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Civil War Diary: 'How Such Men Engaged In Such A Cause As Thers Can Succeed I Cant Conceive'

By Becca Costello

Posted May 22, 2019

May 22 quote from civil war diary

(Becca Costello, WFIU/WTIU News)

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.

May 22, 1862

Last night word came that our long looked for Instruments were in Washington Earl started down to day to get them Leggings were issued to Day to the Regt I got a Pass and went to fredericksburg with Jim state & John Custer [illegible] Hendricks foundry  is now in full operation worked by Yankee mechanics Soldiers out of the ranks the foundry was used by the rebels in making shot and shell wen our soldiers first went in the foundry it was full of torpedoes which our soldiers was smart enough to get them out of the way without exploding them  we saw a great many women principally Dressed in mourning a great many storyes are told of the way they “carry on” When walking out they’ll step of the sidewalk to keep from goin under our flag calling it a hateful rag & one was so insolent as to spit in a passing captains face they are always talking about the Yankees and giving them fits we visited the tomb and monument of Mary mother of Washington The corner stone of the monument were laid by Jackson in 1829 thirty three years ago It is not finished yet the spire lies on the ground close to the Base in the rough with not the mark of a chisel on it It is shocking to see how shameful it has been treated the sacrelegious rebels were not content to write names all over it (and to the shame of some of our own the same is true) but they fired shot guns and Bullets and one Place in front a charge of canister into it This harshest treatment is ascribed to the [illegible] Comment on such conduct is unnessary It speaks for itself how such men engaged in such a cause as thers can succeed I cant conceive—we had a good Dinner and Payed 50 cents for it I Bought some Bread and took to camp for a change from hard cracker got Back to camp at 3 oclock P.M. heard of Gen Shields Division being here as they were coming in and knowing the 14thbeing in I struck for them saw Gorge matson Gid [illegible] and lots of the Gosport boys George and was glad to see Me and I can ashure I was to see them ther looked hardy and tough georde Did not look the best as he said he had not been well for some time I stayed all night with them it was Georges time to cook as they had means George had found a cousin in one of the Penl Regts Gid came with me to camp the next morning I saw Bill cravens & Charley roggers of the Band the 7th 13th 14th Indiana Regts were all there

Check back for the next entry on May 23

Diary entries provided by the Monroe County History Center.

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