This collection contains a diary (February 16, 1863-May 16, 1863) and correspondence (September 14, 1862-September 15, 1864) written by an unknown private serving in Co. I of the 44th Massachusetts Volunteers Regiment during the Civil War. The diary was written by a man named Daniel while his company is camped at Brice's Creek, North Carolina. The letters cover a longer span and are written by Daniel to his sister Susie. During that time, his company was camped at Readville, Newberne (now New Bern) and Brice's Creek in North Carolina, near Fort Smith and at Arlington Heights in Virginia, and finally at Fort Delaware in Delaware.
The recruitment of the 44th Massachusetts Volunteers Regiment started August 7, 1862 and ended August 29, 1862. The regiment mostly recruited university students and graduates from various colleges. After recruitment, the 44th Regiment Massachusetts Volunteer Militia was mustered in on September 12, 1862 in Readville, Massachusetts. They left for Beaufort, North Carolina on the steamer MERRIMAC on October 22, 1862. After landing in Morehead City, North Carolina, the regiment left for New Bern, North Carolina. Little is known about Company I and their whereabouts, but from the letters and diary of Private Daniel we know that some of the company was at Brice's Creek, NC.
On June 6, 1863, the 44th Regiment Massachusetts Volunteer Militia left New Bern, North Carolina, to Morehead City and took the steamers GUIDE and GEORGE PEABODY for Boston. They arrived in Boston June 10, 1863, and were given leave until June 16th. They were then mustered out of the United States service June 18th. After their service, some of the soldiers reenlisted into other regiments.
Sources: 44th Massachusetts Infantry (USA), US Civil War. Accessed June 10, 2019. https://www.geni.com/projects/44th-Massachusetts-Infantry-USA-US-Civil-War/5583
Action Memorial Library Civil War Archives. Forty-Fourth Regiment Massachusetts Volunteer Militia (Infantry) Nine Months. Accessed June 10, 2019. https://www.actonmemoriallibrary.org/civilwar/regiments/Mass/44mass.html
This collection contains the diary and correspondence written by Private Daniel (last name unknown). The collection is organized by type of material and the date. In his letters to his sister, Susie, Daniel describes his everyday life as a Union soldier in the Civil War. Some of the topics he discusses and describes are the barracks, rationing, food, other regiments encountered, ailments, letters, gifts and religious views. The letters are dated between September 14, 1862 and September 15, 1864. While writing these letters, the 44th Massachusetts Volunteers Regiment camped at various locations. They camped at Readville, Massachusetts, Newberne (New Bern), North Carolina, and Brice's Creek, North Carolina. Daniel also camped with an unknown regiment in Arlington Heights, Virginia, near Fort Smith in Virginia, and Fort Delaware in Delaware.
The diary in the collection contains a more detailed description of Daniel's life in Brice's Creek, North Carolina, between February 16, 1863 and May 16, 1863. In his diary, he talks about everyday life at the camp and what they do in their spare time. In their spare time, they would read, write, play games like badminton and dominos, pray, sing, and sew. The other parts of their day involved doing guard duty drilling and chopping wood for the kitchen and quarters. Besides everyday camp life, Daniels does mention the comings and goings of militia groups. Some of the militia groups that he encounters are the 3rd NY Calvary, 51st Regiment, 17th Regiment, 43rd Regiment, and 45th Regiment.
Purchased with funds from the Minnie Marguerite Wiggins Endowment Fund from Broadfoot Publishing Company
Processed by Corinne Taylor, June 2019.
Literary rights to specific documents are retained by the authors or their descendants in accordance with U.S. copyright law.