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 22, 1861
This is the first cloudy morning for some time rather cool—to Gloryious Victories yesterdays Paper one in Ma & the other on the Potomac at Drainsville—we could here the cannonading distinctly from there the wind began blowing furiously this evening Our chimney smokes Bad
Check back for the next entry on December 23.
Diary entries provided by the Monroe County History Center.
