CIVIL WAR SOLDIER'S DIARY BATTLE CONTENT 48th Indiana Infantry 1862-64

Description

Original  Civil War soldier's pocket diary, 1862-1864 - 48th Regt. Indiana Vol. Infantry.
Approx. 3-1/4" x 5-3/4", leather covers, with manufacturer's 1862 copyright of A. Liebenroth & Von Auw, (NYC).
The soldier began the diary in September, 1862, using the diary pages for Sept., Oct., Nov. & Dec. for that year, and then went back to the beginning pages of the diary to start with Jan. 1863.
At the end of the diary, he pens entries for March and April, 1864.
Several months have scattered entries (1863 - Jan. 1-11, 26-27; Feb. 8-12, 20; March 5, 10, 12; April 6-10, 15, 17, 20, 27-28; May is mostly complete, with entries from the 1st through the 20th; 1863 has entries from Sept. 22nd through the 30th, and the months of October, November and December 1862 have entries for every day. There are no entries for June, July or August. At the end of the diary, he pens entries for March and April 1864 (March 15, 17, 18, 20 & 21; April 1, 2 & 11).
He writes from Tennessee, Louisiana, Arkansas, Mississippi, Ky. and Alabama.
Great content,
including Battle content, such as the
Battle of Corinth,
during which time he was in the hospital helping to care for the wounded, and writes on Oct. 5, 1862:
"This is a day of sorrow & mourning. Hundreds are mangled, wounded in every way, shape & form. I have been busy helping amputate arms & limbs of all kinds. Great is the suffering here. The battle ceased yesterday at 11 o'clock, the Rebels repulsed.".
There is more great content about the
Battles of Jackson, Miss. and Champion Hill
in May, 1863, which he fought in as part of the Vicksburg campaign.
From the content, it can be determined that the writer of this diary was in the
48th Regiment, Indiana Infantry,
probably Co. A. However, I can't find his name written to further identify him.
I've transcribed some excerpts below
.
Condition: There is a stain to the leather of the front cover at the bottom and the spine cover is  detached at one edge (see photos). The contents are tight and clean, with the exception of 1 page being loose. All entries are in ink.
[56]
SOME EXCERPTS FROM THIS DIARY
(Spelling corrected)
:
Jan. 1st (1863).
I am still at Hospt., Holly Springs. Will start for my Reg. in a few days. My side is better. The Lord is so very kind to me.
Jan. 2.
I am now awaiting the cars to come so that I can go to Lagrange ...
Jan. 4
At Lagrange waiting for the Cars to go to Memphis where the Reg. is. Staid in a church last night.
Jan. 5
Memphis. Arrived here this morning at 2 o'clock A.M. I will join my Reg. today.
Jan. 7
With the Reg. camped at Benton Station, a very pleasant camp. Cars run by every day.
Jan. 8.
Have plenty guard duty today. The weather good. Health good.
Feb. 8
...We are to move camp today. Where the new camp will be I don't know yet. Eve. Moved within 2 miles of the City of Memphis. Have a good camp.
March 5
In camp in Louisiana. Very warm. Peach trees in bloom. We are on our way to Lake Providence.
March 10
Back on the sand bar at Helena, Ark....
Apr. 6
Moving back to the Miss. River. Large force of the enemy at Greenwood.
Apr. 7
Greenwood, Miss. We are now on guard very close to the enemy. Can converse with them.
April 8
All quiet on the boat sailing up the Yazoo Pass.
April 10
Just landed at the harbor at Helena, Ark. Left here 3 weeks ago.
April 13.
On the way to Lake Providence. Weather tolerable.
April 17.
All quiet. Some cannonading heard from Vicksburg.
Apr. 20
In camp at Milliken's Bend. Went to meeting in the 9th Reg. Ia...
April 27
Moving around in the front of Vicksburg...
April 28
Left Smith's Plantation this morning. The worst roads I ever saw.
May 1
Crossed the Miss. River today. Weather very warm. Marched 15 miles. Stopped at 10 p.m.
May 2
Still pursuing the enemy. Hard marches. Got up this morning at 3 o'clock a.m.
May 4
Closely pursuing the enemy. Within one mile of them. Yesterday, Sabbath, they made 2 attempts to resist our progress, but did not last long. 59th lost 2 killed on the skirmish line.
