM roads very bad and still raining.  Had to stop at every hill on account of turns (?). Marched at about 7 or 8 miles.  Went in camp at 7 PM.  Get plenty of pork and sweet potatoes every day.

 

Tuesday 22: Morning cloudy and cold.  Snowing a little.  Camped in a town of negroes.  Marched out at or near 12 miles.  Didn’t go but short distance till we stoped and fed cattle.  Marched on 3 miles pased through Hillsboro out 2 miles.  Went in camp at 7 oclock.  Got plenty of forage.

 

Wednesday, November 23, 1864: Morning clear and very cold.  Ground froze right smart.  Camped close to a good union man that is taking care of some of our wounded men.  He buried the dead of stonemoors raid.97  Marched at 8 AM.  Roads right smart better.  Marched 5 miles left the very old men at a citizens house.  Marched about 14 miles more.  Went in camp at 7 PM on the Macon road.

 

Thursday 24: Morning clear and very cold.  Ground froze right smart.  Some of our wagons came in this morning that didn’t get in last night.  Marched some 7 miles.  Got diner up with the other cattle.  Marched on 3 or 4 miles.  Got nuse that Rebels was close to us.  Pased the wagons marched good time 8 miles.  Went in camp 9 but little forage.

 

Friday 25: Morning clear and very cold.  About half of our cattle is in rear close on to the army.  Some fighting in the front.  We marched at 9 pased on through (space here in book).  Depot and most of the houses burned.  Crossed a creek the name I haven’t learned.  Went in camp at 8 PM 12 miles.  Forage.

 

Saturday, November 26, 1864: Morning clear and cold.  Marched at 8 AM crossed a creek and then had swamps off and on all day (passed through wrong borro 10 miles) some had very bad ones.  Negros report Wheeler in our rear.98  We are leaving all Brigs and cotton gins behind us.  Marched 15 miles went in camp at 8 PM.  Got plenty of meat and sweet potatoes.

 

Sunday 27: Morning clear and pleasant.  Marched at sunup through marshy country 8 miles.  Came to Oconee river crossed it on pontoons.  Brig here.  Swamps full of fernleaf and cipress.  Marched out 4 miles went in camp.  Got lots of pork and potatoes.  Got some meat baked at negro camp.


Monday 28: Morning clear and pleasant.  Marched out at 7 AM.  Bothered in front with army train.  Nothing of importance pased during the day.  Made 12 miles went in camp at dusk.  Got plenty of pork. 3 days of rations.

 

Tuesday, November 29, 1864: Morning clear and pleasant. Marched at daylight east direction.  Pased through fine growth of yellow pine half hour by sun.  Got word the Rebels is in our rear.  Made good time went in camp at dusk distance 17 miles.  Got plenty of forage.

 

Wednesday 30: Morning clear and pleasant.  Marched at daylight south very nice country.  Marching very hard.  Some desolate families down here.  Citizens say Rebs passed here yesterday 2 Regts strong.  Went in camp at sunset distance 20 miles.  Got no forage.  I tried for a hog.  Didn’t find.

 

Thursday, December 1: Morning clear and pleasant.  Marched at daylight four miles to Somerville (not on map).  Halted there 2 or 3 hours.  Very pore looking place almost burned down.  Marched on.  I got a lot of sweet potatoes.  Went in camp at dark.  I went and heard some ladys sing.

 

Friday, December 2, 1864: Morning cloudy some appearance of rain.  Marched at daylight.  Some women came along with us this morning. We had a pretty bad road today.  Made about 10 miles.  Went in camp abit before night.  Got plenty of forage.  Women at head quarters some 5 or 6.

 

Saturday 3: Morning clear and pleasant.  Marched early southerly direction.  Saw a rattlesnake 6 feet long 12 rattles and a button.  Lots of them through here.  Marched 8 miles went in camp at 3 PM up with the army.  Got plenty of forage.

 

Sunday 4: Morning clear and pleasant.  Troop marching out.  We marched out at 7 AM a south direction through several marshes and bogs.  Made about 10 miles went in camp at 3 oclock.  Found ?? (looks like molas)  buried.  Got plenty of forage.

 

Monday, December 5, 1864: Morning clear and breezy.  Dew fell almost like a shower of rain.  Marched out early made one mile to a small creek name unknown.  Burned the bridge after we got a crop.  Marched on making about 10 miles went in camp at sunset.  Plenty forage.

 

Tuesday 6: Morning clear and pleasant.  Marched at daylight 22 from here to Savanah making quick time pasing several of the fifteenth Corp in camp.  Marched 15 miles went in camp at sunset.  Troops pased by us again.

 

Wednesday 7: Morning clear and pleasant.  Marched at 7 AM 6 miles.  Went in camp troops & trains pasing us all eavening some little canonading and musketry at the river.  Eavening rained.


Thursday, December 8, 1864: Morning cloudy pleasant.  Orders came not to move this morning some more troops pasing.  Had my hair croped.  Got plenty of forage.  Late in eavning I herd some very heavy canonading in the direction Savanah.

 

Friday 9: Morning clear pleasant.  Marched at 7 AM out 3 miles to a creek.  Crosed it swamp very bad.  Crosed another large creek 4 miles distant then made 2 miles.  Went in camp at little after dark.  Got plenty of forage.

 

Saturday 10: Morning clear pleasant.  Marched at 7 AM on very nice road.  Most of the time land is very low and sandy with a heavy growth of pine and evergreen timber.  Marched 10 miles went in camp got plenty of forage.

 

Sunday, December 11, 1864: Morning cloudy and misting rain.  Marched at sunup east down near the bank of Ogeechee River 4 miles.  Crosed the river on pontoons.  Pased through a very bad swamp and out 4 miles.  Went in camp at 4 PM in an old field.  Got forage.

 

Monday 12: Morning clear and very cold. 3 Co. sent out to forage for Regt.  Hearing canonading and some muaketeering in the direction of Savanah.  Late in eavning companies B and F went down 5 miles to a large size farm to guard rice.  I stayed with Regt.

 

Tuesday 13: Morning clear and pleasant.  Some fireing at fort Mcalaster 8 miles down the river from here.  Late in eavning 15 Corp charged the fort heavy and foragers brought in a lot of forage.  Very heavy canonading at dark.

 

Wednesday, December 14, 1864: Morning clear and cool.  Regt marched at sunup down to the rice farm 8 miles.  It is a splendid farm and very large and lot of negros on it.  Co. F is quartered in a house.  I went to them.  It is reported fort Mcalester fell last night. Lots of rice here.

 

Thursday 15: Morning clear and moderate.  Boys, found a lot of meat hid out last eavning and some molasses.  The weather is very nice now.  Not much canonading visable today.  Communication is open now to our fleet.

 

Friday 16: Morning clear and cool.  Four boatloads of rations came up and landed about 3 or 4 miles from here at landing on Ogeechee River.  At night I rote a letter to my wife.

