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This is a finding aid. It is a description of archival material held in the Wilson Library at the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill. Unless otherwise noted, the materials described below are physically available in our reading room, and not digitally available through the World Wide Web. See the Duplication Policy section for more information.
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Collection Overview
| Size | 2 items |
| Abstract | Samuel T. Dolen, born 9 January 1831, in Nicholsville, Ohio, was a private in the 89th Ohio Infantry Regiment, Company F, during the Civil War. Dolen began and ended his time in the service at Camp Dennison, Ohio. He worked as a carpenter and on the Brigade Ambulance Train and saw action in Tennessee, Georgia, Alabama, and North Carolina. Samuel T. Dolen's pocket diary covers his service in the 89th Ohio Infantry Regiment from the time he volunteered in August 1862 until he was mustered out in June 1865. Included are almost daily entries documenting the distances he traveled and areas through which he traveled. Although Dolen's regiment missed the battle at Fort Donelson, Tenn., in February 1863, he arrived shortly afterwards and described the dead on the battlefield. He briefly described the burning of Atlanta, Ga., and the Battle of Jonesboro, Ga. After the regiment traveled to Savannah, Ga., it headed to North Carolina where Dolen was involved in skirmishes from Goldsboro to Raleigh. In May 1865, his regiment headed to Washington, D.C., for the Grand Review of the Armies. Dolan wrote about visiting several sites while there. Although most of Dolen's diary concerns the advancement of his regiment, he sometimes briefly mentioned aspects of military life. Also included are song lyrics; what seem to be accounts for Dolen's work as a carpenter; lists of officers and soldiers; and a clothing account. A "card of distances," showing distances by railroad between several cities, was enclosed with the diary. |
| Creator | Dolen, Samuel T., b. 1831. |
| Curatorial Unit | Southern Historical Collection |
| Language | English |
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Processing Information
Processed by: Nathalie Wheaton, April 2005
Encoded by: Nathalie Wheaton, April 2005
Updated by: Nancy Kaiser, January 2021
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Subject Headings
The following terms from Library of Congress Subject Headings suggest topics, persons, geography, etc. interspersed through the entire collection; the terms do not usually represent discrete and easily identifiable portions of the collection--such as folders or items.
Clicking on a subject heading below will take you into the University Library's online catalog.
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Biographical Information
Soldier Samuel T. Dolen, born 9 January 1831 in Nicholsville, Ohio, was a private in the 89th Ohio Infantry Regiment, Company F, during the Civil War. Dolen volunteered under Captain Marcellus A. Leeds and began and ended his time in the service at Camp Dennison, Ohio. In between, he saw action in Tennessee, Georgia, Alabama, and North Carolina. Dolan worked as a carpenter and on the Brigade Ambulance Train. After the war, his regiment traveled to Washington, D.C., for the Grand Review of the Armies.
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Scope and Content
The diary of Private Samuel T. Dolen covers his service in the 89th Ohio Infantry Regiment of the United States Army from the time he volunteered in August 1862 until he was mustered out in June 1865 after the Civil War had ended. The pocket diary consists of almost daily entries documenting the distances he traveled and areas through which he traveled. Although Dolen's regiment missed the battle at Fort Donelson, Tenn., in February 1863, he arrived afterwards and described the dead on the battlefield. He briefly described the burning of Atlanta, Ga., and the Battle of Jonesboro, Ga. After the regiment traveled to Savannah, Ga., it headed to North Carolina where Dolen was involved in skirmishes from Goldsboro, N.C., to Raleigh, N.C.. On 13 April 1865, he learned of Lincoln's assassination and the declaration of peace. In May 1865, his regiment headed to Washington, D.C., for the Grand Review of the Armies. Dolan mentioned visiting several sites while there, including the Capitol and the Smithsonian Institute.
Although most of Dolen's diary concerns the advancement of his regiment, he sometimes briefly mentioned aspects of military life, including food, pay, and the weather. Also included are song lyrics, such as "Carry Me Back to Old Virginny," "Marching through Georgia," and "Sherman's March to the Sea," and other songs about plantation life; what seem to be accounts for Dolen's work as a carpenter, including names, dates, items, and amounts paid to him; a list of names of officers in the regiment; a list of soldiers with information on their deaths, resignations, or dischargs from the army; and a clothing account with dates, clothing items, and prices. A "card of distances," showing distances by railroad between several cities, was enclosed with the diary.
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