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William Shanks Diary - MMS 1172

William Shanks Diary - 1861

WILLIAM SHANKS
HIS BOOK OCT 10 1861
BELONGING TO 21ST REGT OHIO VOLUNTEERS
CO K
A Journal of 1861 from Sep 10th

September 1861

10	We leave for Camp Vance
18	The mustering officer comes to muster in
26	Started for Camp Denison [Dennison]. It was rugged looking place
October 1861
1	We started from Camp Dennison
3	We draw uniform
2	We arive at Tomledger [Camp Tom Letcher]
15	We start from Toml Ledger and travail twelve miles and arive at Camp Anderson at 3 pm
16	We go and see Henry Clays monument. It was the finest sight that I ever saw
17	It has rained all day and we have laid all day in our tents and wrote a letter to John Bowsprit
18	We start from Camp Anderson and travail 14 mi
19	We start in the morning and travail until 10 am when we stop and get a free dinner at Winchester and march on
20	Sunday. We march all day
21	Monday. We march through a rough country
22	We start at 9 am and march four mi and cross a large hill. The baggage wagons get to camp at four
23	Wednesday. We march seven miles and get along prety well
24	Thursday. We arive at Hazle [Hazel] Green. The little town looks rather bare
25	Friday. We stay here in camp. I shell corn
26	Sat. I stand gard and receive the grand rounds for the first time
27	Sab. Our Captain has just been round with his bitters
28	Mon. One of our artillery men died this morning and there is a great many sick in camp. I have just received three letters. One from GW, WD, HS
29	Tues. Last night the Captain came around and said we must get our acouterments on tonight. I wrote a letter to Henry S
30	Wednesday. Is the first day that I stand picket gard
31	Thursday. We start from Hazle [Hazel] Green about noon and marched until near night and came into camp and got our wood caried in and march
November 1861
1	Friday. We march all day and camp in mud
2	Saturday. We march in the fore noon and cross one branch of the Licking River on logs and draw the wagons over with a long rope
5	We leave Licking Staton [Station] and march 24 miles. The road was muddy and we had a very slippery hill to climb after dark. Arrived at Prestons [Prestonburgh] at one oclock at night
6 & 7	We stay at Prestonsburg [Prestonburgh]
8	Friday. We start to Piketon and have the fight with the rebels at Gauly [Gauley] Bridge. They kill of our men 6 and wound 18. It is supposed that we killed of them about 30
9	Sat. We get up early and it commences raining and rains about all day. We follow up the rebels but they have fallen a great many trees across the road and torn down the bridges so that we could not get along but slowly and the other part of our brigade has a fight at Piketon and killed 15 of the rebels. Tonight we have nothing to eat but fresh pork. David Loomis and I goes out into the field and caches a hog and skins it and carries it a mile to the company and we stand picket
10	Sunday. We march 3 miles and arive at Piketon very tired and dirty and the worst of all we had nothing to eat until and then we get nothing but a little flour, each boy for himself, some cooking a piece of dough on a stick, some put it in the ashes
11	Monday. It rains all day and we have move from the hill into the old tannery. The artillery boys loos six of their horses in crossing the river
12	Tuesday. We are at Pikesville [Piketon] making homony
16	Saturday. We march back to Prestonsburg [Prestonburgh] a distance of 28 miles. Some of rides in rafts. Most every one of us is about tired out
17	Sunday. We s[t]ay at Prestonsburg [Prestonburgh]
18	Monday. This morning we get ready to start down the river and now I am sitting on the top of a hill writing
19	Tuesday. We march towards Louisa
20	Wednesday. We march and George and I fall behind the regiment and have a hard time to get into camp
21	Thursday. We get ride on coal boat down the Sandy
22	Friday. We ride down the Sandy on a coal boat drawn by the Rocket
23	Saturday. We see the banks of the old Ohio once more and land at Catlasburg [Catlettsburg ]
24	Sunday. Last night we rode all night on the Champion and landed at Covington at 11 am. I ran up town and got two pieces of bread and I had to runn back and get aboard the Boston and go down the river to Louisville
25	Monday. We arive at Louisville and stand in the cold a while and then march into Camp Buell
26	Tuesday. We go down to the creek and wash our clothes
27	Wednesday. The 3d Ohio has just passed by
28	Thursday. Today the 24[th] and 41[st] comes into camp
29	Friday. Today it is very cold and it is snowing some
December 1861
1	Today is Sunday and our minister gives us a very good sermon about home thoughts
2	We move from this camp to within two miles of town
3	Tuesday. It is very cold and we do not have enough of wood to cook our rations
5	Thursday. Today it is very pleasant and we receive some letters from home
7	I am taken to the hospital sick with the measles
12	We draw part of our pay
16	We send part of it home
25	Wednesday is Christmas and we have a good dinner and I go out and take a walk for the first time
30	Monday. John Muir starts for home on furlough
31	Tuesday. Today we are here in the hospital. The weather is very pleasant

MMS 1172 - William Shanks Diary Guide
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