Papers of William H. Smith, 1864-1866.

  1. Resources
  2. View Resource

ArchivalResource

Papers of William H. Smith, 1864-1866.

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

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.

University of Virginia. Library

Information

SNAC Resource ID: 7903777

University of Virginia. Library

Related Entities

There are 17 Entities related to this resource.

Cobb, Howell, 1815-1868

http://n2t.net/ark:/99166/w6mb1024 (person)

Howell Cobb (September 7, 1815-October 9, 1868) was an American lawyer and diplomat. He served as congressman (1843-51; 1855-57), Speaker of the U.S. House of Representatives (1849-51), governor of Georgia (1851-53), and secretary of the treasury (1857-60). Following Georgia's secession from the Union in 1861, he served as president of the Provisional Confederate Congress (1861-62) and a major general of the Confederate army. Cobb was born in Jefferson County on September 7, 1815, the eldest ...

White, Isaiah.

http://n2t.net/ark:/99166/w6dj7k6f (person)

Winder, John H. (John Henry), 1800-1865

http://n2t.net/ark:/99166/w6571b3n (person)

Confederate general. From the description of Autograph letter signed : Richmond, to Gen. H. A. Wise, 1864 Feb. 5. (Unknown). WorldCat record id: 270588263 U.S. Receiver of public lands at Detroit, Michigan, 1826-1828; bookkeeper, American Fur Company, Mackinac Island, Michigan, 1828-1829; and clerk of the Michigan Territorial Supreme Court, 1829. From the description of John Winder papers, 1825-1834. (University of Michigan). WorldCat record id: 34423131 ...

Hunt, Frank, fl. 1865.

http://n2t.net/ark:/99166/w62c1192 (person)

Olinger, Henry, 1829-

http://n2t.net/ark:/99166/w6q54rxs (person)

Wirz, Henry, 1823?-1865

http://n2t.net/ark:/99166/w6sx6fpw (person)

Wirz was most noted as the commander of Andersonville Prison. From the description of Captain Wirz Special Orders No. 3, 1865 January 27. (Hartford Public Library). WorldCat record id: 212782030 Confederate army officer. From the description of Henry Wirz papers, 1864-1865. (Unknown). WorldCat record id: 70981619 ...

United States. Army. Indiana Infantry Regiment, 20th (1861-1865)

http://n2t.net/ark:/99166/w63r6c1m (corporateBody)

Hunt, Jane Scadden.

http://n2t.net/ark:/99166/w67103sw (person)

Eiland, E. D., fl. 1864-1865.

http://n2t.net/ark:/99166/w6n60qh6 (person)

Hyatt, James, d. 1864?

http://n2t.net/ark:/99166/w62n74f4 (person)

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

http://n2t.net/ark:/99166/w6b59x98 (person)

Private, 4th Michigan Infantry; prisoner at Andersonville. From the description of Papers of William H. Smith, 1864-1866. (University of Virginia). WorldCat record id: 63818542 ...

Kerr, W. J. W., 1834-1916.

http://n2t.net/ark:/99166/w6ff5vq0 (person)

Wadsworth, James S. (James Samuel), 1807-1864

http://n2t.net/ark:/99166/w66t3668 (person)

American army officer. From the description of Autograph despatch signed : "H. Q. 5th Army Corps," addressed to Brig. Gen. S. Williams, 1864 Apr. 12. (Unknown). WorldCat record id: 270586189 Biographical Notes James Wadsworth 1768, Apr. 20 Born, Durham, Conn. 1787 ...

Andersonville Prison

http://n2t.net/ark:/99166/w6837hp5 (corporateBody)

Thornburg, Dr., fl. 1865.

http://n2t.net/ark:/99166/w66m58tv (person)

United States. Army. Pennsylvania Infantry Regiment, 98th (1861-1865)

http://n2t.net/ark:/99166/w6fv4jk7 (corporateBody)

United States. Army. Michigan Infantry Regiment, 4th (1861-1864)

http://n2t.net/ark:/99166/w6r829zf (corporateBody)