THE 1864 DIARY OF HENRY SHERMAN By Mike Bailey
This is the 1864 diary of my great great grandfather Henry Sherman. As far as I know it was written in the various places my grandfather was in that year. It starts out in Massachusetts and ends up in Virginia Where he has taken part in the military campaigns for his country with the 21st Massachusetts Regiment. He was eventually wounded and then left to go to hospitals before the larger battles that ended the war. He doesn't write much each day, just a few lines about the weather, who he writes to, the news of the day, the mail he gets, and things like that. It just gives a small glimpse into his day to day life as a soldier in the Union Army. I have added many pictures that the Library of Congress has made available to the general public. The pictures give the reader an idea of what it was like in those days. They are not neccessisarily ment to depict the actual setting that Henry was in. I have provided space for notes of each entry, so from time to time I will put my own opinions there, or add some knowlege that I have of the entry. Henry also wrote a memorandum along with the diary. Some times the memorandum goes into greater deatail of the particular events that he mentions in his diary. At some other day I plan to also include the memorandum to this diary, but for now I will consentrate on the diary.
The diary was written in pencil and ink. Many passages that were written in pencil have faded and are impossible to read. So the majority of what I have been able to get from the diary was written in ink.
U.S. Emblem
Henry Sherman 1864
Notes on entry 0: This cover puzzled me when I first got the diary. The Virgil that is mentioned is Henry's father. Other things were written on the cover are not ledgable. The following is written on the front cover.
----------------------------------------------------------------------------
Give this to Virgil Sherman
Warren, Massachusetts
Worcester County
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Notes on entry 1: I have often been in doubt that Henry started this diary. I don't have the diary so I can't examine it whenever I feel like it. When I did have it I noticed that the hand writing was different in the first few pages. This diary may have been Frank's, Henry's younger brother's. But as I read along, it definately was Henry that finished the diary. His style of writing and thinking and the subject matter is consistant with the 1865 diary and his letters.
January 1, 1864 - Friday
Rained today
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Notes on entry 2: Henry had re-enlisted in the Army. This is one of the reasons why I think that this diary may have been started by Frank. Henry had already been serving in the army since 1862 and had joined when the 21st Massachusetts first formed and had gone through many battles and campaigns with his unit. Frank may have just enlisted. I don't know who the "we" is he is talking about here. Henry re-enlisted earlier in 1864 in Kentucky, and then came home to see his folks.
January 2, 1864 - Saturday
Very cold today, the coldest day we have had.
Mr. Russel came here tonight to let us know that we are oblidged to go to Worcester to be examined.
We enlisted a week ago.
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Notes on entry 3: The wording does not seem to be Henry's. I think he would write it different. Also the third line: 'Wrote a letter to Henry'. I think it is Frank that wrote a letter to his brother, Henry. How did Henry end up with this diary?
January 3, 1864 - Sunday
Little milder today.
Went to prayer meeting, morning.
Wrote a letter to Henry.
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Notes on entry 4: This diary continues on but it is written in pencil and is almost impossible to read. Again, the wording on this entry does not sound like Henry. Henry uses flare when he writes. The writer of this entry just states the facts, no more and no less.
January 4, 1864 - Monday
Pleasant today.
River breaks up this day.
----------------------------------------------------------------------
Notes on entry 5: The diary picks up on May 31st where it is written in ink. This sounds more like Henry. He is definately on the move with his unit.
May 31, 1864 - Tuesday
Today we lay in breastworks up to 8 O'clock.
There does not appear that we are a'going to have any trouble today.
We are within about eleven miles of the city of Richmond.
Breastworks
------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Notes on entry 6;
June 1, 1864 - Wednesday
Tonight we have our skirmish line drove in and the Rebels shell us and Warren Clark of K Company was killed dead.
Killed Soldier
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Notes on entry 7:
June 2, 1864 - Thursday
Today everything quiet up to about 8 O'clock.
There are rumors that the 2nd Corps has gone to attack Richmond.
---------------------------------------------------------------------------
Notes on entry 8: It is a week before he writes in his diary again. He must have been awfully busy with his unit.
June 9, 1864 - Thurday
This day we have for a day of rest.
Not even to clean up and look decent if we took the idea into our heads.
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Notes on entry 9:
June 10, 1864 - Friday
This afternoon we relieve the 100th PV on picket so as they may rest a day or so.
It is quite a still place in comparison with some of the posts where the scamps keep up a continual fire on our line.
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Notes on entry 10
June 11, 1864 - Saturday
We are yet on pickett and expect to be relieved if stories are true.
I stand the pickett past one hour in the morning and at ten stay til 12 O'clock.
3 O'clock this afternoon we are relieved by the 38th Wisconsin, a new regiment.
---------------------------------------------------------------------------
Notes on entry 11:
June 12, 1864 - Sunday
We lay here today with the expectation of going to the White House where it is said we take transports.
Afternoon: We have orders to be ready at 6 O'clock to march.
We cannot tell where.
It seems that the papers could not be believed is very certain.
Five minutes passed seven we take up our line of march.
