[Golden, Richard.]

[Diary of a Private in Company D of the 125th Illinois Volunteer Infantry].

Mostly Georgia, North Carolina, and Washington, D.C: 1865. 7½” x 4¾”. Stitched blank book with plain paper self-wrappers. 60 pages, 35 of which are handwritten with approximately 15,000 words of relevant content. Good minus: wrappers detached and heavily chipped; the first six leaves with a sickle-shaped loss covering about two square inches per page, causing loss of some words but most entries still coherent; the rest of the leaves each have a small semicircular chip leading to some loss of text but almost never impacting understanding; a few pages with faint writing making reading difficult but not impossible.

This is a well written and action packed diary carried through the end of the Civil War by Union soldier Richard Golden. Written from January to June in 1865, it's filled with detailed descriptions of marches, locales, some battle content including a first hand account of the Battle of Bentonville, and compelling early postwar experiences including participation in the Grand Review of the Armies in Washington, D.C.

We know the name of our diarist by combining a few clues. It's clear from direct mentions that the writer was a member of company D of the 125th Illinois Volunteer Infantry and he shared that he turned 21 years old on April 4, 1865. Luckily, in the back of the book, there's a work agreement between someone named “Plank” and an “R. Golden.” There are two “Goldens” on the roster of the 125th's Company D, but one of them was named “Elim.” The other was Richard Golden whose birthdate was April 4, 1844. Golden was born and raised in Vermillion County,
Illinois and spent most of his life there as a farmer. He enlisted for the war on August 10, 1862 and was mustered in September 3, 1862. He mustered out as a corporal on June 9, 1865 which also happens to be the date of his last diary entry. Golden passed away in Danville on April 3, 1916.

As part of the 125th Illinois, Golden would have fought at Perryville in 1862, the Battle of Chickamauga in 1863 and the Atlanta campaign in 1864. Near the end of 1864 the regiment served during Sherman's march to the sea and the diary begins in January 1865 when the men were serving in the Carolinas campaign.

There are 32 pages of diary content in a small (in some cases minuscule) but readable hand. Golden's spelling and grammar is filled with errors and most passages here have been edited for both. As of mid-January, Golden and his company were heading towards Savannah while occasionally foraying into the Carolinas. By the end of the month they were camped near Savannah where Golden and others were forced to clear a road that Confederate soldiers had lined with torpedoes during a retreat,

“there is a detail of 4 men from each company in the 125th for fatigue duty today. Thomas Herton, Jake Kistler, Harve Alexander and I was detailed from the company. Also as many in every brigade in the division. We went across the river to clear out the old road that was blockaded by the rebels felling timber across it and by planting torpedoes in the track. It was a billious job, we had to wade in water and out. A torpedo was exploded by over [illegible] on it. It tore one man's leg all to pieces and badly wounded another. The latter I guess died. We took up 4 or 5 of the blasted missiles and returned to Camp late in the evening.”

In February, near the Augusta River, he commented, “I see where many fine residences has been burned by the Troops in front of us.” By the 12th, “we cross the Augusta and Charleston at Wilson and camped at Edesto River . . . the cavalry had a fight up towards Augusta yesterday.” In early March, they were near the South and North Carolina borders and camping along the Great Pee Dee river where Golden “hear[d] the thunder of the 15th Corps blowing up a village below.”

The 125th fought at the Battle of Bentonville from March 19th to 21st and Golden began reporting on skirmishes as of the 16th: the day before they were on the Goldsboro road and, “we march at 8 oclock go 4 or 5 miles and find the Johnnies on our front. The Cavalry had been fighting them in the same place the day before. We advanced up close to them and built works. Several men wounded while advancing the lines.” On the 18th, “we march this morning at 6 oclock, our brigade in the center. The Anergeons run on to some Rebs about noon. Drove them several miles when General Morgan got orders not to push them hard so we went in to camp for the night.”

