15 - 21 February 1864

Feb 15 - Awoke in Louisville.  Sent letters to Ella and Mr. Dibble.  Passed through canal - an expensive but paying work.  Down the beautiful Ohio.  Wrote to Mother.

Feb 16 - Lent out library books to men.  The cold weather crowds the cabins.  Laid up on account of wind at Carrolton Ky. for 12 hours from 2:30 a.m.  Some men got on shore and behaved badly.  One man had his face cut. [Below is an old picture of a steamship on the Ohio River at Carrolton Kentucky]

Feb 17 - I have been much interested and benefited in reading "Recreations of a country parson."*  Evening reading on Japan.  Distributed papers and books.  Wrote 3 letters.  Entered the Cumberland River. [19th century view of the Cumberland River at Nashville, TN below]


Feb 18 - Passed Clarksville Tenn. in a.m.  Fine R.R. bridge part destroyed.  [Below is view of Federal troops stationed to protect bridge (obviously unsuccessfully) which is seen in background].
A pleasant looking town.  Saw two wrecks of steamers burned last year by [?].  High cliffs on shore.  The river narrows.  Late in the evening reached Nashville.  [Below is a view of the Nashville waterfront in 1865]
Feb 19 - Disembarked early.  Got reading matter from Christian commission.  Saw the State House.  Smaller but finer interior finish than the one at Columbus.  Saw former home and monument of ex Pres. J. K. Polk, house of John Bell.  Nashville a fine town on high rocky ground in a fine country.  [below a view of the TN statehouse in 1863]


[Below is Polk Place, the home of former president James K. Polk in downtown Nashville taken about 1880.  His grave is to the right in the photo]


Feb 20 - Take day board with Mrs. Jones 69 Sumner St.  Much pleased with Messrs Atkinson and Smith agents of Christian Commission who have meetings of soldiers in barracks.  Much dissipation here.  Saw Richard Rapf.  His wife a fine woman I think.

Feb 21 - Had a meeting in barracks a.m. and p.m.  Attended Episcopal church in the eve.  Old memories revived by sitting in the choir.  New recruits are coming in.  I have learned some lessons from agents of Ohio commission here.  Lovely weather.


*  Written by Andrew Kennedy Hutchinson Boyd and published in two volumes in 1862 by Ticknor, Boston.

27 - 31 Oct 1863

Oct 27 - Got to Luka at noon.  A crowd of soldiers got commisary stores.  3 good letters from Ella.  Camped on a hill near.

Oct 28 -  Learn we are to have considerable marching.  Are reducing baggage.  Busy about mess.  Paid off.   Long letter to Ella.

Oct 29 - Mild weather.  A.m. turned out of tent by pay-master being here.  Boys got up a hospital tent and we had a small prayer meeting in evg.

Oct 30 - Rainy and stormy.  Preparations for starting again.  Henry cooks well.  The care of providing is some trouble.  See Mr. Bushwell a worthy agent of the Christian Commission laboring here.

Oct 31 - Chilly fair day.  Labor, study and some preparations for tomorrow.  Report of gambling in the regiment.  It is checked and names of offenders taken.  Arrange with Mr. Fry for services in the church in town tomorrow.  Half of this month has been spent in Memphis and half on the march.
I have felt hopeful.  More troubled with dyspeptic symptoms than heretofore.  Have had satisfaction in divine things.  Have felt in better spirits in the march than previously.  We have a journey and new scenes before us.  Death may be in the path of some one.  Who is it?

1 - 7 Oct 1863

Oct 1 - Fair and pleasant.  In a.m. succeeded in exchanging my little hack mare for a good young roan mare.  I gave $50 to boot.  Secessionists have unfavorable stories, say Bragg* is in Chattanooga etc.

Oct 2 - School in p.m. for contrabands as usual.  Eve orders came to be ready for immediate service.  Packed up for the fourth time.

Oct 3 - Rose at four to have breakfast at five.  Jim was gone and I warmed some coffee.  Did not want.  I studied etc as usual.  P.m. at Christian Commission rooms.

Oct 4 - A fair day but chilly wind.  Distributed papers early, before breakfast as regiment was going on picket.  S[unday] school at nine.  Talked on temperance in battery at 11.  Only 5 came to p.m. service so I had none.  Eve preached at Union Chapel without manuscript.

Oct 5 - Staid last night with Col. Swayne.  Saw Dwight Stone of Columbus.  A.m. rode in to Chaplain's meeting.  They don't like to have a religious superintendent.  Toward eve rode to 63rd.  Sherman's corps is passing though her for Chattanooga past more veterans.

Oct 6 - Rained some in a.m.  About noon there seemed to be picket firing at the right http://www.civilwarobsession.com/2010/10/picket-guards-explanation-from-youths.html.  Hear there was skirmishing and two regiments sent out.  Fixed stove.  To 32nd hospital.  [Martin] Wolf of Co. K [43rd regiment]* died very suddenly at noon.  Appeared only indisposed.

