Original Item. One-of-a-Kind. This is a great little diary carried by in the 7th Connecticut Volunteer Infantry during some of the final months of the American Civil War. The diary is an 1865 diary, but is only filled out from the dates of March 15th to April 16th, 1865 with a gap between April 11th and April 16th. There are also a couple more days filled out around June 1865. The diary discusses the move through North Carolina, namely Wilmington, and some of the plantations he visited or stayed in during his time there.

The soldier mentions certain Generals such as Major General Schofield, and mentions many of his fellow soldiers, including a couple who ended up deserters, and another named Quinlen who was placed under arrest. He was on a ship for a while and visited Bannerman plantation, and mentions here he saw some very good looking girls, the best he had seen since leaving home. Another entry reads “Somewhat troubled by symptoms of nostalgia”. He discusses his health often and mentions there are 103 sick and lame soldiers traveling aboard a ship with him at one point. 

The back of the diary has some finance pages filled out with money owed, some other pages having names and addresses of friends and comrades, with one notable inclusion being Lt. William H Pierpont, 7th Conn. Assistant Commander, “Musters Prov. Corps, Wilmington, NC.” This may identify the diary to Lieutenant Pierpont, but the writer does not appear to write like an officer. 

April 9th, 1865 mentions that at 3am he was turned out by a fire, and that something burned. Later in the day he “got on card for Magnolia, near Burgard seen over shell torpedo without any damage. Reached M about dark.” This entry requires some deeper research.

The diary measures 3 ¼ x 6” and is in good overall condition, but does not have the pencil in the sleeve. The diary closes by a small leather tab but the loop that holds it in place is very weak, so exercise caution.

The combination of the 7th Connecticut association, 1865 dates, North Carolina campaign references, Wilmington material, Schofield mention, personal observations, medical and transport details, possible Pierpont connection, and surviving financial and address pages makes this a particularly rich late-war Civil War document. The diary offers both military and personal content and presents an excellent opportunity for deeper research into its unidentified author and the specific movements of the 7th Connecticut during the final months of the conflict.