If you are writing as a northern (Union) soldier, submit your journal entry to the comments section for this post.
Read real journals:
Fletcher Pomeroy, a member of Company D, Seventh Kansas Cavalry
Cornelius C. Platter, 81st Ohio Infantry Volunteers
7 comments:
July 12, 1863
Dear Diary,
One by one, I see fired bullets, shooting against their chests and sending them, falling on their backs. Never will they return to the positions against their feet. I sought it with my heart cracking open in the moments of terror. The loud, firing bombs shot and the swords wrestling among each other awoken me to realize that that could be me. “I’m here for a reason.” Then, I shifted myself, leading myself to believe I can make a difference. I charged, as my sword shifted against people, ripping their skin and stretching their soul into the burial ground. I fought for my son. I fought for my people. I fought for my beliefs. I fought for my future… My eyes did not catch enough light; darkness took over the lights began to dim in the perspective of my eyes and fell over…
My eyes awoken and began to meticulously restore back my energy, but still found myself weak. I was wounded on the side of my right shoulder. I strenuously, but carefully got up with the numb feeling of my feet. The sun was setting, until a glimpse of sunlight gazed upon my eyes. I sighted a path of grave; wherever I turned I saw dead men all around me. It was too silent for anyone to speak. Bullets and swords were planted in their bodies. Buckets of blood spilled over the dead bodies. I began to realize how lucky of a survivor I was, I have been from the start. In the end, it all comes down to this. It was no surprise that people were going to die, but we all believed we’d be living a day where we tell our tale. The civil war was an act of cruelty, but this was worth the sacrifice, the sacrifice for freedom. This experience also gave me knowledge and a sense of who I am. I discovered myself as a strong, determined, strenuous, faithful and lucky being. This experience has truly taught me that life is short; death is on horizon. For me, this maybe the end of war, but it’s not the end of the road. I’m leaving New Orleans and going home to my son. This experience has been so appreciated and I might as well take advantage of the time I have. This has been my life as a soldier, fighting in the darkest moments of the United States. Now that the night is over, the light of our nation will soon show up.
Vivian, Jessica, Celina, Gloria 6*
Dear journal,
August 28, let me describe myself, I am Will Smith, I am an African American male. I am 42 years old and I live in California. I support the union. Now that the war has begun, I believe I should fight.
August29, so far I think the war could be justified. My feelings toward slavery I think that it’s wrong and should have an end. I am now a soldier I’m ready to fight and I am a little nervous. I have joined the army to fight for my people. Today I trained for combat.
August 30, today I wore old clothes with no shoes and old ripped up socks. We had little to eat today we had peas, cold chicken, and carrots. I had to sleep in a tent with 4 other people. Today I had received my first musket.
August 31, a lot has happened in the past two years, I have been wounded with a gunshot to the leg, I am fearful of dying. The hospital was crowded, it smelled, and was dirty. I saw limbs all over the place. My leg is throbbing with pain and I heard they had to take my leg off. I am proud that I stood up for my rights and I defended my people this may be my last entry.
-Ramy and Raymond
March 21, 1862
Let me describe myself. I am Bugsy Patterson of Pennsylvania. A 19 year-old African American man, I came in to this war a supporter of the Union. Now that the war has begun I believe that it will end slavery. This war is justified. This could have been avoided but the way I see it is, the confederate states are empty headed and cruel.
Slavery is wrong and it needs to be abolished. To take a man’s right of freedom, to take a man’s life. I am uncertain about this war. But I will fight to the death.
Today I prepared for the war. Wearing my uniform, we were taught how to fight with rifles, stab a man on sight, to be prepared at any given moment. I haven’t really ate anything. No appetite. I sleep in a large tent with other African American soldiers. I carry a knife on me all the time. You can never be too safe, because I don’t know these people.
Jada, Frederick, Susan
Dear journal,
I am a union soldier for freedom.I had just joined the army and I am still a private. I had not joined the army for the wages, but for freedom.I am from virginia and deeply support the union.
