Civil War

[manta22]

In January, my great Aunt, Sirene Bunten, began writing her diary. She was 15 years old then. It is interesting to read her writing about the events taking place at the time, the news and rumors, and her opinions on things as seen through the eyes of a 15 year old girl from the brand new state of West Virginia. Although shy around boys, she was not shy about voicing her opinions, even about Abraham Lincoln's leadership!

"I do hope we will hear that General McClellan has command of the army again. I think that the President ought to know better than to keep changing the commanders so often. I guess he thinks he is right but I do not. I would like to see him and tell him about it." Pretty cheeky for a 15 year old!.

Here is some of her diary. A Civil War Diary from French Creek: Selections from the Diary of Sirene Bunten

 

[Barrett]

Thank you Manta, forwarding to a couple of history colleagues.
Sidebar:
My maternal great-great grandmother crossed the Oregon Trail in 1852 as an 18 y/o bride with her decrepit 25 y/o husband. She kept a journal that I transcribed in the 1970s, cross referencing with other sources. Those people had HEART. They started a 5-month race from "Missourah" with dire consequences for not beating Winter to the Willamette Valley.

 

[manta22]

Thank you Manta, forwarding to a couple of history colleagues.
Sidebar:
My maternal great-great grandmother crossed the Oregon Trail in 1852 as an 18 y/o bride with her decrepit 25 y/o husband. She kept a journal that I transcribed in the 1970s, cross referencing with other sources. Those people had HEART. They started a 5-month race from "Missourah" with dire consequences for not beating Winter to the Willamette Valley.

Interesting! Those pioneers were made of hardy stuff. The Donner Party lost their race.

 

[wheelsup_cavu]

Thank You manta22 .

Wheels

 

[manta22]

Thank You manta22 .

Wheels

My great-grandfather, Watson Morgan Bunten, joined the 40th Illinois Volunteer Infantry and was wounded at Shiloh in the Civil War. He carried a few silver half-dollars in a leather coin purse in his coat pocket and it was struck by a Minie ball. The coins deflected the ball away from his femoral artery and saved his life. My grandmother willed the purse and taco'ed half-dollars to me some years ago and I donated it to West Virginia Wesleyan College in Buckhannon, WV on indefinite loan. Bunten was later wounded again at Missionary Ridge in Chattanooga. One his brothers died of the effects of starvation after being released from Libby Prison in Richmond, and a third brother died in Andersonville Prison. My 15 year old great aunt, Sirene Bunten, chronicled that in her Civil War diary "We Shall Know What War Is" published by Stephen Cresswell.
https://www.facebook.com/profile.php?id=100085195144242#

archive.wvculture.org
A Civil War Diary from French Creek: Selections from the Diary of Sirene Bunten

 

[manta22]

My great-grandfather, Watson Morgan Bunten, joined the 40th Illinois Volunteer Infantry and was wounded at Shiloh in the Civil War. He carried a few silver half-dollars in a leather coin purse in his coat pocket and it was struck by a Minie ball. The coins deflected the ball away from his femoral artery and saved his life. My grandmother willed the purse and taco'ed half-dollars to me some years ago and I donated it to West Virginia Wesleyan College in Buckhannon, WV on indefinite loan. Bunten was later wounded again at Missionary Ridge in Chattanooga. One his brothers died of the effects of starvation after being released from Libby Prison in Richmond, and a third brother died in Andersonville Prison. My 15 year old great aunt, Sirene Bunten, chronicled that in her Civil War diary "We Shall Know What War Is" published by Stephen Cresswell.
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archive.wvculture.org
A Civil War Diary from French Creek: Selections from the Diary of Sirene Bunten

From the diary of Sirene Bunten:

December 14, 1864. Oh my dear journal, once again I am called upon to mourn the loss of a beloved brother. We heard to-day that Walter is dead, starved to death by a set of fiends. There maybe some mistake, oh if I only knew, this agonizing suspense is worse than certainty. My brother my brother how can I give you up. Our father help us.

