Osborne Wilson's Civil War Diaries
George O. Wilson, Jr.
Copyright 2019 by George O. Wilson, Jr.
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Meadville, PA 16335
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Table of Contents
Introduction
Great Grandfather Osborn Wilson wrote in his diary almost every day from January 1, 1861, until July 1865. However, there are several days missing, all the record of the Battle of McDowell. He joined the Confederate Army about the middle of May 1861 and served in the army until captured in April 1865 and then sent to prisoner of war camp.
Osborn was with the Southern Army in 1861, at what is now West Virginia, in action at Grafton, Philipi, Laurel Hill, Rich Mountain, Beverly, Cheat River, Camp Bartow, and Allegheny Mountain.
The most famous places where Osborn took part in battles were Antietam, Gettysburg, Manassas, Fredericksburg, Petersburg, and several locations in the Shenandoah Valley. He probably survived the war because he was usually in charge of the ordinance train, which was kept several miles behind the battlefields.
Osborn was sick with intestinal problems before he joined the army and during his whole span of military service. He spent some time in several hospitals during the war where he tended to other sick and wounded patients. His description of how wounded or sick soldiers were treated makes one wonder how anybody survived the war.
The diary that Osborn kept is a treasure of life with Confederate soldiers during the Civil War. Since his unit consisted mostly of Highland County, Virginia, enlistees, many surnames from that region are mentioned, including Jones, Wilson, Benson, Campbell, Woods, etc. Associates from other units have their names mentioned as well.
1861
Osborn Wilson of Highland County, Virginia, kept a diary of the events in his life from January 1, 1861, through sometime in July 1865. About the middle of July, 1861, he joined the Highland Volunteers. From then until the time he was captured by the Yankees in 1865, he was a soldier in the Confederate Army. His day-by-day accounts tell the life, dreams, and hardships of a true Virginia patriot.
Osborn Wilsons 1861 diary entries include some from his daybook with some information probably written in at a later time. His 1862 to 1865 entries have the dates and locations written, and the reader can better follow what is happening.
Several pages in his diaries (and there were nine little books) are almost impossible to read. Ink has smeared or faded. On several pages, Osborn wrote vertically after he had filled the page horizontally, blotting out several words. If I was unsure of the spelling of certain words, I put (sp) after the word. If I had to guess what was written, I put ( ) and what I thought he meant to write. Sometimes, I put (?) because I had no idea what he meant to write in that space. Other times, the reader has to just guess what Osborn meant.
In Osborns day, people seldom used first names in writing. For example, Jno. Jones = John Jones; Jas. Jones = James Jones; Jo. Jones = Joseph Jones; Chas. Jones = Charles Jones; etc.
Other times, he just put a letter to represent a name. For example, Miss A. = Miss Almira. E. might be Elbert, or it might be the Enemy. RR = railroad. Several abbreviations give no clue what or whom they represent. The reader has to look back in the text to try to hopefully match the abbreviation with a name. For example, stop at L.R.s to get a drink of buttermilk. Who knows who L.R. is.
January 1, 1861 . Mr. Wm. Lightners on Back Creek on the night of December 31, 1860. Had a very nice time. After twelve oclock craved Miss Alice Lightner, Miss Almira, Miss Louisa, Miss Laura Campbell, Miss Maggie. Twelve over, several of the gentlemen stayed for their new years gifts but got none. Stayed at Mr. and Mrs. Campbells till four oclock, then got on Sally and came to Dr. Byrds, where I had a nice time and gave Miss Lizzie a tuck comb for a Christmas present.
January 2, 1861 . Having stayed all night at D.S. and Birds, got up at six oclock, fed the horse hay, eat my breakfast, and started for home with Nan having spent the holidays very agreeably. Got home after ten.
Took a note with an invitation to a party at the Campbells. Got a nice pin cushion of Lil as a New Years giftvery proud of it.
Came up to M. Lightners for a horse to go to the partygot none.
We came on to Bude (sp) Gums to get my boots mended, stopped at the store, and got three yards of brown cotton, and six-and-a-half oz. tallow, and came on to A.H. Campbells and spent the night.
January 3, 1861 . Got up after six. Got breakfast. Came on home and then to school. Snow very soft and melting. Very cloudy and damp all day. Taught at school with only seven scholars. Wrote letters at night to Chas. W. Cooper and to Robert Cran (sp) for books and one to Yost for Vindicator . Read books, smoked, and set by the fire and smoked, and read in Bible. Went to bed after ten oclock and slept soundly as I generally do.
January 4, 1861 . Got up half past four, eat breakfast at six. Cold, cloudy morning. Chopped a maple log half up. Started to school and came by B.B.Cs. Got Boston Recorder and Presbyterian to read. Read one page of lattergot along very well with all my chaps. Cold and cloudy all day. Got a light hind quarter of beef of John Hull. Elbert and Geo. went after it tonight, weighed 134 lbs. Night.
January 5, 1861 . Got up at half past five. Eat breakfast at seven and came to the school house. Had few scholars. Call muster of Pisgah Company to elect officials. D. Bird, Jr. was elected captain, J.B.C. First Lt., J. Trainer Second. Bright and sunny all daywarm for the season. Read a good deal in the Presbyterian . Closed school before sundown. Let out school before night. Stopped at Hulls. Came home. Eat too big a supper and felt bad all over and went to bed after ten and read in the R. Recorder and Bible.
January 6, 1861 . Had a good nights rest and up after six. Read several chapters in the Bible. Read in the Boston Recorder eat breakfast at eight, after which, I still read the Recorder till finished then took it home. Dined at Mrs. B.B.C.
Went to church with Brown. No preachingMr. Brown did not come. Cloudy and windy day. Not many at church. Stopped at Mrs. Woods on my way home and eat apples. Went home at bedtime.
Monday, January 7, 1861 . Up at half past foureat at six. Damp cloudy dayrained some. Read some in Bible before breakfast. Felt guilty all day on account of rain. Had ten scholars. Most all very unrulycame near whipping a few of them. Stopped at Mr. Hulls on way from school. Old man sick one-fourth of the time. Read some and smoked. Quarter to tentime to retire. Good night. God bless the United States in these troublesome times.
Tuesday, January 8, 1861 . Got up after five. Bright pleasant morning. Continued so all day. Chopped wood till schooltime. Didnt chew any tobacco all daygot very hungrycould hardly stand it. Stopped at Woods on way from schooleat supper there. Came home, read the Vindicator nearly through, some in the Bible, and went to bed.
