Colonel Richard C. Dawkins, Co. B, 6th Regiment, Kentucky Volunteers, Civil War Journal, 1862-1863

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• Lot Description
  Journal, 7.25 x 11.75 in., identified to R.C. Dawkins, Co. B, 6th Regiment, Kentucky Volunteer Infantry on journal's first page, approx. 105pp with entries.
  
  As a border state, the political climate during the Civil War was particularly fierce in Kentucky.  The state chose to remain neutral at the beginning of the war. After Confederate General Leonidas Polk failed to take the state, it petitioned the Union for assistance, making it a solidly Union state. Many Kentuckians fought for the Confederacy and Union. Over 100,000 of its citizens fought for the Union while between 25,000 and 40,000 Kentuckians answered the call for the Confederacy. One of the thousands of Kentuckians who fought for the Union was Richard C. Dawkins, who joined the Union on September 23, 1861. He mustered into the 6^th Kentucky Infantry, Co. B as a private on November 1, 1861. Quickly climbing through the ranks, he received two promotions within his first year of service, including 2^nd lieutenant and 1^st lieutenant. He continued to rise until his final commission as colonel, given to him on September 16, 1864. From 1862 until December 1863, he kept the journal offered here.  
  
  Almost immediately, Dawkins begins in the thick of action at the Battle of Stones River. He writes:
  
  The rebels moved forward we advanced toward back of them for a few roels(?) and a terrific fire ensued from both sides and then commenced the world of destruction our brigade was separated from our regiment leaning to the right and the rest of the regiments being to the left on order to avoid enclosures of the advantage of the timber that was near the fight had become terrific a continuous roar of cannon and muskets our regt had to fight very hard as we were alone in the woods and several rebel regiments coming down upon us we fought them for some time and our ammunition give out when releaf come to our assistance when we returned to replenish our selves with ammunition three regiments come up to welcome us but as we returned they followed…we returned to the seam of action which was still raging we joined our Brigade which was lying in a position of right angles…about 4 o’clock when a desperate effort was ready to turn our left they come down upon us by thousands but all in vein they had to return much faster than they come here is where Breckenridge lost about 17 vo seventeen hundred men in about 15 minutes we drove them three or four miles when night overtaken us and had to stop that was their last desperate effort…the Rebels commenced to retreat and left us victorious (near Murfreesboro, TN, January 3, 1863).
  
  The joy of victory soon dissipated as he considered the overwhelming number of lives lost. It was horrible to go over the field of battle to see the mangled bodies by the thousands lying in every direction….and then the poor wounded lying moning in the mud awaiting their time for assistance many I have no doubt die for the want of attention but it cant be helped, he wrote (near Murfreesboro, TN, January 3, 1863). The scene was similar to the carnage he experienced at the Battle of Shiloh. One hundred and seven men were either killed or wounded in Dawkins' regiment at Stones River, 55 fewer men than Shiloh. 
  
  Beyond his own movements, Dawkins meticulously recorded every major detail of the war including other major generals' movements and battles, listing the number of casualties and prisoners for each. Meanwhile, his regiment continued to fight. While preparing his regiment for the battle at Chickamauga, he noticed rebel troops moving the land and digging trenches at a furious pace. Even though the generals planned for Dawkins' regiment to act as a reserve, quickly into the battle it engaged in the heaviest fighting. Dawkins wrote: 
  
  When the fight commenced [September 19th] in earnest and one of the most terrific battles that was ever fought was fought on that ground the fight raged with determination to concur on both sides during the day our lines being sometimes concluded to give back and then we would turn and run them still farther in return thousands of soles were launched into eternity during the day and not until the darkness of heavens caused a separation did it seace but at night our lines occupying the same ground they held in the morning sink their weary columns to rest for a few short hours to be awakened by the thunder of cannon and the roar of musketry but not so in the morning and with it the still calm undescribed breath of a lovely Sabbath morning. All remained quiet until, the rebels were discovered advancing they had been largely reinforced during the night. The fight ensued at a furious pace as Rebel troops attempted to surround the 6th Regiment. Dawkins continued, our left and our bridge had to fall back, things began to look discouraging but as our little army had never met with a reveance(?) it seemed as though they could not give up the field and then to think of giving up a battlefield where so many of our brave fellow soldiers and friends lay wounded and dying it was hard, but such had to be done (September 19, 1863). Dawkins recorded the long list of names of the fallen or wounded he knew were dead.  
  
  The end of the journal was not the end of Dawkins' military career. He continued to march and fight in the Atlanta Campaign and participated in the battles at Kennesaw Mountain and Resaca. He and the regiment remained in Tennessee until he mustered out of service on January 5, 1865. He then received his doctorate in dental surgery from Philadelphia Dental College, married Lizzie B. Williams, and lived a quiet life as a dentist in Decatur, IL. He died in 1880. 
  
  The excerpts above are only a small sample of the very detailed account. Unlike many soldiers, Dawkins was hyper aware of his regiment's movements during battle and recorded almost every action volleyed from either side. His attention to detail and strategic planning explains his successful military career. Inside the journal, hand-drawn maps of Shiloh, Bull Run, Ft. Donelson, and the vicinity of Richmond cover the front and back pages of the journal.

  Condition

  Very good, some toning of the paper and wear of the binding. Dawkins' handwriting is dark and legible. 
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