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From the Diary of James P. Shannon - May 1, 1864
to May 17, 1865
Page 1
From the First of May 1864 to March 4 - 1867 I have no auggouty (sic) to
say what. Turn to page 35. J. R. Shannon
Page 2 - May 2, 1864
today arrived at Ringold. this village is now in a mass of ruin. Piles
of brick and lumber shoes (sic) that this has been a nice place. this
town is county seat Catoosa County (Georgia).
on the Sixth of May 1864 found me on the east side of ringold. there is
a railroad bridge which they are bilding rite along. 16th the army all
moved (advanced) to tunnel Hill ___ ___ on til reach Rocky face
mountain. May 8th found me at tunnel hill station 8 miles from Ringold.
This village is nicely situated but has been tore up by soldiers. This
village is in Whitefield, Ga. rocky face mountains lays on the
southeast(?) of the tunel. I went in the tunel which I found it was so
dark I cud not se one inch before my face. It was cool and dank and they
was a nice spring run thrue the tunel. This tunel is 1477 feet long.
May the 9, 1864
the cares came in to tunel Station from ringold. There has been several
trains thru (?) today ____.
Page 3
they run thru the Station which was rite at our lines of batal which we
___? all along the lines with gladness to hear the coles rite out with
them.
May 11, 1864
At nite we started out southwest keeping rite in about to miles of rokey
face. men stoped about sun up. The next morning and got a ___? to eat
and then we set out - southwest direction. We don't find many mountains
along this road.
Page 4
We campt in Walker county at nite. There is a small rolling hills, nice
land for this contry.
On the 13th of May we started on and went one mile and turn east after
some few miles travel past large church and then turned a rather north
east direction we past thru smoke gap today and campt on the south side
of the gap, this gap is about four miles long I think these mountens
runes from Rocky Face camp Chattahoochee Ga.
Page 5
July 23 1864 the report is now that Atlanty has fallen and I think it
has, we have marching orders now. July 24. today we moved in bout 3
miles of Atlanty. July 25 nothing today, a fast cannon ___? I was out to
regiment today and the are all wel and harty Augest 11-64- In camp near
Atlanty Ga. (cannonading to party free today. I don't no the result
Page 5
August 21 '64 (very dim) Sunday. Was raining We pat today
Aug.24, 1854 - We moved about (?) miles southwest ___ being taken road
to hospital.
Aug. 25 - This morning we started to Atlanty - frait rail road which
take ___? about 10 miles from Atlanty. They are taking out the rails and
buring the ties and rails and bending them. Today we moved all day and
nite and went in camp in the morning and ___ ___
Page7
August 31, 1864 - morning. we started again and to ___? We are in about
2 miles off the Makin railroad. September (the 1). today we are a layin
in Fort and I went out the country and bought a chicken for ten cents.
50cts. and then went out and bout a bee hive for .60 cents and sold a
dollar and a half worth and a large bucket full left. wk every nite.
Page 8
Sept. 2. '64 Today we moved about ten miles and landed on the Makan
railroad at James bouro. Our regiemtn stays there and the day before the
regiment had a despart fite and charge the rebels nearby and tuck thare
works and about 800 prisnors. all together made about 5000 prisnors.
Sept 4 - today we loded out to move and order was countremanded. this is
Claton County, Ga.
Sept 7th today we moved about five miles north Janesboro. Sept. 8th
today we moved to Atlanty this is a nice plase as much of it as is
saved. Some nice fartes and large ___ ___
Page 9
Sept 12. Atlanty Gas. today we moved out commissary in the edge of town
in a nice place. Oct the 3 we moved to the east side of town. the
regiment moved a few days ago. They went back out the (cars gess) they
went to Chattanooga, Ga.
November 16 1864 Sanetown Station is all burned This station is 24 miles
from Atlanta and at nite we past Conies station 31 miles from Atlanty,
18th we past thru Covington. Came 18 miles the 22. We crost crick a bout
3 rodes wide today. 24th today we thrugh Milledgeville the capital of
Ga. Altahand(?) river. 25th to day we crost the Ogeechee river at
Stanville camped on the edge of eastern Ogeechee river Nov. 28 we crost
thre miles of swap.
November 30 1864 - today we start on a move to the direction of Augusts
want in camp about 8 miles from town.
Page 12
February 14, 1865 today we are a laying still. February 16, 1865 today
we past thrue Covington. This village it had been a nice place but badly
burned out. February 17, 1865 today we moved on toward Columbia.
We left Columbia to this fort. We crost the Savanha river and went thrue
the Savannaha river south east. February 18 today we started on north
direction.
Page 13
and we are now a laying on Broad river. February 19, 1865 today we cross
the Broad river and there was a man shot for not obeying the guard adn
cild the man and muel which he was on. killed them both instantly. We
traveld on til about 12 o'clock and a bout 4 miles.
February 20, 1865 - To day we moved about 5 miles and went in camp
February 21 -
Page 14
Today we move on north direction. We went in camp a bout 8 o'clock. We
had a nise time a 'forign'. We got some nise meat. February 22, 1865
today we moved on a bout a north direction to large white houses was
burned and a large quantity of money was burned in one of the houses.
February 25, 1865 - Today we moved about 6miles and past over vary hilly
country and we found 9 barrels of molases and a very nice house burnt.
