Newberry Library - Civil war diary, 1863 Mar. 30-1864 Jan. 1

Civil war diary, 1863 Mar. 30-1864 Jan. 1

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Title Civil war diary, 1863 Mar. 30-1864 Jan. 1

Creator Patterson, William A., 1834-

Date 1863-1863

Language English

Place South Carolina--St. Helena's Island, United States, South Carolina, St. Helena's Island (S.C.), Morris Island (S.C.), Fort Wagner (S.C.), Squiretown (N.J.), Essex County (N.J.), Illinois--Dement, Illinois--Ogle County

Subjects Soldiers, United States, New Ironsides (Ironclad), Monitor (Ironclad), Pawnee (Ironclad)

Summary Pocket diary for 1863, belonging to Pvt. William A. Patterson of Dement, Ogle County, Illinois, stationed with the 39th Illinois Regiment on St. Helena's Island (S.C.) during the Civil War. Patterson, born in Squiretown, Essex County, N.J. in 1834, received the diary as a gift from his wife, Sarah, whose inscription to him, dated 1862, is on the first leaf. There are a few miscellaneous notes at the beginning of the diary, but Patterson did not begin making regular entries in earnest until Feb. 11, 1863. By March 26 he is on St. Helena's Island, off the coast of South Carolina, where Union troops were stationed to blockade the South's coastline. Patterson recounts the weather, the soldiers' "daguerrotype epidemic", with everyone getting a photograph for one dollar, his strolls on the beach gathering shells to send home, the book he is reading--Samuel Canty's Chip boy of the dry dock (New York 1855), a patrol aboard the steamer New England out into the Atlantic and up the coast, where he sees the ironclad Monitor at anchor, and hears the canonading from Fort Sumpter and from the gunboats at sea. His entry for May 9 notes that Richmond has been taken. Patterson also describes his work standing guard on the picket line, handling 10-inch mortar shells, shoveling sand, unloading hay and oats from cargo ships, transporting goods to nearby Morris Island, and launching surf rockets, as well as his participation in attacks of July 18-26 on Fort Wagner, Morris Island, and the constant shelling of rebel troops by the warships Monitor, Pawnee, and Ironsides. On Sept. 6, the 39th Regiment goes to the front at night, prepared to attack Fort Wagner and Fort Gregg (Petersburg, Va.), but take possession of them when they are found empty, with all rebel troops evacuated. On Dec. 1, the Regiment fires a salute in honor of Gen. Grant's victory. Patterson makes several references to other nearby regiments, including the 100th New York Regiment, and the 54th Massachusetts Regiment, the most famous African American unit in the Civil War. Throughout the diary, he also keeps track of all the items he buys and sells to make money, such as jewelry, diaries, a watch chain, a watch, and a quarto Bible; he also bakes cakes and blackberry pies to sell to the men.

Extent 1 v. ([90] p.) ; 13 cm

Format Diaries, Sources, Personal narratives, Genealogies, Manuscripts

Citation Please refer to the catalog record or finding aid for citations. Though it is not required when repurposing Newberry content, please use the credit "From the Newberry Library," and provide a link back to the item in our digital collections website. This helps us track how our collections are used, and provides justification for adding more digitized content in the future.

Link to Catalog View record

Call Number Midwest MS 266

BibID 993936768805867

Rights Status No Copyright - United States

Contributing Institution Newberry Library

Newberry Open Access Policy The Newberry makes its collections available for any lawful purpose, commercial or non-commercial, without licensing or permission fees to the library, subject to these terms and conditions.

IIIF Resource Type Manifest

Filename 993936768805867_midwest_ms_266

Unique Identifier NL12X4JD

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