 

Saturday, December 17, 1864: Morning clear and pleasant.  I sent my letter out.  No canonading to be heard at the present.  Late in eavning I could hear some.  The boat is running regular now every day.  At night we got a large mail.  I got several letters.


Sunday 18: Morning clear and pleasant.  I rote 3 letters and sent out.  Near night some very heavy canonading along distance off.  The talk is that old Sherman has had a hard fight with the Rebs near Nashville.

 

Monday 19: Morning clear and warm.  Moved camp about one mile and half west into the roads.  Put up in regulation order.  We haven’t drew no goverment rations for some time but we have plenty forage.

 

Tuesday, December 20, 1864: Morning cloudy and pleasant.  The Regt is all ordered to turn over all their mules onelly one to each company.  Pretty heavy fighting out on the front near Savanah.  Companies is ordered to clean up guns.  Near night it clouded up and misted rain.

 

Wednesday 21: Morning cloudy and raining a little.  Got ready and moved at 7 AM down to the landing on Ogeechee River 5 miles.  Camped one mile from the landing.  I got my wedge tent and put up.  It is reported Savanah taken Savanah is ours.  We drew coffee sugar.

 

Thursday 22: Morning clear cold.  It is confirmed that Savanah is ours.  Up in the day I got some warmer.  The talk is that we will move to Savanah tomorrow morning.  It is quite cool this night.

 

Friday, December 23, 1864: Morning clear and cold.  Nothing to eat but meat and rice.  The Capt is having the Regt search for stolen money.  Didn’t find it.  The Capt issued an order against gamboling in the Regt.  I burnt some dried apples.

 

Saturday 24: Morning clear and cool. 18 men and one commissioned officer sent to guard near to Savanah.  Heavy skirmishing across Ogeechee River.  We got some whiskey and several of the boys got on a big spree.  Some got tight and got under guard.  I got letter from my wife.

 

Sunday 25: Morning clear and cool.  Plenty of whiskey yet.  I rote a letter to my wife.  Not so many drunk today as was last eavning.  Talk is we will march tomorrow for Savanah.

 

Monday, December 26, 1864: Morning cloudy and raining a little.  Still have plenty of whiskey yet and some men still drunk but still sobering off.  Moving put off again till tomorrow morning.

 

Tuesday,27:      Morning cloudy and pleasant.  No sign of moving yet.  Our whiskey is plaid out now till new years.  Capt. Kellums got orders late this eavning to be ready to march early tomorrow morning.99

 

Wednesday 28: Morning cloudy and raining.  Struck tent and marched at 6 and ½


AM 1 mile.  Halted a few minets.  Marched on 6 miles halted again a few minets.  Marched to edge of town 7 miles.  Marched out west one mile.  Went in camp in large opening.

 

Thursday, December 29, 1864: Morning clear and cool.  We have a very nice camp close to a Germans house that kept 3 of our men consealed from the rebels near 6 months till our army came and then they gave them $3000 dollars for taking care of their mules there.  Eavning clear and pleasant.

 

Friday 30: Morning cloudy some appearance of rain.  Orders to get ready for muster tomorrow at one oclock PM.  Eavning a little cloudy with appearance of rain.  It is reported that Charleston south Carolina is evacuated.

 

Saturday 31: Morning cloudy and raining some.  Some of the boys is getting their whiskey again.  Muster put off till tomorrow morning on account of rain.  Some of the boys in a big way tonight.  The end of 64.

 

AND THE END OF THIS DIARY

 

 

*******

 

No diary has been located for 1865 and the following has been extracted from the Muster Rolls for this period until his discharge.

 

19 April 1865:  Promoted to 2nd Sergt.

 

30 April 1865:  Discharged as 1st Sergt and mustered in as 2nd Lieut same Co. to date 1 May 1865.

 

21 July 1865:  Mustered out and honorably discharged as 2nd Lieut.


FOOTNOTES

 Note: Diary Page only applies to Adobe file of diary

#

Diary Page

Date

Item and Comments (WHM’s words in italics; notes in plain text)

1

3

11/19/61

Name our camp Dandy for our Lt. Col.  Charles Denby, Evansville, appointed Lt. Col. in Sept 1861; wounded in the mouth at Perryville (Kirkpatrick, 15, 17; McGarrah letter, McDonough, 290); resigned Oct 21, 1862, and promoted Colonel with 80th Regiment.  Resigned from 80th in January, 1863.  (Terrell, II, 412-413).

2

4

12/7/61

Charles Ohinney.  This would seem likely to be Charles Ohring; Gibson Co, Oct 21, 1861.  (Terrell, V, 317; VIII, 186).  See notes 53, 60, and 71.  Name is probably Ohning, a common name in Gibson Co.

3

5

12/24/61

Taking medicin for the measels.  Measles commonly afflicted new units in epidemic proportions, most often during the winter months.  Units from rural areas were more susceptible.  It usually ran its course in 3-4 weeks, but could lead to pneumonia and death.  (Wiley, 133).  Two physicians whom I asked about what “medicin” Wm might have been taking both indicated that there is no medicine for measles to this day.  They indicated that laxatives were often used with measles patients, and that he may have been referring to something like blue mass (mercury pills).  (Schaadt, 91).

4

8

2/9/62

I took ague.  Ague is fever and chills.  (Guralnik, 28).  Wm also suffered from rheumatism during this time, according to several affadavits in his pension file.  (Wm McCleary Pension File).  This case of ague may have been related to his earlier case of measles.  (Wiley, 133).

5

9

2/23/62

Left Paducah by order of General Nelson.  Brig. Gen. William Nelson, commanding 4th Division, Army of the Ohio, at this time.  He was shot and killed in Louisville by another Union officer, Gen. Jefferson C. Davis, on Sept 29, 1862.  (Boatner, 586).

6

9

2/24/62

Tied up after pasing Ft Donelson.  Fort Donelson, Tennessee, on the Cumberland River, had just surrendered to Gen. Grant on Feb 16th.  (Boatner, 396).

7

10

3/18/62

Orders was changed to division into Michels.  42nd Indiana was moved to the division of Brig. Gen. Ormsby McKnight Mitchel, commanding 3rd Division, Army of the Ohio, until July.  A college professor and astronomer from Cincinnati, Mitchel died from yellow fever at Beaufort, S.C., on Oct 30, 1862.  (Boatner, 557).

8

14

5/26/62

Visited by General Michel.  Gen. Mitchel, division commander.  See note 7.

9

14

5/30/62

Gladly received and escorted through town (Huntsville, AL) by Brigadier General Lytle.  William Haines Lytle, commanding 17th Brigade, 3rd Division, Army of the Ohio.  42nd Indiana was part of Lytle’s 17th Bde at this point.  Huntsville had been occupied by Federal troops on April 11, 1862, by other units from Mitchel’s 3rd Division, and Lytle had been in Huntsville since about May 1st.  Lytle, a well-known lawyer and poet from Cincinnati, was killed at Chickamauga on Sept 20, 1863.  (Carter, 24-25, 109, 113-114; Johnson & Buel, Vol, II, 701; Boatner, 498.).

