| Summary: | This is a diary believed to have been written by a soldier of the 44th Massachusetts from December 11, 1862 (?) to February 8, 1863. It includes descriptions of camp activities, marches and the aftermath of the Battle of Kinston on Dec. 14, 1862 and the Battle of Whitehall.[page 1]
523 Gibbs Co
101 [Pigeon ?]
103 "
96 NY 1st day marched 14 miles
85 N" 2 "
900 3rd NY Cavalry
[Yesday ?] afternoon very plesant
heard the robbins singing very [windy ?]
[page 2]
Dec 11 Left camp at sunrise
for where the Gen only knows
where [fortifying ?] so much so [illegible]
could not see twenty feet, passed
the fort at 1 P.M. after making several
short halts reached camp [illegible] yester day
morning at half past three got up
at six .... morning left camp about
noon road filled with trees for about
a mile had a cavalry skirmish abo
9 1/2 AM wounded 3 rebs took sp....
cavalry... 18 prisoners turn in about one
at Cum.... started Saturday morning
about daylight the REgt about three miles
in advance roads muddy hard traveling
got to Camp about half past 8 with the
evening found hte Regt drawn in
line of battle they cavalry mustdo
to the brigade dis mounted then crept
up behind trees when they found
about 10 men cutting down
[page 3]
... when our cavalry fired
on them then the rebs asound(?) on
the cavalry then the infantry(?) opened
on the rebs drawn them in to the
riflepits our forces captured 130
prisoners and two guns, two that
the rebs captured from us at
Bull run so I was told, how true
it is I cant tell we are about 87
units from Newborn Sunday 14
The Regt left camp between 7 & 8 am
the ammunition put in there
wagons with orders to patrol(?) the
regt .. baggage and stores stay
behind and here and are up to
4 PM staid here all night this
is near South West Creek, Moinday
15 Started on the Regt the boys pass(?)
in Kinston last came(?) up to time
kind of Battle saw the killed
[page 4]
and wounded the killed were
mostly hit in the ehad it was
a sorry sight the Cap of the
96 NY was killed the .... had
1 Capt 2 Lieuts ad war old 1
Can learn 103. 10 killed and
84 wounded 10 missing. 45 Mass lost 12
killed and about 40 wounded
92 NY lost 9 killed and 30
wounded 9th NJ lost I dont
know how many. bunkie(?) about
in the woods turned in about
half past one. Tuesday noon
the toughest day of the whole
in the marching line Tuesday 16 left
camp about 10 am in advance of
the baggage train heard cannonading
before we left the camp got up writing
a mile of the battle saw quite a num
ber of the wounded of the
[page 5]
44 wounded in the worst
be told one that there were
some more wounded here an
in Co A they had the right of
the Regt went down to where the
fight must began in one raid
I saw a number of wounded on
some were dead(?) and I thought
was siging nom of the 44 were
them went up on a sand bank
and there I saw two of Co a
in the 44th lay dead they were
both killed by one shot when
they were marching over the
lute(?) it killed them instantly
Co A lost 4 killed and 6
wounded are lost in
23 men killed and wounded
the 23rd mass suffered the
most and it was down
[page 6]
by our battery they ranged
two low, we got into camp about
8 oclck had to set up and eat
meat rations, I got through
about half past one, two of
the 23 boys were lying on the
ground facing each other
north a cantun and deppear trying
between them when a shot con
and cut the dipper off from the
canturn nether one of the rays
got hurt that is what I am
close shouting this news at
White We all the rebs have
burnt the brdige so that
we could not cross to make
a charge if we caould have done
so we would have gun
them into their sharp shark(?)
now up with tupe(?) of the trap
[page 7]
Belgero Battery sighted for one
tree first and fown came
the rebs of the tree and three
rebs with it the Calvary may
went out with our sharp
shooters took rifles with them
to practice target shooting
Wednesday morning start a
head of the Regt to forage
here not seen any thing as
yet, its now about 10.
[page 8]
Feb 1st 1863 got up at 4 am left
.... at 5 ..... in ...at 7. after
about three quarters of an hour delay we
took up the line of march for the trans
ports march drawn .... sent up
middle strick ... hallice(?) right
resting on the wharf starkind(?) arrive
for a few minutes then took arms sight
force Co A + B went abroad the Seamor
Marassit after getting a board the Maris
and ... left the wharf about half
past eight am for the station North
ener which we lying fown the river
about a mile beyond for runner(?)
says for Plymouth after getting about
the Northener the Marassit took
berth after the rest of the Regt come down
a bout eleven with the .... .....
of the Mus m... back again. All aboard
at last half past twelve very good
[page 9]
the b... on goes the stern(?) the venture(?)
be goes to more under wish quarter to
our we pass the blackader wrath cool
.... some whale laundry laid down
to get some sleep for slath soons for
72 men four odle got up there out
side on dock plenty of desck to be
be seen services inh teh upper Calern
at five oclock made Coffee until
about 12 at ngiht turned in slept one
like ..., anchored last night from
about 12 until 6 in the morning Feb 2nd
got under weigh between 6 and 7, made
Rouack Island, about 9 took my break
fast then consisting of Hard Tack salt horse(?)
and coffee. The weather until noon was
cold and rian of amde the mouth
of the Roanoke run about quarter
of three arrived at Plymouth at half
past three with out mutiny with.
