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Civil War Diary: 'A News Paper Reporter Sais He Never Heard Better Music Than We Played'

May 8 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 8, 1862

Some rain last night: warm to Day some of our Boys went Down to the Rappahannock to see the Ponton Bridge there are twenty Pontons used in the Bridge on which can be transported any thing I forgot to mention some incidents in the serenade the other night A Deserter from the Rebel army was near listening to our music and wen we struck up “Star Spangled Banner” the tears began rolling Down his cheeks and he walked away A news Paper reporter sais he never heard better music than we played that night—We are ansiously wateing Pay Day so that we can get the new Silver Instruments then we expect to [illegible] some good Playing—Our new Brigadier General Gibbons has come to take command in place of Senior Col. Cutler. J. E. (Gibbons) is an artillery man a Captain in the Regular

Check back for the next entry on May 9

Diary entries provided by the Monroe County History Center.

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