1863 CIVIL WAR SOLDIERS MANUSCRIPT POCKET DIARY 133RD REGT PENNSYLVANIA INFANTRY
Very Rare and fascinating, original 1863 Civil War Soldier's Manuscript Diary. This wonderful, original Diary was kept by Private Valentine S. Barker of Company F, 133rd Regiment, Pennsylvania Infantry. This fascinating, leather bound pocket Diary measures approx. 2 1/2" x 3 1/2" and contains 100 pages, of which 40 have been used by Private Barker to record daily entries.
Fifteen pages of daily entries are in ink and the remainder are written in pencil. One of the front endpapers bears the inscription: Valentine S. The diary is actually an 1861 pocket diary that Barker has changed the dates in for his own use in 1863. While this Diary looks exactly like the typical Civil War Soldier's leather Pocket Diary with the slip in flap closure it is smaller in size - in fact it is the first diminutive size example of a Civil War Soldier's Diary that we have ever come across in 35+ years!
The 133d regiment, composed of men from the counties of Cambria, Perry, Bedford and Somerset, rendezvoused at Camp Curtin, Harrisburg, and was mustered into the U. Service for nine months by companies, from Aug. It left for Washington on the 19th and during the progress of the second Bull Run battle and for two weeks thereafter, it was posted at Fort Ward on picket duty and building entrenchments.
It was brigaded with the 123d, 131st, 134th and 155th Pa. Allabach of the 131st, and attached to Humphreys' division, 5th corps. It arrived on the field of Antietam the day after the battle; encamped near Sharpsburg until the close of October; moved thence to Falmouth; and lost severely at the battle of Fredericksburg in charging the works on Marye's heights, where its casualties were 184 killed, wounded and missing, including 3 officers killed and 8 wounded. With the exception of the "Mud March" in Jan.
1863, it remained in Camp Humphreys until it moved on the Chancellorsville campaign. It was actively engaged on the third day of that battle, losing 1 killed and 9 wounded. Its term having expired it soon after left for Harrisburg, where it was mustered out, May 21-26; 1863. Barker enlisted in the 133rd PA Infantry at age 19 on August 15, 1862. He served for nine months and was mustered out on May 26, 1863 at Harrisburg, Pennsylvania.Barker's Diary, offered here, describes many aspects of an enlisted man's daily life. He discusses the weather, picket duty, guard duty, battalion drills, reviews and inspections, as well as a visit by his father. He also speaks of a soldier who was arrested for desertion, a Grand Review by General Hooker and President Lincoln, and the movement of the regiment in the Chancellorsville campaign.
What follows is a sampling of the content of this interesting, Civil war Soldier's Diary. On February 27th, 1863, Barker writes... And is placed under arrest.
On March 1st he says: Ellis still under arrest. Threatened me this morning for helping him. In the month of March , Barker tells us of a review by General Humphrey's.He also mentions a celebration by the Irish Brigade on March 17th that was ordered by General Meagher, and a horse race in Birney's Brigade on March 27th. On April 7th: "Had a grand review by President Lincoln, Gen Hooker + other shoulder strapped individuals" and on April 8th: There is another review on hand again today, have a review of a great part of the army by Lincoln... On April 27th the regiment is on the move. Receive orders to march at 12 p.
On April 28th Barker says: The Col. Came around before 6 this morning calling us up to go to breakfast. At 10 1/2 Hooker came along, we soon started. Had a very hard march in the afternoon.
Orders to march at 7 a. At 10 marched about an hour, halted, took dinner + cavalry goes past. Start at 3 3/4 + march a mile or so + halt, stack arms. Start again at 7 o'clock, on the road all night, march only about a mile. On April 30th, Barker again describes the days' march and tells us that they have forded the Rapidan. On May 1st: We are now fairly in the enemies country but have met no opposition yet. Routed out before daylight this morning.Start at 7, march 2 or 3 miles. Cannonading commences, soon we move a little further. At 12 start on towards the firing.
