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Civil War Diary of Jacob C. Dayhoof, 7th Maryland Volunteer Infantry Regiment. ...
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Description
Civil War Diary of Jacob C. Dayhoof, 7th Maryland Volunteer Infantry Regiment. One diary, measuring 3" x 5.75", in ink and pencil; bound in coated leather over thin boards. Fifty-one pages, recto and verso, dating primarily from July 30, 1864 to May 27, 1865, except for two entries from May 7 and 8, 1864, which document his relative, Edward Dayhoof's, death on Laurel Hill at the Battle of Spotsylvania Court House. Private Jacob Dayhoof (occasionally appears as Dayhoff in official records) and his relative, Edward, mustered into Company F of the 7th Maryland Volunteer Infantry on August 18, 1862, from Hagerstown, Maryland. His diary discusses the Siege of Petersburg, including the Battles of the Crater, Globe Tavern, Poplar Grove Church, Hatcher's Run, White Oak Road, and Five Forks. He also writes about picket duty, troop movements, the weather, and General Lee's surrender.The first entry in the diary appears to be May 7 and 8 of 1864, where Dayhoof writes about the death of Edward Dayhoof. The entry reads, "herd A fight Edward Dayhoof was wounded and died the next morning..." He continued to use this diary well into the spring of 1865, and differentiated the entries by writing below the 1864 date and adding the day of the week to avoid confusion. There is a gap in the diary until July 30, when the siege of Petersburg took them to eastern Virginia. While the Battle of the Crater is considered a Confederate victory, the Union's explosion of the mine shaft made a significant impression on Dayhoof, and his entry for this day marks one his first for the diary. He records, "Blowed up the rebble fort Before Petersburg." His entries from August 18 to the 21st record the "hard fighting" that occurred while attempting to sever the Weldon Railroad and the resulting casualties. "Colonel Duschane [Dushane] was killed fight lasted about three hours." They continued to Poplar Grove Church where, on September 30, they "moved out at 9 O Clock on the Roads went from thair down to the Rebbles Brestworks hard fighting..."
The entries for the next few months cover the occasional skirmish and picket duty, but Dayhoof does not record another bout of heavy fighting until the Battle of Hatcher's Run (also called Dabney's Mill) on February 5 and 6, 1865. He writes, "...went down the Railroad crossed Rohanty [Rowanty] Creek had A little fight with the rebs drove them from thair work marched from thair to the White House..." "...came back to Hatcher's run lay thair till about 3 oclock then advanced on the Rebs and the fight began lasted till dark Colonel Wilson was killed." They spent the rest of February and March constructing defensive earthworks. Aside from a skirmish on March 25, where they repulsed the Confederates from Fort Steadman, everything remained quiet until the Battles of White Oak Road and Five Forks. He records those entries on March 31 and April 1. "...advanced on the Rebs was drove Back Nicodemus was wounded and Wilson Chingan prisner..." "...left the old Battle field had A veary hard fight drove the Rebles Captain Lightner was wounded Bill Strasburg was wounded heavy fighting on the Right..." Sergeant Henry Nicodemus was actually killed in action on March 31.
These battles led to the end of the Siege of Petersburg and the retreat of Lee's army to Appomattox. Eight days later, on April 9, Dayhoof witnessed Lee's surrender at Appomattox Court House. He recorded the event, writing, "Marched daylight come in contact with the Rebs had a little fight generall Lee surrendered his armey to grant." Dayhoof mustered out on May 31, 1865, in Washington, D.C. After the war, he returned home to Maryland and took up the carpenter trade. In 1867 he married Emma S. Lieter, and they later had six children. He died May 29, 1900, in Hagerstown, Maryland.
Reference: History and Roster of Maryland Volunteers, War of 1861-5
Condition: Leather coating has separated from boards in a few places, one area with tape repair. Internally, lightly soiled and foxed. A few pencil entries have been traced in pen by Dayoff at a later date. Four-leaf clover pressed between pages at October 7 entry.
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2021 November 6 Historical Manuscripts Signature® Auction #6243 (go to Auction Home page)
Auction Dates
November, 2021
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