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 14, 1862
Quite warm to Day [illegible] Dress Parade this evening an order was Read requesting hereafter all Regts to be Drawn up for Parade by Sun up and the men at roll call to fall in with equipment for light marching orders – This evening the officers in the 9 th wis and our Regt meet at bower garden in Camp and invited us Band – Gen Gibbon and staff and some Navy Officers of the Gun Boats were there Quite a gay time was spent in singing toasting and speech making – we came away about eleven leaving them in their glory (Played at Brig garMt)
Check back for the next entry on July 15
Diary entries provided by the Monroe County History Center.
