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Memoranda and note books [microform]

Creator: Gilbert, David W. (David William), 1839-1918

Date: 1861-1865

Level of Description: Series

Material Type: Manuscripts

Call Number: MICROFILM: MS 1183.02

Unit ID: 443243

Biographical sketch: Union Civil War soldier (Co. D, 24th Ohio Infantry; Co. B, 2nd Ohio Heavy Artillery); of Ohio.

Abstract: Diaries, 12 v., written while a member of Co. D, 24th Ohio Infantry (1861-62), and Co. B, 2d Ohio Heavy Artillery (1863-65), in western Virginia (now West Virginia), Tennessee, and Kentucky. During the interim he worked around Emerald, Ohio, and described events in Adams County. V.[1] includes an account of Hope, Rich and Co. with Edwin M. Gregory, Jan.-Feb. 1856.

Space Required/Quantity: 1 partial microfilm reel ; 35mm

Title (Main title): Memoranda and note books [microform]

Titles (Other):

  • Civil War diaries
  • Note books and memoranda
  • Papers [Portion of title]
  • David W. Gilbert memoranda and note books
  • Diaries
  • Memoranda and note book
  • Memoranda and notebooks

Part of: David W. Gilbert papers.

Biography

Biog. Sketch (Full):

David William Gilbert was born on 28 April 1839 in Brown County or Highland, Ohio, to Walter Griffin (1815-1886) and Martha Sarah ("Sallie") Early (1814-1908) Gilbert. He grew up in Adams County, Ohio, attended the National Normal school in Lebanon, Ohio, and taught school.

When the Civil War erupted, he enlisted in Company D, 24th Ohio Infantry, on 27 May 1861, at Camp Jackson (Ohio). He was plagued by poor health throughout his first enlistment, but did see action at the Battle of Perryville in Perryville, Kentucky, 8 October 1862, while his regiment formed part of the Union Army of the Cumberland. Earlier the Regiment had been stationed in western Virginia, now West Virginia, as a component of the Army of the Ohio. In November of 1862 Gilbert was ordered to the regimental hospital near Nashville; on 24 December he was discharged on a surgeon’s certificate of disability. After arrival home, he recuperated and worked for a sugar-making concern in the winter of 1863. When spring arrived, he worked as a laborer until 4 July when he again enlisted, this time in Company B of the 2d Ohio Heavy Artillery. He was promoted to corporal on 5 August and to sergeant on 7 September, but reduced on 4 October 1864, possibly because of sickness. During this time the 2d Heavy Artillery Regiment was stationed in Kentucky and Tennessee.

He married Susan (Sue) Chapman (1844-1901) on 28 April 1864; they had six children: Ettie May (McNeil) (1867-1907), Walter G. (1871 or 1873-1871 or 1873), Raymond W. (1875- ), Mabel (Stayton) (1877- ), Ralph Early (1881- ), and Carl R. (1885- ).

David went to Missouri right after the war, but returned to Ohio. Later he went to Topeka, Kansas, but again did not stay long. In 1880 the family came to Sumner County, Kansas; they lived outside Clearwater, later near and in Mayfield. He farmed and later sold insurance. He was a Methodist.

After Sue's death, David married Mrs. Charles Bentley on 11 March 1903. He died on 11 February 1918 at Mayfield.

Scope and Content

Scope and content:

This microfilm contains the “Memoranda and Note Books” of David W. Gilbert (1839-1918) of Emerald, Ohio, for the period 12 June 1861 through 12 April 1865. For most of this time Gilbert was a member of the 24th Infantry and the 2d Heavy Artillery, both Ohio volunteer regiments in the Union Army in the Civil War. The original twelve volumes of diaries comprise part of the David Gilbert collection in the Manuscripts Department, Kansas State Historical Society.

David Gilbert enlisted in Company D, 24th Ohio Infantry, on 27 May 1861, at Camp Jackson (Ohio). He was plagued by poor health throughout his first enlistment, but did see action at the Battle of Perryville in Perryville, Kentucky, 8 October 1862, while his regiment formed part of the Union Army of the Cumberland. Earlier the Regiment had been stationed in western Virginia, now West Virginia, as a component of the Army of the Ohio. In November of 1862 Gilbert was ordered to the regimental hospital near Nashville; on 24 December he was discharged on a surgeon’s certificate of disability. After arrival home, he recuperated and worked for a sugar-making concern in the winter of 1863. When spring arrived, he worked as a laborer until 4 July when he again enlisted, this time in Company B of the 2d Ohio Heavy Artillery. He was promoted to corporal on 5 August and to sergeant on 7 September, but reduced on 4 October 1864, possibly because of sickness. During this time the 2d Heavy Artillery Regiment was stationed in Kentucky and Tennessee. The diaries end in April 1865, four months before Gilbert and Company B were mustered out of service.

