Raynors 2012-09
This lot is closed for bidding. Bidding ended on 9/27/2012
A great war-date Union officer's leather bound pocket diary for 1862 kept by Lt. William W. Barnett, 8th Pennsylvania Reserves. The diary contains nearly 200 pages of battle and war related experiences since one full page is allowed for each day's entry. Lt. Barnett fills his diary with news of going to the front, his regiment's experiences in battle and of becoming a male nurse stationed Harewood Hospital just outside Washington, it reads, in very small part: "…[Jan. 1]…the company was out on picket…[Feb. 22]…this was Washington's birthday and all the artillery of McCall's division was out firing…[Camp Pierpont, March 10]…we got ready for picket and orders came for Gen. McCall's divvies. to take up the line of march…[Mar. 11]…placed our batteries on a hill…[Mar. 17]…I went to Alexandria to see the ships that is ready to transport our soldier South…I was also in the house where Col. Ellsworth was killed…[Mar. 25]…we was reviewed by Gen. McDowell…there was fifty thousand troops there…[Mar. 31]…we met Tom King the conductor of [the] train that run to Manassas…saw the Battlefield of July and the destruction the Rebels left behind…[April 27]…we received orders to load and…an accident occurred in the first regiment by the discharge of a gun which wounded a man in the head…[April 28]…there was six companies detailed out of our regt for rear guard under command of Col. [Alexander] Hays…[April 29]…camp near where the first Penn. Cav. had the skirmish. WE took up the line for Falmouth…the band played a couple of fancy airs coming through the town…[May 9]…proceed ten miles up the Rappahanock river where it could be forded and where the rebels had been in the habit of crossing & captured some of our men who were strolling behind the regiment…[May 11]…our cavalry were scouting…nearly all day. We received orders to put out the fireside at dark…[May 12]…Col. Hays took ten men out of each company and a squad of cavalry and crossed the river and surrounded a house where…the captain of this guerilla band lived…found that he had absconded…[May 15]…Jeramiah Beach was burried today. He got shot when we were up the river…[May 18]…a flag of truce came over…[May 22]…Gen. Shields Divis. came into Falmouth…[with] about twelve thousand strong…[May 23]…the Penn. Reserve was reviewed by President Lincoln, Gen. McDowell and Sec. Stanton. We received legons [leggings]…a present from Gov. Curtin…[May 28]…went down to the grave yard to see the graves of Rebel troops…[June 3]…Henry was over…he said that their regt. were going to get Sharps Rifles…[June 4]…glorious news of the battle before Richmond…also the battle with [Stonewall] Jackson…the railroad bridge over the Rappahannock was swept away by high water…[June 9]…went aboard the steamer Canonnicus…and steamed down the river…the Gen. and his aides were on the same boat with us…[June 11]…steamed up the Pamunky river for White House Landing…we passed some very large gun boats…the river was lined with schooners [June 12]…proceeded along the railroad until we came to within thirteen miles of Richmond…we can hear the report of the cannon[June 13]…the rebels are shelling our men that is a work[ing] in the entrenchments…took up line of march…after a guerillas band that fired into a trane of cars and killed two…and destroyed a number of wagons[June 14]…started in hot pursuit after the rebels. Our company being in the advance…came to Gaines Hill where we halted[June 16]…got ready to receive McClellan but he did not…review us…[June 18]…proceeded to the right of the line of battle. We encamped four miles from Mechanicsville…[June 20]…their was a balloon assencion this evening and the rebels fired a shell at it which exploded beyond our camp…[June 21]…the Rebels kept up a brisk firing nearly all day…[battle of Mechanicsville, June 26]…we took up our position to support a battery. The fight begun about five o'clock. We lost one man…[battle of Gaines Mills, June 27]…the firing commenced about daylight…we were outnumbered and ordered to fall back to Gaines Farm…to make a stand…the Rebels followed us up…[June 28]…we crossed the Chickahomy and encamped on a hill…reorganized our regiment…proceeded towards the James river…got as far as Savage Station…[battle of Frazier's Farm, June 30]…got our dinner when ordered…to fall in line of battle. The battle commence about one…resulting in our forces driving the Rebels back…our loss was heavy…[battle of Malvern Hill, July 1]…the ball opened for the day…the rebels being repulsed and drove back…[July 3]…our gunners soon silenced their guns…[July 4]…we had to go and help to build a bridge across a swamp…[July 8]…our division was reviewed by President Lincoln and McClellan…[July 22]…our sutler arrived this morning with a large stock…[Aug. 1]…cannonading from the rebels on the other side of the James…their guns were soon silenced by the gunboats…we lost four killed and about the same wounded…[Aug. 2]…crossed the river and burnt all the houses close to the river…that afforded the rebels shelter…man found…that got drowned…he belonged to the first New York artillery[Aug. 3]…across the James…where the rebels had their batteries…cut down all the trees around that place…Gen. McClellan across in the afternoon and I had the honor of presenting arms to him…[Aug. 6]…their was three thousand of our men arrived from Richmond…they looked like if they had been in tobacco warehouses…[Aug. 13]…arrived at Aquia Creek[Aug. 22]…we had to fall out of ranks. There had been very heavy firing all day…[Aug. 26]…two miles from Warrenton…heavy cannonading…in the direction of the river and troops passing…took our position…behind the battery…[Aug. 27]…their has been some stragglers picked up on the way & reported Jackson moving towards Washington…[battle of Groveton, Aug. 28]…four miles of Manassas…we came upon the enemy and they shelled us killing four…and wounding the adjutant…[Second battle of Bull Run, Aug. 29]…such a heavy fire I never passed through before…the enemy came near outflanking us…we soon fell back…advanced to the front agin…they drove our men back and then fell back themselves…[Aug. 30]…the ball soon opened by shelling one another…the rebels driving us back…the battery we were supporting poured the canister and grape shot into their ranks. We went into the fight with about twenty five men and came out with nine…fell backs towards Centreville…[battle of Chantilly, Sept. 1]…very heavy cannonading this evening and it rained very heavy…[Sept. 5]…the boys had gone to Bull Run to bury the dead…[Sept. 7]…close by Seventh street…march until we got out of the city…came to Leesboro where we halted for the night…[Sept. 16]…sad news of the death of Gen. Reno carrie a gloom over the boys…[Sept. 17]…reported capture of Rebel Gen. Longstreet…[Sept. 19]…Harewood Hospital, their is cheering news…from the army…[Sept. 24]…saw some of the boys…at the Patent office…[Oct. 11]…the doctor was around twice…[Oct. 13]…their was some ladies around and gave the patients some fruit…[Oct. 20]…sad news today that they were going to get citizens to nurse……[Oct. 21]…all the nurses had to fall in and march down to head quarters…[Oct. 25]…wrote a letter for one of my patients…[Dec. 17]…I took the place of the other nurse…we got our ward filled up with wounded this evening…[Dec. 18]…had a full days work to do…was busy all day dressing wounded…[Dec. 19]…drousy on a/c of being [up] last night with the wounded. I have my hands full dressing wounds…helped carry a man up to desecting [amputation] room[Dec. 21]…help to carry some up to the desecting room…[Dec. 22]…I have only one patient in the two tents to attend…[Dec. 24]…we moved all the patients out of the first section into the upper ones…[Dec. 30]…we got twenty three new patients today…". A great piece and although battle diaries are not uncommon, what makes this one special is that author eventually becomes a male nurse. Housed in a modern custom made hard bound slip case. Overall VG.
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