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Civil War 1864 diary by Private Frank Lewis of the 1st Maine Cavalry, Co. A. Diary includes extensive battle content from General Sheridan's Overland Campaign, where the 1st fought a series of decisive and bloody battles. Diary details the Battles of Wilderness, Spotsylvania Court House, Cold Harbor, Trevilian Station, White House, St. Mary's Church, Deep Bottom Run, Ream's Station and Sycamore Church. Signed diary features short but detailed pencil and ink entries for most every week of the year with the first entry date of 16 January 1864 and the last entry of 6 December 1864. In chronological order, diary reads, ''Feb 1 - A private - new recruit - shot himself accidentally through the head. He belonged to Co G...Feb 5 - we captured 6 of Mosebys men and skirmished with them all day. several days of picket duty...'' On 6 May, Lewis describes the Battle of the Wilderness: ''...There was very heavy fighting on the right today and but very little skirmishing with the cavalry on the left. Our regt relieved the 9th PA in the skirmish line at 12 oclock awful hot today we fell back at night to a church...May 7 - We lay at the Brick Church...We advanced on the enemy and had a very heavy skirmish all the afternoon we lay on the skirmish line all night. Three men wounded from our regiment. May 8 - skirmished all day with the enemy we captured two hundred and ninety of infantry...'' After the Wilderness, the 1st Cavalry was immediately involved at Spotsylvania Court House: ''May 10 - We was awaked in the morning by the rebs shelling us. We started out from Beaver Dam in the advance. We met the rebs and skirmished a while and then charged and routed them. We had three men killed. Col. Boothby and two or three wounded. May 11 - We went to the rear of the corps this morning and engaged the enemy. We skirmished awhile and was repulsed with considerable loss of men. We fell back, loss in our regt between forty and fifty...May 12 - 1 man killed 6 wounded...May 22 - we moved back today towards White House...many of our horses were played out and shot on the road...May 24 - Our division moved out in advance today toward Gen Grant. We marched about twenty miles. Very heavy cannonading today in the distance...May 28 - We advanced and engaged the enemy. The first division...was hotly engaged and drove the enemy back with heavy loss. We fell back behind the infantry in the night. May 30 - heavy fighting on the right, considerable skirmishing going on in front commenced at 2 oclock we moved to the front...had a pretty smart cavalry fight...'' The regiment was then engaged at Cold Harbor: ''June 2 - we moved out this morning towards Barnes Mile our regiment in the advance. Heavy skirmishing. Chaplin Bartlett was instantly killed by a shell. Our regt lay in the brest works all day was relived at night by infantry. We moved towards Brettons Bridge and camped there for the night...June 6 - We was awakened this morning by the rebels shelling us from a long range gun, about four miles off...'' The rest of June, Lewis writes of his regiment fighting at Trevilian Station, White House and St. Mary's Church, where it lost 13 killed, 19 wounded and 20 captured: ''June 11 - We moved out this morning the 1st Division ahead that came across the enemy a few miles out and had a severe skirmish all the forenoon. Our division had a hard fight in the afternoon we drove the rebs and captured a great many prisoners - Trevillian Station fight - we got shelled bad supporting the battery...June 21 - Skirmished all day with the enemy without much loss on either side we had seven wounded in our regt...June 23 - We left the White House today in the rear of everything and crossed the chickahominy at Jones Bridge...June 24 - Our Regt had the advance today we met the enemy and had a severe fight near Haxall Church. They flanked us good and drove us back to Charles City C House. Our Col and Maj Cilly was wounded we lost 70 men killed wounded and missing including 11 officers...'' The regiment had about a 3-week break before they were challenged again at Deep Bottom Run: ''...Aug 15 - We attacked them again this morning. Our regt laid in breastworks all day waiting for them...Aug 16 - We attacked the enemy and routed him. We drove them about three miles over infantry skirmishing continually heavy fighting on the left. We were repulsed and driven back to where we started with considerable loss. Killed and wounded in our regt: 36...Aug 18 - Our pickets were attacked last night at nine oclock we saddled up and remained saddled all night...Aug 19 - We lay in line of battle all night last night our Regt. moved out to support the pickets...We had three men killed and one wounded yesterday...'' On 25 August, Lewis writes of Ream's Station: ''...The 1st D of Cavalry was attacked on the left and we was sent out to support them. We fell back behind the infantry our whole line was attacked by the rebels. They charged our fortifications 3 times and was repulsed the last time our line broke and fell back two men killed 4 wounded in our regt...Our prisoners went out today to bury our dead at Reams Station. Sept 10 - Our folks charged the rebel lines last night captured a line of rifle pits and a good many prisoners...Sept 11 - Today is the day that the President set apart for thanksgiving...today there has been considerable skirmishing on up to the front...Sept 14 - There has been considerable artillery fighting this morning...'' On 16 September, Lewis writes of the Battle of Sycamore Church: ''...The Division went out this morning to intercept the rebel cavalry that got into our rear last night and captured 2500 head of cattle. The Division met the enemy and had a fight with them at Templeton Post office. Sept 17 - Our division came back today they had an engagement last night with the enemy. My regt. had three men wounded we captured four prisoners and sixty five contrabands...Sept 24 - There was 100 guns fired this morning at sunrise in honor of Sheridan's great victory in the Shenandoah valley...Oct 1 - The rebels attacked us very heavy this afternoon but were repulsed...'' In total, 96pp. of the diary are filled in, with most days accounted for; in the rear of the diary he signs his name twice, ''A Lewis'' and ''Lewis''. Diary measures 3.25'' x 5.5''. Black leather covers are quite worn with cracking and portions of spine missing. Pages in July have some water damage and smudging. Overall very good.
Civil War Diary From Maine 1st Cavalryman -- Extensive Battle Content on the Overland Campaign -- ''...we lost 70 men...Our prisoners went out today to bury our dead at Reams Station...''
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