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THBUnion Soldiers' Diary: Entries on Lee, Grant, and Sheridan
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About Auction
LiveMay 18, 2023
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- Lot Description
Unusual 'battlefield pick-up' Civil War-era diary containing entries from two different Union soldiers, Bandsman Hollis J. Haven of the U.S. Brigade Band and Private John Brisk Rush of Company H, 15th New Jersey Volunteers. The diary begins on January 1, 1865, with about 30 pages of Haven's daily entries, chronicling rehearsals, parades, picket attacks, weather conditions, deserters, and a surprising visit from superiors on March 25th: "Presdt. Lincoln & Genl. Grant was here, rather an exciting day." The Massachusetts musician abruptly ends his portion of the diary on April 1, 1865, recording "Reports of Genl. Sheridan getting whipped &c." Haven, who survived another sixty years, may have lost the diary in the confusion of preparing to pursue Lee's fleeing army on April 2, 1865.
The diary was evidently picked up by Private John Brisk Rush, and subsequently used to record a detailed, 25-page account of his military career, from his inception into Federal service in August 1862 through the end of the war. Unlike Haven's day-by-day entries, Rush's chronicle takes a narrative form, likely written after the war, and focuses on the battles in which he participated—among them Salem's Church, Gettysburg, the Wilderness, Spotsylvania, Fisher's Hill, Hatcher's Run, and the final pursuit of General Robert E. Lee. A highlight of the account is a description of the defeat of Jubal A. Early at the Battle of Cedar Creek, famed for Philip Sheridan's heroic rallying ride: "The rebels surprised the 9 Corps camp. They became panic stricken & left every thing. The panic extended to the 19 Corps & by the time the 6 Corps could form the rebels was on all sides‰Û_we was forced back 2 miles. Here the men rallied‰Û_& the rebels checked, At this point Gen. Sheridan made his appearance & a shout arose from the men as he passed along the line. An advance was ordered & in less than an hour the rebels was in full retreat hurried by our cavalry. The battle resulted in the recapture of all we had previously lost besides 4000 prisoners—nearly all their artillery-wagons, ambulances & small arms."
Other excerpts from Rush's narrative: "At Fredericksburg fought the rebels but had to recross the River‰Û_started on Burnside's famous Mud March‰Û_got stuck in the mud & returned to camp‰Û_left camp & crossed over to Fredericksburg a second time—drove the rebels from the town & the heights—fought them at Salem Church‰Û_marched to Gettysburg—the battle was fought on the 2nd & 3rd‰Û_moved to Spotsylvania, formed a line‰Û_hard fighting‰Û_Gen. Sedgwick killed while superintending the erection of a battery." He also mentions the capture of rebel prisoners of war, burying the dead, pursuing Lee, and, finally, returning home on June 2, 1865.
The leatherbound diary measures 3.5 x 6 closed, and is in good to very good condition with a split and broken spine, most pages unbound and separated, and general wear and soiling throughout. A fascinating, dual first-person account of varied events during the Civil War. Accompanied by a mounted albumen photo of Philip Sheridan in uniform. - Shipping Info
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