10

14

6/2/62

Guns fired during the day over the death of General Smith.  This is most likely Maj. Gen. Charles Ferguson Smith, former commandant of cadets at West Point, who served with distinction at Fort Donelson and succeeded Grant temporarily at the start of the Shiloh Campaign.  He died April 25, 1862, from a foot infection after he severely scraped a shin while jumping from one boat to another in the opening stages of the battle at Shiloh.  (Boatner, 769; Faust, 694-695).

11

16

6/25/62

On polese party.  This word is “police” duty, a time-honored army term for cleanup.  A police party had duty to clean up the camp.  See also note 76.

12

17

7/14/62

Visited the 17 and 58 Regt Ind Vol and saw several of my old friends and connections.  The 17th Indiana was formed at Indianapolis, and the 58th Indiana at Princeton.  Both were in the 15th Brigade (Brig. Gen. Milo S. Hascall), Sixth Division (Brig. Gen. Thomas J. Wood), II Corps (Maj. Gen. Thomas L. Crittenden), Army of the Ohio.  (Historical Data Systems, Inc.; Hafendorfer, 446-448).

13

18

7/30/62

Taken by brothers place on guard on accoun of him being unwell and I rather take his place as to let him stand in the rain.  This refers to William’s younger brother, James W. McCleary, who died five months later at the Battle of Stones River.  (Terrell, V, 317; VIII, 538).

14

19

8/9/62

Went on review and General Rousan inspected us.  Brig. Gen. Lovell Harrison Rousseau, commanding 3rd Division, I Corps, Army of the Ohio,after replacing Gen. Mitchel in July.  He was promoted to Maj. Gen. after Perryville and served throughout the war.  A lawyer and politician from Indiana and Louisville, he died on active duty in 1869.  (Boatner, 557, 710-711).

15

20

8/23/62

The old Colonel throed our napsack out of the wagon.  This may refer to Colonel James G. Jones, commander of the 42nd Indiana from its formation until mustering out on Nov 4, 1864, when his 3-year term expired.  The captain is probably Samuel G. Barrett, commander of Co. F from its formation until his resignation on Nov. 8, 1862.  On a hot, difficult march like this one, the Colonel’s refusal to let knapsacks be carried in wagons would have been very unpopular, especially when the troops had hired a wagon at their own expense.  (Terrell, II, 412, 417; see note 80 on Barrett).  Kirkpatrick tells a similar story about this march (Kirkpatrick, 10-11).

16

20

8/23/62

March through the place that McCook burnt the houses.  This is in the area between New Market, Alabama, and Winchester, Tennessee,  On August 5, Brig. Gen. Robert L. McCook, commander of the 3rd Brigade, 1st Division, Army of the Ohio, was riding on a cot in a wagon due to illness.  During contact with Confederates, McCook’s wagon was captured and overturned, injuring him further.  Although he was recovered by his brigade, he could not be moved and died near New Market on August 6.  His troops believed he had been murdered by guerillas, and burned houses of anyone believed to be a guerilla.  (Boatner, 528-529; Grebner, 105-109).

17

22

9/7/62

I went out with some other boys a foreging.  Foraging:  gathering fresh food from civilians in the area.  Foraging was often necessary to supplement delayed or inadequate rations from quartermaster sources, and might either be authorized and organized with payment for food taken, or unauthorized stealing.  (Faust, 266; Robertson, 73-74).  Kirkpatrick describes the 42nd as very short on food during this march.  (Kirkpatrick, 11-12).

18

23

9/13/62

College Hill fortification.  This must have been a part of the defenses at Bowling Green, Kentucky.

19

23

9/15/62

General Rousau.  Division commander.  See note 14.

Colonel Little:  Colonel Lytle, brigade commander.  See note 9.

20

24

9/22/62

Mr. Bagses house, near Mumfordsville.  Mr. Bagses must have lived about 1.5 miles south of Munfordville in Hart County.  I have not been able to identify that name in the 1860 Kentucky census.

21

24

9/23/62

Gen Charles Meser.  Between Munfordville and Elizabethtown, Bacon Creek crosses the railroad near Bonnieville, about 7 miles north of Munfordville.  I have not been able to identify this officer.  There is a General Charles Meservey, but he does not appear to have any connection to this area in the winter of 61-62. 

22

25

9/29/62

Presented armes to the General.  This could be either the division commander, General Rousseau; the corps commander, General McCook; or perhaps even the commander of the Army of the Ohio, Maj. Gen. Don Carlos Buell.  (Hafendorfer, 444).

23

25

9/30/62

11th and 58th Ind regiment.  This is likely the 17th Indiana rather than the 11th.  Neither the 17th nor the 58th appears to have been engaged at Perryville.  See note 12 on both units.

24

25

10/3/62

A man in the 3 Ohio.  3rd Ohio Infantry was in the same 17th Brigade under Lytle as the 42nd Indiana.  (Hafendorfer, 444-445; Carter, 109).

25

26

10/3/62

Hardstown.  Bardstown, Kentucky.

26

26

10/7/62

Position before battle at Perryville.

27

26

10/8/62

Battle of Perryville.

28

26

10/8/62

Leomisses battery.  Capt. Cyrus O. Loomis, commander, 1st Battery, Michigan Light Artillery.  This battery was attached to Lytle’s 17th Brigade, so was in support of the 42nd Indiana, 88th Indiana, 15th Kentucky, 3rd Ohio, and 10th Ohio infantry regiments at Perryville.  The battery consisted of two Parrott rifles, two 12-pound howitzers, and two James Rifled guns.  (Hafendorfer, 154, 178, 444-445).  Loomis was posted on higher ground immediately behind the 15th KY (McDonough, 281).

29

27

10/8/62

“…our major being wounded in crossing the corn field:”  This is probably Major James M. Shanklin, “shot in the neck” (McGarrah letter, McDonough, 290).  From Evansville, mustered Oct 10, 1861, as Major; promoted to Lt. Col. on Oct 21, 1862, to replace Lt. Col. Denby; died unexpectedly while suffering from laryngitis at his father’s home on May 23, 1863, at Evansville.  He had just arrived home from captivity as a prisoner of war in Libby Prison, Richmond, after being captured at Stones River.  (Terrell, II, 412-413; Princeton Clarion, May 30, 1863, and Evansville Journal, undated, in Gibson County Source Book, I, 64-65; Kirkpatrick, 21).

Ralph Shelton wounded.  Ralph Skelton, Gibson Co.  Oct 21, 1861; Veteran reenlistment; mustered out July 21, 1865, as Corporal.  (Terrell, V, 317).

30

27

10/9/1862

Capt. Olmstead.  Charles G. Olmstead, Evansville, mustered as First Lieutenant, Co. A, Oct. 9, 1861; promoted to Captain Feb 10, 1862; killed at Perryville, Oct 8, 1862.  (Terrell, II, 413-414).  There are several references to him as Capt. Ohmstead in Kirkpatrick, including an account of his death (Kirkpatrick, 14-15).

