Diary of a Tar Heel Confederate Soldier

Diary of a Tar Heel Confederate Soldier

Diary of Confederate soldier Leon Lewis during the Civil War. This diary gives a day to day account of what this man went through during the war, with emphasis on the rough conditions he and his comrades had to endure. Situations include marching up to 25 miles at a time with little food, sleeping in the pouring rain, and enduring the harsh winter cold with little protection. This item is used to paint the image of the horrible conditions Confederate soldiers were forced to endure, thus, desertion seemed like an acceptable alternative.

Leon Lewis

Leon, L. Diary of a Tar Heel Confederate Soldier. Charlotte, NC: Stone Pub., 1913. 2-82. Print.

April 25, 1861-April 9, 1901

Scholarship

April 25, 1861 - I belong to the Charlotte Grays, Company C, First North Carolina Regiment. We left home for Raleigh. Our company is commanded by Capt. Egbert Ross. We are all boys between the ages of eighteen and twenty-one. We offered our services to Governor Ellis, but were afraid he would not take us, as we are so young; but before we were called out our company was ordered to go to the United States Mint in our town and take same. We marched down to it, and it was surrendered to us. We guarded it several days, when we were ordered to Raleigh, and left on the above date.

Our trip was full of joy and pleasure, for at every station where our train stopped the ladies showered us with flowers and Godspeed. We marched to the Fair Grounds. The streets were lined with people, cheering us. When we got there our company was given quarters, and, lo and behold! horse stables with straw for bedding is what we got. I know we all thought it a disgrace for us to sleep in such places with our fine uniforms - not even a washstand, or any place to hang our clothes on. They didn't even give us a looking-glass.