Description

Incredible Iron Brigade Diary & Album Collection of William Royal Ray,

William Royal Ray, Co. F., 7th Wisconsin "Iron Brigade." 15 war date diaries 1861-1865, photograph albums, post-war diaries and miscellany.

William R. Ray answered Lincoln's call to arms after the Federal's disastrous defeat at Bull Bun. Along with other starry-eyed Badgers, Ray, a 23 yr old blacksmith from Cassville, entered the service for a three-year hitch in September 1861, with the promise of "seeing the elephant." The 7th marched off without the sobriquet that was to be associated with their regiment: "The Iron Brigade of the West."

Just before leaving Camp Randall in Wisconsin, Ray vowed to keep a diary of the events of his tenure in the military. Over the next four years, he faithfully filled 14 ½ pocket diaries, plus sheets of paper, and an additional diary that was lost and never reappeared (In spite of Ray offering a reward for it's recovery).

Arriving in Washington, the 7th became known as the "Black Hats" because of their Government issue M1858 headgear. Joining them were boys from the 2nd, and 6th Wisconsin, and the 19th Indiana. Later, they would be joined by the 24th Michigan. Lincoln, concerned with vesting too much power in the hands of an individual state had deemed it ill-advised to form an all Badger unit.

Their stay in Washington was brief. The 7th Wisconsin was engaged in virtually all of the major battles in the Eastern Theater. After the fighting at Gainesville/Brawner's Farm (part of the 2nd Manassas action), South Mountain and Antietam, they were "promoted" to the first Division, first Corps in the Army of the Potomac - a point of pride with these western boys. They fought at Gettysburg, The Wilderness, Spotsylvania, Petersburg and Five Forks, and saw action in intense, but "minor" engagements (many critical to the victory, but ignored by history only because tens of thousands did not die in the action), especially around Petersburg and the route to Richmond, where they disabled the Weldon railroad, needed by Lee to supply the Army of Northern Virginia.

Throughout his service Ray was in the thick of things. He was wounded three times, first at Brawner's Farm, then Gettysburg, and finally, the Wilderness. Ironically, on each occasion, his wounds were suffered in the early stages of all three of these major encounters. As a consequence his comments about these engagements are second-hand -- either gleaned from others at the hospitals where he was billeted, or from unit members when he returned to the front. His recording of other events or engagements, however -- such as the Petersburg mine explosion (he was in a rifle pit on the front line when the earth moved under him) are quite graphic. He devotes the better part of one journal to activity around Petersburg, in the final attempt to take Richmond and cut off Lee's army to force a surrender.

Several themes run through Ray's journals: food, the immoral behavior of the soldiers, and the ineptitude of the commanders, including days and weeks of "hurry up and wait." If one does not believe the old adage of armies marching on their stomachs, one only has to read Ray's first entries after arrival in Washington: We have had only about half enough to eat yet but I don't know who is to blame. (28 Sept 1861) Or: October and I am well but awful hungry. We have the poorest to eat of any and the poorest management...Evry company has got their Breakfast but ours. (2 Oct. 1861)

The first months of guard duty in the capital was spent drilling, a routine that nearly every soldier in every unit griped about. Later, Ray grudgingly admitted that the incessant marching and "soldiering" served them well. Under fire, his colleagues were well-conditioned and their training kicked in. Well it is afternoon and we had a hard drill of it this forenoon.... Our old colonel [Joseph Vandor] has no patience but he is a good military man but he cant do anything with us volunteers. He is a German [actually Hungarian, but close]. He cant talk right good English and that trubled some and he had been used to regulars in the old country....I like him verry well myself for I think he is in the right of some things concerning the Co officers. That is if they would study their books more and not run to the city so much and eat so many Oyster dinners,...they could command their companys better. For volunteers has to be coaxed and not drove as the regulars are for that will not do... In late May 1862, the unit marched throughout the countryside around the Fredericksburg area, ending up where they started. Marched to where we camped on the 30 of last month....Had a string of orders a yard long read to us.