March 4 or 5 miles. About face and come back in a hurry.Soon move up to U. Take a position then lay down without supper as we dare not light a fire.
On May 2nd, 1863, Barker says: Routed out at 3 1/2 o'clock this morning. Go to work at breastworks. First shot fired on our side at 10 3/4 a.No reply by the rebels. Nothing more of any consequence going on until 4 p. They commence heavy cannonading and musketry on the right. Lay in our rifle pits.
At night firing on the right until 11:30 p. When it ceases news that we have captured a great many prisoners. On Sunday, May 3rd, we are told: We left the rifle pits this morning at 3 o'clock. Go down to our place of stacking arms for breakfast, but no breakfast for us this morning. We are ordered forward towards the battle as they have commenced the ball in good earnest.
So we start off at almost double quick and march on to the field. Have a very hard fight. I + Joe go back to the hospital to stay for the night. On May 4th Barker continues to relate current conditions. All seems pretty quiet along the line today.A little cannonading towards evening but not much of any account. Had a hard fought battle yesterday. Great many wounded coming in. We about hold our ground and that is all. Go up to the regiment today, our company all safe this time.
Boys laying behind breastworks ready for an attack. And on May 5th: General Whipple wounded and brought back here. Go out to the front at noon to see the boys... To report to their reg't. So we go down to Div.
Hospital but get no rest as they are moving the hospital. May 6th finds the men on the move again: The Division comes along about 3 a. We join them and march towards the river, cross the Rapp. March a mile or so, halt, and tell us we are to go to our old camp today.On May 8th Barker says: Flanagan gets his commission as Captain of Co. " , and on Sunday, May 10th: "Col. Barker spends the ensuing week speculating about and waiting for orders to go home, and on May 17th tells us:...
Orders to start for home this morning. Leave Stoneman's Switch at 11, arrive at Aqua Creek on the'john Brooks' at 10 p. Arrive at Washington at 5, march up to the railroad, lay around an hour or two, then marched back to the barracks and went to bed on the soft side of a board.On May 18th Barker says:... Go along rather slow, arrive at Baltimore at 1 p. May 19th: "Arrive Camp Curtin and stack arms" , and on May 26th the men are mustered out.
On May 28th Barker says: "Get paid off today, go downtown and take our lodgings at a hotel, as big as anybody". On May 29th: Take the 2 a. Arrive at Ebensburg at 11 a. All the people at the depot waiting for us.
There are two further entries in the diary which relate that Barker has gone to Pittsburgh to attend the "Iron City" college. His final daily entry reads: Enter the college today and got through all safe for one day... While only forty pages of this diminutive volume have been used for daily entries, it is full of fascinating information. In addition to the daily entries, a number of other pages have been used for a variety of memoranda, including the names and addresses of other soldiers, a list of 12 camps in Pennsylvania and Virginia which appear to be the various camps where Barker was stationed, since the list both begins and ends with Camp Curtin, PA and concludes with the statement "ends up the nine months service" , lists of various expenses, and an oyster recipe!
This wonderful, Manuscript Civil War Soldier's Diary is in excellent condition - the binding and the covers are intact and sound and very well preserved. The smaller size of this Diary likely made it easier for Private Barker to protect it from the elements. The interior pages are complete and generally clean and well preserved. All of the manuscript entries are very legible.Please see the scans below for a good representation of the condition of this Civil War Diary. This fascinating, Civil War Diary kept by a common, uneducated Private in the 133rd Regiment, Pennsylvania Volunteer Infantry is offered here, as always, with no reserve and with the confidence that it will attract the serious attention that it justly deserves!!! Good Luck to all interested.
The item "1863 CIVIL WAR SOLDIERS MANUSCRIPT POCKET DIARY 133RD REGT PENNSYLVANIA INFANTRY" is in sale since Friday, January 08, 2016. This item is in the category "Collectibles\Militaria\Civil War (1861-65)\Original Period Items\Correspondence, Mail". The seller is "walnutts" and is located in Brewster, Massachusetts. This item can be shipped worldwide.