“REBELS EVACUATED THEIR WORKS, OUR ARMY IN PURSUIT”: RARE 1864 CIVIL WAR DIARY BY ARCHIE BAXTER OF THE 141ST NEW YORK VOLUNTEERS

(CIVIL WAR) BAXTER, Archie, 141st New York Volunteers. Civil War Diary. No place: no publisher, [1864]. 24mo (measures 2-1/2 by 4 inches), original full black morocco, portfolio closure.

Rare 1864 Civil War diary attributed to Archie Baxter of the New York 141st New York Volunteers, written in pencil in a legible hand, with written accounts of his and his unit's travels and actions, including front-line action and being wounded "charging a post" during the Battle of Resaca of the Atlanta Campaign (May 13-15, 1864) and taken to a field hospital.

The small diary has entries for three days per page. The diary begins on April 7, with many days reading simply "Bridgeport, Ala." Located on both a rail line and the Tennessee River, Bridgeport was a key strategic site during the Civil War, with the Union turning the town into a major shipyard, building gunboats and transports for the Union Army. Baxter and his unit were on the move late April through May, with notations about the towns or areas he has reached (May 4 "Left Shelmound and made Chatanooga at 8 o'clock PM").

His regiment participated in the Battle of Resaca from May 13-15, 1864, and during this time the writer saw front-line action and was wounded in battle. On May 13 he writes, "Left Mill Creek Ridge and moved on Johnson's left flank"; May 14: "Changed position from right center to extreme left"; and then on May 15: "Wounded charging a post and taken to field hospital." "The regiment was heavily engaged at the battle of Resaca, where it lost 15 killed and 77 wounded… The regiment started on the Atlanta campaign with 22 officers and 434 enlisted men. Its casualties in battle up to September 1 amounted to 210" (The Union Army: a History of Military Affairs in the Loyal States, 1861-65 (1908)).

May 24 the diarist writes "Left field Hospital at Resica [sic] Geo. stopping at Dalton overnight." On May 27, he notes, "Arrived in Nashville Tenn and admitted into Genrl. Hospital." May 28-June 6 are blank, followed by an entry on June 7, "In Genrl. hospital." He notes that he was discharged from hospital on June 8, and he saw more action soon after that. On the 13th of June he writes, "Left Cartersville for the front." June 14: "Arrived at the front." June 15: "Archibald Arbuckle killed," mentioning five fellow soldiers "wounded." June 16: "Tilman killed." June 17: "Rebels evacuated their works our army in pursuit." June 18: "In battle line in front of the enemy." After that entry, Baxter mentions owing some money, and has written a few addresses down, but there are no more entries regarding his or his unit's movements or actions.

Without 12 leaves, covering the dates January 1 through March 9; March 10-April 6 blank (as are several other leaves later in the diary). Four leaves that contained writing have been roughly removed, covering the period August 25-September 15. Marked on the inside cover "Oostanaula River" and "Chickamauga," Chickamauga possibly in another, contemporary hand. A few sums penciled on front endpapers, final leaves and rear pastedown. From the Denis E. Reen collection, with his bookmark laid in.

A few leaves in October and elsewhere loose, binding rubbed, wallet flap worn. A very good Civil War diary by a soldier who was wounded in action.