Collection Full View
Alfred H. Buck: Civil War Journal (1862 - 1864)
Collection IDMC 375
Size3 volumes
Collection Description
Alfred H. Buck mustered into the 12th Infantry Regiment, New Jersey Volunteers in September 1862. He served as a sergeant in Company H of that regiment, transferred to the Veteran Reserve Corps in September 1864, and was discharged on August 17, 1865.
Collection Contents
This small collection consists of 3 diaries: Volume 1 (Oct 21, 1862-Mar 14, 1863); Volume 2 (Mar 15, 1863-Dec. 31, 1863); and Volume 3 (Jan 1, 1864-Dec 31, 1864), that provide a detailed record of camp, hospital, and garrison life, beginning soon after Buck's muster-in.
Entries for the first seven weeks of the journal describe the routine at Camp Johnston, Ellicott's Mills, MD. The next entries describe a six-month encampment at Falmouth, VA, followed by a series of northerly movements (begun on June 14, 1863) which ended in Gettysburg, where the regiment was committed on the second day of battle. Buck was wounded on July 3, and subsequent entries relate to the time he spent in the Center Street Hospital, Newark, at Bedloe's Island (October 9-24), and at a convalescent camp near Alexandria, VA (Oct 28-Dec 4, 1863). The last year of the journal (Vol. 3, 1864) covers Buck's activities in Washington, DC, as a member of the Veteran Reserve Corps .
Volume 2 (Mar 15, 1863 - Dec 31, 1863) contains Newark-related entries. After Buck was wounded at Gettysburg he spent three months recovering at Newark's "Center Street Hospital" (the main building of the hospital championed by Newark philanthropist Marcus L. Ward, officially re-named the Ward USA General Hospital in 1864),where he occupied himself with reading, study, correspondence, sightseeing, and visiting. As the diary recounts, he took walks on Broad Street, along the Passaic, around Military Park, and through Mount Pleasant Cemetery; attended Sabbath School or services at various churches, including Third Presbyterian and South Park Presbyterian; attended a convention at a Baptist church; visited men of his regiment at the hospital's building on Market Street; visited the home of Rev. Crane; had tea with Mrs. Ward; saw Dan Rice's Circus; and had his photograph taken.
Entries for the first seven weeks of the journal describe the routine at Camp Johnston, Ellicott's Mills, MD. The next entries describe a six-month encampment at Falmouth, VA, followed by a series of northerly movements (begun on June 14, 1863) which ended in Gettysburg, where the regiment was committed on the second day of battle. Buck was wounded on July 3, and subsequent entries relate to the time he spent in the Center Street Hospital, Newark, at Bedloe's Island (October 9-24), and at a convalescent camp near Alexandria, VA (Oct 28-Dec 4, 1863). The last year of the journal (Vol. 3, 1864) covers Buck's activities in Washington, DC, as a member of the Veteran Reserve Corps .
Volume 2 (Mar 15, 1863 - Dec 31, 1863) contains Newark-related entries. After Buck was wounded at Gettysburg he spent three months recovering at Newark's "Center Street Hospital" (the main building of the hospital championed by Newark philanthropist Marcus L. Ward, officially re-named the Ward USA General Hospital in 1864),where he occupied himself with reading, study, correspondence, sightseeing, and visiting. As the diary recounts, he took walks on Broad Street, along the Passaic, around Military Park, and through Mount Pleasant Cemetery; attended Sabbath School or services at various churches, including Third Presbyterian and South Park Presbyterian; attended a convention at a Baptist church; visited men of his regiment at the hospital's building on Market Street; visited the home of Rev. Crane; had tea with Mrs. Ward; saw Dan Rice's Circus; and had his photograph taken.
FormatTextual materials
SubjectsCivil War; Medicine / Public Health; Religion / Churches
Time Period19th Century
LanguageEnglish
Access policyOpen for research
ProcessedYes