May 6
Have been to visit Capt. Zickerick of the 12th Wis. Battery. Have 1 cracker yet to eat. Camp near the Big Black. Health good.
May 9.
Marched 16 miles till 1 a.m. & nothing to eat. Just drawed 1 cracker a piece. march this eve. Camped for the night at 7 p.m.
May 11
Near the enemy. A battle expected soon.
May 12
Driving the enemy before us like wild cats. No severe battle, only skirmishes.
May 13
All quiet just now. Still after the Rebs. Great success, thank God.
May 14
Great battle victory. Had a fight with the enemy at the Capital of the State. Drove the enemy from their works & took possession. Thank God for a victory. Health good. Some killed...
May 15
Left Jackson. Are marching back towards Vicksburg. Weather very warm. My health good. Thank the Lord.
May 17
Battle at Champion Hill. Fought 2 hours. Many wounded or killed. The Lord has kept me from getting harmed. To him be all the glory. Fight ceased at dark.
May 18
Built a pontoon bridge over the Black River (Sabbath(. Captured 2,500 prisoners yesterday...
May 20
Drove the enemy inside of their works today (Vicksburg).
Sept. 22
(1862)
At the Hospital at Corinth, Miss. This day brings sad news from the Regiment. Colonel Eddy, commander of the 48th is wounded in the right arm. [?] killed of Co. A in the Battle of Iuka. The health here is quite poorly. Many are dying every day....
Sept. 23
...My health is no better, but all will be for the best. The boys in my car are doing well. They are in good spirits.
Sept. 24
The weather is still quite pleasant, very cool, which is very favorable for the many sick soldiers that lie here prostrate upon their cot. Thank God for his favor...
Sept. 25
...Seems very lonely. Most of the boys are gone North as to recruit their health. My Bro. John has gone North to St. Louis. My health is deficient, my system is all out of order. had hard bread & coffee for dinner.
Sept. 26
The boys are doing well. No news from the war. All quiet. O may this wicked war soon close & all live in peace.
Sept. 27
...4 corpses are at the death house. Death is abroad in the land....
Sept. 29
... I have 12 sick to care for. All doing well.
Oct. 3
Heavy cannonading in the South & West. Rebels are coming. Battle expected. Rebel leader General Price....
Oct. 4
Heavy cannonading in the West. The Rebels are approaching. The wounded are coming ni every hour. A stampede amongst the teamsters. The hospital was moved last night 1 mile east...
Oct. 5
This is a day of sorrow & mourning. Hundreds are mangled, wounded in every way, shape & form. I have been busy helping amputate arms & limbs of all kinds. Great is the suffering here. The battle ceased yesterday at 11 o'clock, the Rebels repulsed.
Oct. 6
It is more quiet today, but many wounded are still uncared for, for want of help. The enemy is retreating. My health is poorly. Many of the wounded are dying....
Oct. 8
... The Hosp. is being moved back to the Seminary. It is now 11 o'clock p.m., weather warm. No news from Prices's army. Our men are after him.
Oct. 9
.... Wounded are still being brought in from the rear. Price is still retreating.
Oct. 11
... My Reg. is returning from the chase after Price, are within 2 miles of this place.
Oct. 12
.... There was a car load of sick sent North this morning....
Oct. 16
... More sick sent North. That is a good deed, for here the wounded can't get well; it is too warm part of the time.
Oct. 22
This is, if circumstances would admit, a pleasant day, but so many sick & dying that everything seems downcast, lifeless & gloomy. O what is man; where it not for the love of God we all would perish.
Oct. 23
... The soldiers are busily engaged in building breastworks to protect them from the enemy which is threatening every day to make an assault on this place, Corinth, Miss.
Oct. 24
My friend H. Rademacher is discharged & will start for Elkhart, Ind. today. I went with him to the depot. The train has left. I am now sitting alone in my tent. Have no sick to care for.
Oct. 26
Wonders: the snow is 1 inch deep & is very cold. This is something new for Dixie. It is still snowing &windy...This is Sabbath. O how little the Holy Sabbath is respected in the army...
Oct. 30
The Hospital is being broken up, as there is a battle expected again soon...I had a roasted sweet potato for breakfast. It was good.
Oct 31
I have been over to the Reg. The boys are going well. The Reg. lies East of Corinth 1 mile...
Nov. 1
... I am now with the Reg. We are building a chimney today in the Regimental Hospital.
