© 2025. The Trustees of Indiana University
Copyright Complaints
1229 East Seventh Street, Bloomington, Indiana 47405
News, Arts and Culture from WFIU Public Radio and WTIU Public Television
Play Live Radio
Next Up:
0:00
0:00
0:00 0:00
Available On Air Stations
Some web content from Indiana Public Media is unavailable during our transition to a new web publishing platform. We apologize for the inconvenience.

Civil War Diary: 'Dress Parade This Morning Instead Of Afternoon Makes It More Pleasant'

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.

July 9, 1862

Fine Day had a Rehearsal in evening Dress Parade this morning instead of afternoon this makes it more pleasant this warm weather

Check back for the next entry on July 10

Diary entries provided by the  Monroe County History Center.

Becca is a digital producer and reporter in the newsroom. She is from Cincinnati, OH, and is completing a Master's degree in Journalism at Indiana University.