Ray didn't care much for the rainy season around Washington, but he cared even less for the summer heat. The heat of the region plagued this Badger each year, although he spent the worst of 2 summers in a hospital (after Brawner's Farm and Gettysburg). He attributed his later intolerance of the heat to the head wounds that he suffered on these two occasions.

Soldiers throughout history have complained of a perceived ineptitude of their commanding officers, and Ray was no exception. He was particularly convinced that his CO spent an inordinate amount of time dreaming up things the troops had to buy. I have had to go to the trouble of getting a button brush which cost 30 cents and a box of Tripoli to rub the buttons & brasses with and now Co B is varnishing their guns at their own expense and it makes them look so much better that the whole Regt will have to do it so I understand....It's a dime for this and a quarter for that and so it goes. And whatever the General says we must have, we must take it or be arrested....I don't blame any of them for reminding us of keeping clean but I hate this putting on so much style. The boys call it putting on French airs. Two days later found Ray having his gun varnished.

Throughout his diaries Ray preaches about the drinking and card playing of the men. Even at the hospital, he saw many who were able snuck out to imbibe. My God, when will sin cease. As long as our army is so wicked, we will never whip the rebs….Me thinks sometimes that this war may last 10 years. (12 July 1863) He then likens the situation to the fall of Rome. Returning to his unit two months later, he thinks things are turning around: There is one thing I am pleased to see. There is not so much wickedness in the Army as there used to be. There is not half the swearing and the tracts and Religious Papers is read a great deal. (29 Sept.)

On August 7, 1862 the regiment departed for Manassas, and on the 28th We go in line of battle in the edge of the woods, marched up to the top of the hill, little confused....Well just as I had faced about, there was a ball struck me in back of head & as it appeared to me, I spun around on my heels like a boys top and fell with my heels in the air and spun around again for a few seconds. He was able to crawl off the battlefield to a field hospital, but with so many more seriously wounded, he was not treated immediately. For the next several days, he and the other "walking wounded" retreated, as the hospital was moved to the rear. Conditions in the hospital were abysmal. Ray and the other wounded had no food for 3 days, and his wound was not treated until 4 Sept. when they finally reached Baltimore. Conditions were better, even "soft" at the hospital in Baltimore, but they hear about conditions at Fairfax Seminary, where he originally went after being wounded. Reports were that they had no food, no wood for heat, few blankets, and by Dec. 8, he reports that it is 20 degrees below zero (he means freezing, certainly), and he worries about the wounded there with no heat.

Ray did not rejoin his company until mid-January. During his absence the unit had changed considerably, having gone through the second Manassas campaign, Antietam, and Fredericksburg. They were now known as the "Iron Brigade," supposedly from McClellan's comments on the unit at South Mountain (14 Sept. 1862).

Somewhat surprisingly, since the unit spent most of its time in Virginia, Ray does not make many comments about slaves or free blacks. Early he mentions "contraband" (black servants looking for work) coming into camp, and after the Petersburg snafu, he commented on the bravery of colored troops, who continued to fight, even without their officers, unlike the conduct of many white troops. Clearly, he encountered many, as another comment indicates: There is many negros in Maryland but they are well clad & at work their masters appearantly well satisfied with the Position. They don't come clambering over fences & following us as in many cases in Virginia. (26 June 1863) He does make an interesting observation on "po' whites" in the area, something not often mentioned in soldiers' letters and journals. A new picket line had been set up about 3 miles from camp, and a family living near the line was feeding the men on picket duty. ...[T]hey all were so ignorant that one person raised in the North would know more than them all. Oh but they were worse than any Negro that had been in the North 6 months. I never had an Idea before how ignorant a person could be. But I see where the Blight of Slavery has been. There is Ignorance to the worst degree. The poor white is Below the Negro if anything....I thought I had seen the Vales of Poverty in my time but I never see such a one as that. (1 Feb. 1863)

Within six months of his return, Ray was wounded again on the first day of Gettysburg. On July 4 he found himself among the "walking wounded," several miles to the rear of the lines When he finally encountered his Regiment, only 19 were left. Since the battle was over, he and the captain walked to the right wing of the battlefield and had a look around. He notes that all the wounded had been moved, but not all the dead buried yet. They killed very few of our men for they didn't fire much. But charged up the hill to try to break our lines. That why I suppose they are short of ammunition for there were verry few Ball in the lower side of the trees. But quite different on the upper side for there they were literally skinned and the more smaller ones just cut off with the Balls. Some trees 3 inches diameter had so many musket balls in them that they fell to the ground all a mass of splinters.

