This lot is closed for bidding. Bidding ended on 1/30/2026
Civil War diary from 1864-1865 by James Stanley, a soldier in the 6th Wisconsin Infantry, Co. E. Stanley's regiment fought hard in the waning days of the Civil War, losing over 150 in killed and wounded from February-April during the Appomattox Campaign, with many of those battles covered here in his diary, such as the Battles of White Oak Road and Five Forks.
Battle content is foreshadowed a few days before it commenced with these ominous entries from 21-22 March 1865: ''21st - a man died in the evening a few minutes after the chaplain had prayed...22nd - Later buried a man that died the last night. Four men brought in all mangled with a tree falling on them...'' Appomattox Campaign battle content then begins on 25 March when Stanley writes, ''The great Army of the Potomac moving the rebs on our lines and drove our men then drove them back with heavy loss. Skirmish along the line till 4 o'clock when a general engagement come on with musket and artillery. Darkness crossed the seen [scene].'' On the 29th he writes, ''Started on the march at 4:00. March till 3:00 in the p.m. halted about 1 hour when the orders came for the doctors to hurry to dress the wounded. Went on 1 1/2 and came to the place where the hospittle was to be established in less than 3 hours. There was 200 wounded men brought in...''
He continues over the next several days from 30 March - 1 April: ''Commenced raining at 1 o'clock. We was laying in the open field so we routed up and I went and see the doctors cut off one man's arm and cut out a ball that lay on the breast near the heart. I spent the day in helping to put up the hospittles...31st - Got up early and commenced putting up Hospittlel tents and getting Cedar bows for the wounded men to lay on at 10 oclock the wounded began to come. Worked till 12 noon on dressing wounds and tending to them...1st - wounded came in busy all the forenoon tending the wounded men...Sheridan fighting on the south side RR captured...2nd - Firing opened last night on Petersburg kept up all day along the line. Petersburg captured pack up the hospittle and marched out 8 Miles where the battle was fought on the White Oak...''
In the last two weeks of April, Stanley witnesses the last throes of the Confederacy: ''April 4th - Richmond taken...I never new what it was to travel hungry before...5th - traveled all night. So many houses on fier and thousands of pannels of fence on fire...6th - stop to feed at noon where there was 2500 prisoners and 100 meals and 13 pieces of artillery at about 10 OC to Cannon began to thunder again...7th - we met 8000 prisoners and 10 pieces of artillery. I confiscated a hen and cooked it for supper...8th - meet about 600 prisoners. I heard heavy cannonating in the afternoon when we stopped at night we was about 15 miles from the Corpse. The sign of battle was visable all the way...10th - Heard that old Lee had surrendered to Grant at 1/2 past 3 oclock this morning. All hearts seem to be fired with the thoughts of home...11th - Happy day. The report confirmed of Lee with 27000 men...about every 1/2 mile there would be a horse or a mule give out and had to be left stuck in the mud to die...''
Red leatherette diary measures 5'' x 3.25'' with three days per page, with nearly every day filled out during the war. Entries for 1864 are filled in the back of the diary, beginning with 21 October when Stanley was drafted. Lot also includes Stanley's discharge paperwork. Very good condition.