Text set / Henry O. Nightingale diary, 1864

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Poor Richard's reasons for buying United States' securities [16]

Enclosure: "My Bible"; "Evening brings us home" [17]

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Title: Facing pages [128-129]
Date Created and/or Issued: 18640507-18640508
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Transcription: [illegible] in the hospital all day and in great pain as the [illegible] is still in me somewhere, at 10 the Surgeon examined me and said my arm should come off but I did not wish it off and refused to allow him to take me to the amputating table, a friend came to me, left Reynold of [illegible] "de" 1st N.Y. and would not allow him to operate on my. [illegible] of the [illegible] of this tend did this. [illegible], we have orders to have everything in [illegible] [illegible] tomorrow. The [illegible], [illegible] put on my back a [illegible]. The [illegible] of the battle get meanerand the woods are of [illegible] how much I [illegible] to be thanked we [illegible] [illegible] I m not [illegible] [illegible]. [written sideways in margin]: in the [illegible] woods we [illegible] ho painful is each [illegible] After jogging along painfully all last night we start again at 10 in the morning on the way [illegible] a [illegible] of [illegible] troop they treated us very well and [illegible] their [illegible] for us. The sound of the battle gets further away, many are dying in the [illegible]. I cannot stand much more. I have to be upon my back and if I wonder when to use my mouth will fall with Blood. How I wish the Bill was out. I can feel it in my back sameway] we are going towards [illegible], [illegible] but [illegible] not [illegible], had some beef [illegible]and much whisky given me. How I long for home. ------------------------------ May 7, Saturday. Lay in the hospital all day and in great pain as the ball is still in me somewhere – at 10 the surgeon examined me and said my arm should come off but I will not wish it off and refused to allow him to take me to the amputating table. A friend came to me, Capt. Reynolds of Battery L, 1st NY and would not allow him to operate on me. Four of the inmates of this tent died today. We have orders to have everything in readiness to move this evening, am put on my back in a wagon, the sound of the battle gets nearer and the woods are afire. How much I ought to be thankful for that I am not lying in the burning woods, overnight how painful is each cry. [6.] May 8, Sunday. After jogging along painfully all last night, we start again at 10 in the morning, on the way pass a brigade of colored troops. They treated us very well and emptyed (sic) their canteens for us. The sound of the battle gets further away, many are dying in the wagons. I couldn’t stand much more, I have to lie on my back and if I undertake to raise my mouth will fill with blood, how I wish the ball was cut out, I can feel it in my back. Some say we are going to Fredericksburg but I do not know, had some beef soup and much whiskey given me, how I long for home. Note: 6. Battery L 1st NY Light Artillery ( Rochester Union Grays) under Capt. John A. Reynolds who was 30 yrs old when enlisted and was actually a Major (as of May 9, 1863) at the time of his aiding Nightingale, was part of the Artillery Brigade of the 5th Corps during the Overland Campaign. The Wilderness was an area of scrub brush and secondary growth. It had been left a tangled wasteland by the destruction of forestry for iron smelting. When the battle began the use of firearms generated fires in the thick undergrowth and many wounded were trapped alive and burned to death. Crooks, Terence G. “Transcribed and Annotated Diaries of Henry Oliver Nightingale.” Unpublished manuscript, 2014. Microsoft Word file.
Parent Item: Henry O. Nightingale diary, 1864
Contributing Institution: UC Merced, Library and Special Collections
Collection: Henry O. Nightingale diaries

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