Description:

Civil War
various, 1864
1864 Civil War Pocket Diary Of P.O.W. Musician in 15th CT Volunteers: Torpedo Explosions, Yellow Fever, Capture of Atlanta!
Diary/Journal

A small pocket diary covering the year 1864 belonging to Civil War soldier George H. Bryan from Bridgeport, Connecticut, a musician in Company G, 15th Connecticut Volunteer Infantry, between August 1862 and June 1865. "Diary for 1864 (New-York)." The diary has dark brown leather wrappers including a wraparound securable by tab on the front cover, an accordion envelope at the back, and a marbleized textblock. It is gilt-embossed "Diary / 1864" above the tab. The ownership name "George H. Bryan / Diary / Comp G 15th CV" is located on the front loose endpaper. The diary entries are in pencil, with each page divided into a single day. Diary extras include printed "Rates of Postage," "Weather Record," and "List of Sundays" sections. Expected wear including weathering, toning, and scattered discoloration. The tab leather is curling and the accordion envelope is damaged. Else very good to near fine and very legible, with very good spelling. 2.5" x 3.875" x .75." 48 mo. About 180pp.

Information about George H. Bryan can be found via the National Park Service Soldiers and Sailors Database, as well as by consulting Sheldon B. Thorpe's "The History of the Fifteenth Connecticut Volunteers in the War for the Defense of the Union, 1861-1865" (New Haven, Conn.: The Price, Lee & Adkins Co., 1893), especially the roster of members of Company G. [See scans included for reference.]

Bryan enlisted into the 15th Connecticut, also known as the Lyon Regiment, in New Haven, Connecticut. He was one of the 7,145 men requested by Governor of Connecticut W.A. Buckingham to fulfill President Lincoln's 300,000-man draft call in July 1862. Bryan enlisted on August 15, 1862 and was mustered out three years later on June 27, 1865. He was captured (along with his entire regiment) at Kinston, near New Bern, North Carolina, at the Battle of Wyse Fork on March 8, 1865. He was paroled in Richmond, Virginia three weeks later, on March 26, 1865. Assigned to the Army of the Potomac, Bryan served the bulk of his military service in the Departments of Virginia and North Carolina. The 15th CT participated in the Defense of Washington, D.C., the Battle of Fredericksburg, the Siege of Suffolk, and the Peninsula Campaign.

Bryan's pocket diary gives us a remarkable glimpse into the daily life of Civil War soldiers, specifically its musicians. Bryan was one of two musicians in Company G. As a musician, he was responsible for reveille, battlefield or marching orders, military tattoos, and funeral accompaniment. When he wasn't fulfilling his musician's duties, he was busy on guard duty or building the cook's chimney. For recreation, Bryan wrote letters, had his photograph taken, went to town, attended a rare church service, went catfishing, watched wrestling matches and barrow races, and picked strawberries, blackberries, apples, magnolia flowers, and water lilies. Over the course of the year, necessity dictated that Bryan "drew on" military stores to replace his blouse, pants, drawers, socks, shoes, cap, canteen, and rubber blanket. His diet consisted of tomatoes, watermelons, potatoes, beans, salt pork, salt and fresh beef, and lots of salt horse. Bryan got severely ill twice in 1864, once in August-September, and once in October. The first illness appears to have been gastrointestinal in nature. In October, Bryan likely came down with a yellow fever epidemic which decimated the 15th CT that month.

There are many fascinating references in Bryan's diary, but some highlights have been organized by category below, into Notable Battles, Notable Local Events, References to Confederates, References to Freed Blacks, Medical-Related, and Musician-Related. In 1864, Bryan and the 15th CT stayed mostly in North Carolina, around the New Bern, Plymouth, and Little Washington areas.

Notable Battles

June 21, 1864: "Official news of the capture of Petersburg"

This was probably a reference to the June 21-23, 1864 Battle of Jerusalem Plank Road, which was part of the Siege of Petersburg. As a matter of fact, the battle was inconclusive and the siege ongoing.

