Shallenburger, George W. (d. 1872) [Union Navy diary of 2nd Assistant Engineer George W. Shallenburger on USS Queen City]
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Gilder Lehrman Collection #: GLC02263.01 Author/Creator: Shallenburger, George W. (d. 1872) Place Written: various places Type: Autograph manuscript signed Date: 1 January 1864-31 December 1864 Pagination: 1 v. : 144 p. ; 14.3 x 8.2 cm. Order a Copy
Black wrap-around leather diary. Has a cover page that says "Perpetual Diary / A. Liebenroth & Van Auw / 25 Beekman Street / New York." Signed three times by Shallenburger: on the inside front cover, on the first page, and on the 1864 calendar page. Three days printed on each page, except for Sundays, which take up an entire page. Written mostly along the White and Mississippi Rivers. The majority of entries consist of 1-2 sentences. Mostly concerned with the weather, the conditions along the White and Mississippi Rivers, letters he wrote and received, and references to the ship and its engines. Several references to landing at Memphis. On 14 January mentions the ship being photographed; on 28 January passed USS "Wachusett"; on 20 February several hay barges caught fire; on 22 February passed USS "Blackhawk; on 28 February passed the monitor "Ozark"; on 3 March saw USS "Gazelle"; on 16 March there is a reference to a quick battle; on 1 April captures a rebel mail shipment and its horses; on 14 April shells the woods in support of troops; on 9-10 May they took a "rebel female" and her horse home; on 17 May says 200 soldiers arrive at "the island" and passing the USS "Chickasaw"; on 22 May captures 200 mules and 3 men; on 18 June passed 7 steamers going to the Arkansas River; on 24-27June describes the battle around Clarendon where the USS "Queen City" was sunk (he was transfered to the USS "Silver Cloud"); on 5 August workd on pair of pants for himself.; on 22 August he pasted a sheet over his original entry; on 24 August-1 September seems to be on leave at Cairo, Illinois; on 8 November drew $400 from paymaster and paid $50 for mess bill and $50 for funeral expenses. At end of diary there is an eight line poem. Random entries in the accounts section add up to $24.85 and a section on his bills for August-November add up to $260. There are also nine separate slips of paper (10.3 x 9.2 cm.) listing his spending. Assistant Engineer Shallenburger was from Brownsville, Pennsylvnia. The gun boat "Queen City" patrolled the White River fighting guerillas, who eventually sank the vessel in June 1864 when Shallenburger was transferred to the USS "Silver Cloud."
Assistant Engineer Shallenburger was from Brownsville, Pennsylvania. The gun boat "Queen City" patrolled the White River fighting guerillas, who eventually sank the vessel in June 1864 when Shallenburger was transferred to the USS "Silver Cloud." He died of chronic diarrhea he contracted while serving in the South.
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