Large Civil War Archive: George S. Walker, 93rd PA. Infantry and 187th PA Infantry. Diaries, Letters and Photographs.. ... (Total: 11 )

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Large Civil War Archive: George S. Walker, 93rd PA. Infantry and 187th PA Infantry. Diaries, Letters and Photographs.
George S. Walker Civil War archive. Consists of ten diaries dating from 1861-1865, 43 war date letters (25 written by Walker, others either written to him or other mutual friends), promotion certificate, post war letters and documents. Also included are two cabinet cards in civilian cloths and one tintype of Walker in uniform, two pieces of Confederate uniforms, his eyeglasses, knife and spoon. Several of the letters are 4-5 pages long, a couple 6-8 pages, with only a few partial letters.

Walker enlisted with the 93rd PA Infantry on 10/21/61 as a Corporal, and was discharged on 4/12/63. Walker enlisted with the 187th PA Infantry on 4/12/64 as a Sergeant. He was mustered out on 8/3/65 at Harrisburg, PA.

Letters include:

Encampment Near West Point, Virginia, May 11, 1862, to P.J. Maus...."I will tell you at least I am still alive and in the Lord of the living.....News have just come in that Norfolk is taken, one of the best bands in the division is playing some of the sweetest music that I have yet had the pleasure of listening to. Last Sabbath we left camp Scott, before Yorktown, I then left a letter with one of my men who is getting his discharge to mail....we left that camp about noon and halted at 11 P.M. for the night. Next morning we started at 7 o'clock _ about noon and then went into the battle of Alliance Bay. So tired we could hardly stand. It commenced to rain the Sunday night we halted and continued until after the fight. Well soaked the woods very muddy made the marching the most difficult of any I have yet seen. The battle at Yorktown I believe is the hardest yet had in Virginia very little artillery was used on our side. It had all to be done with the Infantry. The Reb's took the advantage of us in some respects trees were filled for about one hundred yards along the outskirts of the woods.....2 1/2 hours, a constant roar of musket and musketry hail of bullets was kept during that time. Fortunately for us the Reb's shot too high had they been lower they would have cut us to pieces....." Signed George.

Fair Oaks Va., June 9, 1862, to P.J. Maus....In that letter I tried to give you some description of the battle at this place on the 3rd of May & 1st June. Full details of this hard battle have already been given in the papers. So I will say no more about it for you....know as much about it as I do.....I told you we expected another attack, it was an artillery engagement & and we were not called on. Of late we have become so used to cannonading . It being so frequent that we think very little about it. But at times it becomes so brisk that we expect every moment while it continues to be called on. Artillery firing does not arouse us so quickly as a volley of musketry . Gen Pecks brigade being cut up so in the late engagement. His whole command has been assigned to the rear, and now had the rifle pits where our men fell back to on Sat....", Signed Geo S. Walker

Camp Mac Harrisons Landing, July 9, 1862, to Aaron...."I suppose the fully backlog of of the army from Fair Oaks caused some excitement about Darville, that very dull town and yet so easily aroused when news of the war path of some desperate fighting on the peninsula are heralded. Although the daily papers here give a complete and correct narrative of that movement together with the many incidents....I will tell you what occurred with us....Previous to the order to fall back we were encamped near some rifle pits, in vicinity of Fair Oaks, which to us seemed impossible for any force to get over or to drive (us out). Well the order came to pack up to leave camp and to give the rifle pits over to some full regt. By day light we were wady about to leave when the order came to destroy everything that could be of any use to the Rebels. Remaining in camp muskets and rifles were broken to pieces, cartridges were destroyed....Some of our men in Howes Brigade and being entirely ignorant of our force got a sound drubbing. Our calvary and artillery laid low and on came the rebels thinking to make an easy job of it. Passed the calvary and when good range the artillery opened on them. Calvary cut off their retreat and and a desperate fight was kept up for a few minutes and the reb's skedaddled....". Signed George.

