Richard Martin, stationed at Lake Providence, La. (From Clara Martin's autobiography)
Richard Martin, aged 21 years, of Ireland, left there in September 1851 for America. He landed in New York. He worked at weaving for Jason Miller who was his future wife's brother-in-law. He married Barbara Ann Leggett on April 1, 1858, at the same time as her sister Eliza was married to Joseph Duft in Illinois. His family moved to Iowa in 1872 were he did farm work, as he had done in Ireland. And then retired and moved to Farragut Iowa in 1895. His wife died 1 month and 27 days before him, on May 9, 1924 at the age of 94 years old, probably of grief.
Richard Martin, aged 21 years, of Ireland, left there in September 1851 for America. He landed in New York. He worked at weaving for Jason Miller who was his future wife's brother-in-law. He married Barbara Ann Leggett on April 1, 1858, at the same time as her sister Eliza was married to Joseph Duft in Illinois. His family moved to Iowa in 1872 were he did farm work, as he had done in Ireland. And then retired and moved to Farragut Iowa in 1895. His wife died 1 month and 27 days before him, on May 9, 1924 at the age of 94 years old, probably of grief.
RICHARD MARTIN'S DIARY
The following is a transcript of Richard Martin's diary he carried through the Civil War. The spelling is his, which makes it difficult to establish what some of the names mentioned actually were.
NOTE: I tried to add the correct names, words, & meanings. Sandy
"I must say good night. May God bless you. Kiss the babes and give friendly remembrances to all family and other friends. Every blessing to you and ours in time and eternity.
1 overcoat $7.20 1 dress coat 6.71 1 cap .63 1 pair pants 3.63 2 shirts 1.76 2 pair drawers 1.49 2 pair socks .52 1 blanket 2.95 1 hat 1.60 amount 23.80 13
October 1862 (someone's name I think) brought in a nigger and a mule.
(skipped down to L. P. stuff)
Monday, Feb 23rd, 1863 ~ Landed at Lake Providance. Move up the lake about 4 miles.
Tuesday February 24th 1863 ~ Putting up our camps about 4 miles up the lake. Nothing speshul (special).
Saturday 28th ~ I started to work on the bioo (bayou)
Sunday March 1st 1863 ~ Come in to camp off the bioo
Thursday 5th ~ Was on picket on the bioo Louisiana
Tuesday March 10 1863 ~ Writing a letter
Wednesday 11th ~ Recieved a letter
Thursday 12th ~ Wrote a letter home
Saturday 14th ~ Sent home a coat
Sunday 15th ~ Got a bord (on board) of the Henry (boat). Nothing speshul
Monday 16th ~ Lay on the river at Lake Providance. Left the river into the lake at sundown.
Tuesday 17th ~ Moved up the river from Lake Providence about 5 miles
Wednesday 18th ~ The boys are fixing their tents and cleaning
March 19th, 1863 ~ Friday 20th Got a letter
Sunday 22nd ~ Wrote home to my folks
Monday 23rd ~ Heard hevvy firing toward Vicksburg
Tuesday 24th ~ Got a letter
Wednesday 25th ~ Ansered it home
Thursday 26th ~ The brigade band got here this morning
Friday 27th ~ Nothing speshul
Saturday 28th ~Got new endfield guns today
Sunday 29th ~ Cold and disagreeable
Monday 30th ~ Still cold
Tuesday 31st ~ Writing home
Wednesday April 1st 1863 ~ Got a letter
Thursday 2nd ~ Nothing speshul
Friday 3rd ~ Wrote a letter home to my wife
Saturday 4th ~ Singed the payrol and James H. Whalley died
Sunday 5th ~ The boys went down to Lake Providence to burry James H. Whalley
Monday 6th ~ Recieved a letter from my wife. George Jarmen got to the regment. All the capts and lieuts standing brig guard
Tuesday 7th ~ 100 men firing up the camp
Wednesday 8th ~ On picket at the ferry landing. Adjutent General Thomas of the United States was here to comishon (commission) officers for a nigger regment. Made a speech.
Saturday April 11, 1863 ~ Got paid 2 months pay 52 dollars. Sent home 45 dollars.
Sunday 12th ~ Wrote a letter home about sending the money $45 with Mr. Fosket. On camp guard.
Monday 13th ~ Hurlbuts divishion went down the river. 12 boat lodes (loads).
Tuesday 14th ~ Oficers of the 20th on guard duty.
Wednesday 15th ~ Rober More (Robert Moore) has got his discharge
Thursday 16th ~ Robert More left Perries landing (Perry's) for home. He sent the money by express. Stephensons brigade (Stevenson's Brigade) went down river.
Friday 17th ~ 5 gunboats is reported in to run the blockage and 2 transports at Vicksburg heard hevvy canonading last night.
1 overcoat $7.20 1 dress coat 6.71 1 cap .63 1 pair pants 3.63 2 shirts 1.76 2 pair drawers 1.49 2 pair socks .52 1 blanket 2.95 1 hat 1.60 amount 23.80 13
October 1862 (someone's name I think) brought in a nigger and a mule.