Co. F’s casualties at Perryville:

James Skelton:  Killed.  (Terrell, VIII, 539).

Ralph Skelton:  Wounded in the leg (McGarrah letter, McDonough, 290) and recovered; Veteran reenlistment; mustered out July 21, 1865, as Corporal.  (Terrell, V, 317).

Wm Sanders: Wounded in the “thie” (McGarrah letter, McDonough, 290) and recovered; Veteran reenlistment; mustered out July 21, 1865, as Sergeant.  (Terrell, V, 317).  See note 93.

Charles Hopkins:  Discharged, 1862, wounds.  (Terrell, VIII, 183).

Wm M Hunter:  Wounded in the foot (McGarrah letter, McDonough, 290).  Died Oct, 1862, wounds.  (Terrell, VIII, 183).

Hank H Wallace:  Hugh H. Wallace, discharged, 1862, wounds. (Terrell, VIII, 189).  Buried at Eden Cemetery (no date given) in Gibson Co.  (Gibson…Barton….Cemeteries, 126).

Wounded John Dill:  (This is not clear.  Terrell indicates John Dill was discharged in March, 1862, due to disability.  VIII, 182.)  Dill provided an affadavit of Wm McCleary’s service in 1890.  (Wm McCleary Pension File).  Buried at Providence Cemetery (no date given) in Gibson Co. (Gibson…Barton…Cemeteries, 153).

Wm W Owen:  Wounded and recovered; Veteran reenlistment; mustered out July 21, 1865, as Sergeant.  (Terrell, V, 317).

Wm W Oliver taken prisoner and paroled:  Terrell indicates Oliver “died in rebel prison, 1864” (VIII, 186).  It is not clear on what basis Wm McCleary made his entry on Oliver being paroled and sent to Camp Chase, Ohio.

31

27

10/10/62

General Michael:  Brig. Gen. Robert B. Mitchell, commander, Ninth Division, III Corps (Maj. Gen. Charles C. Gilbert).  Mitchell’s Division and the III Corps were in action south of the 42nd Indiana (I Corps, McCook) at Perryville.  Mitchell was an Ohio lawyer who had moved to Kansas  and become a “Free Soil” politician during the Bloody Kansas years.  He served throughout the war in the Army of the Ohio, Army of the Cumberland, and again back in Kansas.  (Hafendorfer, 449-450; Boatner, 557-558). 

General Rousau.  The 42nd Indiana’s division commander at Perryville, commanding the 3rd Division in Maj. Gen. Alexander McCook’s I Corps.  See note 14.  (Hafendorfer, 444-445).

32

29

10/24/62

Jas M Harper.  James M. Harper, Gibson Co, Oct 21, 1861; discharged June, 1863, wounds.  (Terrell, V, 317; VIII, 183).  Died in 1882 and buried at Forsythe Cemetery, Gibson Co.  (Gibson—Columbia…Cemeteries, Forsythe).

No diary has been located for the period from October 28, 1862 to April 16, 1864.

33

2nd Diary, 1

4/16/64

Sent to Princeton to know if any orders had come but not there.  McCleary is apparently home awaiting orders at this point.  Veterans who reenlisted in Jan, 1864, returned home in late January for veteran furlough, but returned to the field in March, according to Terrell (II, 420).  McCleary may have had a later or an extended leave, since he is still home in April.  A “Veteran Volunteer” received a bounty of $400 and a 30-day furlough, and wore a chevron of red and blue braid on their left sleeve.  (Wiley, 342-343). Kirkpatrick describes the voting process required to determine whether the regiment would veteranize.  (Kirkpatrick, 58-59).

34

2

4/28/64

A. A. Keys.  Adoniram A. Keys, Princeton, Oct 21, 1861, promoted 2d Lieutenant on Mar 1, 1865; First Lt on May 1, 1865, mustered out with regiment on June 8, 1865.  (Terrell, V, 317; II, 417). 

35

2

5/1/64

Lt. Col. McIntire.  William T. B. McIntire, Petersburg, Sept 12, 1861 as Captain, Co. I; promoted to Major, Oct. 21, 1862; promoted to Lt. Col., July 2, 1863; promoted to Colonel, Oct 11, 1864; resigned as Lt. Col., Dec 12, 1864.  (Terrell, II, 412-413, 419).

36

2

5/2/64

Gurtapershin butons.  It is not clear what this material is, but it may be gutta-percha, “a rubbery material derived from raw latex and used to make containers waterproof or to fashion other small items, including jewelry.  (Varhola, pp. 51, 60; Guralnik, 624).  See also the entry for Friday, May 6, 1864:  “I have made about 15 dollars this week making rings at night.”    See also the entry for Sept 19, 1864 (note 81):  “I have Elias Skelton at working making rings for me and I sell one every day or so.”

37

2

5/4/64

Lt. Steel.  John Q. A. Steele, Princeton, Oct 21, 1861, as First Sergeant, Co. F; promoted 2d Lt. on Mar 15, 1862; promoted 1st Lt. on Nov 9, 1862; killed in action near Goldsboro, Mar 19, 1865.  (Terrell, II, 417; V, 316; Princeton Union Clarion, April 13, 1865, in Gibson County Source Book, I, 87).  Steele’s promotion to 2nd Lt. is noted in the diary entry for March 14, 1862 (p. 10).

James Wilson.  James Wilson, Gibson Co., Oct 21, 1861; Veteran reenlistment; died at Nashville, TN, from wounds; date of death and place of burial not listed.  Date of death probably after Oct 9, 1864, since nonveterans were mustered out on that date.  (Terrell, V, 317; VIII, 539).

38

3

5/10/64

James Wilson.  See note 37.

39

4

5/13/64

Hooker.  Maj. Gen. Joseph Hooker, commander of XX Corps, Army of the Cumberland (Maj. Gen. George H. Thomas).  (Scaife, 145, 153).

40

6

5/28/64

Capt. ?? killed or captured.  I have not identified this officer.  I did not find any potential fit among casualties listed in Terrell, so he may have been captured or otherwise missing, rather than killed.

41

6

5/31/64

Lt. Johnston.  May be 2d Lt. Emery Johnson, Co. K, Boonville, Dec 2, 1862; mustered out, term expired.  (Terrell, II, 419).

David W. Wal??.  David W. Wallum, Gibson Co., Oct 21, 1861; Veteran reenlistment; killed at Allatoona, GA, May 31, 1864, place of burial not reported.  (Terrell, V, 317; VIII, 539).

Although not mentioned in the diary, Wm McCleary was suffering severely from hemorrhoids brought on by lifting heavy timbers in building breastworks during the period around Allatoona, as stated in later claims and affadavits from colleagues.  According to his own statement about treatment in hospitals, he stated “Was never in hospital…would never go there”.  (Wm McCleary Pension File).

