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Diary of Peter J. Perrine
Private, Company C
September 20, 1861 through July 4, 1864
Web Author's Notes:
Images of the diary of Pvt. Peter J. Perrine were submitted to this website by a donor. Excerpts were transcribed from the diary by the web author and reflect the actual diary text as accurately as possible. It should be noted that Private Perrine used the diary book without regard to the pre-printed dates.

Update 2/19/2011: The text of this diary has been found to be nearly identical to that of the diary of Cpl. William Reid, also of Company C and published on this website as a text transcript. It is believed that soldiers often copied each other's diaries near or shortly after the war's end, so they could have a record of their service. At this time it is not known who the original author of the Reid/Perrine diary really is. It could have been copied from yet another soldier's diary or may possibly reflect an assembly of more than one soldiers' diaries. The specific information in the diary, however, can be considered accurate as research and cross-checking validates all the information.

Pvt. Peter J. Perrine

Page From Date To Date Events
Cover Inside pre-printed cover page of diary
2 September 20, 1861 November 26, 1861 Formation of regiment; Camp Tiffin near Wooster, OH
3 November 27, 1861 December 18, 1861 Drilled and equipped at Camp Dennison, OH; ordered to Lexington, KY
4 December 19, 1861 January 17, 1862 March to Lexington, Nicholasville, Lancaster, Stanford, Halls Gap, KY
5 January 18th,  1862 January 31, 1862 Raining in Waynesburg, march to Somerset, missed Battle of Mills Spring, KY
6 January 31, 1862 February 5, 1862 Sublimity Springs on Rock Castle River, KY
7 February 6, 1862 February 12, 1862 London, Flat Lick, KY
8 February 13, 1862 March 23, 1862 Cumberland Ford (Pineville), KY; recon to Cumberland Gap
9 March 28, 1862 April 30, 1862 Skirmishing with Rebels at Cumberland Gap; 26th Brigade formed
10 May 22, 1862 June 18, 1862 Marched to via Powell's Valley, Tn via Roger's Gap, TN
11 June 18, 1862 July 28, 1862 Occupied Cumberland Gap; foraging in Tazewell, TN.; returning to Powell River
12 August 2, 1862 August 6, 1862 Foraging around Tazewell, attacked with 2 killed, 40 taken prisoner (where?)
13 August 18, 1862 September 17, 1862 Occupation of Cumberland Gap, surrounded by Kirby Smith's army; evacuation to Manchester, KY; execution of soldier from 3d Kentucky for murder
14 September 22 1862 September 26, 1862 March to Proctor, Campton, Hazel Green, KY; attacked by guerrillas
15 September 27 1862 October 2, 1862 March to West Liberty and on to Grayson, KY, pursued by Rebels
16 October 2, 1862 October 3, 1862 Slept with guns; Rebs fled during night; grated corn, marched to Oldtown and Greenupsburg (Greenup), KY; made cakes for remaining march
17 October 4, 1862 October 4, 1862 Steamships to Wheelersburg for a waiting dinner; march on to Sciotoville, OH, camped
18 October 5, 1862 October 22, 1862 Sciotoville to Hamden , back to Portland (Oak Hill), OH via railroad; 16 day camp; march to Gallipolis, OH
19 October 23, 1862 November 10, 1862 Crossed into Virginia at Point Pleasant; Kanawha River, Buffalo, Red House and camped in Charleston, VA. for 10 days
20 November 10, 1862 November 22, 1862 Retrace route back through Poca, Buffalo, (West) Virginia; boarded steamers on Ohio River to Cincinnati, OH, Louisville and New Albany, KY and points south
21 November 23, 1862 December 21, 1862 Steamships to Cairo, Il; on Mississippi River to Columbus, KY, disembarking and into camp for 23 days at Memphis, TN, grand review by General Sherman; steamers south to Helena, AR and beyond; fired on by guerillas
22 December 25, 1862 December 28, 1862 Steamers up Yazoo River; skirmishing near Chickasaw Bayou, MS; built breastworks for artillery; attacked by artillery; formed with 7th Michigan and attacked Rebel line.
