Our Collection

At the Institute’s core is the Gilder Lehrman Collection, one of the great archives in American history. More than 85,000 items cover five hundred years of American history, from Columbus’s 1493 letter describing the New World through the end of the twentieth century.

Hannegan, James D. (1862-1863) [Diary of James Hannegan of the 5th Ohio Cavalry]

High-resolution images are available to schools and libraries via subscription to American History, 1493-1943. Check to see if your school or library already has a subscription. Or click here for more information. You may also order a pdf of the image from us here.

Gilder Lehrman Collection #: GLC04129.02 Author/Creator: Hannegan, James D. (1862-1863) Place Written: [various places] Type: Diary Date: 1863 Pagination: 1 v. : approx. 46 p. ; 18.6 x 12.2 cm. Order a Copy

Diary is an autograph manuscript signed, neatly written in pencil, covering 1 January 1863-15 March 1863. At the end of the book Hannegan includes some accounting pages. Enclosed within the diary is a bookmark depicting an eagle and a shield, with the phrase "Member of the Society of the Army of the Tenn. Cincinnati. Nov. 14th 1866." Also relates news of the Battle of Murfreesboro in his entry for 2 January, in which he has heard the rumor that Confederate General Braxton Bragg was defeated and taken prisoner by Union General William S. Rosecrans.

[draft excerpt]
Murfreesboro
2 January 1863: Major Hayes started to Jackson today with all of our dismounted men. They will be mounted & equiped there. The cars went through to Memphis today for the first time. Hope we will get some mail before long. It is reported today a battle has been fought between Bragg & Rosencrans [sic] in which the former was defeated & taken prisoner. Don't believe the latter part. Forrest also is reported to be in a "tight place." Not tight enough to hold him I'll warrant. It seems to me that we are in rather a tight place ourselves, living on half rations with the rebels all around us. If we don't get them in a tight place before long we might as well quit even. There is something [inserted: wrong] at the head of our affairs & we will never succeed until that wrong is made right. What it is I do not pretend to say.

Hannegan, James D

Citation Guidelines for Online Resources