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97TH NEW YORK COLOR BEARER'S DIARY

Currency:USD Category:Collectibles / Militaria Start Price:350.00 USD Estimated At:700.00 - 900.00 USD
97TH NEW YORK COLOR BEARER'S DIARY
1864 diary of color bearer Cpl. Herbert C. Smith, Co. C, 97th N.Y. Infantry, 2 1/4" x 3 3/4", leather covers, with three entries per page, most in pencil. Smith's entries are initially quite sporadic, but become more regular after April, as Grant commences his Overland Campaign. The continue up to the battle of the Crater, July 30, 1864, after which Smith is sent to White Hall Hospital in Pennsylvania where he remained until the end of the year. Entries read, in part: "...[Mar 3] went on picket to Mitchell's station on the cars...[May 3] had orders to march at 12 p.m. with 6 days rations...[May 5, battle of Wilderness] about 3 p.m. went into the woods & fought till dark. lay on our arms all night. Riley was shot...[May 6] started a little before daylight & charged on the rebs and drove them some 2 miles & came 2 a masked Battery they drove us back...[May 8, Battle of Spotsylvania] started after sun rise & were put into action. In a few moments two color bearers [were] wounded John King & J. Conlin...[May 17] all quiet until sundown started front into woods & built Breastworks all night...[May 18] the regiment came on picket. I staid in the woods with the colors. They shelled us some...[May 21] marched at 10 a.m. crossed branch of Anna River, north...[May 23] built breastworks, was very heavy connonading...[May 30] built works in hurry was some hard shelling, two hits the works close by us, one came near through...[June 1, Battle of Cold Harbor] advanced one or two miles, built works & at dark moved off to the left & bulit more works...[June 13] advanced close to a reb fort where they shelled us hard. One man killed and 2 or 3 wounded, marched at dark till 3 in the morning took the wrong road...[June 24] Gen. Butler returned to duty fromt hospital...[July 30, battle of the Crater]this morning at daylight the shelling of Petersburg commenced which was the Hardest I ever heard...". Also includes a G.A.R. questionnaire filled out by Smith, 1p. folio, setting forth the significant events of his military career. A few entries a tad light but all legible.

Estimate: $700 - 900.

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