Hamilton, William C., fl. 1864-1865 [Diary of William C. Hamilton]

Autograph manuscript. Only thirteen pages are war-date; bulk is post-war. Covers part of Sherman's March to the Sea, mostly keeping track of movements, weather; little personal insights or opinions. Diary begins on 10 November 1864 at Rome, Georgia, stating that his regiment had received orders to be ready to march. Writes on 27 January 1865, "This morning we left Savannah and marched eight miles, along the railroad that Sherman had torn up in his advance on Savannah, every rail and nearly every [tie] torn up." Mentions battles with Confederate soldiers and destruction of the towns as well as the sacking and burning of Columbia, South Carolina. On 17 February 1865 writes, "In the afternoon we crossed Broad river and to town and through it to the east side and camped having marched three miles. That night some one set fire to the town and three fourths of the town or more was burned, Several of our officers and men who had been taken prisoners were released here and then." Hamilton closes the war portion of the diary 14 July 1864 when he mustered out and returned to Springfield, Illinois. Later, he kept the diary intermittently in Missouri as a schoolteacher until 1877. Rear pastedown has handwritten address: "South East Corner / Audrain County Missouri."