2023-03 HCA Auctions
This lot is closed for bidding. Bidding ended on 4/7/2023
The red leather fold-over cover diary, 4" x 6-1/2" was written and kept by Alexander H. Mulligan, 127th NY, who enlisted as a private and was promoted to Sergt. in early 1863 (est.). Front 14 pages have list of company D members, with himself listed as one of 5 Sergts. The daily entries cover 74 pages, from September 10, 1862 through January 25, 1865. Most entries are short and some days are skipped entirely, especially the early dates. It seems very clean compared to many Civil War diaries that have passed through our hands. It becomes more consistent in late April-early May of 1863, maybe he took his diary more seriously along with his new responsibilities. Although most entries are short, a few run considerably longer. Here are several excerpts; (7/30/63), reported to Riker's Island. During mid-August through mid-September, Mulligan sees a number of plays with his wife, visits friends in NYC and Staten Island (9/27/63) "..went to the Olympic seen John Wood" (11/3/63) "Voted the Union Ticket. Worked hard all day at the 17th ward. (11/9/63) Went to Wallachs Theater". (11/13/63) "Went to Barnum's Museum". (11/14/63) ""..went to the Olympic Theater". (12/22/63) "went to the Park Theater, seen Sleeping Beauty". (12/27/63) "Gen. Corcoran buried today. A large funeral (1/7/64) "Went to the Park Theater , seen Bohemian Girl". (1/8/64) "went to the Academy seen Booth as Othello (1/12/64) "..seen Booth as Romeo at the Academy of Music." (1/15/64) "Seen Booth as Macbeth at the Academy of Music." (1/18/64) "Reported at Head Quarters". (1/23/64) "I received a commission today as 2nd Lieut. ... went to the Olympic .." (2/8/64) "I had a sword, sash, and belt presented to me by the Unionists of 17th Ward"." (2/16/64) "Left New York on board the Steamer Fulton for Hilton Head." (3/3/64) "Went on picket duty. I had command of the extreme right Bridge. The Rebels were on one side and us on the other. (3/5/64) " I am now in our Lookout. From here I can see Charleston and Fort Sumter.. The Rebels are now relieving their Posts." (4/5/64) "The Gunboats went up the Stono River and shelled the Rebs from their picket line." (4/15/64). "About 100 men went over to Battery Island. A torpedo exploded and wounded 4 men .." (4/29/64) "Went on picket. Fort Gregg was shelling Fort Sumter all night. There was about 20 shells struck it. There was 3 shells thrown into Charleston and set fire to some houses ..." (5/1/64) "went to Fort Wagner seen the Rebels. I got a piece of Bomb Proof.." (%/4/64) "Fort Johnson, Simkins, Moultrie and Bull of the Woods opened on Fort Greg ... The Johnnies fired about 40 shells at us ... We hit Fort Sumter about 20 times .." (5/12/64) "60 men went on a scout to capture a Picket at the block house on James Island (5/13/64) The expedition returned ... proving successful but failed to capture the Johnnies ... 2 monitors opened fire on Fort Sumter ... hit it about 100 times. (5/18/64) Grand salute fired from the Ironsides ... in the harbor on account of the report of Gen. Grant whipping Gen. Lee in the Wilderness battle. (5/31/64) Maj. Genl Foster arrived at Morris Island. There was a salute of 13 guns in honor of his arrival. He is in command of the Dept. of the South. .." (6/7/64) A Rebel steamboat got aground in the bay between Fort Sumter and Johnson . Our forts opened on he. Knocked down her smoke stack and disabled her so they could not get her off. She lays there yet, a total wreck." (6/20/64) "Fort Gregg shot the flag off Fort Sumter today .." (6/26/64) " ... Fort Putman shot off the dirty flag from Sumter. Fort Simkins shot the halyards off the Putnam's flag. ... 