Manuscripts
Contains the Army Record of William E. Carpenter. Fair copy of the Civil War diary kept in Aug. 1862 to July 1865, preceded by an 1871 account book (100 leaves). Both manuscripts fill approximately a half of a blank account book. The diary deals chiefly with camp life: foraging, rations, typhoid fever, hospitals, furloughs, elections of officers, inspections, encounters with Confederate prisoners, war news and rumors; desertions; news about other regiments including newly organized colored troops; "chat" with Ulysses S. Grant. There is also infomration on operations of Grant's Central Mississippi Campaign, including siege and surrender of Vicksburg. Also included are William E. Carpenter's insignia of the Grand Army of the Republic, Civil War leaflets with the texts of "The Veterans are Coming!," by L. Grennan, and "Triumphal March of General Grant's Grand Army", two copies of a leaflet "History of Regimental Colors of the 124th Regiment Ill. Vol. Infantry," by J.H. Howe. (Republican Print: Galbsburg, Ill, s.d.), newspaper clippings, and postcards. Accompanied by the following manuscripts: discharge certificate of William E. Carpenter (HM 60954), "Statistics of the 124th Regt. From Sept. 10 1862 to Aug. 11, 1863) (HM 60955), and the reply to a questionnaire distributed by the U.S. Bureau of Pensions (1904) (HM 60952).
mssHM 60952-60955