[page 10]
any accident do not know wither
we go ashore or not to night the
weather now is rather cool but pleas
ant, the suns shine very pleastently
staid aboard went ashore to make
coffee and boil fresh beef for the
Co, turned in a little before taps Mulleke
and Howkes butered(?) the beef Tuesday
3rd got up at a quarter past four went ash
ore to make coffee for the Co, and
such a snow storm it bloew and
snoweeed New England till after
past got orders to cook two days
rations still snowing hard will and
the bags and wind at it about near
the clouds break a very the...
storm is till the night wing work
ashore so the beef hens that took
Bo ....got through with the
beef about four Pale made Coffee
[page 11]
for supper this afternoon has bene
gay about six inches of snow on the
ground the darks had to catch it
and are mistake to night the boys
have a dinner aoard have a good
time turned in a luittle ebfoer taps. Feb 4
get up at five to make coeffee after breakfast
lous around town visit a home
north of a glomyt town, made Cofee
for Supper, dance aboard the boat to
night Feb 5th made Coffee for breakfast
after breakfast went up to Auntie Myres
and get a breakfast consiting of hard cake
fresh pork and coffee. all for twenty
cents rained all day made coffee
for supper turned in before taps, write
home, Feb 6th made coffee for breakfast
went up to Auntie Meyerus to breakfast
camped aroudn town made coffee for
supper.
[page 12]
Feb 7th made coffee for breakfast
went up to Auntie Myers breakfast
boiled fresh beef in the forenoon
the Regt went out into the country Co B
done picket duty had a duty oiut race
on which occasion Seorgetn Keyso
and Corporal Gillispee came very
near loosing their lives by the up
sitting of their boat. Get up con
tyle 12 oclock to cook rations. Sunday
Feb 8 got up before light to get
coffee for the Co they got in a
boat half past five about two
oclock began puting the horses aboard
[page 13]
5 RI R
44 Mass R
45 " "
132 NY
8 Mass
3rd MAss
158 NY
25 Mass
46 Mass
5 Mass
103 Penn
85 NY
[page 14]
45th Mass Ret } 1st Brigade
43rd " "} Armory
25 Mass " } 2nd Lu "
5 " "
103 Penn " } 3rd Brigade 1st Division
101 Penn " } Hant
85 NY "
5th RI " }
44th Mass ' } 4th Bridage
96' NY "} Stevenson
____________________________________________
171st Penn " }
158th " " } Spinder Bridage
168th " " }
175th " " }
132 NY "
8th Mass "
3rd Mass "
158 NY "
Battery H 3rd NY and 6 piece
" E " " " 4 "
RI F 1st 6
24 NY 6
23 " 6
[page 15]
3rd NY Cavalry 6 Company
and two pieces of artilery
in all about 15,000
[page 16]
10 papers of Tobacco
[page 17]
2 long handied spades
2 short " "
3 boxes for Seargents
[page 18]
1/2 Bee Beans=Candles
" of Sugar= Soap
2 " Beef and Pork, spakdes
1 box rice, 2 axe,
1 " coffee, a lot of fresh beef
6 ioun pails, lot tea 1 knife
2 spiders, 1 hatchet
1 pail Molasses,
1 bake pan,
1 box sack,
1 jerry berg or,
1 loaden pail
1 fork and lanter and skirm
a lot matches
[page 19]
Jan 1st 1863 behind in the
new york by a visit tio the
sink about five oclock in the morn
ing beans stweice for breakfast
boiled meat for dinner , butter
and tea for supper, went to a dam
after performace in Co E arracks how
a pinch box four of us cooks, Kim
bale think about 9 in the evening
the first man that died in the
Regt of sickness cause was soldier
of the brain and approamy sent
home twenty seven dollars by
Adams Express Jan 2nd beans
for breakfast boiled meat
for dinner Rice for supper Kornbred
was burned today, weather very
.... Saturday 5th Stewed beans for
Breakfast Soup for dinner tea
and coffee for supper.
fresh has for sunday dont cut it
see dress peraide the first time
[page 20]
since having recruited, beautiful
day Sunday 14th Salft horse and hard
tack for breakfast, inspected by the Cal and Officers of the day, Hashece
fish for dinner
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