42

7

6/5/64

65 Ind.  65th Indiana Infantry Regiment, organized at Princeton on Aug 20, 1862.  Lt. Col. Thomas Johnson, commander.  Served in 2nd Brigade (BG Manson, Col. Hurt, Col. Hascall, Col. Casement, Col. Cameron), 3rd Division (BG Jacob D. Cox), 23rd Corps Maj. Gen. John M. Schofield), Army of the Ohio, during the Atlanta Campaign.  Christopher McCleary, William’s uncle but two years younger, was in the 65th; from Buckskin; mustered in Aug 18, 1862; mustered out June 22, 1865.  (Historical Data Systems, Inc.; Scaife, 166-169)

43

7

6/6/64

Hoovies Brig.  Brig. Gen. Alvin P. Hovey, commander of 1st Division, 23rd Corps, Army of the Ohio. 

44

7

6/7/64

James Wilson.  See note 37.

45

7

6/8/64

James Wilson.  See note 37.

46

7

6/10/64

Ralf.  May be Ralph Skelton.  See note 30.

47

7

6/12/64

John Simpson.  John P. Simpson, Gibson Co, Oct 21, 1861; transferred to Veteran Reserve Corps.  (Terrell, V, 317; VIII, 187).  Died in 1916, buried at Eden Cemetery, Gibson Co. (Gibson…Barton….Cemeteries, 115).

John H. French.  Gibson Co, Oct 21, 1861, listed as John W. French; mustered out Oct 9, 1864.  (Terrell, V, 317; VIII, 182).  Died in 1902, buried at Providence Cemetery, Gibson Co.  (Gibson…Barton….Cemeteries, 175).

48

8

6/17/64

Thomas Tri?? Killed.  Thomas Trimbal, Vanderburg Co., Oct 9, 1861; Veteran reenlistment; Corporal, Co. A; killed at Lost Mountain, GA, on June 17, 1864.  Place of burial not listed.  (Terrell, V, 303; VIII, 539). Kirkpatrick states that Trimbal’s brother was Capt John Trimbal, commander of A Company.  (Kirkpatrick, 49; Terrell, II, 413).

49

8

6/19/64

James Wilson.  See note 37.

50

8

6/20/64

Left Lt. Steel 3 McClearys & H. French.  These men were left behind when the 42nd moved, probably all due to illness.

Lt. Steel: see note 37.

3 McClearys: One of these is William’s brother, Zadok.  Enlisted at Somerville, Dec 17, 1863; mustered out June 18, 1865, as Corporal.  (Terrell, V, 318) .See notes 56, 72.  Pension file documents indicate Zadok became ill about June 10 during the heavy rains and hot weather near Kennesaw Mountain, with diarrhea, heart disease, malarial fever, and rheumatism of the right hip.  He was treated at the field hospital at Kennesaw Mountain, and eventually evacuated to the U.S. hospital in Louisville, and returned to duty on August 25.  (Pension file # 391722).

There is no other indication of two other McCleary’s in the unit or in the area.  James W. was dead at this time, James L. and John W. had both been discharged.  Christopher may have been nearby in the 65th Indiana, but that is not known.  There may be a transcription problem, if instead of “3 McClearys”, the entry was intended as “Z McCleary”.

H. French:  probably John H. French, see note 47.

51

9

6/22/64

Quinine.  A bitter, crystalling alkaloid, extracted from cinchona bark, used especially for treating malaria.  (Guralnik, 116).  Wm. reported “a light chill and some fever” the day before, so he may have been experiencing some of the same illness which Zadok suffered, which was reported in some pension documents as “malarial fever”.  Malaria was one of the most prevalent illnesses affecting Union troops, with over one million cases reported.  Whiskey and quinine were the standard treatments.  (Wiley, 133-138).

52

9

6/26/64

James Wilson.  See note 37.

Sermon by chaplain.  Henry O. Chapman, Washington, was serving as chaplain at this time.  Mustered in April 25, 1864; mustered out with Regiment.  (Terrell, II, 413).

53

10

6/28/64

Charle Oberg.  Ann’s note indicates this name is hard to read, so it may be Charles Ohring.  See notes 2, 53, 60, 71.

54

10

7/2/64

Doctor James Wilson.  Probably the same person as in note 37.

55

11

7/10/64

James R. Killpatrick.  Gibson Co., Oct 21, 1861; Veteran reenlistment; mustered out July 21, 1865, as private; wagoner for Co. F.  Kilpatrick died in 1879 “of the effects and results of chronic diarrhea contracted while in said service and in the line of his duty”, and is buried at the Killpatrick Cemetery in Gibson Co.  (Gibson…Barton….Cemeteries, 131).  His widow, Sarah Elizabeth Marriner, married John W. McCleary, William’s uncle.  (Terrell, V, 316; John W. McCleary Pension File, National Archives, #685034).

56

11

7/12/64

Brother…at Louisville KY.  William’s brother, Zadok, was sent to the hospital at Louisville after becoming ill in June near Kennesaw Mountain, with chronic diarrhea, and rheumatic fever.  War Dept document indicates Nashville, so he may have gone there first, enroute to Louisville.  (Pension File, #391722).  Surgeon John Brinton described both hospitals in his visits in 1863.  (Brinton, 227-230).  See notes 50, 72.

57

12

7/21/64

Seargt Stuckey  This could be Alexander Stookey, Co. K (Warrick Co., Oct 30, 1861; hospital steward; Veteran reenlistment; mustered out July 21, 1865; Terrell, V, 326) or William R. Stookey, Co. K (Warrick Co., Oct 30, 1861; died Aug 7, 1864, from wounds; Terrell, V, 327; VIII, 188).  However, neither are listed in Terrell as having been promoted to Sergeant.  The diary entry for August 7 indicates “one died from wounds last night”, but does not mention his name.

58

13

7/22/64

Commander of Regt wounded, one Lt killed.

Commander of regiment at this time was still Col. James G. Jones.  (Terrell, II, 412).

Terrell does not list a Lieutenant killed in action on this date.

59

13

7/24/64

“rote a letter to Msr. Masen”.  I have not identified this person.  There is an affadavit from Dr. G. C. Mason in 1924 that he had known Zadok McCleary for fifty years, who might be the individual or a family member.  (Z. McCleary Pension File).  Apparently Dr. Mason was a strong supporter of the unit, as he was instrumental in building the monument to Co. F in Oakland City in 1893.  He was born in 1848, so is too young to be the person Wm McCleary is writing to, but the addressee could be his father, Rezin Mason.  (Stormont, 269, 752-755).  Rezin Mason died in 1867, and is buried at Eden Cemetery in Gibson Co.  (Gibson…Cemeteries, 120, 122).  Another document was signed by Thomas J. Mason, Clerk of the Gibson County Circuit Court, in 1906.  (Wm McCleary Pension File).

60

13

7/26/64

Uncle Elihar Martin.  This would probably be a brother of William McCleary’s mother, Maria K. Martin McCleary.