I did not expect that there would be a war for a few days after me enlisting in the army. I've had not eaten for 1 full day, also in 3 days we will be going to war. My boots are also broken and my feets sore, but im going to still fight in the war for our freedom of our country. We dont hav much food supply left. We're trying to eat as little as we can so it can last us through the war. I hope we can win this war for our freedom even if i die. Just as long as our country don't lose so our childs can live in freedom with out slavery. All equal rights as others filled with happiness.
Dear journal, 1862, march
I am a union soldier for freedom.I had just joined the army and I am still a private. I had not joined the army for the wages, but for freedom.I am from virginia and deeply support the union.
I did not expect that there would be a war for a few days after me enlisting in the army. I've had not eaten for 1 full day, also in 3 days we will be going to war. My boots are also broken and my feets sore, but im going to still fight in the war for our freedom of our country. We dont hav much food supply left. We're trying to eat as little as we can so it can last us through the war. I hope we can win this war for our freedom even if i die. Just as long as our country don't lose so our childs can live in freedom with out slavery. All equal rights as others filled with happiness.
Alvin,Austin,Robert 2*
Journal Entry 1
Let me describe myself. I am an African American man that was once a slave. I am 35 years old. I live in Massachusetts and I support the Union. I joined the 54th Massachusetts under the command of Captain Robert Gould Shaw. Now that the war has begun, I believe I should fight for my freedom and the end of slavery. This war is justified because the southerner attacked us first. I hate slavery because I was once a slave. My master was cruel he would whip me everyday for no reason. I am happy to be a soldier because then I get to shoot people that are evil. Today I am anxious to fight. Today I practiced my rifle shooting. I wore high quality wool-warm gear. I ate roasted chicken and slept at a camp carrying a rifle and a sword.
-Wallace B. Black
March 21, 1861
Journal Entry 2
So much has happened in the past two years. I have been training on my rifle shooting. I have mastered it and I can fight in battle now. I have fought in the battle of Gettysburg. Many of my companions (black soldiers) have lost their lives in this battle. I was luckily not wounded. I have faced some prejudice when I first joined the Union army. We got lower pay then white soldiers and I was told that I couldn’t even shoot a rifle when I first joined but I proved them wrong when we trained. I was happy when the Emancipation Proclamation that ended slavery. This war has made my life very difficult for example I never got enough sleep, didn’t eat enough, and was bored waiting in camp. The clothes that I wore, when I was in the south, were very comfortable and itchy. There’s enough food but it’s hard to eat when thinking about the war. At least there are some amusements to help pass the time. I like to go hunting for food which wastes time. I don’t listen to music but I like to play games especially poker. Now that the country has been at war for two years, I believe that we should end this war quickly so we don’t lose any more people in war.
-Wallace B. Black
February 4, 1863
Journal Entry 3
The war is over, and I am now going back to my home state in the south. I am glad that the war is over because there is no more killing in the same country. I am now hoping that there’s no more prejudice against blacks. I lost many friends in the war. I am also hoping that I can go back to my home, where my family is. I hope that the U.S will improve and that there will be no more civil wars. The war has taught me that civil wars are horrible because we are fighting against each other in the same country. I hope that this will never happen again.
-Wallace B. Black
1865
Jimmy, Richard
March 21, 1962
Let me describe myself. I am Roger Jones. I am a white man, 19 years old born in Virginia. I support the Union side of the war, so I decided to join the Union side. Now that the war has begun, I believe that I should try my best to fight for my side. I do not really know what this war means, but I think the North is in danger, so I would participate in this as an order. What I feel about slavery is unacceptable. I think everybody in this world deserve equal treatment. If the people have slavery we should all be slaves, if some people are free we all deserve to be free. I am quite excited that I am a soldier, but the important and only thing in my mind is staying alive. I am kind of scared, because once I am in battle everything probably will be going crazy like a dozen of things are going on at the same time. I am a soldier of the Union side, because I decided to help my side.
-Roger Jones
Steven, Derrell
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