This pocket diary belonged to James E. Rood of Company A, 1^st New York Dragoons. The book has leather covers with the usual fold over flap. The leather is in good condition with only a small area of chipping in one corner. Closed the diary meas. approx. 3.25 x 4.75 inches. The inside front cover a period ink inscription that reads “JAMES E. ROOD, CASTILE, WYOMING CO. NY-1^st NY DRAGOONS COMPANY A.” Beneath this ink inscription is the same thing in pencil. Apparently Rood made the inscription first in pencil and then wrote over it in ink. The second page has a dedication in pencil that reads “TO JAMES FROM HIS SISTER ELLEN” and at the bottom of the same page is “WHEN ‘THIS CRUEL WAR IS OVER THEN WE SHALL MEET AGAIN.’ BROTHER JAMES LET ME ASK OF YOU TO BEWARE OF EVIL.”

The first entry in the diary is dated February 26, 1864, which is fourteen days after Rood enlisted, and runs through September 4, 1864. During that time the regiment was in 36 battles and skirmishes including Todd’s Tavern, Yellow Tavern, Spotsylvania, Cold Harbor, Trevillian Station and Petersburg.  During that time the regiment lost 233 men.

The diary entries talk of everyday life and things happening around Rood. One interesting entry talks about him stealing a revolver! On April 28, 1864 he says “IT WAS QUITE COLD LAST NITE. I AM ON GUARD TO DAY. THEIR WAS AN INSPECTION. TO DAY I LIFTED A REVOLVER IN THE PLASE OF ONE I LOST THAT IS THE CUSTOM HERE.”

His entry on May 6^th talks of the battle of the Wilderness “LAST NITE WE ENCAMPED ON THE CHUNCILLES (CHANCELLORSVILLE)  BATTLE FIELD WITH DAY LITE COMES THE RORE OF CANNON IN THE DISTANCE AND AS THE DAY ADVANSES FIRING UNCREASES CANON AND MUSKET 2 1/2 TO 8 MILES DISTANCE AT ONE OCLOCK WE WITH THE TRAIN WENT TO THE REIR (REAR) THAIR IS A HARD BATTLE SOME WHERE.” Rood was obviously with the regimental wagon train.

Two more interesting entries “May 8, 1864 ‘ADVANCED 4 MILES AND FELL BACK AT NITE FURY FIRING NOT FAR OFF. THE REBS TRIED TO CAPTER OUR WAGON TRAIN GOT WITHIN ONE MILE. OUR BOYS DROVE THEM BACK THE MOUNTED AND DISMOUNTED BOYS CAMPED NEAR TOGETHER TO NITE.”

“MAY 9, 1864 THIS MORNING EARLY I WENT TO SEE THE CO. MET CP ROBINSON HE SENT ME TO HUNT UP THE WOUNDED. FOUND THEM ALL. JOHN HAIR IS BADLY WOUNDED I COLD HIS WOUND WITH WATER THE BALL WENT IN AT THE LEFT BREST AND CAME OUT AT THE BACK 2000 REBEL PRISONERS CAME IN TO NITE BURNSIDE IS HERE TO NITE OUR REGIMENT HAS GONE ON A FIVE DAY RADE.”

May 10, 1864 is another interesting entry “DAY LITE BRINGS AGAIN THE ROAR OF CANNON IT IS ONE CONTINULE ROAR ALL DAY BEEN OUT JAYHAWKING AND DOWN TO SEE THE REB PRISONERS THAIR ARE DRESSED IN ALL KINDS OF CLOTHING.”

A month later on June 11, 1864 Rood says “BOOTS AND SADDLES SOUNDS EARLY THIS MORNING ABOUT 6:00 WE MET THE ENEMY WE WERE DEPLOYED AS SKIRMISHERS BEHIND A HILL. WE CHARGED ON THE ENEMY OVER THE HILL THEN I WAS SLITLY WOUNDED AND WAS ORDERED TO THE RIER BUT THE BOYS HELD THE GROUND THE ENGAGMENT LASTED TIL NITE THE REBS FELL BACK ABOUT 2 MILES DIST. OUR LOSS WAS 40 MEN KILD WOUNDED AND MISSING. THIS WAS AT TREVILLIAN STATION.”

The entries continue skipping a few days until September 4, 1864 when Rood simply writes “SICK TO DAY.” Rood died of disease 6 days later on September 10, 1864 at City Point, Virginia. His body was returned to New York where he was buried in Hope Cemetery, Perry, Wyoming County.

The back of the diary has some names and dollar amounts and other minor notes. A few of the pages were used by someone for recipes. These are done in period ink and look to have been done not long after Rood used the book. It could be someone in the family used it by mistake after it was returned to his family.

Some of the pencil entries are light but everything is readable. The ink entries are approx. half the diary and are mostly near the front.

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