Oct 7 - Last night another order came to be ready to move, so we were up and breakfasted before day.  Went with young [John] Wolf* to get burial case for his brother.  Chilly wind, dull and sleepy.  Hear that Cheatham's* or Johns[t]on's* division is not far off.


* Confederate General Braxton Bragg.

* Martin Wolf, born 1839 in Butler twp, Knox Co. Ohio of Simon Wolf (b. 1818) and Nancy Kemmer (b. 1819).

* John Wolf, born 13 Sep 1843 in Butler twp, Knox Co. Ohio of Simon Wolf (b. 1818) and Nancy Kemmer (b. 1819).  John was appointed Corporal 1 June 1865.

*   Confederate General Benjamin Franklin Cheatham (20 Oct 1820 - 4 Sep 1886)

*  Confederate General Joseph Eggleston Johnston (3 Feb 1807 - 21 March 1891)

8 - 14 Sept 1863

Sept 8 - A very warm day.  Gave in my mare and halter at govt. stable and got a receipt from Capt. Eddy.  Saw a man at Washington hospital, apparently a sincere Christian, a communicant of our church and promised to administer the sacrament.  Buried a soldier of 32nd Mis[souri].  They have many sick and unusual mortality.  No letter from Ella yet this week.  Good pr[ayer] meeting.

Sept 9 - Warm.  Administered sacrament to a poor soldier in Washington hospital.  Apparently a devoted Christian.  At noon a watermelon and cake at dinner.  Upset my digestion and stupefied me some.  I cannot be as careful in camp as at home.  Oh that I might never over load my stomach.  "Thy table is a snare and a trap".  A letter from Ella.

Sept 10 - Very warm.  To Wisconsin hospital in the a.m. but accomplished little.  Studied etc.  Got over my dyspepsia.  Poor old Mr. Grimshaw died after a very short illness.  P.m. to Christian Commission and saw and prayed with poor Hicks, who is very low in Jefferson hospital.  Get almost exhausted walking in and out, partly from weather and partly want of practice in activity.

Sept 11 - Warm and very dusty.  We buried Mr. Grimshaw in the morning.  I attended auction of condemned stock.  A man had bought and I bought of him at 25 dollars a small and rather exhausted looking mare.  Pleased with my bargain.  We had orders to be ready to move at sunset.  I hurried and worked till bed time in preparation.

Sept 12 - Col. Swayne has come.  Think we will go into Arkansas.  A letter from Ella.  Hearing I was and no letter (fault of mails) she is very anxious.  Sends $10.00.  Wants to come if I will send for her.  A loving true wife.

Sept 13 - Usual routine of duties.  Fair attendance at p.m. service.  Read at hospital.  Evening a chaplain's meeting and I baptized Murphy, Page and Howard.  In evening saw Col. Swayne.  Walked in and staid with him.  Brings a good letter from North.

Sept 14 - Fine day but dusty.  Chaplain's meeting.  Nausea and vomiting after breakfast but feel better.  Errands down town and school.  See that my new purchase [the mare] is too small to carry me but will keep till I can sell or trade and if we march will go afoot some.

1 - 7 Sept 1863

Sept 1 - Fine mild weather.  Read, wrote, and visited a.m.  P.m. to town and got my pay.  Sent $35 to Henry*.  Pleasant prayer meeting at Christian Commission.  I hope those realms [?] Messers Burnell and Essing on will be encouraged.  My appetite is too slack.  I try to control it.  With Col H[errick] to Judge S[?] in eve.

Sept 2 - Men hufing[?] a good deal and some drinking.  See others sick and feel grateful for continued health and blessings.  Spent an hour in hospital, read some from hope to Hicks.  Eve to 27th regiment.  Called on Dr. Young.  Heard a soldier singing a hymn and talked with him on religion.  A good letter from mother.

Sept 3 - Slightly hazy and warm.  A.m. to Lieutenant Col. Fullers and Maj. Churchill's.  P.m. to Rev. Mr. Hews where was quite pleasant.  Eve a good but rather thin p[rayer] meeting.  Rested my soul on Christ.  Tired of my own works and feeling my unworthy deservings.  He died for my sins.  Rev. Mr. French named.  Poor Hicks* at hospital seems failing.

Sept 4 - Fine settled weather, not very warm or very cold.  Bad smell of carrion at night fall.  Becoming more interested in Mr. Bonnell and his reading room.  Attended auction sale of confiscated stock.  Saw nothing I wanted among the lean starved up horses.  Sought help and was enabled to speak kindly to poor Hicks of Jesus.  He was moved to tears.  A contrite heart God will not despise.

