Personal Recollections and Civil War Diary, 1864

A youthful officer’s hand brings the 1864 Civil War to life in this candid diary, recorded from the front lines of the Army of the Potomac. From the rugged banks of the Rapidan to the fierce fighting near Petersburg, he chronicles daily drills, the grind of marching, and the stark reality of combat as his regiment advances under Grant’s relentless push. His observations capture the camaraderie of the Tenth Vermont Volunteer Infantry, the raw fear and fierce pride of men who shared the same rifle and rations, and the fleeting moments of quiet amid the thunder of artillery.

Rediscovered decades later in a dusty chest, the manuscript offers a fresh, unvarnished viewpoint that bridges battlefield drama and the personal growth of a soldier rising from lieutenant to captain. The entries retain the immediacy of a young man’s voice, revealing both strategic movements and the intimate bonds forged in the heat of war, while hinting at the wider campaigns that would soon bring the conflict toward its decisive end.