September 8, 1864: "News of the capture of Atlanta confirmed"

Confederate General John Bell Hood evacuated Atlanta on September 1, 1864 and Union General William T. Sherman officially took over the city on September 2, 1864.

Notable Local Events

February 28, 29, and March 8, 1864: Bryan mentions that bodies are being recovered from the U.S.S. Underwriter, a Union sidewheel steamer gunboat attacked and razed by a Confederate boat crew commanded by John Taylor Wood on February 2, 1864. Feb. 29: "The body of a collared marine floated ashore this evening from the Underwriter"

March 31 and April 5, 1864: "Details left for home this morning to vote" and "The 18th Reg't [] went home as a Reg't to vote for Buckingham"

Incumbent Governor of Connecticut William A. Buckingham led the state during the entirety of the Civil War, and was reelected at gubernatorial elections on April 4, 1864.

May 26, 1864: "Terrible accident at Bachearls Creek torpedo exploded killing this afternoon 28 or blowed them to attoms. loss in killed & wounded not far from 100. Stephen Sanford was blown to pieces finding nothing that they could recognize but his head"

This day at Bachelor's Creek, about 8 miles west of New Bern, North Carolina, Union support crews were unloading blockading torpedoes from a train car when one was accidentally struck, causing a chain reaction explosion of four torpedoes. Casualties (which were numerous and just as gruesome as Bryan's description) were found mostly among freed enslaved persons and members of the 132nd New York Volunteer Infantry.

References to Confederates

February 1, 1864: "The rebels under Gen. Picket attacked Newbern"

April 27, 1864: "The rebels showed themselves this morning. The 17th Mass sent out skirmishers, had two killed and one slightly wounded in the rear"

May 4, 1864: "Rebel army - advancing on the place. Gen Picket in command. They have cut the railroad between here & Morehead City. And are trying to plant batteries on the river. Gunboats are shelling them & have drove them back"

June 23, 1864: Bryan mentions the mass capture of Confederates including one Brigadier General, one Major, three Lieutenants, and 55 privates.

References to Freed Blacks

March 20, 1864: "Negro riot"

August 2, 1864: "Pardee, Boyd, Fulton & another hound came to get nig-ars to fill the Conn. quota"

September 2, 1864: "A detail from the 2nd Mass a picking up nig-ars"

Medical-Related

August-September 1864. Bryan got sick in late August and was prescribed several types of medications. On September 1, 1864: "I reported to the surgeon. Quinine & pills 3 times a day." On September 3, 1864, Bryan was prescribed "Cathartic pills," a laxative, and the following day he was given "bitters." Both typhoid fever and bilious fever had been documented in the 15th CT.

September-October 1864. Bryan was extremely ill between September 27th and October 5th; in late October; and between November 1st and November 10th. He does not describe his symptoms but does record having the "shakes," in a reference to fever. A yellow fever epidemic in Bryan's regiment peaked in October; 60 officers and soldiers died. Bryan's diary records a multitude of burials between October 6th and October 13th.

Musician-Related

June 12, 1864: "Drum Corps & Band played at the funeral of Lieut. Wells of the 132nd NY wounded by the explosion of the torpedoes at - Bachelors Creek"

July 13, 1864: "Tattoo at 1/2 past 8. Taps at 1/2 past nine until further orders"

Bryan has used the Cash Account sections of October, November, and December at the rear of the diary to pencil in the names of military airs divided into 3/4, 1/2, and 6/8 time. Some of the melodies include: "Yankee Doodle," "Dashing White Sargeant," The Girl I left Behind," "Fifers Delight," "Do they miss me at home," "Johnny Comes Marching Home," and the "Miss McLeod Reel."

This item comes with a Certificate from John Reznikoff, a premier authenticator for both major 3rd party authentication services, PSA and JSA (James Spence Authentications), as well as numerous auction houses.

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  • Dimensions: 2.5" x 3.875" x .75"
  • Medium: Diary/Journal

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