By the fall of 1863 Ray was an old hand, and his diary for this period covers the debate about the veteran issue. The Federal government had offered a bounty of just over $400 and promised to keep a unit together if 75% would re-enlist. Ray decided to "veteranize" for patriotic reasons: Just think the old troops going in again after having such hard times, it shows our hearts are in the work. The thought will make the Rebels tremble. (6 Oct. 1863) The unit returned home for a 30-day furlough in Feb. During the winter, eastern units were added, changing the character of the brigade. The reinforcements were needed, however, since only 700 of the original 5000 remained. He describes some of the more usual themes for Army privates, such as the dedication of the cemetery at Gettysburg, the execution of a deserter, the sporadic skirmishing.

As the unit left their winter quarters, the Battle of the Wilderness began. Again, Ray was shot the first day of fighting, 5 May, this time in the calf. On May 11 he noted that he had still not been treated because there was always someone coming in to the hospital in worse condition. By now he knew what to expect of the hospital and describes some of the wounded a bit more graphically, such as the gentleman brought in with maggots in his wounds.

By the time he returned to front, "the boys" were thoroughly "veteranized," not just on paper. Nothing bothers them anymore. They walk down the street at night with bullets flying overhead and don't give it much thought. A ball whizzing past never stops anything unless it hits the man. Never stops conversation at all. I was amazed to see how indifferent the Boys are to things passing. (1 July 1864) His comrades spent most of the month in rifle pits and trenches around Petersburg. In his usual monotone and understatement he simply noted There is verry little firing. Today none in our front. But there is a Reb Sharpshooter away to the right that is verry annoying. (6 July) The next week, there was some reciprocal lobbing of mortars, although no one was hurt. But we had the last shot & we rather beat them for we blew up their magazine. (15 July) Things were so boring, the troops took to taunting each other over their breastworks. In earlier encounters, the combatants had exchanged newspapers, but the officers did not allow it this time (possibly because they knew the danger of the tunnel/mine being dug just below where the troops would run across the field to exchange papers). On 30 July, the explosives in the Petersburg Mine were detonated, and Ray devotes quite a bit to this event.

The remainder of the summer and most of the fall, the Brigade -- now assigned to the 3rd Division -- spent most of its time engaging in small skirmishes. Ray mentions the upcoming Presidential election. He is not impressed with the McClellan/Pendleton ticket, but says he won't vote for Lincoln unless the draft is enacted as a show of support for the soldiers. A modified draft is in place by the election, but Ray does not mention any more about it - for whom he votes, his reaction to Lincoln's re-election.

Another phenomenon catches Ray's attention by late summer and fall - the surrender, daily, of small groups of Confederate soldiers. They are so hungry, they gobble up hardtack as if it were a gourmet meal. The two sides start capturing each other's pickets. During a number of engagements, the Seventh finds itself lost in the woods, along with many others. They collect stragglers from both sides as they try to find their way. On one occasion, they encounter a larger group that runs away. As the group flees, someone notes that their jackets appear blue, so it must have been another lost Union group. What was noteworthy to Ray was the assumption that it must be a Union force, because for some time, no rebel troops that they encountered had fled. They would sit quietly and surrender at the approach of Federal troops (thus becoming captured instead of deserters).

