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.
Size | 1 item |
Abstract | Jacob D. Irish was born circa 1835 in Westerlo, Albany County, N.Y., and died in April 1902. He enlisted for service at the age of 30 with the 19th Independent Battery of the New York Artillery during the last stages of the Civil War in September 1864. He served in various places throughout the western part of Virginia, including Petersburg, City Point, Poplar Grove, and Alexandria, as well as being present at the offensive assault by the Confederate Army of Northern Virginia on Fort Stedman. He eventually mustered out in Elmira, N.Y., sometime in mid-June and returned home. The collection consists of a diary kept between 1 January and 27 August 1865 by Union soldier Jacob D. Irish. From January through June, entries were recorded on a daily basis. These entries are short and describe drill and guard duties, cooking and wood cutting chores, camaraderie with fellow soldiers, as well as the continuing correspondence between Irish and his family. The entry on 25 March describes the assault on Fort Stedman by Confederate soldiers. Another entry, written while at City Point, Va., on 17 April, refers to mourning Abraham's Lincoln death. The diary continues with intermittent entries after Irish mustered out in mid-June of 1865 and returned home. |
Creator | Irish, Jacob D., ca. 1835-1902. |
Curatorial Unit | University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill. Library. Southern Historical Collection. |
Language | English |
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.
Jacob D. Irish was born circa 1835 in Westerlo, Albany County, N.Y., and died in April 1902. He enlisted for service at the age of 30 with the 19th Independent Battery of the New York Artillery during the last stages of the Civil War in September 1864. He served in various places throughout the western part of Virginia, including Petersburg, City Point, Poplar Grove, and Alexandria, as well as being present at the offensive assault by the Confederate Army of Northern Virginia on Fort Stedman. He eventually mustered out in Elmira, N.Y., sometime in mid-June and returned home.
Back to TopThe collection consists of a diary kept between 1 January and 27 August 1865 by Union soldier Jacob D. Irish. From January through June, entries were recorded on a daily basis. These entries are short and describe drill and guard duties, cooking and wood cutting chores, camaraderie with fellow soldiers, as well as the continuing correspondence between Irish and his family. The entry on 25 March describes the assault on Fort Stedman by Confederate soldiers. Another entry, written while at City Point, Va., on 17 April, refers to mourning Abraham's Lincoln death stating, "Flags at half mast for Uncle Abe and firing guns all day." The diary continues with intermittent entries after Irish mustered out in mid-June of 1865 and returned home.
Back to TopFolder 1 |
Diary, January-August 1865 |