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Pennsylvania Reserve Corps 1861 & 1862 Diary

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A nice war-date Union soldier's diary, approximately 100pp., 12 mo. hardbound, May 27, 1861 through Dec. 31, 1862 with scattered entries for 1864 for Musician Rufus S. Read, Co. K, 31st Penn. Vols. (2nd Reserve Infantry) concerning the role his regiment played during the Seven Days campaign and at the battles of 2nd Bull Run and Antietam, reading, in very small part: "...[5/27/61]…Mustered in to service with the consolidation guards...[7/5]…we was put in Col. Wm. B. Harris regiment. Our regt was then the 2nd Penn. Reserves the other two regt's was the third & fourth...[7/31]…We was all drawn up in line to be sworn in to the United States service, owing to some dissatisfaction among the men there was a great many who would not take the oath...[8/1]…Gen. Porter came here again but there was still some who would not take the oath so they were stripped of all their clothing by Col. Biddle and sent to Philadelphia. In consequence of this four captains & eight lieutenants lost their commissions...[10/19]…our whole division under Gen. McCall made a reconnaissance out the Leesburg pike. Our brigade started at 5 oclock on the lead...[12/20]…Our regiment went this morning with the brigade, to support the third Brigade on a forage expedition they being about six miles ahead on the pike & we was on a road to the left. The Third Brigade was attacked by the enemy at Drainsville but was driven back by our batteries and the Bucktails. The 9, 12 & 6th was all engaged in the fight. The enemy had 130 men killed & wounded & on our side there was about 8 or 10 killed & wounded...[1/1/62]…This evening our band and glee club from our company serenaded the officers at headquarters to which we were responded to in a very able speech by our Major Wm. McCandlass...[2/12]…Tonight we had great rejoicing on account of our victory at Roanoke Island the bands were out playing and cheer after cheer went up for the Union...[4/14]…I voluntarily took a musket today & went in to the ranks of our co....[5/23]…Grand review of our Corps. President Lincoln, Sect. Stanton & staff...[6/13]…started off on a march again...in search of a band of rebels, 5000 strong, our whole brigade along they fired into a train of cars & killed six or seven of our sick soldiers...[6/26]…Our regiment alone went out as far as old Church on the road to Hanover Court House, we met the enemies pickets & was forced to come back double quick and after a great many movements we were formed in line behind a wood & to the right of our battery. Soon our battery opened on them, our company & co. H was then detailed to advance into the woods and guard a ford. We had no sooner go there than the balls whizzed around our heads very thick. We took some prisoners & I took one back to the rear under guard. We had altogether 1 Lieutenant, 1 Sergeant, 1 Corporal & 4 privates...[6/27]…This morning we took our prisoners in search of Gen. Porters Headquarters & after dragging the men around for a long time we met him on the road & he sent us to the Provost Guard...we were ordered out in line of battle & marched into the fight on double quick where we opened fire on the enemy, but they fired on us too and outflanked us so that we had to get out of the woods faster than we went in the woods. Thomas Shaw was wounded in the foot & Tho. Edmonson killed, myself & three others carried out a man belonging to Co. E & afterwards I helped to carry Shaw four miles across to the Chickahominy Bridge to a hospital...Gen. Reynolds is a prisoner...[8/1]…quite a disturbance was created last night in our camp, by the enemy throwing shell into us from the other side of the James River, two regts. belonging to our corps crossed over this afternoon and set fire to the house and then came back...[8/4]…I saw one hundred & fifty negroes to work on a fort...[8/13]…Our Generals McCall & Reynolds came back from Richmond this afternoon, they made a short address to our brigade who turned out to receive them...[9/1]…I heard the sad news that my friend Wilberforce Paulson was killed in the fight on Saturday...[9/14]…The Bucktails went out skirmishing and our regt. was ordered to support them and we soon came encountered them and after very hard fighting we drove them from off the mountain just as dark come upon us...[9/16]…about 4 oclock we marched to the front & soon come up to the enemies skirmishers, our regt was ordered to support Coopers battery, and the rest of the Division was fighting...A[djt.] Cross our brave adjutant was killed. [9/17]…before daylight firing commenced, w was ordered to the front to relieve the Bucktails who were skirmishing. Wm. Manning was wounded in the arm. H. Chew was wounded in the knee & Gougler in the elbow...very hard fighting all day...[11/6]…after marching all day on fields & on byroads we fetched up, after throwing out skirmishers at Warrenton our brigade first troops in the place besides the cavalry...[12/13]…I went out and saw the battle before Fredericksburg. Very hard fighting...". The diary then picks up on Jan. 1, 1864 and ends on Feb. 13, 1864 while there is a great drawing of his winter quarters at Brandy Station and a list of the regiment's casualties with their wounds for 1862 including Glendale, 2nd Bull Run, Antietam and Fredericksburg. Usual wear. VG.

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