Beschreibung:

CIVIL WAR, STONEWALL BRIGADE]. DAVIS, JAMES M.M., Confederate soldier . An autograph manuscript journal kept by Davis of the Rockville Brigade, Army of Northern Virginia, during the Civil War (1864-1865), incorporating a two-page autograph map depicting Confederate and Union lines during the New Market Heights campaign, 28-30 September 1864, and a transcript of Lee's Order No.9, "copied at Appomattox Ct.H., April 11th 1865." Entries dated 2 June 1863 to 11 April 1865. Approximately 56 pages, 24mo, in a small notebook of 102 pages of lined paper, original wallet binding of black oilcloth, cloth ties intact. THE BATTLE DIARY OF A STONEWALL BRIGADE ARTILLERYMAN In a small, neat hand, James M.M. Davis made brief entries of significant experiences as an artilleryman with the Stonewall Brigade, the unit made famous by its leader General Thomas "Stonewall" Jackson and a unit "remarkable for remaining a potent fighting force until late in the war, despite severe attrition" (Boatner, p.808). The entries describe Davis's battery's activities in several key engagements including the Second Valley Campaign, New Market, the Petersburg siege and the retreat to Appomattox. Davis's clear writing captures the desperate plight of the Confederacy as the war drew to a close. 9 August 1864: "...Bad news - Fort Powell (at Mobile) blown up. Ft. Gaines surrendered. [General John] McCausland surprised at Moorfield..." 14 August 1864: "...Heavy firing most of the day in the direction of New Market. Yankees said to have captured four guns from us - Our Battery ordered back 3 or 4 miles to await orders..." 16 August 1864: "...Yankees made a heavy attack near Fuzzels mill, & drove back [General Ambrose Ransom] Wright's Brigade...heavy loss[es] to the Enemy, especially in negroes..." 27 October 1864: "The Yankees made demonstrations on our Lines...repulsed with considerable loss at every point....The 3rd Howitzers had 4 wounded..." 18 December 1864: "Have just heard of [General John Bell] Hood's defeat at Nashville. Yesterday [General James] Longstreet was thrown from his horse & badly hurt..." 2 January 1865: "The Soldiers New Years dinner was distributed to-day - a great failure. We got none. A company of 60 men only got a goose, a turnip & 2 apples..." 2 March 1865: "...Yankees whipped Gen[eral Jubal Anderson] Early at Waynesboro...& entered Charlottesville..." 18 March 1865: "Yankees reported advancing..." 2 April: "Ordered to prepare to move, & heard that on account of a defeat on the Southside, Richmond was to be evacuated..." 7 April: "...Sharpshooters within 200 yards kept up heavy fire especially on our gun - flanked us and got in our rear twice but were driven back with loss both times...McCauley killed, Minor mortally wounded. Man from Dane's battery detailed as driver wounded in foot. Marched all night..." 8 April: "Marched to within 4 miles of Appomattox..." 9 April: "Roused before day [break] & hurried on...The Army, after a short fight, surrendered having only 8000 available muskets - nearly 25000 men in all - Remained here until Wednesday the 12th when having been paroled, we started home..."