Civil War

1863 Civil War black leather diary, folding wallet style, 5.5" x 3.5", with several internal pockets, and a loop to hold a writing implement. Leather is worn and rubbed with a tear long one seam edge. Binding is firm with slight separation along the rear gutter. Dated on the cover page of 1863. And includes the owner's beautiful and bold signature of William W. Weller of Littleton, NH, as "W.W. Weller" to the front blank fly leaf. Pages lightly lined, and dated in type to the top of each page. Full gilt edged page block. Approximately 140 pages, majority are blank, with the balance containing Weller's diary notes written in graphite, with about 12 pages containing war content. Weller was a private in Co. G, 2nd Regiment Infantry, NH having enlisted at the age of 22 on April 20, 1861. The diary includes an original pressed four leaf clover from Gettysburg in July 1863!

 

Several of the salient entries are below:

 

On March 8, 1863 Weller left Washington DC on leave. He wrote a few entries about his activities at home in Littleton, and before rejoining his regiment, he spent a few days in Concord. 

 

On May 25, he left Concord and returned to  Washington DC.

 

On June 11, he noted leaving Washington for the Army of the Potomac.  

 

 July 2 - "arrived at Gettisburg (sic) this morning. First fight today".

 

 July 3 - "second day of the battle of Gettisburg"

 

 July 4 -  "third and last day of the fight"

 

 July 13, "inside of the Rebes fortifications near the river. I found a five leaf clover. Never saw one before".

(located within this page was a pressed intact 4 leaf clover but no 5 leaf clover is present) 



 

Private Weller makes other references to his Company's movements during this time period. On July 27, he leaves the Army of the Potomac, returns to Washington, and arrives at Point Lookout on July 31.   

 

Other mentions of the war include noting the number of new recruits on a few days, and several mentions of having received his pay - 52.00 for four months. He once wrote of a bad storm which almost blew his tent down. In December, he wrote that he could not leave the camp without a pass from the Col., and on December 28, he noted the arrival of 219 Reb prisoners. 

 

Weller wrote the lyrics of "Rally Round the Flag" in his diary along with a three-page poem. In the latter months of the diary, he kept track of letters received and sent, and on occasion he would send his father money. In this part of the diary there also appear to be a few entries that were made after 1863, one of which is dated 1868. There are names and random notes in the memorandum section. Private Weller must have been fascinated by the Capitol Building  as he wrote specific measurements of the building on the last page of the diary. 

 

Census records show that William Weller married Alice Wilcomb on January 25, 1877 at the age of 38. A fantastic piece of history which traveled back in time and was present at the battle of Gettysburg!

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