2 men from the 3rd RI Artil climbed up the flag staff and righted the flag. The Rebels firing all the time. (7/3/64) MULLIGAN WRITES FOUR PAGES for the entry. "The 52 Penn Vols were ordered in advance as they were to take Fort Johnson. The 127th regt NY Vol were to follow in the rear and capture Fort Simkins. On account of the tide and delay in embarking the troops, it was 4 o'clock before we got opposite the Rebel works. The head boat was stopped by the sentinel on the fort who fired his gun at the advancing boats. ... the Long ball was beat and the alarm gun was fired. It was now daylight and Rebels seeing every boat as we were advancing towards them. They opened fire on our boats. There apeared to me to be about 20 guns firing. Grape, cannister, shrapnel, shell and all other deadly missles just as quick as they could load them. During all this firing Col. Hoyt of the 52nd and 4 of his boats landed and were taken prisoners. The order was now given to fall back by the Major of the 52nd. When they heard that every boat there got away as quick as possible. Major Little of the 127th felt very badly about the way the whole thing was conducted. He stood up in his boat and asked if there was any boat that would follow him to the shore. The boys of the 127th responded to his appeal and were in the act of rowing to the shore when the order to retreat was given by the Maj. of the 52nd Penn. Major Little cried like a child when he knew the project was a failure. There wer but 3 men of the 127th wounded ... Col Hoyt and 6 officers, 132 men were taken prisoners ..." (7/4/64) " .... Genl. Schemmelfing commenced operations in front of Seccessionville, capturing over 100 prisoners and 4 field pieces. ..." (7/7/64) "Fort Putnam, Wagner and Catfield opened on Fort Sumter and have knocked quite a hole in it..." (8/2/64) " ... 3 boats manned with good crews, rowed around Fort Sumter. They were the first boats that have went around the fort since Major Anderson evacuated. ... 2 Union officer prisoners made their escape from Charleston after 125 months imprisonment. ..." (8/3/64) "A flag of truce boat came down from Charleston with our officers on board. They anchored out in the harbor opposite Fort wagner. Just at 10 o'clock our boat went up the bay with the Rebel officers on board. They are exchanging General for Genera, Col. for Col. ..." (8/9/64) Fort Putnam, Wagner and one Monitor sunk a blockade runner opposite Fort Catfield. She was a steamer of about 800 tons. ..." (8/10/64) "The Bull of the Woods opened on the Swamp Angel today. Putnam and Wagner soon made her stop firing by making it too hot for her. " (8/16/64) "... Moutrie & Bee kept up fire all night. Our forts returning shot for shot. I went up to a camp, returned by way of Picket boats. Just as I landed at Putnam a morter shell came over from Moultrie and bursted about 25 feet above my head. ..." (4/28/64) "We explode a a torpedo near Fort Sumter which caused a great scare amongst the Rebels. The torpedo contained 4,200 pounds of powder." (9/7/64) " 2 colored men came into our lines. They brought a boat with them. they came 10 miles up Cooper River. 600 Rebel prisoners, officers were put under fire of the Rebel guns in a large pen near Fort Wagner." (9/22/64) "The 600 Rebel prisoners were taken from their pen at fort Wagner and marched down to the dock where they were put aboard of two sloops that layed in the stream." (9/27/64) " ... I had a painful duty to perform as Srgt of the guards that was to rivet a ball & chain to the leg of a prisoner., Smith Robbins Co E, 127th." (10/3/64) There was a flag of truce boat came down from the Rebel's. Our boat went out to meet her. They layed there 10 hours exchanging boxes for the prisoners. There was 3 officers exchanged. (10/12/64) "I received an order from the War Department granting a Leave of Absence for 30 Days. I left Morris Island for Hilton Head at 7 o'clock ... left Hilton Head at half past 10 o'clock for New York." (11/8/64) "Election Day. I worked hard all day for A. Lincoln and the Union ticket. .. All but 3 states voted for Abraham Lincoln receiving 213 Electoral Votes." (11/25/64) [The Confederate Army of Manhattan Burned NYC] "A most dastardly attempt was made to ruin the City. The St Nichols, Metropolitan Astor, ... Barnum Museum were the principal places that were fired. In every case there was Phosphorous found in the room where the fire ignited. It is supposed that the feigns are part of Morgan's Gang. Several have been arrested. (12/26/64) Genl Sherman gives the city of Savannah as a Christmas present to President Lincoln."
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