Sept 5 - Warmer days.  Felt uncommonly lazy and listless in p.m.  Feel some monotony and loneliness but am thankful for continued life and health.  Suffer some from tyranny of appetite.  Prepared for Bible class and went about some.  Asked officers to induce more men to attend church.  Murphey* and Howard* called - candidates for baptism.

Sept 6 - Fine day and labor[?].  Papers around at S[abbath] S[unday] School for servants for 9.  Bible class at 10:30.  Services at 2.  Hospital and read at 3:30.  In town to Union Chapel and preached to a large congregation at eve.  Got on very well.  Very tired.  A fine church and congregation.

Sept 7 - Warm and dusty.  Pleasant chaplains meeting.  I was chosen chairman of the association for one month.  At Gen Hewletts to see about my horse.  Col Benson says cannot be appraised.  Repossessed one for not having a uniform.  No letter from Ella.  Disappointed.  Prayer meeting evening.  Three deserters brought back after absence of one year or more.

* Henry Treat Chittenden (1836-1909), Richard's younger brother.

* David Hicks.  Born 1839/40 in Washington twp, Harrison Co. Ohio.  Appointed Corporal 1 Apr 1865,

* Joseph S. Murph[e]y.  Born 1835/36 in Miller twp, Knox Co. Ohio.

* George W. Howard.  Born 1839/40 in Huntington twp, Brown Co. Ohio.

1 - 8 Aug 1863

Aug 1 - Met Gen. Buckland* on cars.  I am in his brigade.  A hot and dusty ride.  Cairo [Illinois] at 4 p.m.  Left on boat at Columbus [Kentucky] at midnight.  Went to McElg Hotel.

Aug 2 - Fine hot day.  At church (Pres[byterian]) a.m. and went on hill with tracts to camp and hospital p.m.  Eve wrote to Ella for mail from here.

Aug 3 - Waited for boat and left on "Sallie Robinson*" for Memphis, fare $8.00.  Small and few passengers.  Write up all July journal to date.

Aug 4 - Pleasant sail down, Stopping at Fort Pillow*.  At 4:30 Memphis here in sight and was some on the wharf.  Got a carriage and rode to regiment.  Warm welcomes.

Aug 5 - Mess with Col. Herrick and Major Park: sleep on floor of Col's tent for the present.  Met acquaintances.  The regiment seems quieter than formerly.  Good clapboard quarters.

Aug 6 - Attend funeral of a child of a member of 32nd Wisconsin encamped near us about this time "Thanksgiving day".  Attend dinner at Christian Commission rooms*.  A pleasant time.

Aug 8 - Preparing for Sunday.

* Ralph Pomeroy Buckland was born 20 Jan 1812 in Leyden Massachusetts.  His family moved to Ravenna Ohio the year he was born.  He graduated from Kenyon College in 1838 and after passing the bar practiced Law in Fremont Ohio.  He served as Mayor of Fremont from 1843-1845, and was a member of the Ohio State Senate from 1855 - 1859.  At the outbreak of the Civil War he became Colonel of the Ohio 72nd Infantry and later commanded a brigade under General William Tecumseh Sherman at the battle of Shiloh in April 1862.  He was commissioned a Brigadier General of volunteers on 29 November 1862 and served at the siege of Vicksburg in the Spring and Summer of 1863.  He resigned from the army in January 1865 and returned to Ohio where he won a seat in the U.S. Congress where he served two terms from 1865-1869.  He died in Fremont Ohio on 27 May 1892.  Pictured below


* The Sallie Robinson was a steamship sailing out of Shreveport and New Orleans, mostly to points west along the Louisiana Coast and Texas, which was commandeered by Union troops for the blockade of the the Port of New Orleans beginning 19 April 1861.  It then sailed up and down the Mississippi river picking up passengers like Richard Chittenden.

* Fort Pillow, at Henning Tennessee, was the sight of a bloody battle fought on 12 April 1864.  The battle ended with a massacre of African-American Union soldiers who had surrendered to Confederate forces under the direction of Confederate Major General Nathan Bedford Forrest.
The New York Times reported on April 24, 1864 "The blacks and their officers were shot down, bayoneted and put to the sword in cold blood... . Out of four hundred negro soldiers only about twenty survive! At least three hundred of them were destroyed after the surrender! This is the statement of the rebel General Chalmers himself to our informant."
This tragedy was used as a rallying cry in the North and helped the resolve of the Union to see the war through to the end.


*The United States Christian Commission was formed 16 Nov 1861 at a convention of delegates from the YMCA held in New York City.  "The object of the Commission was to promote the spiritual and temporal welfare of the officers and men of the U.S. army and navy, in co-operation with chaplains and others."  Taken from "Report of the United Stated Christian Commission for the Army and Navy: Work and Incidents: 1st annual report: Philadelphia, February 1863"