The 7th was joined by new recruits in November, mostly foreigners with poor English skills. Many officers were also mustering out, with most promotions coming from within the ranks. We have almost a new sett of such officers & this pleases me & most all of us. I like to see men that have carried the knappsack so long have a chance to make something now. (3 Dec. 1864) This was, of course, the beginning of the end. The Seventh and their fellow boys in blue were engaged in the final push to fragment Lee's Army of Northern Virginia. They fought at Five Forks and pursued Lee to Appomattox Court House and were there at the surrender. Ray seems somewhat "torn" at the end. He definitely had been fighting homesickness, but he also notes that he will miss the comradery of sitting around the fires with "the boys."

The remainder of the war-time diary describes the frustration of the mustering out process, his visit to the Capital and other landmarks in Washington, as well as his journey home. The second half of the journal involves coming to grips with civilian life. Ray spends weeks making repairs to his house, working part-time as a blacksmith, and getting clothing he needs. He continued to keep journals for a while after his return. Working for a blacksmith named Deckey until he decides what to do, he describes the shop, clients, tasks at hand. Drinking still bothers him, although he is a bit less judgmental than during his time in service. The Poor Man's friend in this vicinity is dead. That is (Smith) usually called Captain Smith. he is an old Resident. & has always since here been ingaged in buying Lead ore from the miners & smelting it. he having a furnace here in this place, many a poor Miner he has helped when in need & in fact he had no enemies. he was a wealthy man but not proud. & always ready to help the needy. But a man that drank a great deal of Beer, But never got intoxicated tis said he has drank 20 glasses of Beer without scarcely stopping. how true it is I cant say But I know he was a great Drinker & tis said that is what has killed him & no Doubt of it. He even eventually learned a few card games, but always played in a "social" context - no gambling for this young man.

Ray decided to homestead in Iowa after a few months. A separate diary covers his trip to Ft. Dodge, Iowa and setting up a homestead and procuring another tract nearby for his brother, John. Another of his preoccupations was finding a spouse. In late 1865, he mentions a letter that he received from Miss W, a young lady he had discussed everal times in his early months at home. In the letter, she apparently rejected his advances, what he refers to as "addresses," but he is not too concerned. ...[I]t made me feel a little sad But there is as good fish in the sea as ever was caught....

The 17th diary covers the next 2 years, March 1866 to March 1868 and includes Ray's homestead paper dated 18 Aug. 1871 for 160 acres in the inner pocket. As he was making final preparations to move to his homestead land, his mother became ill and died 5 May 1866. Reaching his new homestead in Iowa, Ray noted the isolation of the region. ...[W]ith the exception of this one house there is no others for three miles either East or South & none for 50 miles out west. I am the first pioneer on the west side of the river in Dickenson Co. (19 July 1867) There is a six-month break in his writing from 6 August 1867 to 4 Feb. 1868, after which he uses several pages catching up on events. Some is amusing. He occasionally shows a more "colorful" side, such as his opinion of one young lady visiting town who seems to have had something of an attitude: Miss [B] stooped so low as to say a few words pleasantly while Martin was here. But all the week she has been like a huge pickle frooze into a North pole Iceberge. that you know is something very sour and cold. (9 Feb. 1868) He opened his own blacksmith business in the winter after relocating, and by summer was so busy he began debating whether to give up farming entirely since he could not get out to the land, and the area saw a grasshopper invasion.

The final journal begins with his preparation for marriage to Emma Charlott Fenton 7 September 1868. Some of the last journal is unreadable, being written in pencil and smeared badly. I am to be married next week to Miss Emma C. Fenton. I am tired of a single life & as long as I live single I must be bothered with courting & that I am tired of. So I must do the other thing & unless she plays off on me I will do it too. (2 Sept. 1868) He goes on to describe what it takes to get a marriage license, although some of this is difficult to decipher. Rather at odds with his strong religious views, they arrange for a justice of the peace to marry them. There is so much Red tape work to go through with in this state. had I known it I should have gone into Minnesota & got married & there it requires no licence & all is done in an off-hand way, some as it used to be in Wisconsin. The JP's handwritten license is in the back of this journal.

