These two identical diaries are species of a brand-"Pocket Diary, 1864 [& 1865]. Published Annually For The Trade. 1864 [& 1865]"-commonly purchased by Union soldiers. Both feature three calendar-day entries per page w/monthly cash & memoranda pages in rear, black fine grained buckram covers w/folding flap w/gilt lettering "Diary 1865 [& 1865]", measuring 3 x 6". Both diaries exhibit medium external wear while remaining in fairly good shape.

The front eps of the 1864 diary are inscribed as follows by their owner: "Samuel Metz, Comp I 92[nd] regt. Illinois Mt. Infantry Wilders brggade. Enlisted august 14-1861 in Mt. Carroll County Illinois….[Metz goes on to inscribe his fathers address]….…My father's Chambers Franklin County PA….Post officer address to my father abraham Metz Chambersburgh Franklin county Pa". Entries in both diaries are in identical hand and written in pencil and ink.

Samuel Metz enlisted as a private and was mustered into the 92nd Illinois Infantry on 9/4/1862. He ended his service being mustered out on 6/21/1865 at Greensboro, NC. Enlisting as standard infantry, the 92nd Illinois was mounted on 7/22/1863 and assigned to Wilder's Brigade, thereafter serving with Army of the Cumberland cavalry, taking part in the September Battle of Chickamauga and later operations against Wheeler's cavalry. During the 1864/1865 period covered by Metz' diaries, the unit participated in Sherman's Atlanta Campaign & the marches to Savannah through the Carolinas, being present at the surrender of Joe Johnston's Army at Bentonville, NC in April 1865, eventually being mustered out in Greensboro in June. During its service the 92nd Illinois lost 1 officer and 51 enlisted men killed and mortally wounded and 2 officers and 127 enlisted men by disease, for a total of 181.

Entries in both diaries deal almost exclusively with camp life & Metz's meticulous observations concerning weather & the number of miles marched per day. Place names listed tally exactly with the 92nd Illinois chronological itinerary in Dyer's Compendium. Though his spelling was weak, Metz was capable of succinct summation. Of the Battle of Jonesboro, 8/31/1864, he had this to say: "Jonesburrough gorgia To day we had heavy fight at Jonesborough at Macon railroad and one of our regimment was kild and three wouded." On the following day: "…our regament was in advance we was shooting all night." On 11/12/1864: "To day troops started from Atlanta and burnt the city and tore up the railroad and burnt Marietta at night." On 12/21/1864: "Went to Ft. McCalister and staid there To [day] Savanah was surrendered".Many of the 1864 ink entries are somewhat smudged and therefore somewhat difficult to decipher.

The 1865 diary, however, is clear and, from the first entry -"the last day of the old year we moved from camp an new year we went to the little ogeechie after bushwhackers and gorillas all night"-fairly decipherable. The 92nd Illinois was nearby during the burning of Columbia, SC, 2/16-17/1865-"Weather clear and cold we march within four mile of Columbia …and then went back to Lexington….the rebs drove in the pickets and we moved out the Columbia road.."-and the surrender of Joe Johnston's army, 4/26-27/1865-"Today we loaded with rations to start on a march but Johnson surrendered and we did not start………..we stayed still and the scouts was sent to there companies….the sesesh is ended and the rebelion plaid out". Following Metz mustering out on 6/21/1865, the pencil entries become shorter and less legible. This last half of 1865 diary contains a number of arithmetical sums that appear to have been jotted down randomly. The back flap of the 1864 diary contains the backflap of an envelope with the following name and address: " Miss Molly J. Nelson, Chambersburgh, Franklin Co, Pa".

A fine pair of soldier diaries. Military documentation included.

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