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Civil War Diary: 'There Was An Awful Explodesion In Fredericksburg'

By Becca Costello

Posted May 25, 2019

May 25 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 25, 1862

A pleased set of fellows they were wen about 9 oclock the silver Beauties was handed out Scribners did not come for some reason unknown—There was Regtal Inspection at 10 [illegible] we turned out Just as they were inspecting the last company marching orders came for 1 oclock Before we reached  Camp there was an awful explodesion in fredericksburg—caused by a torpedo and a lot of Powder that the rebels left and no doubt set of by them as a signall It Blew one soldier to atoms and hurt some more—many women fainted in Church thinking the town was being shelled all things being ready we started about 2 oclock crossed the canal Boat Bridge passing through a Portion of the Burgh playing We passed many of the Rebels’ Picket Posts which were left a few hours before Camp about sun Down in a clover field on Brooks farm did not Put up tents but sleep on the ground without the tents over us

Check back for the next entry on May 27

Diary entries provided by the Monroe County History Center.

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