The Iowa Civil War Site
Iowa During the Civil War

Excerpts from my Great Grandfather Valentine L. Spawr's Civil War Diary

Company C, 14th Iowa Volunteer Infantry Regiment

Valentine L. Spawr
Born 1835, Died 1882.

The diary is entitled "A Record of Passing Events Kept By Me and Recorded Each Day as They Transpired." In transcribing the diary, I will replicate all spellings exactly as printed in the diary.

Sunday, August 23d. Teamster Smith and myself got a pass this morning from the provost marshal to pass us out of the picket lines, took two of his mules, saddled them, got on and started for the country in the direction of Clinton which is ten miles from this place. We went two and one-half miles and stopped at Judge Bullock's for water. We got a drink and had an invitation to eat some pears which we accepted for they were very ripe and nice.

The Judge is a rather portly man of good and almost commanding appearance, his hair is quite gray and he has a pleasant disposition in all, and people say that until this portion of the country fell into Union hands that he was rabid secessionist, but he has now taken the oath of allegiance. Mrs. Bullock, his wife, is a very fine looking and sociable woman and I think that they both would make good neighbors, and I call them good union people; we stopped probably an hour and left after receiving a very courteous good bye and a strong invitation to call again.

We went on toward Clinton one mile to another farm, stopped and got what peaches we wanted to eat and offered to pay for them which was refused. He also is a good Union man. We went on to the next house and got what cider we could drink for which they refused to take pay, all of them saying that if all soldiers would behave as we did they would like to receive visits from them, but it pains my heart that there is a great many men in the army that think they have liens to commit all kinds of depredations and even think it smart. We then went on further and got some melons and peaches from a negro and he was the only man during the day that would take pay for anything. He charged twenty-five cents for a small melon and probably three dozen peaches. We finally started back and got to camp just in time for dress parade which is at six o'clock, and I am very tired for it has been very warm today.

Monday, August 24th. About ten o'clock this a.m. we got a regular dry storm that beat anything I ever saw. I was laying in my tent and there was a regular tornado came up from the north and, the ground being very dry, of all dusts I ever saw it beat all. It lasted about two hours and then calmed down a little, but there is still a stiff gale blowing. After the heft of it was over so a man could navigate I went out in camp to see the effect, and it was a hard looking sight. A great many streets in camp that I could not walk through for brush and tents for they had shades fixed all over camp pretty much and most of them were blown down and a great many tents also, and the air at this time feels almost like snow and getting colder all the time.

Seven o'clock p.m. It is yet blowing hard and the dust flying and it has got very cold for August. You will see men going around with vest, dress coat and overcoat on all buttoned up to the chin and then complain of the cold. For my part I have dresscoat and vest on and would wear an overcoat if I had one here, but last spring when we left Iowa for this country I thought probably we would go into the field and I sent my overcoat home. It is so windy this evening that we have to omit dress parade. This is another class of weather that will make a man's thoughts run back to loved ones at home where he could sit down among the innocent sports of his children in preference to the vulgar, profane sports of the soldirs in camp.

Tuesday, August 25th. It has been very cool today and is going to be a cool night. I walked to town this morning but saw nothing but a town full of soldiers mostly on guard for there are a great many guards kept there. This afternoon there were about fifty contrabands came in and were examined by the sergeant. A great many of them did not want to be accepted and made all kinds of excuses, claiming to be unhealthy. One said he had had congestive chills for nine months at a stretch.

Wednesday, August 26th The day has passed off rather quiet. Lieutenant Stoughton's trial by court-martial commenced today in Columbus. Dress parade is just over ad our work is done for today. I took a walk out of the fort today. It has been very pleasant today, cold enough for frost this morning, quite warm at noon, and cool enough to be pleasant tonight.

Thursday, August 27th. It was quite warm today from ten o'clock until evening, but was cold enough this morning and tonight there is a heavy cloud rising in the west and distant thunder is quite frequent. I fear that we will get rain tonight. I feel lonesome and desolate this evening. I have looked for a letter every night for a week and got none and am about discouraged looking for one.

The trial of Lieutenant Stoughton is still progressing slowly. I think that it will take a week for them to get through. There was a dispatch today, said to be official, that stated that Fort Sumpter had surrendered to Gen. Gilmore. I hope it may be true. We had dress parade this evening which was good and spirited.

Friday, August 28th. It has been warm enough to be pleasant and not too warm. I went to town to visit the military prison today. There are about 150 rebel prisoners in there some eight or ten captains, about the same number of lieutenants, and two or three colonels. There are 150 of them taken up the river early this morning, destination Chicago.

We just came off dress parade and it is a beautiful, pleasant evening. It seems as though nature was smiling on us through the evening twilight and the moon's broad smiling face is just appearing above the eastern horizon. The trial of our lieutenant is still in progress. By some cause we did not get our mail last night. I have some hopes that I will get a letter tonight, I have not had one from my wife for two weeks.

Saturday, August 29th. Quite cool today. Last night about half past nine o'clock we were all at once visited by one more of those dry tornadoes a terrific wind and the air filled with dust. It blowed for one hour and filled everything with dust. This morning I saw at sunrise that there were several tents down yet. I received a letter today from my wife stating that her and my oldest children were well, but the two youngest were very sick, the babe she fears will not get well. This is beautiful weather today, clear and nice, the air feels like autumn.

The trial of Lieutenant Stoughton is still in progress, I have not been to town today and have heard nothing from the trial only that they were still in progress. I wrote a letter to my wife today. As we came in off dress parade there were about thirty more negroes came into the hospital headquarters for examination. Some come in every few days in squads of thirty to fifty. They are conscripted, mind they are not volunteers; however some of them are willing to go into the army but according to my knowledge the majority of them play off or try to. The blacks that they are taking in this place are for heavy artillery service very good service I think for them. The evening gun has just fired which says plainly it is night.

Transcribed and submitted by greatgrandson