LEAVES FROM A SOLDIERS DIARY 1906 PERSONAL Civil War RECORD OF GEORGE G SMITH

LEAVES FROM A SOLDIER'S DIARY The diary of Lieutenant George G. He was a Union soldier who fought with distinction in the Civil War. Years later in 1906 he published this book of reminiscences, presumably at his own expense. A fascinating read, especially for the military historian. Lieutenant Smith gives all the gritty details of army life, of battle scenes and of his own private thoughts as a witness to all this.

Chapter headings include: "Capture and Occupation of New Orleans, " "Camp Williams to Capture of Donaldsonville, " "Siege of Port Hudson, " "Terrific Fight at Fort Butler, " "Building the Dam at Alexandria, " "Fighting the way to the Mississippi, " et al. Smith has much to say about each experience that comes his way:... I enlisted as a sergeant in Company K and it so happened the first night I was detailed as sergeant of the guard. I don't think the 13th C.

All belonged to the temperance society. If they did many of them sadly broke their pledges; but perhaps they thought the occasion justified them in doing so.

The Colonel ordered one poor fellow "seized" up ion the rigging for disorderly conduct. It was distasteful to me, but military orders must be obeyed. We landed in Baton Rouge, disembarked and marched about a mile... Sunday, March 5, cannonading begun at mid-night and continued until four o'clock in the morning, reveille was sounded at five o'clock, when all the troops fell into line and remained until daylight.

A bright light was seen in the direction of Port Hudson. It seemed to be a terrific conflagration. But presently the scene changed, suddenly light flashed up as bright as day. I looked again toward Port Hudson. The heavens were in a bright blaze and streams of fire could be seen leaping among the clouds. What seemed to be pieces of timber were flying through the air amid the flames... Then came a long deep heavy roar like the heaviest thunder, and the earth shook. I tried to look into the faces of my comrades, but all was silence and darkness, no one moved or spoke.

The scene had stupefied them. They were smitten with awe.

Soon after day-light pieces or fragments of a wreck came floating down the river, and the figure head of the sloop of war Mississippi appeared. LEAVES FROM A SOLDIER'S DIARY. The Personal Record of Lieutenant George G. 1st Louisiana Regiment Infantry Volunteers [White] During the War of the Rebellion. ALSO A Partial History of the Operations of the Army and Navy in the Department of the Gulf from the Capture of New Orleans to The Close of the War.

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