Raynors HCA 2015-11
This lot is closed for bidding. Bidding ended on 12/3/2015
A good war-date Confederate soldier's diary, approximately 67pp., (plus 30 pages of memoranda dated 1858-61), 16mo., calf skin bound pocket notebook substituted as a diary by Sergeant James F. Holloway (1834-1911), Co. F, 51st Tennessee (Consolidated) Infantry documenting their role at Shiloh between April 3-6, 1862, picking up again on May 27, 1862 and continuing until August 2, 1862 after their arrival in Chattanooga, Tenn. as part of the Confederate troop concentration at that place. The diary opens with an account of the first day of fighting at Shiloh, which looked to be a complete Confederate victory and reads, in small part: "…[April 6]…Canonaden begaine at eight of clock and lasted till 12 o clock and then it ceast and then firing with small armes begaine at 7 o clock and lasted all day. Howling men breached them and rune them from ther intrenchmets and houre men is holding…but suferd a grat deal…the enemy suferd a grat lost. We have brot in a grate many prisoners. I went to church tonight and Parson Page preach for hours. The ground was houre seat and the sky was hovre cover…enjoyed my self very well, but when I looked round and I seed no ladies ther, and that did not suit me…at all…[May 27]…left Corinth and started south marched all night…[May 28]…halted at 8 o'clock and ate breakfast, marched all night…slept under an oak tree…[May 30]…at sun up ready for the march…marched all day…very dry…suffered for water…[June 10]…at three was ready for the march. Marched over country[?] dusty roads. Some of the boys give out and had to stop…they will get in tonight…[June 14]…5 companies of our regiment have gone out on post duty. Our rations is giting very short…some of our men complain and say that they will go [home] before they will stay here and suffer for nothing to eat and git no money…camped one mile Hickory bridge 4 miles north west of Tupelo…Miss. away down south in Dixie 1100 miles from my home…[June 15]…It paned my hart very much to learn that houre enemy pilfering houre homes and takeing whatever suited ther fancy, takeing what the pore man has earnd by the swet of his brow, but what is property compard to a man's family, his wife and litel children? . . . We are stel contending for houre rites, the rites that houre fathers and houre grandfathers pourd out ther lives for, freedom, freedom of speache and freedom of pen and pencil…[June 17]…there is a great deal of talk about peace in camp…General Beauregard and Genl. Breckinridge …have gone to Richmond on some errand…[June 18]…I saw several old sitersons [citizens] in from [?] Co. The enemy pressing them too close. They are pressing into our camp for shelter from the storm…[June 22]…Herd from home, all well. It releaved my hart very mutch to learn that my family was all well. I learned that the Yankes taken breckfurst with my family and treated them with respect and past them by unmolested and unharmed…[June 25]…hour brigade went out on general review 5 regiments, one battery…it was tremendous hot and dusty…we had our review in a field. It was a grand review indeed…it was tremendous hot and we had to ware our winter clothes because we have not got any summer coats yet…we had to carry everything jest as if we was on the march, knapsacks, haversacks, canteens, guns and cartridge boxes…we suffered with the heat…a great many fell out of the ranks and laid down in the shade over come with heat…I seed three very good looking ladies at a farm house…near Tupelo, Miss…hour Co. was mustered for pay…the Government is due me 27.50 cts…[June 26]…another one of our fellow soldiers has gone to the grave…his name was Henry Wade from [?] County belonged to G. Sterns & Co…[June 28]…the joyful nuse of a great victory over houre enemyes in old Verginey, and have got them in full retreat and Old Stone Wall Jackson in full pursuit of him. The nuse reached houre ears about sunset…the men then cawled fore three chears for old Jackson and they made the hole atmosphere ring with the god news of so grat a victory…[Jluy 1]…good news from Johnson and Stonewall Jackson, great victory and our side whipped them badly, taken 39 pieces of artillery on the 30th of June and taken 1,000 prisoners …[July 2]…more good news this morning General Chalmers has routed the enemy at Bolivar and retaken the place. It is reported that we will start to Tennessee… [July 5]…drilled by our general in person Donelson…at 12 o'clock our ears was saluted with the reports of 13 cannons in response of the great victory over McClellan and his entire army…[we] have [them] completely routed. God be with our arms an guide them in the war of piece and happines is the desire of my hart…Lieut. Col. Shelton is here in [Sh?]. He is appointed field officer of the brigade…at night received a dispatch from the battlefield in the east…great success over our enemies. We have killed and wounded 2000 men, taken 7000 prisoners, captured 78 pieces of cannon besides 50 pieces they spiked and left on the field…our loss is not less than 1,000 killed and wounded…we have got them, cut…off from all their surplies, and have got them completely surrounded…the fit lasted 8 days and is not done yet…we have ganed a completely victory over houre enemyes in the east…[July 7]…grand review of Cheatham's whole corps it was a grand site to behold…there was 24 regiments…[July 20]…some men went out on Division review. Polk's core was present on the field. We paraded on the same ground that Red Men of the forest did some 200 years ago. There is several of their little farms…we are some 3 or 4 miles of one of their battle field…with the Spaniards and now the nation is very nearly eliminated from our land entirely…5 men deserted from our geiment. Corporal Stigal was one of the men from Gerster's Co...[July 22]…marched to Tupelo 4 miles…stacked our arms rit on the sid of the road…the women we seed wave the handkerchief and cheer us on our way. On the night of the 23[rd]…landed at Mobile 350 miles south of home…[July 25]…the lads of Clark they went out and fixed some thing for our silk solgers and sent it down to the boat…[July 26]…the men had to go ashore and walk up the river before the boat could git by…we run on a…sand bar out in the middle of the river…[July 27]…landed at Clifton to take on some wounded…[July 29]…we will land at Montgomery by 10 tonight…[July 30]…take a view of the city. It is a beautiful city Montgomery is the capital of this state…[July 31]…left…for Chattanooga…[August 2]…we are on Tennessee soil this morning…after being absent 6 months from my state. This closes these pages in form riten by J. F. H. 1862…". James F. Holloway (1834-1911) enlisted in 51st Tennessee Infantry, leaving behind a wife and little boy in Madison County to fight the Yankee invaders. His diary features phonetic spelling, but includes several reflective passages regarding his dreams and his reasons for fighting. Also included are seven family property documents, 1859-1923 and a sleeve of contemporary research material. Worn; minor dampstaining, a few pages torn or detached, else expected wear.
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