23 December 28, 1862 December 29, 1862 Drove enemy from woods into their stronghold; attacked Rebels in the afternoon;  Battle of Chickasaw Bayou
24 December 29, 1862 December 30, 1862 Battle of Chickasaw Bayou; attack and retreat; 139 prisoners from 16th Ohio
25 December 31, 1862 January 10, 1863 Flag of truce to recover dead; evacuated to Milliken's Bend then to Arkansas Post; gun boats attack Confederates
26 January 11, 1863 January 21, 1863 Battle of Arkansas Post, 7000 Rebel prisoners taken; back down Mississippi River to camp at Young's Point, LA, for 45 days; repaired levee
27 January 21, 1863 April 12, 1863 Camped at Young's Point; gunboats shell Vicksburg; camps at Milliken's Bend, then Richmond, La.
28 April 13, 1863 April 28th, 1863 New Carthage, La; gunboats run past Vicksburg; camp at Perkins Plantation
29 April 28, 1863 May 1, 1863 March to Grand Gulf, Ms.; bombardment and battle of Grand Gulf; march to Port Gibson; Battle of Port Gibson (or Thompson's Hill)
30 May 1, 1863 May 13, 1863 Chasing rebels from Port Gibson; camp at Big Sandy; march to Fourteen Mile Creek then to Raymond, Ms.
31 May 14, 1863 May 16, 1863 Raymond to Bolton Station to Edwards Depot. Ms; Battle of Champion Hills
32 May 16, 1863 May 17, 1863 Battle of Champion Hills; pursuit of Rebels west; Battle of Big Black River
33 May 18, 1863 June 24, 1863 Advance to Vicksburg; charging Confederate forts; withdraw to Big Black River Bridge and camped; moved to Bovinia Station and camped - Siege of Vicksburg
34 June 26, 1863 July 8, 1863 Siege of Vicksburg; Surrender of Vicksburg; march east to Jackson, Ms.
35 July 9, 1863 July 24, 1863 Siege and Surrender of Jackson, Ms.; return march to Vicksburg
36 July 24, 1863 September 18, 1863 Steamers to Carrollton, La.; Grand Reviews by Gen. Banks and Grant; Steamers to Algiers, La.; train to Bayou Boeuf, march to Brashear City (Morgan City), La.
37 September 24, 1863 October 10, 1863 Camp at Berwick, La.; march to Camp Brisland, Franklin, Iberia, St. Martinsburg, La;
38 October 10, 1863 October 30, 1863 March to Vermillion Bayou, Carrion Crow Bayou, Opelousas and back to Iberia, La.
39 November 4, 1863 November 25, 1863 Wagons to Franklin, steamers to Berwick, La.; Brashear City (Morgan City) then railroad to Algiers, La.; boarded steamship for Texas
40 November 27, 1863 January 13, 1864 Pass Cavallo, Matagorda Bay, Tx.; camp at Decrows Point, Tx.; steamer to Indianola, Tx.
41 January 19, 1864 April 4, 1864 camp in Indianola, Tx.; review by Gen. Ord; evacuation back to Matagorda Island; 29 men from 69th Indiana drowned
42 April 8, 1864 April 21, 1864 Company C rejoins regiment; steamships to New Orleans, attacked by Confederate Gunboat Tennessee en route; camp in New Orleans
43 April 22, 1864 April 27, 1864 Steamers up Mississippi River past Baton Rouge, Port Hudson, up Red River to Alexandria, La.; The Red River Campaign
44 April 28, 1864 May 1, 1864 Camp and defense of Alexandria, La.
45 May 2, 1864 May 5, 1864 Camp in Alexandria, La.; skirmishing with Rebels; arrival of remnants of 120th Ohio disaster
46 May 6, 1864 May 13, 1864 Skirmishing around Alexandria, La.; burning and evacuation of Alexandria; Retreat from the Red River campaign
47 May 14, 1864 May 16, 1864 March southeast from Alexandria, La., skirmishing; Fort DeRussy, clash at Marksville, La., Rebels in pursuit
48 May 17, 1864 May 19, 1864 To Yellow Bayou; skirmishing and fighting Rebels, Battle of Yellow Bayou
49 May 19, 1864 May 30, 1864 Crossed Atchafalaya River on steamer bridge and marched to Mississippi River then south toward Baton Rouge
50 May 30, 1864 June 8, 1864 Camping, skirmishing, scouting mission to Simmesport, La.
51 June 15, 1864 July 4, 1864 Moved camp down river; Grand Review by Major General Reynolds;  end of diary
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