“POCKET DIARY 1864”, published by Denton & Wood, Cambridgeport, Mass. Black leather, measuring 7.5 x3.5”, w/leather flap [detached]. Outer cover worn, inner text tight. Ink and pencil entries entirely legible. Owner signatures in front endpapers, “Jas C Lynn Co. “E”/2^nd MD/ New Creek West Virginia/ 1864”, “Jas. C. Lynn/ bivouaced/ Lexington,VA, June 13, 1864”.

This officer enlisted as First Lieutenant and was mustered into Co. “E”, Second Maryland Potomac Home Guard, 7/26/1861. He was promoted to Captain and transferred to Co. “A”, 8/27/1861, and promoted again to Lt. Colonel, field and staff, 3/25/ 1865; mustered out 6/7/1865. His unit served primarily in West Virginia railroad district through April 1864, soon after joining in Gen. Hunters Raid to Lynchburg, VA. From August ’64 till May ’65 the 2^nd Maryland PHB posted guard duty in West Virginia, mustering out May 29, 1865. During service the unit lost 10 men killed or mortally wounded and 84 by disease for a total of 94.

Captain Lynn’s diary contains a few scattered entries from Feb/March, 1864, followed by a continuous run of entries from May 28 to September 7^th. Other memoranda entries contain a list of thirty “Towns passed through in Va”, and the “names of counties [23] in Virginia through which we marched in June.” Also a list of men to whom he made small loans of money—[for example, “Lieut. Robert Powell Co. “D”/ Aug. 5^th, 1864/ Borrowed $10”]. Plus a list of six names for “rents paid out/ Sept 1864”, totaling “$141.58”. Captain Lynn seems to have been a meticulous officer with had a flair for record-keeping,

His diary begins February 27^th with the following entry---“Rec’d an order of this date from Brigade Hd Qtrs placing me on Special duty: To examine the officers & records of each organization in the 2^nd Brigade 2^nd division Dept., West Va. in reference to the final discharge papers of enlisted men…”

After a few random entries in March the diary picks up speed as the 2^nd Maryland PHB joins in Gen. David Hunter’s ‘64Shenandoah Campaign which culminated in his disastrous repulse at the Battle of Lynchburg. In terse entries, Lynn records the Lynchburg affair and the gloomy retreat back to West Virginia:

6/17—“Left camp near liberty at 4 ½ A.M. and marched to the vicinity (between three & four miles from Lynchburg). Heavy Artillery firing commenced about 3 o/clock. The mounted Infantry] commenced skirmishing—firing continuous until night. Drove the Rebels from their original position. Captured two pieces artillery. Slept on the battle field all night.

6/18-19—Waked up very early in the morning by heavy skirmishing all along the lines. Artillery of the enemy opened at five o’clk and was kept up with slight intermission all day. A general engagement recurred at one o’clk PM. The enemy driving in our lines of skirmishers . The 2^nd Brigade was ordered to charge which they did in a splendid manner driving the enemy before them. We then took up our guard position and at 8 O’clk. Having ….. seeing the enemy largely reinforce we began to fall back. Marched all Saturday night and rested for breakfast at 8 O’clk Sunday morning. Then started again and marched the remainder….Sunday evening had an affair with the enemy in which we drove them off. Men and officers terribly used up. Very little to eat and no sleep of any account. Rested a little three miles from Liberty.

6/20—Enemy still following closely--Drove them back and continued the march day and night. The 2^nd Brigade was put in charge of the wagon train…Martin Dunker a private of my Co. accidentally killed this night while on duty.

6/21—Arrived at Salem at daylight this morning. Stopped for breakfast and were hastily ordered into to repel the enemy who were passing our rear very closely. An artillery duel commenced this morning also tolerably heavy musketry firing……the infantry were thus engaged. The rebel cavalry made a dash on the wagon train and artillery discharged eight pieces but they did not succeed in carrying off any….

7/1—Camp on the Kanawha River [WVirginia]

[Gen. Hunter’s ignominious retreat from Lynchburg had opened open the Shenandoah Valley for Jubal Early’s Rebels, who now came storming up to threaten Washington in July. The way also became clear for another Rebel thrust to Pennsylvania and General McCausland’s burning of Chambersburg.

7/14—Crossed the pontoon bridge into Maryland

7/14—Large body of Fed. Cav. Passed in about midnight under Gen. Duffie

7-17—During the day rebels pickets could be seen between four and five yard from our post but upon the appearance of our cavalry they disappeared.

7/18—at four PM heavy skirmishing began and at five a general engagement. The enemy in very heavy force drove us & compelled us to recross the river. The 6^th Army Corps reinforced us and we fell back. Artillery opened on us as we retreated. Took up position in snicker’s Gap for night…

7/19—Heavy cannonading towards Ashley’s Gap during the evening & night supposed to be Gen. Duffie & Averell.

7/20—rode over the field and saw our dead exposed and unburied in all directions.

7/21—in charge of wagon train with prisoners, wounded men

8/5—rumors of another invasion of Md & Pa

8/6—We remained at Sandy Hook [Harper’s Ferry area]

8/17—Gen. Stevenson superceded Gen. Max Weber in Command of the Defences of Harper’s Ferry, We are under him. None of us know anything about him.

8/21—Heavy Cannonading & musketry near, most all day in direction of Charlestown.

8/22—Fighting going on in the direction of Town Hall…the enemy are reported to be moving towards the Potomac…another invasion Md. & Pa on an extensive sale anticipated…the rebs are supposed to be in heavy force—fifty thousand.

8/31—anxious to hear from the application sent in sometime ago to Dept Hd to go home to be mustered out my time having expired…..

[As a three year man whose enlistment was up in late August, Capt. Lynn could easily have left the army, and seemingly was of a mind to do so, but for some reason did not, deciding to remain through the end of the war.]

9/7—Crossed the Potomac this morning and got on board of the train….we reached home at 6 o’clk and were warmly welcomed A

by the people generally.

CAPTAIN LYNN’S WOOD SHAVING FROM STONEWALL JACKSON’S LEXINGTON CEMETERY HEADBOARD—JUNE 13, 1864.

While passing through Lexington, VA, en route to Lynchburg, numerous Union troops stopped to visit the grave of Stonewall Jackson, who had been mortally wounded at Chancellorsville and buried there the previous May. Among those was one union officer who sent home some leaves fallen on Jackson’s grave, an incident recorded by Jackson biographer Lenoir Chambers. Another of these was Lieutenant Lynn whose diary records visiting Jackson’s Lexington grave on June 13, 1864.

6/13—“This morning walked through the city of Lexington. Visited Stonewall Jackson’s grave and other places of note. Made a few purchases and continued to camp at 12 o’clk P.M. At one o’clk PM the regt. was ordered out on picket line duty. Remained out all night.”

But Captain Lynn did more than merely visit Jackson’s grave. He in fact cut a shaving from the wooden headboard and enclosed it in an envelope, with the following inscription--[which matches his diary handwriting] :

“Cut this chip from the headboard of Stonewall Jackson’s grave on the 13^th day of June, 1864. Lexington, VA”.

This Jackson headboard shaving, 3.5” in length, in three pieces, is mounted on black velvet in circular plastic cup, 1.75 in diameter, which, along with the diary and print of Civil War studio photo of Captain Lynn in uniform, is mounted in an 8 x 12” black riker box. Accompanied by National Archives documentation.

In all, a superb diary and Stonewall Jackson relic grouping.

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