As might be expected, the diaries contain his observations on the events around him. Most of these pertain to his military duties. He also reports news of the ongoing war effort, particularly during periods he was hospitalized. While he was out of the service the first six months of 1863 he tells of his activities at home and mentions events in and around Emerald in Adams County, Ohio. Gilbert attended night school and dabbled in Pittman shorthand; references to his interest in orthography appear throughout the diaries.

Most of the diary entries are in pencil. With one exception, Gilbert did not use preprinted diary volumes but instead wrote in small memorandum books. The first volume has Hope. Rich and Co. in Account with Edwin. M. Gregory. David W. Gilbert [sic] on the cover. Four pages at the beginning of this book contain the account between the two for the months of January and February 1856. Most of the books contain some of Gilbert’s financial accounts at the end; names and addresses of comrades and acquaintances also appear in several volumes. The eighth volume containing daily entries for 23 November—31 December 1862 is a printed diary. Sporadic entries as early as 25 February were made in it prior to 23 November. These entries do not necessarily duplicate those for 1863 in the seventh volume.

Blank pages, although numbered, were not microfilmed in any of the volumes.

Contents: V. 1. 1861 June 12-July 7 -- v. 2. 1861 July 8-Oct. 4 -- v. 3. 1861 Oct. 5-Dec. 9 -- v. 4. 1861 Dec. 11-1862 Apr. 12 -- v. 5. 1862 Apr. 13-June 3 -- v. 6. 1862 June 5-July 27 -- v. 7. 1862 July 28-Nov. 22 -- v. 8. 1862 Nov. 23-Dec. 31 with sporadic entries from February 25 -- v. 9. 1863 Jan. 1-Oct. 14 -- v. 10. 1863 Oct. 21-1864 Mar. 15 -- v. 11. 1864 July-Dec. -- v. 12. 1865.

Locators:

No Locators Identified

Microfilm:

  • MS 1183 no. 2: Memoranda and note books 1861-1865

Bibliography

Index Terms

Subjects

    United States. Army. Ohio Heavy Artillery Regiment, 2nd (1863-1865). Company B.
    United States. Army. Ohio Infantry Regiment, 24th (1861-1865). Company D
    Hope, Rich and Co.
    Adams County (Ohio) -- Description and travel
    Kentucky -- History -- Civil War, 1861-1865
    Ohio -- Description and travel -- 19th century
    Tennessee -- History -- Civil War, 1861-1865
    United States -- History -- Civil War, 1861-1865 -- Personal narratives
    West Virginia -- History -- Civil War, 1861-1865
    Gilbert, David W. (David William), 1839-1918 -- Diaries
    Gregory, Edwin M.
    Soldiers -- Ohio -- Diaries
    American diaries

Creators and Contributors


Additional Information for Researchers

Use and reproduction:

Notice: This material may be protected by copyright law (Title 17, U.S. Code). The user is cautioned that the publication of the contents of this collection may be construed as constituting a violation of literary property rights. These rights derive from the principle of common law, affirmed in the copyright law of 1976 as amended, that the writer of an unpublished letter or other manuscript has the sole right to publish the contents thereof unless he or she affirmatively parts with that right; the right descends to his or her legal heirs regardless of the ownership of the physical manuscript itself. It is the responsibility of a user or his or her publisher to secure the permission of the owner of literary property rights in unpublished writing.

The Kansas State Historical Society does not own literary property rights to this manuscript. It should be assumed that copyright belongs to the heirs of David W. Gilbert.

Add'l physical form: Microfilm. Topeka [Kan.] : Kansas State Historical Society, 1984; microfilm roll MS 1183.02.

Cite as: Gilbert, David W. Memoranda and Note Books, 1861-1865, Kansas Historical Society microfilm roll MS 1183.02.

Holder of originals: Microfilm of original in: David W. Gilbert papers, 1861-1865 (ms. collection 351); http://www.kshs.org/archives/40351

Holder of duplicates: Ohio History Connection (Columbus): MIC 154.

Notes

General Note: Title taken from v. 7.