(letter) from Charles Ohring.  See notes 2, 53, 60, 71.

61

13

7/27/64

Colonel Layton.   I have not identified this officer.  A possibility is Henry W. Lawton, 30th Indiana, 3rd Brigade, 1st Division, IV Corps, although his date of commission to Lt. Col. is Nov 15, 1864.  IV Corps and XIV Corps were in the same vicinity during this period of the battles around Atlanta, and it is conceivable that Col. Lawton interacted with members of the 42nd where their units interfaced.  (Wiley, 302; Historical Data Systems, Inc.)

62

14

8/1/64

Vielets (?).  Videttes, mounted sentries on guard or picket duty.  (Faust, 785). 

63

15

8/5/64

Sixty fifth.  65th Indiana Infantry.  See note 42.

64

15

8/6/64

John Warrick killed.  Mar 17, 1864; killed at Atlanta, Aug 7, 1864, place of burial not listed. (Vol.VIII indicates death at Allatoona, but Atlanta is correct as listed in Vol. V).  (Terrell, V, 319; VIII, 539).

65

15

8/7/64

A. A. Keys and my self sent to Indianapolis for the Indiana staple (?) journal 75 cts a piece for one year.  This may be a newspaper.  The Indiana Journal (later the Indianapolis Journal) was published from 1825 to 1904, and may be the paper to which Keys and McCleary subscribed.  (Indiana State Library, Newspaper Section).

66

15

8/9/64

George Manning.  Gibson Co., Oct 21, 1861; Veteran reenlistment; mustered out July 21, 1865, as Sergeant.  (Terrell, V, 316).

67

16

8/12/64

Letter to Samuel Watt.  This appears likely to be Samuel D. Watt in the 80th Indiana Infantry from Gibson County.  He married Catherine Martin (sister of Josiah Martin), and is buried at Somerville Cemetery (Gibson …Barton …Cemeteries, 217).  80th IN was in XXIII Corps (Schofield) and was also in the battles around Atlanta.  A few days before this letter, on August 6, both the 42nd and 80th were engaged at Utoy Creek, southwest of Atlanta.  (Scaife, 127).  See note 1.

Capt Kellums.  Rockport, Sept 12, 1861, as First Lt, Co. H; promoted Capt, Mar 14, 1863; promoted Major, July 1, 1864; promoted Lt. Col., Dec 13, 1864; promoted Colonel, Jan 1, 1865; Brevetted Colonel of Volunteers by President, Mar 13, 1865; mustered out with regiment.  (Terrell, II, 412-413, 418).

68

16

8/15/64

John Warrick buried.  Place of burial not listed in Terrell, VIII, 539.

69

17

8/17/64

Gen. Palmer:  Maj. Gen. John M. Palmer, commander of XIV Corps, resigned August 6.  “He asked to be relieved from the last-named command after an altercation with Sherman, brought on by his refusal to take orders from Schofield whom he considered to be his junior.” Later, Governor of Illinois, U.S. Senator, and Presidential candidate in 1896.  Lawyer and politician from Illinois.  (Boatner, 617; Scaife, 149).

General Johnson:  Brig. Gen. Richard W. Johnson, formerly commander of 1st Division, replaced Palmer from Aug 7 to Aug 22, then commanded Cavalry Corps and an infantry division at Nashville.  Wounded on May 27 at Pickett’s Mill and on June 13 near Pine Mountain.  US Military Academy class of 1849, career soldier.  (Boatner, 438-439; Scaife, 149-150).

Gen. Sans:  this must be a transcription of Davis.  Bvt. Maj. Gen. Jefferson C. Davis replaced Johnson in command of the XIV Corps on Aug 22.  Davis was the officer who shot and killed Gen. Nelson in Louisville (see note 5).  Davis was commissioned in 1848 after serving as a private in the Mexican War, and served until after the Civil War.  (Boatner, 226; Scaife, 149).

Colonel Taylor’s Boys:  This reference is unclear.  A reasonable assumption is that it refers to the 15th Kentucky, which served in the same brigade as the 42nd for much of the war.  The commander at this time was Col. Marion C. Taylor.  (Scaife, 150).

70

17

8/20/64

Lt. Skelton.  Jacob D. Skelton, Gibson Co., Oct 21, 1861, as Sergeant, Co. F; promoted 1st Lieutenant, April 1, 1865; promoted Capt May 1, 1865; mustered out with regiment.  (Terrell, V, 316; II, 419).

… my brother.  This is apparently Zadok McCleary.  See notes 50, 56.

71

18

8/24/64

Charles Ohring.  See notes 2, 53, 60, 71.

72

18

8/25/64

My brother:  Zadok McCleary; See notes 50, 56, 70.  This entry is just after Zadok’s return to duty from the hospital at Louisville.  (Pension file, # 391722).

Colonel McIntire.  Commander, 42nd Indiana, at this point.  See note 35.  (Terrell, II, 412).

73

19

8/30/64

Company has 10 privates and 4 seargts for duty. 6 present sick 2 on special duty.

74

19

9/2/64

Rhumatiz in my left rist.  Rheumatism is a common term for various painful conditions of the joints and muscles, including inflammation and stiffness.  (Guralnik, 1220).  Wm was apparently bothered with this throughout the war, as affadavits assert that he was disabled during their first winter of service (1861-62) and was suffering severely at the time of the Battle of Bentonville, North Carolina, in April, 1865.  (Wm McCleary Pension File).

75

19

9/3/64

General Sherman.  Maj. Gen. William T. Sherman, commander of the Military Division of the Mississippi.  (Scaife, 145).

76

20

9/9/64

Polised about our tent.  They cleaned up (policed) the area around their tent.  See note 11.

Sergt. Keys:  probably A. A. Keys, promoted to 2nd Lt on May 1, 1865; see note 34.

P. Simpson:  probably John P. Simpson; see note 47.

My brother:  Zadok McCleary; see notes 50, 56, 70, 72.

M. McCleary:  I am not sure who this person is.  Zadok’s middle initial was M, so perhaps Wm referred to “my brother, M.”, although the writing does not seem to suggest that.

77

20

9/10/64

Lt. Steel.  See note 37.

Hary T. Keys.  May be Hiram V. Keys, Gibson Co., Oct 21, 1861; mustered out May 2, 1865.  (Terrell, V, 317).

78

21

9/13/64

Wm. R. Williams.  May be William B. Williams, Oakland, Sept 5, 1862; mustered out June 18, 1865.  (Terrell, V, 319).

79

21

9/15/64

88 Ind took a vote on the election.  Indiana, Illinois, Delaware, New Jersey, and Oregon were the only five states that had not passed legislation to enable soldiers to vote in the field; the only place to vote was at the individual’s home polling place.  This was probably a mock vote or a poll, not a legal vote.  It may have been taken in an attempt to influence the votes of friends and relatives back home, or to win political influence to get the unit released to travel home to vote.  See notes 83, 87, and 90.  (Waugh, 339-340).