Harrisons Bar, Va., Aug 4, 1862, to P.F. Maus...."The Rebels had grown pretty bold about last of July and that night at a midnight hour opened a bolters (sic) on our transports schooners....in the James at the landing (Harrisons). Our Regt. was out on picket that night and the place we occupied was so full of musket lots so to sleep was next to impossible. i don't think I was ever so unnerved by bayoneted by them as the night of the 31st.....The firing was kept up for sometime and very rapid-occasionally....The gunboats are a great protection to us and proved of service that night. The other guns sounded like many pop guns when the monster on the Monitor and Galena belched their compliments to the Reb's....". Signed George

Near Williamsport, MD, September 18, 1862,to G.F. Maus....I was not in the hard Battle of Sharpsburg. I suppose the papers have told all about that bloody field. All I know I learned from those engaged and from what I saw when passing through it. The day of the hard fighting of Sharpsburg our division made a reconnaissance down to Weverton Mills some 2 miles above Harpers Ferry and found that the enemy were all over in the the other valley. This trip was not pleasant for me for I was unwell and so weak that I thought I would have to stop every moment and leave the regt go. I did not have to carry my gun and accoutrements if I had I think I would have left in this war. We left the little village.....noon the next day found the regt. laying near the battle ground of Sharpsburg....you ought to see some of the poor wounded - worked almost to death, trying to supply the soldiers with bread and pies.....I have been over some pretty hard looking grounds and have seen Rebel's piled up....but never have I seen anything equal to Sharpsburg....". Signed George

Camp of the 93rd Pena. Vols., Near White Oak Church, Va., to G.F. Maus...."of all the papers that come to the army I think the NY Herald is the worst-the one to create the most dissatisfaction. I had been reading in the Herald such terrible pieces about Greeley that I naturally concluded be was making a great disturbance . To satisfy myself I got a Tribune and found Greeley to my opinion as near a sight as the most of them, only that he is pretty strong on the Negro question....". Signed G.S. Walker

Camp 10 of the 93rd along the Rappahannock, Dec 23, 62, to P.F. Maus...."You ask if I would be willing to accept a Lieutenanty (sic) in the Regt also army. I am perfectly willing provided you do not have to put yourself to too much trouble or inconvenience in doing so....I received the Democrat this morning. In it I see that a part of the letter I hastily wrote you when in lines of battle on the other side of the river had been published. I would much rather it had not been for the blundering in it. Just think of Railroad busting over our head-it is enough when shells burst out solid shot...." Signed George

Some content in letters written other than by Walker include General McClellan being the unfortunate Little Mac, Battle of "Desended House", Confederate General Longstreet and Stonewall Jackson content, Negro's in the battlefield and being impressed with their ability, and President Lincoln arriving and have dinner with General Butler, and a friend writing from prison detailing his capture at Fredericksburg.
Dates of diaries:

October 9, 1861 - December 13, 1861
December 26, 1861 - February 28, 1862
March 1, 1862 - July 31, 1862
August 11, 1862 - October 19, 1862
October 1, 1862 - November 3, 1862
December 1, 1862 - January 26, 1863
March - April 1863
January 27, 1863 - June 18, 1863
April 30, 1864 - June 30, 1864
December 25, 1864 - December 1, 1865

Content in extended description on the our website.

Condition: Letters are good to fine, with wear. Diaries have loss to covers, and some light pencil entries. Overall an amazing archive with excellent content. Partial diary transcriptions present.