February 26, 1865 - today we laed in camp on til nite and then we
started to cross the river and mired out and they hade to take the muels
out and pull the wagons out with ropes.
Pages 15
February 27 - to day we lay on the river bak all day and nite at 12
o'clock we crossed the Cataniba river. February 28 - to day we moved and
the badest road I ever experencd in my life. to nite we are in camp in a
nise place.
Page 16
March 1, 1865 - today we moved a long thrue the mud. We crost hanging
rock crick and we had to take ropes and pull the wagons out. March the 2
today we moved on eat and crost a small crick and went in camp on the
hill at the crick.
March 3, 1865 - today we traveled a bout 24 miles. We are now about the
North Carolina line.
Page 17
Mar. 4, 1865 - today we travel on about 14 miles and reach the Grate pe
de river. Today is my birthday I am twenty three years old.
Mar. the 5, 1865 - today we lay out of the bank of the river.
Mar. the 6 - today we lay out - nothing strang today. March the 8 -
today we crost the big pee tee river. This is a large river, broad but
shaller. camp on the banks of the river.
Page 18
March 8, 1865 No. Carolina today we traveled 22 miles and it rained most
of the day. We went in camp about 8 o'clock at nit.
March 9, 1865 - today we moved on good roads on till about 3 o'clock and
from that on we hade the worst roads and it rained as hard as it could
fore we got in camp at 12 o'clock all night and cold during the day We
saw the gratest sight I ever say -turpontine hill a burning, the blaze
would flye hundreds of feet high.
Page 19
March the 10, 1865 - today we passed thrue vary fars cuntry. nothing but
roson. I saw about 2000 bails of roson piled out. March 11, 1865 today
we traveled about 10 miles and wen in camp about 5 o'clock. March 12 we
arrived fayette ville. this city is a large plase it is over a rite
smart place but not very well camped all of the sitezena are in town.
March 13 - today we - today we crossed the Cape fear river. this river
is navable.
Page 20
March 14, 1865 - today we lay in camp across the river from fayette
ville.
March the 15, 1865 today we lay in camp. We moved about 1 mile and put
the comessary in a house. March 16, 1865 - Today we lay in camp. nothing
a going on. Strang.
March 17, 1865 - today we moved a bout 3 miles and it is vary wild
riseels the peach trees is in bloom.
Page 21
March 19 - today we move on about 8 miles and went in camp a bout 5
o'clock and our division had a deport fite today. this battle is fought
about 15 miles from Ringold. I han'te herd the particulars yet.
March 20, 1865 - today we move out clost to the troops and some fiting
today but i hadn't heard the particulars yet.
Marsh 21, 18565 - Today we moved on for Goldboro and have many bad
roads. We have the wounded of our Division.
Page 22
March 22, 1865 - Today we move on and have had luck about the roads
getting lost but ___ we got in camp after sundown. (the rest is
illegible)
March 25, 1865 - today we moved in to Goldboro. this town is vary
scatered an not fine building. We go in camp here for awhile. This town
lays on a nice river. This river is a small river but navigable. The
Neuse river.
Page 23
Half of this page illegible.
May 5th, 1865 - today we crost the Roenoak river and traveling about 21
miles we went thru Limerock? (Two lines illegible)
Page 24
May 6th - Today we traveled about 23 miles (2 lines missed) May 6, 1865
sean since I left home we thrue aint may cart on the Petersburg
railroad. We travel 34 miles today and go in camp on the Appamatox
river, May the 7 - today we crost the river and landed at Richmond. in
about 3 miles of Richmond and went in camp.
May 8 - today we lay in camp.
May 9, 1865 - today we lay in camp all day and 3 miles of richmond.
Page 25
On the 11 day of May we start for Washington. We past thrue Manchester
and crost the James river and rite thrue Richmond and crost the Chick a
homeny swaps and went out to the Hanover Cort house and went in camp a
offul rain at nite.
May 12, 1865 - today we are laying oup at the Hanover Cort house.
Page 26
May the 13, 1865 - today we moved a bout 6 miles and crost the Monkey
river and traveled a bout 20 miles and went in camp about 5 o'clock in a
nise place.
May 14, 1865 - today we travel a bout 14 miles over vary ruff roads. We
goe in camp on a little crick. We are in a bout 15 miles of the
Raphanock river. May 15, 1865 - Today we move on arriving at the Rapiden
river. This river is a small river about 75 yards wide. We crost at
Racoon Ford. We go in camp about 1 miles and 1/2 on the river.
Page 27
May the 16, 1865 - today we moved from the Rapidan to the raphanick and
crost the river. We forded it and went in camp about 5 miles from the
river.
May the 17, 1865 - Today we move on northeast ariving at the Menases
Junction a bout 3 o'clock. this place looks lik there had been a hard
fite. this is a high place looks like a large frarey the blue mountains
lookes hie and ruff. We cross the bull run river and gos in camp.
Page 28
May 17, 1865 - today we traveled about 16 miles and went in camp at noon
for the nite.
May the 18, 1865 - today we landed at Alexander or in about 3 miles of
town. And have went in camp.
June 8, - today we started for home. We landed in Baltamore at 10
o'clock in the evening and left about fore o'clock. June 9 - today past
thrue hard Bligie? about 12 o'clock.
June 1865 - today we arrived at pits burg a bout a 11 o'clock and they
..illegible.
Finis
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