FOUR CIVIL WAR DIARIES FROM A K.I.A. MEMBER OF THE 9TH PA. CAVALRY CHASING MORGAN IN KENTUCKY
Fine lot of four diaries written by Sgt. Mathew B. P. Stewart of Co. A, 9th Pennsylvania ("Lochiel") Cavalry, killed in action at Griswoldville, Ga. on Nov. 22, 1864. Each of the four diaries covers a different length of time, the first covering the time from his enlistment and oath, Sep. 11, 1861, to August, 1862 in a sometimes-disjointed manner, and from Jan. 1, 1863 to Apr. 25, 1864 in the last three. Stewart commences his writings mentioning his oath on Sep. 11, 1861 and departing Harrisburg by steamboat for Jeffersonville, In. and travel on to Kentucky. Stewart describes his various routes west, rough travel across muddy roads, etc., and camp in Louisville for training. On Sep. 30 they break camp and march towards Tennessee, with a skirmish while en route. On Oct. 1 they camp with Sheridan's 2nd Michigan where Stewart incredibly mentions a woman in the ranks of the 2nd: "...a lady that was at the fight at Shiloh, is Major in the 2nd Michigan Cavalry. She is a fine looking woman...". The two regiments skirmished the following day near Taylorsville. He continues, in small part: "...[Oct. 4, '61] the rebels...shel'd the woods & corn fields...formed a line of battle...General Davis & Gen. Terrel came upwith his division...soldiers for 2 miles round...estimated 30,000...we camped at Jackson...the Rebels took a Lt. & 11 Pvts...formed a line of battle in a corn field...Rebels had a marked battery they threw three shells at...we captured 27 wagons...[Oct. 14] we captured some 10 Rebels...[Oct. 19] saddled up as it was reported Morgan had captured several of our Regiments. We left Crab orchard...". The regiment attempted to intercept Morgan, without success, and then slowly made its way toward Richmond, Ky. under cruel conditions of extreme cold and limited forage. On Dec. 28 they reached Zollicoffer Station where a Confederate bridge guard of 20 men were captured and the bridge was burned. They attacked a second station and became heavily engaged, finally taking it as well: "...made a brilliant chareg on them capturing 62 Rebels, we burnt the bridge and run the engine over in the river...". The diary halts here until June, 1862. He continues: "...in our tents we were surprised by a band of guerillas who fired upon us...shooting one of the sentinels...he had 14 buckshot put in him...they had a company of 40 men...our pickets fired on them...they retreated as hard as they could go...Morgan fed here last evening & then went on had we followed him we might have taken him...we marched to Richmond...Morgan was still on the retreat...Morgan went to Crab Orchard...burning the bridge at that place...Morgan past through thids place burning & destroying...we marched to Crab Orchard. Morgan pickets were there...them & an advance had a fight 2 of the Rebels were wounded & some 10 taken prisoners...the Rebels had come on each side of the river and laid in ambush...Started for Lexington...Bushwhackers have had a busy day of it with us on every knob...some of the Rebel citizens stretched a telegraph wire across the street to catch us...Capt. Kyley of Co. D was captured...a skirmish broke out...we drove the enemy from their positions disabling one of their guns, killing and wounding 30 men...[Mar. 5] went on the River Pike to hold thge Rebels back...outnumbering us five to one, flanked us on both sides, took 2500 of our men prisoner which was nearly all infantry and killing 60. We killed of the Rebels 150...Col. Jordan...went with a flag of truce to bury our dead...but the Rebels wouldn't let us in...they threw thirty on a pile and covered them with dirt some of their hands were sticking out. They were robbed of their clothes...[Mar. 19, '63] drove some 40 rebels out of the Town...Phillip Etien was shot through the brain...". Following entries are filled with nearly daily accounts of skirmishes and battles, charges on the enemy, etc.including mention of the arrest of a woman for possession of Confederate mail, a charge by Rebels: "thay were all drunk...came to the pontoon & were shot down...one Maj. Gen. prisoner...", until the situation calmed about a month later. In mid-June, things heat up again as raiding and skirmishing recommence between the two foes. In part: "...two Rebel spies were hung...they were dressed in our uniform...the Rebel Col. was engaged to be married to Genl. Lee's daughter. He wrote her a letter before he was hung...some 500 Rebel prisoners was brought in...our forces moved on to Tullahoma...our advance was fired on by guerillas...[Sep. 19] cannonading commenced...kept all day with musketry...12 miles from Chattanooga, it was a very hard fight...ambulances ran all nighty hauling the dead and wounded...in the morning the fight was renewed...we retreated...enemy charged on us but were repulsed...our hospitals and wounded gfell in their hands...[Sep. 22] the Cav'y forded the Ten. River...Rebel artillery & our kept up a constant fire...we fell back near Mossy Creek, here the enemy charged on our battery & took it driving our men in dismay...we again rallied & retook the battery...the 1st Brigade of Cavalry whipped 2 Divisions of the enemy, a great many of our men were awfully mangled,some with heads off, others cut in two...the enemy built fires all along their front line to deceive us...drove them into their forst with the loss of 40 men...". We have quoted only a very small amount of the nearly continuous engagements in which Stewart was involved - the content is simply to much to convey here, and more than we have seen in any diary grouping. The final diary entry on Apr. 25, 1664 notes that Stewart has been given a furlough. Some covers are missing and bindings loose, but contents are essentially all in ink and easily legible. Interestingly, the last diary was captured by Stewart at Lebanon, Ga. as he so notes on the first page!