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Smith, William H., fl. 1864-1866. Papers of William H. Smith, 1864-1866.

Title: Papers of William H. Smith, 1864-1866.

Civil War papers of Smith include two pocket diaries, 1864-1865, written while he was a prisoner at Andersonville. In the second volume Smith has written underneath entries made the previous year by Henry E. Olinger, soldier from the 20th Indiana. Topics in the diaries of Smith January 1, 1864-April 11, 1865, include imprisonment in Richmond; the trip to Georgia; the weather; the food; past-times; hospital work; illness in camp; rumors concerning battles; exchanges and the campaigns of Grant and Sherman; work in the camp hospital, particularly the distribution of rations; new prisoner arrivals; drinking binges; removal in the face of Sherman's advance; exchange at Wilmington, N.C.; and journey home to Michigan. Briefly mentions a review by Gen Cobb with "A large number of Ladies ... present A sham battle is fought." Other brief mentions of interest include shooting a one legged prisoner beyond the "dead line"; lack of greens for scurvy victims; General Winder; trial and hanging of "Raiders"; slaves throwing up breastworks; fatal railroad accident; dogs tracking runaways; Lincoln winning mock election in November 1864; helping Frank Hunt put up a tent; Jane Hunt and her baby; Drs. W.J.W. Kerr, E.D. Eiland and Thornburg; and starving prisoners joining Confederate Army. After his exchange he records events on his way home and life at home. Olinger's brief entires in the second diary, February 20, 1864-September 16, 1864, each begin with a note on the weather that day. Other topics include reviews, marching through Virginia, furlough home to Indiana, joining Methodist church, wounded and taken prisoner at the Battle of the Wilderness, retrieval of the body of General Wadsworth, excellent care by Confederate medical personnel, reliance on faith, hospitalized in Lynchburg, transportation to Andersonville and subsequent life there, particularly illness, until his exchange on September 16. At this point he either lost the diary or gave it to hospital worker Smith, who reused it for 1865. The collection also contains two discharge documents and a poem by another Andersonville prisoner, James Hyatt; a permission slip for Smith to go to the dispensatory signed by Henry Wirz; and a handmade pipe by Smith.

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http://www.worldcat.org/oclc/63818542 View