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 October 23, 1864
Beautiful Day. Inspection at 9 A.M. Went down to City Point. Wrote to Alex Lubor (Editor: unclear) for my gloves.
Monday October 24, 1864
Pleasent day. Cut Corduroy + Abattis (sic: abatis) all day to finish Fort McMahon. Wrote to Geo. W. Cochran for pouches $2.00
Tuesday October 25, 1864
Beautiful + Cool Day. Recieved marching orders from Fort McMahon + left for Hd Qrts. Was sent to Co C + L in the morning by the Capt. Recieved a letter from my Wife. Arrived beyond the Yellow House at 11 A.M. Wrote to my wife.
Wednesday October 26, 1864
Beautiful Day. Sent a Leslie to my Wife. Packed up + ready for a march all day. Called up at 12 o clock P.M.
Thursday October 27, 1864
Pleasent Day. Left our camp at 3 A.M. for the Rifle Pits near Fort Welch. Heavy fighting all the forenoon + afternoon. Layed (sic: laid) in the Rifle Pits all night. Rained in the night.
Friday October 28, 1864
Pleasent + Windy. Layed (ed: laid) in the Pits until 5 P.M. when the Army returned from its Reconnoissance (sic: reconnaissance) and we returned to our old camp near the Yellow House.
Saturday October 29, 1864
Beautiful Day. Worked in the forenoon on a Detail and in the afternoon building us a Hut. recieved 2 letters from my wife + my Gloves from Washington.
Source:
- “1864 Diary of Private Octave Bruso, 50th NY Engineers, Company E” edited by Tom Bauerle, Buffalo, NY, 2010. ↩