Manuscripts

Jacob Medtart Smith diary

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Description: Smith's diary, which begins in August 1846, gives brief descriptions of the towns in Mexico in which his regiment passed and in which they camped, such as Monclova and Saltillo, Mexico. He gives detailed information regarding his regiment's marches and the miles they covered and the death of several of his fellow soldiers. Smith mentions Major Solon Borland, Major General Zachary Taylor, Brigadier General John Wool, Colonel Archibald Yell, and General Antonio Lopez de Santa Anna. Smith gives a brief description of his experience in the Battle of Buena Vista and ends his diary with his regiment's march back to the United States to be mustered out of the army in July 1847
Type: Manuscripts(Opens in new tab)
Production date: 1846-1847.
Call number: mssHM 63639
Creator: Smith, Jacob Medtart

John C. Palmer diary

Manuscripts

Palmer's diary gives detailed descriptions of the towns in Mexico in which his regiment passed and in which they camped, such as Monclova and Saltillo, Mexico, as well as the people he encountered along the way including some friends he knew before the war. Palmer often complains about marching, the camp conditions, the treatment of the volunteers by the regulars, and his commanding officers. He specifically mentions Captain Albert Pike, Major Solon Borland, Major General Zachary Taylor, Brigadier General John Wool, Colonel Archibald Yell, and General Antonio Lopez de Santa Anna. Palmer gives a detailed description of his experience in the Battle of Buena Vista and of the battlefield the morning after the battle

mssHM 63638

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Fred H. Tobey diary

Manuscripts

Tobey gives great detail regarding army life in his diary including his regiment's marches, encampments, and skirmishes with Indians. He also describes the landscape around him and the Indians with which his regiment came into contact and/or battled: the Sioux, the Cheyenne, the Nez Perce, and the Crow. He often complains about the weather, the lack of supplies (some of the regiment, including Tobey, resorted to eating the horses) and the actions of his officers. He discusses, in detail, the Battle of Canyon Creek and the history of the 7th Cavalry Regiment including General George Custer, Comanche the Horse, and the Battle of Little Bighorn. Tobey also mentions Chief Joseph, Sitting Bull, Colonel Nelson Miles, Colonel Samuel D. Sturgis, Brigadier General Alfred Terry, Lieutenant Elwood Otis, and Major Marcus Reno; and the Crow Agency (Mont.), Glendive (Mont.), the Tongue River Valley (Wyo. and Mont.), Fort Abraham Lincoln (N.D.), Fort Buford (N.D.), Standing Rock Indian Reservation (N.D. and S.D.), and the Yellowstone River Valley

mssHM 63327

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James Farmer diaries

Manuscripts

The first of these diary transcripts covers the years from approximately 1851-1853, with references back to 1844. In it, James Farmer gives a brief description of his family and youth, leading up to his conversion to Mormonism while living in Leicester, England. It emphasizes his mission work with the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter Day Saints in England, as well as the religious opposition faced by the LDS Church. The diary also describes his decision to "go home to Zion" (Utah) and his sea voyage from Liverpool to New Orleans.

mssHM 27968 (a + b)

Diaries of Azariah Smith [microform] : 1846-1912

Manuscripts

Microfilm of the diaries of Azariah Smith, covering the years from 1846-1912. The first volume opens with some brief autobiographical information on his family's life in Nauvoo and persecutions against the Mormons in Missouri. The journal begins in 1846 and covers Smith's time with the Mormon Battalion, his arrival in Salt Lake City in 1848, and a daily record of his life in Salt Lake, the Sanpete Valley, Ephraim, Provo, and primarily Manti through 1887 (page 224 includes a sketch of Smith's homestead). Following the diary are some loose notes and diary pages, a marriage certificate for Smith and Sevilla Mitchell (1903), some genealogical notes, and a list of names of women sealed to Smith. The second diary volume covers Smith's life in Manti from 1888-1912.

MSS MFilm 00314

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John Charles Frémont letter to Jacob Rink Snyder

Manuscripts

In this letter to Major Snyder, stationed in San Francisco, Frémont gives his thanks for Snyder's accomodations regarding "the copies of the portrait," and his condolences for the death of President Zachary Taylor, which he considers a "public calamity."

mssHM 48974

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William Smith Benchley diary

Manuscripts

This diary from hotel keeper William Smith Benchley of Newport, New York, provides a detailed record of the many services he provided his patrons including food, drink, and accommodations for the patrons and their animals. The diary also includes local news; state and national politics; meetings and fundraising for the Democratic Party; hotel, railroad, and other local businesses; the local economy; and personal and family news. Also included is information on the early life and the move to California by William Benchley's oldest son Leonidas Brown Benchley, who later owned Helena Ranch and founded the Golden Belt Fruit Company in Fullerton, California.

mssHM 84538

Jacob Medtart Smith diary

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You might also be interested in

John C. Palmer diary

Fred H. Tobey diary

James Farmer diaries

Diaries of Azariah Smith [microform] : 1846-1912

John Charles Frémont letter to Jacob Rink Snyder

William Smith Benchley diary