80

21

9/17/64

S. G. Barrett.  Samuel G. Barrett, Princeton, Oct 9, 1861, as Capt, Co. F; resigned Nov 8, 1862.  See note 15.  (Terrell, II, 417).  Died in 1899 and buried at Somerville Cemetery, Gibson Co.  (Gibson…Barton…Cemeteries, 219).

81

21

9/19/64

Elias Skelton.  Elias Skelton, Gibson Co, Oct 21, 1861; mustered out July 21, 1865.  (Terrell, V, 317).  See note 36 on the rings.  Died in 1916 and buried at Somerville Cemetery in Gibson Co. (Gibson…Barton….Cemeteries, 229).

82

21

9/20/64

Stevens.  This may be James N. Stephen, Buckskin, March 17, 1864; mustered out July 21, 1865.  (Terrell, V, 318).

83

22

9/21/64

Still some talk among the officers and soldiers about going home to vote.  This talk may have been sparked by Lincoln himself, who was counting on Indiana’s Electoral College votes.  After the fall of Atlanta, Lincoln wrote General Sherman on September 19 that “The State election of Indiana occurs on the 11th of October, and the loss of it, to the friends of the Government would go far toward losing the whole Union cause….Indiana is the only important State voting in October whose soldiers cannot vote in the field.  Anything you can safely do to let her soldiers, or any part of them, go home and vote at the State election will be greatly in point.”  (Waugh, 341-342; Commager, 304).  See notes 79, 87, and 90.

84

22

9/22/64

Thomas Keillpatrick, 10th Ind Cavalry.  Thomas Kilpatrick, Gibson Co, mustered into Co. F, 10th Indiana Cavalry, on Jan 8, 1864; mustered out Aug 1, 1865.  (Historical Data Systems, Inc., citing Terrell).

85

22

9/23/1864

Brig comd dismissed us.  Colonel Anson G. McCook took command on July 2, 1864.  (Scaife, 150).  See also the following entry for 9/24:  “Was inspected by Brig Commander riding along the line”.  Lawyer, legislator, and editor, one of the McCook’s of Ohio.  Brother of Robert L. McCook (see note 16) and Alexander D. McCook (see note 31).

86

22

9/26/64

Corpl McGrew.  George G. McGrue, Princeton, Feb 18, 1864; mustered out June 18, 1865, as Sergeant.  (Terrell, V, 318).  Lived in Evansville in 1890, and provided an affadavit of Wm McCleary’s service for his pension file.  He signed his name as “McGrew”, so the Terrell muster roll spelling is probably incorrect.  (Wm McCleary Pension File). 

87

22

9/27/64

Our company took a vote for president and Governor.  See note 79, 83, and 90.  This statement is difficult to interpret, but it would be very unusual if the results were 22 for Lincoln/Johnson and 28 for McClellan.  Since Morton was the candidate for governor, it is more likely that McCleary was saying the Lincoln received 22 votes in Company F’s poll, and Morton received 28, which was unanimous or ‘the voice of the hole camp’.  By inference, McClellan received about 6 votes.  This would be consistent with the 88th Indiana (note 79) in which Morton was unanimous and Lincoln nearly so.

88

22

9/27/64

Kain:  James C. Kain was a Sergeant in Co. F according to Hewett (I, 475), but is not listed in Terrell.  He and his wife, Sarah E. Gregg Kain, have a pension file, with both applications filed in Colorado (1895, 1900).  According to the 1860 Census and their marriage record, they were from Wells County, Indiana (Union Twp, Bluffton Post Office).  I do not know how Kain, from Wells County, ended up in the 42nd from the Gibson-Pike-Warrick area.

Skelton:  There are several Skelton’s in the unit; Elias (note 81), Ralph, and Jacob D. (note 70) are all still present in the unit at this time. 

89

22

9/28/64

Seargt Georg ??  This could be either George Manning (see note 66) or George McGrue (see note 86).

90

22

9/28/64

Still have some hopes of going home to vote.  The 42nd Indiana was not able to return home to vote by October 11.  See notes 79, 83, and 87.

91

24

10/9/64

Still holding the nonveterans and they are crying about it.  This is the same date as is listed for the muster out of several nonveteran reenlistments.  Their three-year enlistment would officially end on October 21.

92

24

10/15/64

James G. Kaln (?)  I believe this is James C. Kain (see note 88).

93

26

10/27/1864

William Sanders.  Gibson Co., Oct 21, 1861; Veteran reenlistment; mustered out July 21, 1865, as Sergeant.  (Terrell, V, 317).  See note 30.

94

26

10/31/64

John Ahrens  I have not identified this person.

95

27

11/5/64

Capt. Todd  I have not identified this officer.  Since Wm is reporting to him to guard cattle, he may have been a commissary officer.

96

28

11/11/64

John J. Murry  I have not identified this person.

Dock Shewnbom (? Spelling).  Dock Shewman, Princeton, mustered Mar 19, 1864; mustered out July 21, 1865.  (Terrell, V, 318).

97

29

11/23/64

Stonemoors raid.  Maj. Gen. George Stoneman, commander of Stoneman’s Cavalry Division in the Atlanta Campaign.  (Scaife, 172).  Sherman sent Stoneman and two other divisions around Atlanta with the intention of breaking the Confederate rail line south of Atlanta.  Confederate Maj. Gen. Wheeler was able to hit and defeat the three divisions separately, capturing Stoneman and 700 of his troopers on July 31 at the Battle of Sunshine Church about 15 miles north of Macon.  The “good union man” to whom McCleary refers must have lived in this area.  (Scaife, 111-123; Faust, 720-721).

98

29

11/26/64

Wheeler in our rear.  Confederate Maj. Gen. Joseph Wheeler, commander of the Cavalry Corps.  (Scaife, 186).  U. S. Military Academy Class of 1859, he commanded Confederate cavalry in the Western Theater after July, 1862.  He contested Sherman’s march to the sea from Atlanta to Savannah, to which McCleary refers here.  (Faust, 818-819).

99

32

12/27/64

Capt. Kellums.  See note 67.

No diary has been found for 1865.

 

 

REFERENCES FOR THE PERIODS COVERED BY THE DIARIES

 

Beatty, John.  The Citizen-Soldier: The Memoirs of a Civil War Volunteer.  Originally published in 1879.  Reprinted by the University of Nebraska Press, Lincoln, Bison Books Edition, 1998.

 

Boatner, Mark M., III.  The Civil War Dictionary.  New York, David McKay Company, Inc. 1988, Revised Edition.

 

Brinton, John H.  Personal Memoirs of John H. Brinton, Civil War Surgeon, 1861-1865.  Carbondale and Edwardsville, Illinois:  Southern Illinois University Press, 1996.

 

Carter, Ruth C. (ed.).  For Honor Glory & Union: The Mexican & Civil War Letters of Brig. Gen. William Haines Lytle.  Lexington, The University Press of Kentucky, 1999.

