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 entryhere. 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.
December 25, 1861
Christmas Day In former days what charms is the name—a name enjoyingous with all imaginable good things and volumes of fun
And what a change from a year ago one at home spending a happy Christmas
now in the servise of my country in Viginias “Sacred Soil”—the Land of Sucession. This is a very Beautiful Day.
Put on all my fit ups—and took a walk to Blinkers Division to see the Germens spent the Day
I feel like I would like to be a home to see how them spent the Day
I confess I felt a little melancholy—about the middle of the after noon the Col had us to Play at his quarters for some visitors after P[illegible] he asked us in to take a Drop “O” Christmas wich we galey Did—Gen McDowell sent for us a [illegible] to go to his Head Quarters—we went of course Gen Wadsworth and several strangers were there after them had eaten supper a nice supper was set for our special benefit to wich we done ample justice.
Plenty of lager Beer of wich we took a Christmas Smack Major Brown said he did not like to ask us so often but other Bands in the Division made excuses for not accepting the Invitation we seemed to have enough confidence to Spunk “up” wen we got back the 2ndwis “Sheep Skin Band” dressed in all kinds of fantastic Styles” Blacked up with Bones fiddles fifes & Drums come to our Regt serenading Of all the “music” that was come—all the boys felt a little funny this evening—
