Handwritten 1861-1864 Civil War Diary Grouping-1st U. S. Chasseurs (65th NY Inf.)

  

Set of four diaries from Addison Bean of the 65. The first covers 7/25/61-1/9/62 and is mostly during their training period and has a couple of camp drawings in the back. The second covers all of 1862 and has battle content. The third covers all of 1863 and has battle content. The fourth covers 6/1/64-9/14/64 and has battle content and also covers time in areas away from the front lines but he writes more freely with descriptive content.

There are also some pension papers included as well as an 1897 application that Bean has written about himself to try to obtain a Medal of Honor. Four diaries beginning 7/25/1861 thru 12/31/1863 and 6/1/1864 - 9/14/1864. 1861 1863 diaries are written in oxidized ink. 1864 is written in pencil. Two hand drawn maps of their camps are in the back of the 1861 diary.

Some excerpts (entries are typically longer than the excerpts). Regiment went to meet Ellsworth Zouves at Broadway Park at 3 Oclock this afternoon. They are returning from Washington to recruit. They have lost great numbers.

8/29 Lowes great balloon up viewing the enemys position. 9/8 passed by the capitol and down Pennsylvania Avenue by the White House. President passed us at Georgetown. 6 of the rebels are killed. 9/11 Attack on the rebels at Loomisville by our regts.

3 killed & 15 woundedI have been on guard [duty] for shaking in the ranks. 9/12 some of our brigade were on the battlefield today. Saw a number of rebels lying on the field and their horses dead all together. 10/1 we have been cutting trees downthe oldest house in the district and a slave estate. 10/2 farmers are all doing their haying here with their slaves.

4/5/62 the regt they are exchanging shot with the rebels. 4/6 our regt are so near the rebels that they can talk with each other. 5/4 our troops have made an advance crossing over the river and taking the rebel fort and are in full pursuit of the rebels. Some of our men was killed and wounded by a concealed torpedo under a bridge.

[more mention of fighting over the next few days]. 5/11 we passed the rebel forts. They are strange and handsome built.

I was on the battlefield. The ground is strewn with guns and clothes. Passed the tree where the rebel signalman was shot by the artillery. 5/31 Battle of Fair Oaks. There is heavy firing ahead of canon and musketry.

A heavy battle is going on. Word has reached us that Caseys division has broke and run. 6/3 the regt loss is 6 killed and 24 wounded. 6/5 the wounded are being carried by here by the thousands. Some with an arm off some a leg. 6/27 battle is still raging on the right.

A great many wounded have been brought in today. I have been in the dead house to see them embalm the dead. 6/29 we have left camp having to burn all Q. Stores and commissary stores and tents. The rebels follow us with grape and cannister but were protected by our rear guard.

7/1 Battle of Malvern Hill the Rebels engaged our troops this morning and were driven back with great loss. 12/12 the cannonading is very heavy. Today our troops have taken Fredricksburg. We lost fifty men in the Engineering Corps in laying the pontoon.

12/13 The battle was renewed at 8 oclock this morning and is raging now. There is some very heavy ordinance pieces being used. 12/23 the rebel camps are in plain view of us.

The pickets talk with each other as usual. There is a mutual agreement not to fire anymore. 5/3 the battle commenced at daylight and a hard battle has been brought. Our men have taken the heights with severe loss.

Horse was shot under him. Hinman was killed last night. 7/2 got orders to go out on the Baltimore TurnpikeThere was 850 prisoners brought in today and seven hundred wounded to be sent to Washington. Very heavy firing has been heard. 7/3 There is a battle going on near Gettysburg. The wounded are coming in by the hundreds and prisoners by the thousand. There is now 2,500 waiting for the cars to carry them away. Some are jovial and others are mad. 6/3/64 There has been very heavy firing all day. Corps then charged and carried the works on the left.

Penn has over four hundred men in killed and wounded. Col Bassett was wounded of the 22.

And Major Wallace of the 25. He was wounded twice in the head. There was over fifty wagons went down with wounded and a hundred ambulances. 6/19 the negro brigade made a charge on a rebel fort and captured ten guns and the fort with 8 lines of rifle pits.

They showed no mercy to the enemy but bayonetted them by the hundred crying Remember Fort Pillow. 8/22 they joked with a squad of the Veteran Reserve acting as guards. The sergeant got made and shot one of the men dead. They took him to a tree and gave him five minutes to pray and then hung him between the heavens and earth til dead. The item "Handwritten 1861-1864 Civil War Diary Grouping-1st U.

)" is in sale since Tuesday, April 10, 2018. This item is in the category "Collectibles\Militaria\Civil War (1861-65)\Original Period Items\Correspondence, Mail". The seller is "ramram" and is located in Overland Park, Kansas. This item can be shipped to United States.

• Country/Region of Manufacture: United States