On the 19th,

“this morning the first division of our corps passed us . . . it was not long til I heard skirmishing in front of the column. It was our Anergeons as they always start out earlier than the Column does. Our squad of foragers pushed on to get in front and we did get a little nearer front than was healthy. The Rebs let loose with two batteries of artillery which confused the mounted men and they came swerving back to the rear. By this time the first division was advancing in Column. A short engagement soon ensued . . . The 1st division was flanked and throwed [illegible] quite a confusion. But the 20th Corps was on hand. We soon chect the rebs and built temporary works. The rebs then charged us several times and was repulsed. Dark came on and
put an end to the conflict and my squad did not get to their commands till after dark as we were deployed in the rear to keep stragglers from going back and playing off.”
March 20th,
“Our brigade was relieved by the 20th corps and we moved a half mile to the right and joined our division. I with several others was ordered to bury the dead. The battlefield was a perfect wilderness and savannahs. The rebel dead were scattered all through the swamp and we had to carry them out on dryer ground which was very hard work. It was mostly an impossibility to dig in the earth for the [ill.]. My squad buried 13 rebels and carried in 2 wounded. We buried only 3 of our men.”

On the 21st Golden shared that, “We lay behind our work all day. The skirmishes are firing most all the time. The rebs charged our skirmish line and wounded Lee Almon of Co. H. The 15th and 17th corps are coming around on the right. If they don't leave tonight there will be pain tomorrow. It is very wet, raining all the time.”

On April 2nd, he wrote that “we expect to start on a another campaign about the 15th of this month, are preparing as fast as possible.” That news was offset on the 5th by “Glorious news from Grant, he has captured Richmond and Petersburg. 25000 prisoners and 500 cannon. Lee is retreating towards Danville and Lynchburg. Sheridan with Cavalry is following him up and capturing prisoners by the thousands.” Despite the hopeful near-end of the war, on the 10th, “we came upon to the rebs 5 or 6 miles from town and skirmished with them, several men from the 3rd brigade wounded.” But on the 12th:

“I hear the boys cheering—Glory Glory Glory be to God. The war is near closed. We received the word this morning that Gen Lee had surrendered his whole Army to Gen US Grant. What cheering there has been this morning. In every direction I hear the boys cheering. Oh, may the leading men soon desist the matter that we may be on our road home.”

On April 27th, Golden learned that he would soon be going home,

“the boys have been totally quiet today til later in the evening when the news came that Johnson had surrendered and that we would start home in a few days. What joy prevailed among the soldiers . . .this has been a joyful day. The thoughts of starting to see those dear ones that was absent so long . . . it is said we will march through Alexandria, VA, from there to the cars it will be a long time.”

As they made their way through Virginia to Washington, Golden commented on all that he saw as well as the latest news and rumors. On May 7th,

“the citizens are dressed up as it is Sunday and are amused too at seeing so many Yanks. There is a good many grapevines out this evening, one is that James [sic] Wilkes Booth, the assassin of President Lincoln, was killed in a barn at or near Richmond. Another is that President Davis (Rebel) had his money that he had taken from the Confederate treasury captured. The Rebel General Kirby Smith has surrendered.”

On the 11th,

“We marched at 7 am through Manchester and Richmond. The garrison of Manchester which was part of the 24th corps turned out and received us very complimentingly. The officers and [illegible] were draped with mourning. That statue of Washington in Richmond is very nice. We marched through the city in column by Company. General Halleck was present. The citizens congregated on the streets in great numbers to see Sherman's Yanks. There was a great many Rebel officers and soldiers in town. We are bound for Washington now.”

Outside of Washington, on May 22nd, Golden was growing more homesick:“I get very impatient awaiting to start home. It is said that the veterans and recruits will be held in service till a later period. I want to go to Washington tomorrow at the review but there is some talk of us marching.” On the 23rd: “I did not go to the review as I expected . . . the Army of the Potomac is being reviewed in Washington today . . . Sherman's army will be reviewed tomorrow. There is a great many citizens from the Northern states congregating at Washington to see the review.” He ultimately participated in the Grand Review of the Armies on the 24th:

“We marched at 9am with haversacks and canteens down to the long bridge across the Potomac and formed in Column by Company at half distance then marched through the City, passed the reviewing officers at the White House, crossed the river on the pontoon Bridge and proceeded to camp. The citizens received us with cheer.”

A compelling Civil War diary with rich detail and battle content and capturing the exhausted relief of a soldier who would soon return home. Item #2703

Price: $1,750.00