More Information: October 9, 1861 - December 13, 1861

November 18....Parade through Lebanon
November 21....Leaving camp for Fort Monroe (rumor) / burnt hands in camp fire / marched to train depot / thru Harrisburg Northern RR - Baltimore.
November 22....Surprised at positive welcome in Balt
November 26....Visit to the Capital / splendid works of art / expressions of patriotism when viewing Washington artifacts / to Fort Good Hope for march
December 3....Cold / visit to Fort Stanton / taken prisoners of war

December 26, 1861 - February 28, 1862

December 31....Sand Star - S - Banner
January 10....wish for peace
January 15....Lots of dress parades, practice
January 22....got a picture taken in D.C. / Saw some kind of exhibit-fat woman....skeleton man

March 1, 1862 - July 31, 1862

April 16....fighting / 3 men killed / many wounded / possible rebel attack
April 17....The Rebels can be seen
April 21....Several shots fired by Rebels, no damage
May 4....Yorktown taken / rebel fortifications at Lee's Mills / saw dead soldier completely blown to pieces
May 5....Nego calvary / one man killed in Co. H. / 16 wounded
May 6....Rebel dead / hospitals with rebels & ours / 230 prisoners / amputated limbs
May 7....heard that every home full of dead and wounded
May 9....Onward to Richmond is our motto
May 10....Rebs abandoned wagons / set them on fire
May 12....Learned that Merrimac destroyed
May 13....Marched towards New Kent / Jails burned down killing several wounded soldiers from both side
May 27....McClellan prep for impending battle
May 31....More skirmishes / Hardest of fighting I hope I never see again / Rebel artillery....poured a merciless shower of shot and shell on us....no harm / Rebel charge / no support retreated / Men wounded everywhere
June 1....firing for a while / McClellan passed by here today
June 2....retrieved the dead nd buried them / Horrible description of the battle field by the men
June 26....Mechanicsburg taken / rebels defeated with great loss
June 27....dead men buried / most rebels
June 30....battle of rebels nearby
July 3....rebels started firing shot / artillery shots nearby / The battery was captured with 400-700 men / 12 pieces of artillery

August 1, 1862 - October 19, 1862

August 1....cannonading last night about 12 o'clock
August 3....brigade called to support Gen Hooker at Malvern Hills
August 17....marching / Darkies came to the roadside with fruit to sell
August 30....on board the steamer Daniel Webster on the York river / Passed Mt Vernon & Ft Washington
September 1....Near Fairfax / firing commenced out in front / General Kearny killed / marched to Fort Albany
September 4....marched to Ft Ethan Allen / raided a food wagon
September 9....news that rebels are in Maryland & marching up to Pennsylvania
September 15....passed through Beyetsville / many signs of battle / battlefield had rebel dead piled up side by side with an occasional blue coat
September 17....Heavy cannonading all day in the direction of Sharpsburg
September 19....caught up to reg. by the battleground of Sharpsburg / rebels are literally piled up / great swaths of black & bloated corpse
October 3....Toward evening a salute of 21 guns announced the coming of reviewing officers. Soon Honest Abe and Gen McClellan and staff were riding up and down our lines
October 14....we heard that 600 of the rebels had been captured

December 1, 1862 - January 26, 1863

December 11....cannonading commenced early / Rebels can be seen / our batteries shell them
December 13.....fire of artillery was very severe on both sides / most terrible artillery fire that I have yet been under
January 8.....skirmish drill
January 19....marching orders
January 20....address from Gem Burnside regarding success of Union army
January 26....went to hills opposite Fredericksburg / had a view of the rebels and their works

January 27, 1863 - June 18, 1863

January 27....changes in the army....Hooker is commander of Army of Potomac / Franklin relieved by Smith / Burnside relieved by Hooker
March 18....learned that calvary crossed the Rapahannock at Kelly's Ford yesterday
March 22....entire regiment detailed for picket
March 25....General Hooker making preparations for moving
More camp life and recovery from being wounded

April 30, 1864 - June 20, 1864

June 5....The Rebs shot artillery to find their position. Skirmishes kept up all day. In the evening Rebels made a charge about 9PM. Muskets were pretty severe. Men in first line repulsed the attack.
June 8....More shells / shells in afternoon killed 2 and wounded 3
June 10....A few shells in the evening, no damage
June 16....Marched towards Petersburg
June 18....Reb fire hurt several in the regiment....I received a flesh wound in the breast and shortly afterward one in my foot

So much more content. Without doubt one of the finest Civil War archives we have offered.