157 years ago, a Hoosier from Monroe County wrote about fighting for the Union in the Civil War in a diary he kept almost daily. Peter Thomas Matthews was 20 years old when he enlisted in the army and served as a drummer in the 19th Indiana Regimental Band.
Follow along as we publish his diary entries in real-time on the day they were written.
Read the first entry here. Learn more about Matthews and read all former and future entries here.
Editor's note: We have left Matthews' words as he recorded them, which means spelling and punctuation may not conform to modern standards.
December 5, 1861
At too clock Gen McDowell sent the Col. to have the Band at the Arlington House at 1 P.M. we went in Style Several visitors from the City were Present who partook of lunch to the Stept of our music
After they left We had an invitation to partake some chaimpagn which we did one and John Pyle have the honor of Drinking some champaine out of the glass that Miss Chase the Secretarys Daughter (same she had her lips to)
on Dress Parade this eve Schenks made a Speech to the Reg t also Porter M.C. from North Carolina
Check back for the next entry on December 7.
Diary entries provided by the Monroe County History Center.
