Happy New Year's folks! We've reached the final months of transcriptions from the George F. Parry Civil War diaries (George F. Parry family volumes, Collection 3694). If you're just joining us, in 2012 HSP acquired the diaries of Bucks County resident and Civil War veterinary surgeon George F. Parry. In that collection are three diaries he kept during the Civil War dating from 1863 to 1865, when he served with the 7^th Pennsylvania Cavalry. In celebration of Parry's work and the 150th anniversary of the Civil War, I'm providing monthly posts on Fondly, PA of transcripts of entries from his diaries.

To see other posts in the series, check out the links over on the right-hand side of this page.  Clicking on the diary images will take you to our Digital Library where you can examine the volumes page by page, along with other digitized items from the Parry collection.

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At the beginning of 1865, George Parry was once again on the move south with his regiment. They headed out of Kentucky and into Tennessee. Though Parry wrote extensive entries during the month, he didn't see any battle action. Instead, he focused on his work with the regiment's horses, the sceney, and, in particular, the weather. Parry descibed a number of miserable winter scenes complete with miserable marches.

Notes about the transcriptions: I've kept the pattern of Parry's writings as close as formatting here will allow, including his line breaks and spacing. My own additional or clarifying notes will be in brackets [ ]. Any grammatical hiccups that aren’t noted as such are Parry's own.

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Sunday, January 1
The second Cavalry division on march
for Nashville from Louisville[.] Encamped
for the night near Elizabeth Town. Revalie
at Three Oclock[.] drew five days rations[.]
marched at eight Oclock[,] passed through
[Nolin?] Red Mills and encamped for
the night four miles from [Nolin?].
Fox persuded by Hounds[,] crossed the road.
Had a good time to Day with Lucy –
Sergt. Breckhle. Rosecrans and Lieut.
Connor.        Rec’d a Letter from Home.

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Sunday, January 8
This night Six of our men
belonging to Wilders command was
caught by Guerillas[,] tied to trees and
shot[.] only one escaped and he
shot through shoulder.  Moved out
at day light[,] marched thirty miles
and encamped near Nashville[.] a
very hard days march[.] passed through
several Towns.   Rec’d Mail and
a Letter from Sallie C. Lukens  [illegible]
Papers from Home.

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Friday, January 13
Revalie at four Oclock[,] moved out
at Seven[,] marched in slow manner[.]
passed over a ruined country made so
by late Battles.  Crossed Harper River on
through Franklin and encamped[.]
passed over the Battle Field of Franklin
number of Sick and wounded Rebels
in Franklin.       Encamped in woods
south of Franklin – clear and cold

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Wednesday, January 18
Revalie at Three Oclock[,] moved out
at Seven[.]  [Forded?] Duck River[,] crossed
the Pack Mules on Pontoon Bridge[.]
passed through Columbia and encamped
in splendid Grove on Mt. Pleasant Pike
Inspected the Horses ith Brigade
inspector Lieut Sherwood.   Found
(156) Horses one hundred and fifty six
and (6) six mules that by all means
should be turned over.

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Monday, January 23
Rain changed to Snow and snowed
most all night.  Very cold and
disagreeable[.] Portion of Reg’t moved
out at 12 pm with Brigade wagon
train.  Rest moved at one o clock[,] marched
over one of the worse roads ever marched
over[.]  [?] stuck by [?] Horses[,] moved
and give out by [?] after one of the
most dreadful march[es] ever made by man
for nine mules camped in a Brier Patch
at nine O clock.

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Saturday January 28
Cold and clear.  Colonel Mundy
visited our camp at Revalie
Had the Company Horses assemble
in a open field at One Oclock
and reissued to Companies in
regard to color.

                        Built log tent
for quarters.    Rec’d a mail[,] no
Letters for me.   No rations
Corn issued to men to eat.

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