Charles A. Tournier Civil War Collection
1864-1865
Manuscript Collection #1508- Creator(s)
- Tournier, Charles A., 1847-1924
- Physical description
- 1 Cubic Feet
- Preferred Citation
- Charles A. Tournier Civil War Collection (#1508), East Carolina Manuscript Collection, J. Y. Joyner Library, East Carolina University, Greenville, North Carolina, USA
- Repository
- ECU Manuscript Collection
- Access
- This collection is open for research.
Charles A. Tournier, age 17, enlisted August 29, 1864, at Auburn, New York, was mustered in as a private, assigned to Company A, 3rd New York Light Artillery, and was discharged July 3, 1865, and returned to his family in New York.
Biographical/historical information
Charles A. Tournier, age 17, enlisted August 29, 1864, at Auburn, New York, was mustered in as a private, assigned to Company A, 3rd New York Light Artillery, and was discharged July 3, 1865, and returned to his family in New York.
Scope and arrangement
Tournier's was apart of the 3rd Artillery Regiment (Light) and traveled from New York to Baltimore in mid-September, 1864, where they were garrisoned at Camp Hamilton on the Chesapeake for two weeks. On October 13, 1864, the company embarked for Roanoke Island. While at Roanoke, Tournier comments on the many enslaved persons who had gathered on the island in the wake of the Union occupation of parts of eastern North Carolina. He also recounts the capture of a Confederate sailing vessel off the harbor.
After arriving in New Bern (October 20, 1864), Tournier describes the port town as being full of yellow fever, with all the stores and houses tightly closed. Entries, (October 21-November 20) deal with camp life and garrison duty, shortages of rations, suspicions that supplies were being sold for profit, and a fire which killed several people and damaged or destroyed many homes.
His company did not see action until December 7, 1864. Arriving at Plymouth, North Carolina, Tournier describes the gutted war-torn appearance of the town and makes note of the Confederate ram ALBEMARLE which remained sunk in the river. Entries (December 7-16) recount forays into the surrounding countryside, including the capture of a Confederate-held bridge on the Roanoke River, a skirmish at Foster's Mills, the abandonment of the Union fort at Rainbow Bluff, and the subsequent forced march to Jamestown.
On January 9, 1865, the company returned to New Bern. An entry of January 16 notes the large number of refugees, mostly freedom seeking enslaved black persons, who had come into the city seeking protection, and on February 8 Tournier visited the large black settlement in the city which had developed during the war.
Beginning February 15, diary entries deal increasingly with comments concerning the gathering of troops in New Bern, news of Sherman's whereabouts, and rumors of orders to advance toward Raleigh. Finally, on March 2, the company broke camp and with other troops began to march toward Kinston. On March 10, five miles outside Kinston at Wise's (Or Wagner's) Forks, the Confederates were engaged and were forced to retreat. The diary contains a detailed description of events which took place during the battle. Entries (March 15-April 18) concern camp life outside Kinston and include accounts of foraging expeditions made because of ration shortages.
Subsequent entries pertain to their return to New Bern, the company being relieved by Black troops, a conversation with a former inmate of the Andersonville prison, and his return to New York.
Administrative information
Custodial History
Processing information
Processed by Katelynn Hudson, March 2026
Copyright notice
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Metadata Rights Declaration
Related material
New Bern Historical Society Collection (#283), East Carolina Manuscript Collection, J. Y. Joyner Library, East Carolina University, Greenville, North Carolina, USA.