(CIVIL WAR--NEW YORK.) John W. Barrett. Observant diary of an older soldier discussing freedmen and raids behind enemy lines. [373] manuscript diary pages in a page-a-day diary, plus 20 memoranda leaves. 16mo, disbound, with detached front wrapper present; dampstaining to first few leaves, 4 leaves tipped in to describe his 1 June visit to Richmond, writing legible but sometimes small and faint for the first few weeks. Various places, January to December 1865 John W. Barrett (1823-1900?) of Fulton County, NY enlisted in the 184th New York Infantry late in the war. He spent the first three months of this diary at the Siege of Petersburg. His diary entries are substantially longer and more observant than the average. On 14 January he heard that "about 300 Johnnys are out in the country gobbling up all the darkeys and everything else. In the morning there is a raid going out. . . . I have been detailed for the raid." The next day he went out under Major Ferguson and ventured 11 miles into Rebel territory: "A woman came out on the stoop and said that she had never seen a troop of northern soldiers before. . . . A Negro went out as a guide. We brought in his family. One of the officers got off his horse and had it harnessed onto a cart and brought in a number of Negro women and children." On 24 January, "heavy firing all of last night and today in the direction of Dutch Gap. The Rebel rams endeavored to come down the river but were attacked by the land batteries. Two of the rams were sunk, the other one ran aground. A troop of cavalry came around this place to intercept the crew if they endeavored to escape from the ram." On 26 March, General Sheridan passed through his camp, and was observed to be "rather below medium height, rather fleshy. He stopped with the Col. about half an hour." On 2 April, the day of the Union breakthrough, "heavy firing all night. The horizon was constantly lit up by the constant discharge of musketry and artilery. . . . The cannonading has been so heavy as to jar the ground and windows." The next evening, "there has been three explosions, one in the direction of Petersburgh, the other two in the direction of Richmond. They were so heavy that the vibration of the earth was like an earthquake. . . . All of the afternoon there has been extensive columns of smoke rising in the direction of Richmond."
Barrett had a deep interest in the Black soldiers and locals he encountered. On 4 January, "I went into an aged Negro's house . Saw some books laying on the stand. Took one up & asked him if he could read. He stated that he could but not much. One of the books was the P.E. Prayer Book printed in the year 1717. The other was Watts' Psalms and Hymns." On 16 January, "there was a wedding in the Negro camp. The bride is a first rate good looking wench. They were married in the open field on the banks of the river. Hope their jorney through life will be a prosperous one." On 4 February, in response to a Rebel raid, "the Major in command of some 25 or 30 darkies cav. went after, they followed them 12 miles, came up with them, had a hand to hand fight with some of them, they say killed the Reb scout by striking him." On 18 March, "a Negro came in direct from Richmond. He stated that he was sold in R a few days ago for 3500 dollars in CA money, but the same night he was sold, he made his escape."
In the closing days of the war, Lee's surrender and Lincoln's assassination were of course noted with interest. While waiting for his discharge, Barrett made a visit to occupied Richmond on 1 June, described in an epic 9-page entry. On 12 June, "four or five colored regiments left for Norfolk. The 54 Mass, one of the oldest collored regs, was included in the number." Barrett mustered out on 29 June and arrived home on the 4th of July. The rest of the diary covers his quiet life in rural New York.