[from the diary of Jesse Calvin Spaulding of the 25th Masssachusetts]

Thursday
July 17

Had company drill this forenoon
Very warm. Did not do much but
lie around and play euchre some, also
read some

MSS 11293

[Sgt. Z. Lee Gilmer’s account of his wounding in the battle at Gaines Mill concludes]

here I remained [at his aunt and uncle’s in Richmond, Va.] for
a little over  two weeks & my
friend Shepherd who administered
to all my wants dressed my wound
nearly all the time &c like a brother
he was as kind & as attentive as he
could be I shall never forget all this
kindness of my friend & Relation
After My Uncle telegraphed
at once for my devoted father who
was by my bed as soon as the
cars could get him to me.  I could
see that he felt the deepest
suffering for me, no one could
have suffered more, his suffering
was such that it hurt me as
much as my wound, poor man
I felt so much for him with
his kind attention & that of
my friend. I was able to leave
Richmond on the boat July
the 14th with my fathers Kind-
est attention I was enabled to
get to Scottsvill the next day
remained that night at Uncle
John Lewises & the next day
July 16th I reached home.  My Father
suffering & undivided attention
for me I can never forget &
none but a most devoted parent
could feel as he did.  I failed to
mention an occurange [sic] as I was
brought of the field–when I
was being borne of the field
I concluded I was mortalty wounded
which one naturally could have
supposed & I had not been assured
I had killed a Yankee although I
I had fired very often & had fired
many rounds from Yankee
cartridges when I saw a Yankee
prisener pass me.  I pulled out
my pistol to kill him butit
was wet & cloted with my blood
I was at the time assisted on by
one of my men & as I was going
over the field many many came
to my assistance & while I was being
borne of the field one of my men
in order to console me said you neck
bone is broke. he saw a part of my
jawbone sticking out.  As I was borne
of the field I ment Brigade after
Brigade which I cheered or & implored
them to remember Butler the beast
Thus I was unfortunately shot
in the second day’s fight of those
brilliane seres fights of the North Chica
hominy which entie plan of attack
was most brilliant formed by Gen
Robt E Lee. we turned their right
Flank & caused to foe to skedaddle

Gilmer’s account concludes at this point.   He later married Nannie Patterson and had four children.  He died circa 1900 and is buried in the Scottsville Cemetery, Albemarle County, Va.


MSS 4459

[from the diary of Daniel D. Logan, younger brother of General Thomas M. Logan, formerly a Sgt, Co. B, 1st Special Battalion (Rightor’s), now with the Hampton Legion]

   Thursday – July 17th 1862
Spent a very good night in the baggage
magg Cars – & arrived at Columbia abt
five o’clock this morning – after some
trouble we got our baggage unto a cart
& ourselves into the Congaree omnibus –
reaching the corner of Richland & Sumpter
streets – I got out to Enquire for “Mrs Logan”
put my head in a gate & saw Lizzie in the yard –
she screamed & ran back calling Brothers

a few seconds I was Embraced by two of my
ladies & Lizzie & was Kissed so furiously that
I could not see who they were – Julie now
came running down & calling my name –
gave the girls their first intimation that it
was I & not Bro George whom they
were Embracing – Little Georgie now came up in her morning wrapper
& hf dressed – when Bro came in the
gate confirming [–]  informa
-tion – Abt an hf hour was taken up in
Kissing – when I could review the two young ladies
whom I left seven years ago little girls – Lilly      

 [The rest of this page is written in Logan’s code with the
exception of one sentence:

“Little Georgie is not so large as I Expected to find her”.]

