Note: This is one week’s worth of diary entries of Octave Bruso, who participated in the Siege of Petersburg as a member of the 50th New York Engineers.1
Sunday July 10, 1864
Warm Day. Ordered to the 5th (?) Corps with loads of Tools at 3 P.M. Recieved a paper from Henry Inman.
Monday July 11, 1864:
Pleasent and Windy. Called on Capt. Montieth (sic) Asst Adj’t Gen’l of the 3rd Div 5th Corps. The Rebels shelled us at night. Col. Danes 39th Mass. was killed + others.
Tuesday July 12, 1864:
Pleasent Day. Went to camp at 7 A.M. Moved back on the rear of our left 5 miles from Petersburg. Built a redoubt. Recieved a letter from my wife.
Wednesday July 13, 1864:
Windy Day. Wrote to my wife. Wrote to Dr. F.L. (Editor:: unclear) Miller. Went to camp towards evening.
Thursday July 14, 1864:
Windy and warm. At the Redoubt all day. Went to camp towards Evening, Cool night.
Friday July 15, 1864
Very pleasent day. Moved our Teams in the woods. Very cool at night.
Saturday July 16, 1864:
Warm + Windy. Went to camp and turned my gun and accoutrements in. The Redoubt finished and guns mounted towards evening. Very cool night.
Source:
- “1864 Diary of Private Octave Bruso, 50th NY Engineers, Company E” edited by Tom Bauerle, Buffalo, NY, 2010. ↩