(skipped down to L. P. stuff)
Monday, Feb 23rd, 1863 ~ Landed at Lake Providance. Move up the lake about 4 miles.
Tuesday February 24th 1863 ~ Putting up our camps about 4 miles up the lake. Nothing speshul (special).
Saturday 28th ~ I started to work on the bioo (bayou)
Sunday March 1st 1863 ~ Come in to camp off the bioo
Thursday 5th ~ Was on picket on the bioo Louisiana
Tuesday March 10 1863 ~ Writing a letter
Wednesday 11th ~ Recieved a letter
Thursday 12th ~ Wrote a letter home
Saturday 14th ~ Sent home a coat
Sunday 15th ~ Got a bord (on board) of the Henry (boat). Nothing speshul
Monday 16th ~ Lay on the river at Lake Providance. Left the river into the lake at sundown.
Tuesday 17th ~ Moved up the river from Lake Providence about 5 miles
Wednesday 18th ~ The boys are fixing their tents and cleaning
March 19th, 1863 ~ Friday 20th Got a letter
Sunday 22nd ~ Wrote home to my folks
Monday 23rd ~ Heard hevvy firing toward Vicksburg
Tuesday 24th ~ Got a letter
Wednesday 25th ~ Ansered it home
Thursday 26th ~ The brigade band got here this morning
Friday 27th ~ Nothing speshul
Saturday 28th ~Got new endfield guns today
Sunday 29th ~ Cold and disagreeable
Monday 30th ~ Still cold
Tuesday 31st ~ Writing home
Wednesday April 1st 1863 ~ Got a letter
Thursday 2nd ~ Nothing speshul
Friday 3rd ~ Wrote a letter home to my wife
Saturday 4th ~ Singed the payrol and James H. Whalley died
Sunday 5th ~ The boys went down to Lake Providence to burry James H. Whalley
Monday 6th ~ Recieved a letter from my wife. George Jarmen got to the regment. All the capts and lieuts standing brig guard
Tuesday 7th ~ 100 men firing up the camp
Wednesday 8th ~ On picket at the ferry landing. Adjutent General Thomas of the United States was here to comishon (commission) officers for a nigger regment. Made a speech.
Saturday April 11, 1863 ~ Got paid 2 months pay 52 dollars. Sent home 45 dollars.
Sunday 12th ~ Wrote a letter home about sending the money $45 with Mr. Fosket. On camp guard.
Monday 13th ~ Hurlbuts divishion went down the river. 12 boat lodes (loads).
Tuesday 14th ~ Oficers of the 20th on guard duty.
Wednesday 15th ~ Rober More (Robert Moore) has got his discharge
Thursday 16th ~ Robert More left Perries landing (Perry's) for home. He sent the money by express. Stephensons brigade (Stevenson's Brigade) went down river.
Friday 17th ~ 5 gunboats is reported in to run the blockage and 2 transports at Vicksburg heard hevvy canonading last night.
Saturday 18th ~ On picket guard. Was relieved about 3 oc. Got on bord the boat Sioux City
Sunday 19th ~ Got down to Milligens Bend (Milliken's Bend). Marched about a mile out west and camped. Had to tie up the boat on acount of a rain storm on the night of the 18th.
Monday 20th ~ Moved our tents twice. Some of the boys got new jackets. Dug a well.
Tuesday 21st ~ Maild a letter Tues morning. Was out on batalion drill. William McPherson and I bricked a well. Got a letter from home.
Wednesday 22nd ~ Had grand review. Govorner Yeats (Governor Yeates) was here. 2 men taken out of our regt to run the blockade. There wer 70 last night taken out of A and B, 21 out of our co.
Thursday 23 ~ Wrote a letter home. Copper went to run the blockade. Came back alright.
Friday 24th ~ Two brothers of the Young Mens Christian Assosiation visited our brigade today. Distributed bym books and other religious reding. Marsh has gone home and Colonal Smith comans the brigad. There names are Randels and Brunell.
Saturday 25th ~ Got marching orders. Left camp about 10 or 11 oc. Marched to Richmond about 14 miles. Pretty warm. Collonel Howes horse hurt."
Sunday 19th ~ Got down to Milligens Bend (Milliken's Bend). Marched about a mile out west and camped. Had to tie up the boat on acount of a rain storm on the night of the 18th.
Monday 20th ~ Moved our tents twice. Some of the boys got new jackets. Dug a well.
Tuesday 21st ~ Maild a letter Tues morning. Was out on batalion drill. William McPherson and I bricked a well. Got a letter from home.
Wednesday 22nd ~ Had grand review. Govorner Yeats (Governor Yeates) was here. 2 men taken out of our regt to run the blockade. There wer 70 last night taken out of A and B, 21 out of our co.
Thursday 23 ~ Wrote a letter home. Copper went to run the blockade. Came back alright.
Friday 24th ~ Two brothers of the Young Mens Christian Assosiation visited our brigade today. Distributed bym books and other religious reding. Marsh has gone home and Colonal Smith comans the brigad. There names are Randels and Brunell.
Saturday 25th ~ Got marching orders. Left camp about 10 or 11 oc. Marched to Richmond about 14 miles. Pretty warm. Collonel Howes horse hurt."