[The following lines are cross-written over the above page.]
[—–] other [-] have not changed
much since I saw them last – Our arrival
today took them all by surprise – Went
walking this Evening with Mullie [-]
& George – Bro complaining – Father is
not at home – Lizzie wrote to tell him
of our arrival –

Lizzie:  Elizabeth Yonge Logan, 1834- 1918
Julie: Julia Rowena Logan, 1836-1909
Georgie: Selina Georgiana Logan, 1849-1921
Lilly Josephine Maria (Lillie) Logan    


[transcript by Mary Roy Dawson Edwards; family notes by Sally Rice Forsyth Donnelly]
  
MSS 6154

                               District of West Tennessee
                 Office of the Provost Marshall Genl
                 Memphis Tennessee July 17th 1862

Special Order
           No 20
                    The Provost Marshal of
Memphis will seize andhold till further
orders all the cotton which arrived here last
night on the Steamer Hamilton Bell
                                Wm S Hilyer
                           Provost marshal Gen.

[from the diary of Ephraim A. Wood, Private, Co. C, 13th Massachusetts]

          Thursday    July 17th

In the morning I went
to the brook and had a
bath.  At ten O clock I was
detailed for Fatigue at the
Depot with nine others. ( one
from each Company)  We are
to stop there perhaps for
weeks.  We are in charge of
Coporal Brigham of Co B.
Our quarters are in an old
building near the Depot.
We have hired a Darkey
to do our cooking, and I think
I shall like the change
very well.  Our work is
unloading Cars of Commisary
Stores, and loading teams.
If we are here over ten
days we shall draw twenty
five cents a day extra pay

One of us, have to stop in charge
of the things at our quarters.
I stoped to day

[transcript by Mary Roy Dawson Edwards]

MSS 12021

Thursday, July 17, 1862

[from the diary of James Dinsmore Templeton, musician and private in the 23rd Ohio]

Have been unwell
all day  lay in the
tent have done nothing
did not play for
Guard mounting that
is I did not
was obliged to play
for parade as Jo
was out of camp on
pass also played after
parade
Cloudy with Showers
Rain last night
& [?]

MSS 10317

[from the diary of Eliza Oswald Hill, refugee from Wilmington, N.C.]

Thursday 17th  Mrs Greenhow spent the morning with us–I have felt quite unwell all
day & shall take blue Mass tonight–We are looking for Liz & Sarah tonight–
No paper from Richmond to day–The Wilmington Journal had nothing of in
-terest in it–A few students have arrived–College opens tomorrow afternoon.

MSS 6960

[from the diary of William M. Blackford, bank officer and former diplomat with five sons in the Confederate Army]

Wednesday 17   Heavy rain–last night
quite a storm–Hard at work and
very much overcome by the heat &
fatigue–No news of interest.  In the
evening another heavy rain–Dr Wi
liams of the Army, Mediacl Dirctor
called about 9 & sat until a late
hour.  Letter from Mary A

MSS 4763

[from the diary of Anne Madison Willis Ambler]

Thursday, July 17, 1862

Rose very early & with Jacque waked F & Mary
who wanted to walk to F B before breakfast
to carry our letters–took another short nap, but
got up in time to wash & dress, all the
children before breakfast I tell you that is a
good morning’s work–I can’t say I enjoy it
much, — stepping[?]  about so much before breakfast
always makes me sick at my stomach.
I haven’t heard from Mr Feggins yet but
still think of going home.  Frank Brooke
did not  go to R–  was here this morning & is going to
take sheep to Alexandria for Uncle Cary first.
Says the Yankees are putting up a telegraph
between Warrentown & Sperryville so there
will be no chance of hearing from you here
& I may hear by way of Staunton in the
Valley–I must go home if possible–I
have looked in vain for you, & now there is no
chance of you coming.
I am sorry to leave Mother & Father both seem a
little mortified that I should go–but I think
it best & try to be as polite as possible to them,
Father said “you ought to stay her you have no
business to go home, when I first mentioned
it, but after wards spoke very kindly about it
I think M[atry] C[ary] reasoned with him on
the subject.  Good night my own love–. If that
could be a real good night to you in person-how
happy I should be.

[as transcribed in 1972 by her granddaughter Anne Madison Wright Baylor]

MSS 15406