 

[manta22]

From the diary of Sirene Bunten:

December 14, 1864. Oh my dear journal, once again I am called upon to mourn the loss of a beloved brother. We heard to-day that Walter is dead, starved to death by a set of fiends. There maybe some mistake, oh if I only knew, this agonizing suspense is worse than certainty. My brother my brother how can I give you up. Our father help us.

From the diary of Sirene Bunten:

December 14, 1864. Oh my dear journal, once again I am called upon to mourn the loss of a beloved brother. We heard to-day that Walter is dead, starved to death by a set of fiends. There maybe some mistake, oh if I only knew, this agonizing suspense is worse than certainty. My brother my brother how can I give you up. Our father help us.

Two more diary entries:

April 11, 1865. On this my eighteenth birthday I must write a little in you my journal. We have great and good news from our army. Richmond, the capital of the so-called Confederacy, fell the 3rd Inst. General Lee surrendered himself and whole army to Grant, and there is a report that "Old Jeff" has absconded to Mexico with all the gold and silver he could rake and scrape in Dixie, don't know whether it is so or not. We are in hope now that the war will soon end. Sarah's boys were in the battle at Richmond and I am very anxious to hear from them, and other friends were there too, perhaps they were slain, wounded, or taken prisoner. All we can do is pray for them. The loss on our side, killed, wounded,and missing, was about 7000. It was a terrible battle though won at what a great sacrifice of life. It almost makes one say "was it worth losing so many lives." It makes me feel sad to think of the desolated homes all over the country. Fathers, mothers, and sisters are mourning for those that will never come again. Ah me! What might have been.


April 15, 1865. One short week ago and we were rejoicing over the fall of Richmond, now everything is changed. The nation is shrouded in mourning, for our president was this morning killed, shot dead. O what dreadful news it is to write, words fail me to express the deep sorrow that has fallen on our nation. To think that Abraham Lincoln our President, who has for four years governed us well and wisely, was deliberately shot this morning. Also, Sec.Seward died of sickness this morning. I can hardly realize this great loss it was so sudden.

 

[GrauGeist]

We had memoires and diaries from a good number of ancestors that dated back several centuries including a family lineage that had a passed down history that dated back to the 1000's.

All of that as well as more modern family military records were in the care of my Aunt, who developed dimensia and allowed all the stored records to become ruined by water damage. All of it, including tins full of photographs were lost.

It was hard to accept all that history being lost, doubly so with my Aunt, who succumbed to Alzheimer's and passed away.

In regards to the Civil War, we had a number of relatives on both sides, like Ascil Wood, a Union private who was killed at Shiloh and Gen. Robert Lilley of the Confederate States Army.

 

[manta22]

We had memoires and diaries from a good number of ancestors that dated back several centuries including a family lineage that had a passed down history that dated back to the 1000's.

All of that as well as more modern family military records were in the care of my Aunt, who developed dimensia and allowed all the stored records to become ruined by water damage. All of it, including tins full of photographs were lost.

It was hard to accept all that history being lost, doubly so with my Aunt, who succumbed to Alzheimer's and passed away.

In regards to the Civil War, we had a number of relatives on both sides, like Ascil Wood, a Union private who was killed at Shiloh and Gen. Robert Lilley of the Confederate States Army.

Preserving family records and photos can be difficult and it is a shame when they are lost. I have been scanning a lot of photos and documents to store them digitally and to send them to relatives as well as post some on genealogy sites.

Last week I sent some of my Dad's reports on his 1943 inspection tour of the supply situation in Africa and the Middle East to the Army Historical Foundation. I also included a nine-page letter from my 1st wife's then-husband, SSGT Guy Howard, to her about the 1958 US Marine landing in Beirut. It was not at all what was reported on the news. The US Ambassador was ordering the Marines to stop but they were already in their landing craft heading for the beach. The Marine colonel in command told the Ambassador "I take my orders from the Sixth Fleet!". Finally, since nobody in the embassy had thought to send a liaison to meet them, Howard met the Marines on the beach, dressed in slacks & a sports jacket with a .45 and led the Marines over the sand dunes to the airport.