The journal mysteriously stops 11 Oct., then there are a few entries from Nov. 1871, but not much else. Years later the family settled in Horseshoe Bend, Idaho. Ray was admitted to the Soldier's Home in Boise in 1899, where he lived until his death in 1909. Generally, the Western units were not as active in GAR activities as their Eastern counterparts, although there is photograph taken later in life in his uniform, possibly celebrating an anniversary or reunion, but the circumstances of the image are unknown.

The archive includes two letters written to William's brother, Henry, 15 Aug. and 5 & 7 Nov., 1864, the contents of which were repeated in his journal for the most part.

The collection of photograph albums and loose images includes an anonymous albumen cdv of William R. Ray with period pencil inscription on rear Taken in 1863, half length uniformed portrait with 9 button shell jacket, with unidentified shield shaped badge on breast and wearing broad brimmed hat with more unidentified hat pins; PLUS a cdv sized silver print, being a copy photo of Wm Ray, full length in uniform; PLUS a 4.75" x 7.8" early silver print of Wm. R. Ray standing at attention in civilian jacket and pants, but with Civil War broad-brimmed hat with hat pin of bugle with No. 7 holding a Civil War rifle with bayonet and wearing his belt with oval U.S. belt plate, cap box and bayonet sheath, cartridge box with shoulder strap and circular eagle belt plate, nice GAR vintage photograph; PLUS a Civil War period cdv album from which the cdv of Wm. R. Ray was removed with 27 images, most post-war, others of civilian relatives; PLUS 10 anonymous larger format early silver prints from Delamar & Silver Creek, Nevada, showing hydraulic mining mountain landscapes, Ray family homestead and town of Delamar, most associated with Ray's daughter, Emma Charlott Ray Ellis and her husband, many on original card stock from 4.5" x 7" to 8" x 10"; PLUS a 6.5" x 8.5" silver print of traveling carousel under tent in operation inscribed on reverse Silver City 1898 Revival on original card stock; PLUS 16 unidentified images from late 19th through early 20th century, various sizes and formats, the two with the Blackfoot, ID photographer's mark are probably William and Emma Ray in their later years; PLUS two images of an infant (Theodor Ray Ellis) with antique feeding device; PLUS photograph of William's brother, Henry and one of "Miss Lissy Mann & Emma Ray;" PLUS a large family photo mounted on card, 6.5 x 8.5"; PLUS paperweights or bookends with images etched in metal, unidentified; PLUS an envelope with 4 tintypes, 3 cdv-sized, one smaller, and 2 cdvs of family members(?); PLUS a few other loose photographs from Nevada; PLUS 2 late 19th century cabinet card albums from the family, one with 2 Civil War cdvs of Ray's wife, Emma Fenton Ray and 83 other photographs, mostly cabinet cards, including a wonderful full-length portrait of a bearded western dude with broad brimmed hat, holstered gun belt with a later model Hokins & Allen Army Model revolver AND several books, including a Ray family Bible with loose pages of typewritten genealogy, another 24mo Bible with "Presented by your Father & Mother / Lane, Kansas/ Sept. 8, '88" on ffep, a 24mo New Testament, a 2 x 3.5" (Catholic) prayer book, 24mo The Following of Christ and "Memoir of Mr. W. Bramwell," religious in nature, poor condition.

Ray's journals are one of the few primary sources of information about the 7th Wisconsin, one of the units making up the famed Iron Brigade. These diaries have been transcribed by Sherry Murphy and annotated by Lance Herdegen, and recently published as Four Years with the Iron Brigade: The Civil War Journal of William Ray, Company F, Seventh Wisconsin Volunteers. 2002. Cambridge: De Capo Press. Ray's journals are exceptionally important, for they cover nearly the entire period of the war. Of the original units comprising the Iron Brigade, the 6th and 7th were the only ones to veteranize, and thus were present at Appomattox Court House and participated in the Grand Review in Washington.

Condition

Most photographs are VG, some of the Nevada mining images are light, many have light soil, most images in cdv album has slight damp stains. Transcriptions of most of the unpublished diaries are available to buyer.