 

Commager, Henry Steele (editor).  The Blue and The Gray, Volume I.  Indianapolis:  Bobbs-Merrill Company, Inc., 1973.  Originally published in 1950.

 

Cox, General Jacob D.  Sherman’s Battle for Atlanta.  New York, Da Capo Press, 1994.  Originally published in 1882.

 

Faust, Patricia L. (ed.), Historical Times Illustrated Encyclopedia of the Civil War.  First published in 1986.  New York, HarperCollins Publishers, HarperPerennial Edition, 1991.

 

Gibson County, Indiana:  Barton Township:  Directory of Cemeteries.  Published by the Gibson County Historical Society, Princeton, Indiana. 

 

Gibson County, Indiana:  Columbia Township:  Directory of Cemeteries.  Published by the Gibson County Historical Society, Princeton, Indiana, 1998.

 

Grebner, Constantine.  We Were the Ninth:  A History of the Ninth Regiment, Ohio Volunteer Infantry, April 17, 1861, to June 7, 1864.  Translated and edited by Frederic Trautmann.  Kent, Ohio:  The Kent State University Press, 1987.

 

Guralnik, David B. (Editor in Chief).  Webster’s New World Dictionary of the American Language.  Second College Edition.  New York:  The World Publishing Company, 1970.

 

Gibson County, Indiana, Source Book; Volume I; Obituaries and Death Notices, 1846-1868.  Compiled by Terry L. Nolcox.  Evansville, Indiana:  Evansville Bindery, Inc. 1993.

 

Hafendorfer, Kenneth A.  Perryville:  Battle for Kentucky.  Louisville, K H Press, 1991.

 

Hewett, Janet B. (editor).  The Roster of Union Soldiers, 1861-1865; Indiana.  Two volumes.  Wilmington, N.C.:  Broadfoot Publishing Company, 1999.

 

Historical Data Systems, Inc.  Online database of Civil War units, officers and enlisted men, and battles.  Located at http://www.civilwardata.com.

 

Indiana State Library, Newspaper Section, Newspaper Holdings by County.  Website:  http://www.statelib.lib.in.us/www/indiana/newspaper/marion.html.  Accessed January 29, 2001.

 

Johnson, Robert Underwood, and Clarence Clough Buel (eds.),  Battles and Leaders of the Civil War, IV Volumes.  Original edition published 1887 by The Century Magazine.  Reprint by Castle Division, Book Sales, Inc., Seacaucus, N.J.

 

Kirkpatrick, George Morgan.  The Experiences of a Private Soldier of the Civil War.  Originally published privately.  Reprinted by the Hoosier Bookshop, 1973.

 

Long, E. B., with Barbara Long.  The Civil War Day by Day: An Almanac, 1861-1865.  New York, Da Capo Press, Inc., 1971.

 

McDonough, James Lee.  War in Kentucky:  From Shiloh to Perryville.  Knoxville, The University of Tennessee Press, 1994.

 

Pension Files, National Archives:

# 296719: James R. Kilpatrick.

# 685034: John W. McCleary.

# 150115, 191976: James L. McCleary.

# 391722: Zadok McCleary.

# 608877, # 510636: William H. McCleary.

 

Robertson, James I., Jr.  Soldiers Blue & Gray.  Columbia, S.C., The University of South Carolina Press, 1988.  Reprinted by Warner Books, Inc., 1991.

 

Scaife, William R.  The Campaign for Atlanta.  Atlanta, William R. Scaife, 1993.

 

Schaadt, Mark, J., M.D.  Civil War Medicine:  An Illustrated History.  Quincy, Illinois:  Cedarwood Publishing, 1998.

 

Stormont, Gil R.  History of Gibson County, Indiana:  Her People, Industries, and Institutions.  Indianapolis:  B. F. Bowen & Co., Inc., 1914.  Reprinted by the General John Gibson Chapter, Daughters of the American Revolution, Oakland City, Indiana.

 

Terrell, W. H. H. (ed.).  Report of the Adjutant General of the State of Indiana, Volumes I-VIII, 1861-1865.  Indianapolis, Alexander H. Connor, State Printer, 1868.  Specific references on the 42nd Indiana are:

Volume II, pp. 412-421:  Officers of the regiment and each company.

Volume V, pp. 303-329:  Noncommissioned officers and enlisted men.

Volume VIII, pp. 179-189:  Additional enlisted men, Corrections of printed report, and Enlisted men heretofore unaccounted for.

Volume VIII, pp. 536-539:  Roll of Honor.

 

Varhola, Michael J.  Everyday Life During the Civil War:  A Guide for Writers, Students, and Historians.  Cincinnati:  Writer’s Digest Books, 1999.

 

Waugh, John C.  Reelecting Lincoln:  The Battle for the 1864 Presidency.  New York:  Crown Publishers, Inc., 1997.

 

Wiley, Bell Irvin.  The Life of Billy Yank:  The Common Soldier of the Union.  Baton Rouge, Louisiana:  Louisiana State University Press, 1952.  1986 Printing.

 

 


REFERENCES FOR THE 42ND INDIANA, BUT FOR PERIODS NOT COVERED BY THE DIARIES

(October 28, 1862 to April 16, 1864, which would include Stones River, Chickamauga, and Chattanoonga; and

January 1, 1865 to close of service, which would include the Carolina, Bentonville, and mustering out.)

 

Arnold, James R.  Chickamauga 1863: The River of Death.  Osprey Military Campaign Series 17 (David Chandler, General Editor).  London, Osprey, Reed Consumer Books, 1992.

 

Bowers, John.  Chickamauga and Chattanooga:  The Battles that Doomed the Confederacy.  New York, Avon Books, 1994.

 

Cozzens, Peter.  No Better Place to Die: The Battle of Stones River.  Urbana, University of Illinois Press, 1991.

 

Cozzens, Peter.  The Shipwreck of Their Hopes: The Battles for Chattanooga.  Urbana:  University of Illinois Press, 1994.

 

Cozzens, Peter.  This Terrible Sound: The Battle of Chickamauga.  Urbana:  University of Illinois Press, 1992.

 

McDonough, James Lee.  Chattanooga:  A Death Grip on the Confederacy.  Knoxville, The University of Tennessee Press, 1984.

 

McDonough, James Lee.  Stones River: Bloody Winter in Tennessee.  Knoxville, The University of Tennessee Press, 1980.

 

Spruill, Matt (ed.).  Guide to the Battle of Chickamauga.  Lawrence, University Press of Kansas, 1993.

 

Tucker, Glenn.  Chickamauga:  Bloody Battle in the West. New York, Konecky & Konecky, 1961.

 

Woodworth, Steven E.  Six Armies in Tennessee: The Chickamauga and Chattanooga Campaigns.  Lincoln, University of Nebraska Press, 1998.

 

 

Footnotes compiled by Daniel H. Reigle, 7231 Deer Hollow Drive, West Chester, OH 45069; [email protected]

 

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