UNION SOLDIER DIARY ID’D TO CORPORAL ALLEN SHULTES, CO. “D”, 91ST NEW YORK INFANTRY

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Item Code: 1179-458

Pocket Diary, 1865. Published by Willy Wallach, New York, 1865. Standard black leatherette pocket diary w/ flap, three daily entries per page. Owner inscription, eps, in pencil—“Allen Shultes Co. D, 91st NY.” Exhibits light wear at the extremities, weakened front inner hinge. Else VG.

At age 22, Allen Shultes enlisted as a private, mustering in Company “D”, 91st New York Infantry in Albany New York, in late autumn 1861. His regiment thence moved to Key West, FL, attached to the Department of Florida, posted there through the remainder of 1862. Transferred to the Department of the gulf, 19th Army Corps it was based in Baton Rouge, and saw action at the Siege of Port Hudson. Then posted to garrison duty in New Orleans through August 184, it was then transferred to the middle theater, later engaged in the Siege of Petersburg and the concluding Appomattox Campaign. During service it lost 113 men killed and mortally wounded and 185 by disease for a total of 288.  Mustered out July 3, 1863.

Stationed in Baltimore in the of winter of 1865, Corporal Shultes entries are extremely sparse, though he does report on February 20 taking a detachment of men to New York, and on the 22nd that he “got a receipt for the men. Started for Albany 3.40 pm and got to Albany 9 pm.”

Then on February 28 his unit moves south to join the 5th Corps for the final push:

Got to Baltimore at 9 ½ pm. The regiment was on the boat at Ft.McHenry to go to City Point [VA]. Got on the boat about ½ hour before it started.”

In sparse one lines entries through mid-march Shultes reports various drills and being on guard duty. Between the 15th & 17th he notes having a headache and the chills.

Then on March 28 is ordered to a review in which Shultes glimpses President Lincoln:

The Regiment got ordered out early in the morning. Two divisions went to the Sixth Corps…had a review. Old Abe was there.”

On March 29 the regiment moves forward the conclusion of the Appomattox Campaign:

“Broke up camp and took our line of march for the South Side Railroad.”

March 31-- “Had a fight retreated back. It was at Gravel run.”

April 1, Five Forks, V--“Had a fight near the South side Railroad. Drove the rebs and took a lot of prisoners and artillery. 76 wounded, 24 killed in our regiment. It was the battle of five forks.”

April 4--“Made a forced march had no rations for 2 days. It was a hard march. Got to the Danville Road. Had to throw up breastworks after dark. Layed under arms all night.”

April 5—“Drawed rations till the 8th. Sheridan’s Cavalry captured 1,000 prisoners 5 pieces of artillery 7 battle flags.”

April 6—"Started from Danville Road to cut Grant off. It was forced march. Grant pass along the line.”

April 8—“Had a hard march. Had to wait for train. Did not get in camp til midnight.”

April 9—“Started in the morning without anything to eat. Lee surrendered to Grant. We stoped all night. It had rained in the night.”

 

On April 15th the 91st New York marched north, pausing on the 19th—“had a ceremony for President Lincoln’s funeral. In the days to come, the 91st marched through Petersburg, past Richmond on to Washington for the final Grand Review, May 23rd, 1865. On June 11th and 12th the one year men and recruits were mustered out. On July 3, Corporal Shultes himself mustered out, leaving for home on the 5thth, arriving there on the 8th. All entries are made crisply, short, matter-of-fact sentences.

As are all entries in this diary. Nonetheless, it remains of interest for its first person, ground level record of 91st New York activities in the concluding Appomattox campaign, and especially at Five Forks, where the unit did some hard fighting. As they had earlier, in Florida and Louisiana. Despite the brevity of his entries, Corporal Shultes 1865 diary remains a solid 91st New York collectible.   [JP][ph:L]

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