This is the 1864 diary of my great great grandfather Henry Sherman. As far as I know it was written in the various places my grandfather was in that year. It starts out in Massachusetts and ends up in Virginia Where he has taken part in the military campaigns for his country with the 21st Massachusetts Regiment. He was eventually wounded and then left to go to hospitals before the larger battles that ended the war. He doesn't write much each day, just a few lines about the weather, who he writes to, the news of the day, the mail he gets, and things like that. It just gives a small glimpse into his day to day life as a soldier in the Union Army. I have added many pictures that the Library of Congress has made available to the general public. The pictures give the reader an idea of what it was like in those days. They are not neccessisarily ment to depict the actual setting that Henry was in. I have provided space for notes of each entry, so from time to time I will put my own opinions there, or add some knowlege that I have of the entry. Henry also wrote a memorandum along with the diary. Some times the memorandum goes into greater deatail of the particular events that he mentions in his diary. At some other day I plan to also include the memorandum to this diary, but for now I will consentrate on the diary.
The diary was written in pencil and ink. Many passages that were written in pencil have faded and are impossible to read. So the majority of what I have been able to get from the diary was written in ink.
U.S. Emblem
Henry Sherman 1864
Notes on entry 0: This cover puzzled me when I first got the diary. The Virgil that is mentioned is Henry's father. Other things were written on the cover are not ledgable. The following is written on the front cover.
----------------------------------------------------------------------------
Give this to Virgil Sherman
Warren, Massachusetts
Worcester County
--------------------------------------------------------------------------
Notes on entry 1: I have often been in doubt that Henry started this diary. I don't have the diary so I can't examine it whenever I feel like it. When I did have it I noticed that the hand writing was different in the first few pages. This diary may have been Frank's, Henry's younger brother's. But as I read along, it definately was Henry that finished the diary. His style of writing and thinking and the subject matter is consistant with the 1865 diary and his letters.
January 1, 1864 - Friday
Rained today
-------------------------------------------------------------------------
Notes on entry 2: Henry had re-enlisted in the Army. This is one of the reasons why I think that this diary may have been started by Frank. Henry had already been serving in the army since 1862 and had joined when the 21st Massachusetts first formed and had gone through many battles and campaigns with his unit. Frank may have just enlisted. I don't know who the "we" is he is talking about here. Henry re-enlisted earlier in 1864 in Kentucky, and then came home to see his folks.
January 2, 1864 - Saturday
Very cold today, the coldest day we have had.
Mr. Russel came here tonight to let us know that we are oblidged to go to Worcester to be examined.
We enlisted a week ago.
-----------------------------------------------------------------------
Notes on entry 3: The wording does not seem to be Henry's. I think he would write it different. Also the third line: 'Wrote a letter to Henry'. I think it is Frank that wrote a letter to his brother, Henry. How did Henry end up with this diary?
January 3, 1864 - Sunday
Little milder today.
Went to prayer meeting, morning.
Wrote a letter to Henry.
------------------------------------------------------------------------
Notes on entry 4: This diary continues on but it is written in pencil and is almost impossible to read. Again, the wording on this entry does not sound like Henry. Henry uses flare when he writes. The writer of this entry just states the facts, no more and no less.
January 4, 1864 - Monday
Pleasant today.
River breaks up this day.
----------------------------------------------------------------------
Notes on entry 5: The diary picks up on May 31st where it is written in ink. This sounds more like Henry. He is definately on the move with his unit.
May 31, 1864 - Tuesday
Today we lay in breastworks up to 8 O'clock.
There does not appear that we are a'going to have any trouble today.
We are within about eleven miles of the city of Richmond.
Breastworks
------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Notes on entry 6;
June 1, 1864 - Wednesday
Tonight we have our skirmish line drove in and the Rebels shell us and Warren Clark of K Company was killed dead.
Killed Soldier
------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Notes on entry 7:
June 2, 1864 - Thursday
Today everything quiet up to about 8 O'clock.
There are rumors that the 2nd Corps has gone to attack Richmond.
---------------------------------------------------------------------------
Notes on entry 8: It is a week before he writes in his diary again. He must have been awfully busy with his unit.
June 9, 1864 - Thurday
This day we have for a day of rest.
Not even to clean up and look decent if we took the idea into our heads.
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Notes on entry 9:
June 10, 1864 - Friday
This afternoon we relieve the 100th PV on picket so as they may rest a day or so.
It is quite a still place in comparison with some of the posts where the scamps keep up a continual fire on our line.
-----------------------------------------------------------------------------
Notes on entry 10
June 11, 1864 - Saturday
We are yet on pickett and expect to be relieved if stories are true.
I stand the pickett past one hour in the morning and at ten stay til 12 O'clock.
3 O'clock this afternoon we are relieved by the 38th Wisconsin, a new regiment.
---------------------------------------------------------------------------
Notes on entry 11:
June 12, 1864 - Sunday
We lay here today with the expectation of going to the White House where it is said we take transports.
Afternoon: We have orders to be ready at 6 O'clock to march.
We cannot tell where.
It seems that the papers could not be believed is very certain.
Five minutes passed seven we take up our line of march.
posted by THE REAL MIKE BAILEY at 4:56 AM
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