Nov. 2
Sabbath. Today the Reg. is going to leave. Marching west. We are moving the sick to the General Hosp. in Town....
Nov. 3
... We have moved to the edge of the Town. It is very dusty in camp. The Reg. is going to the Grand Junction, this State, 20 miles from here.
Nov. 4
I had bad luck today. Burned my hand with grease. It is very sore...
Nov. 7
.... Today it is reported that we will leave here tomorrow to follow the Reg. My hand is still quite sore. I can't use it at all.
Nov. 8
Today we will leave this place. We marched some 12 miles, marched till 4 o'clock p.m. The hard march made my hand pain very much. We are camped in a corn field. Water is very scarce.
Nov. 9
This morning we started early. Marched some 16 miles, which is hard on us, as we are all convalescent soldiers not able for hard duty. The roads are very bad.
Nov. 10
Still the march is continued. March hard every day. My hand is very painful at times. Today we marched 18 miles. There are some 500 wagons in the train. The boys are death on pork & beef.
Nov. 11
Still the forward move is continued. All is going off as well as can be expected. My hand is better. It is very dusty & warm. The country is very hilly & broken. Hard marching. Boys are killing hogs.
Nov. 15
Onward we move towards our journey's end. Hope we will soon get there. The boys are very cruel, take everything before them, hogs, chickens, &c. &c.
Nov. 16
This is a singular march. How many strange scenes we witnessed as we pass along the journey of life. Some men are kind, some are abusive, &c....
Nov. 17
The army is again on the move...The roads are good, excepting dust, which is hard for those that march afoot.
Nov. 19
...We are now all together. We are camped 1/2 mile South of Moscow, a small town. We have a nice sod field in which to camp....
Nov. 26
This has been a day of hard labor for me. I have been to the Town of Lagrange to the Hospital. Took some 5 sick there for to receive medical attention. I walked to town, got very warm, and returning I rode in the ambulance....
Nov. 27
Yesterday the army left Moscow for Memphis, or in that direction... We are near Holly Springs... 4 miles in the rear of the Regiment.
Nov. 28
We are now camped near Spring Creek where there are said to be 300 Rebels had a short fight with our Cavalry & fled, killing a few on both sides.
Dec. 3
... Started after water before daylight with a light. The light burned out & left me in the dark. had to wait till daylight before I could get water.
Dec. 4
In the cotton field. Raining all the time, very windy... Enemy has thrown up fortifications but have evacuated there & fled to parts unkown.
Dec. 5
This has been a very blustery day & a rainy night. We left for Oxford at 7 a.m. Oxford is a good looking place, 3 churches in it. Yesterday I followed the medicine wagon to keep it from upsetting.
Dec. 6
... We camped last eve at dark. Are camped near Oxford by the side of a field on a hill by a road leading South. A soldier of Co. K died last night.
Dec. 21.
Sabbath. We are moving back towards Oxford & Holly Sprigs. Enemy reported there.
Dec. 23
Moving from Oxford to Holly Springs.
Dec. 26
I am now in the Hospital at Holly Springs. My side is very sore so that I can't march with the Reg.
Dec. 30
In the Hospital, very abusive Doctors. Live on 1/2 rations.
Dec. 31
... This is the last day of 1862. How fast time passes away.
March 15, 1864
Louisville, Ky. At the Soldier's Home. Left Gen. Hospital, Mound City, Ill.... If no preventing providence, I will start for Nashville, Tenn. to visit my brother. S.H.
March 17, 1864
Nashville, Tenn.
I am now with my Bro. G. at the Cumberland Hospital....
March 18, 1864
Still with Bro. G. at the Cumberland Hospital
Easter Sabbath
Marched 20 miles on pike road. Feet very sore. Camped 1 mile South of Columbia, Tenn.
March 30th
Marched 16 miles. Camped 3 miles south of Pulaski.
March 31
Marched to the Elk River. Could[n't] ford it. Had to march round 16 miles. Camped for the night at Prospect. Rained hard.
April 1st
Marched 14 miles. Camped 7 miles south of Elk River
April 2
Marched to Huntsville, Alabama. Got here at sunset. Feet very sore. Health good.
Huntsville, Ala.
Sabbath.
Boys fixing their tents. Done camp duty for 2 or 4 days....Today April 11th, I will go on guard"