This Mass Soldier Kept His Diary Until He Was Killed In Action

This lot is closed for bidding. Bidding ended on 3/31/2009

A great leather bound Union diary kept by Pvt. James L. Foster, who was killed in the assault on Port Hudson, Louisiana on June 16, 1863. Foster enlisted 9/11/1862 into Company F, 52nd Massachusetts. The pocket diary is approximately 90 pp., pencil, entries for nearly every day, covering period of September 6, 1862 - June 14, 1863 (two days before he was killed). Excerpts include, in small part: "…[9/30/62]…I was examined and excepted as a Soldier…[10/13/62]…rec'd a bounty of one hundred dollars…[12/14/62]…we are ordered to sail for N. Orleans…[12/16/1862]…they gave us 40 rounds as we are now in rebel country…[12/17/1862]…we came up to Baton Rouge...signs of rebels about the city...the gun boat fired some shells in to the city…[12/22/1862]…the state house caught fire and burnt about 1-1/2 hrs. Then again in the morning it caught again and burnt the rest of it…[1/2/1863]…heavy fighting was heard down the river...some guerillas attacked a boat with some rebel prisoners onboard…[12/19/1863]…feeling miserable & went to see Dr. he said I had measles…[3/13/1863]…the cavalry had a skirmish with the rebel cavalry some of our men lost their horses, one was wounded…[3/15/1862]…preparations were made this morning for a retreat. Accordingly about 11 o'clock we started burning the bridges…[3/27/1863]…we went down the river about 50 miles to Donalsonville. Here we landed…the city has been burned. It is Graves Division that has come down here…[4/7/1863]...started for Brashear City ... the rebels having retreated…[battle of Irish Bend, 4/14/1863]... in plain sight of the whole fight...there has been some large explosion in the direction of the rebels...the name of the place was Irish Bends…[4/24/1863]…30 of our men were sent up the St. Martinsville. It was reported that some neggars had risen and were thieving round and were threatening to burn the place…[5/16/1863]…General Weitzel had his fight to the sugar mill and nigger huts were thorough riddled by shot and shell…[siege and first assault on Port Hudson, 5/27/1863]…they have been firing on the fleet...Port Hudson is completely surrounded. The enemy's big guns are all silenced except 1 or 2. We are on the edge of the woods about 150 yards from the first battery…[6/1/1863]…the rebs have 1 gun that they shelled us a little…[6/3/1863]…we moved our position again but every night we get a few shells…[6/11/1863]…some time in the night the rebs came out and fired at some of the men that were clearing around. But they did not fire long before the artillery opened on them and they had to leave…[assault on Port Hudson, 6/14/1863]…the battle commenced at daylight. We were sent out on the right…". Much more interesting content while the sad fact remains that Pvt. Foster died in an attack just two days after penciling his last entry in this diary. Usual wear, else very good.

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