Thomas Wright a young teenager starts his Diary in July 1858 America. Northern Kentucky, Mason county near the Town of Dover and Lees Creak. across the Ohio River the town of Ripley Ohio. Hot bed of Abolitionist movement. between befriending a slave...
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Thomas has followed his heart and mind, to his decision. He is stepping into the turmoil of War. Where this leads him, even Betsy remains to be seen. Thank you for your continued support.
1, October 1862
I woke to a slight chill, not cold, but one of those early fall mornins. Little fog still see a good distance. I slept near the New Richmond landing. Mister Bowman thinks I be fightin fer the South, what he don't know is I am done with Slavery and it's use. I heard they be taking people in the Ohio volunteers this week in New Richmond. Best get across see about this here enlistment.
Night 1, October 1862
I enlisted Army of Ohio 59th Infantry. Theo saw me, he is here at Camp Dennison near place called Indian Hill. Cincinnati ain't ta far away. Theo talked ta the officer I enlisted with. Seems after my trainin, I will be part of his Company. Theo looks a might older, wonder if it be worry an fear?
Camp Dennison ain't much of a place. Few buildings tents open field, do have a hospital. Few soldiers missin legs an arms. My most just sick, lot of sick people here. Most of Theo's Company mustered out. Guess he be startin with a new bunch. I am tuckered done a lot what they call marchin taday.
3, October 1862
Met a fella names Leonard, nice guy from Circleville little east an north of New Richmond. He has a farm does a little carpentry work also. Touch older than myself, only couple years. He is part of Theo's Company K, he just took on another three years. He told me ta stick close ta him like mud on yar boots. He would teach me how ta survive. Thinkin I best do that. He say my stay here only be couple weeks at best. Then probably be headed south ta Tennessee.
13, October 1862
My trainin is done, done that drill, marchin and how ta salute, right shoulder left shoulder arms, stay in step. Not that left! Yar Military Left! How ta fix bayonet, might nasty tri-tipped thin. An of course how ta load and shoot. Already knew that one. The Army uses paper ta hold the powder ball and shot. Rip the paper open pour the powder down the barrel and shove the rest in the muzzle and drive it home. No worry about how much powder ya put in.
Suprisin how many fellers here had, know idea how ta shoot. Guess city fellas have no need ta. Most of us farm boys, know we done a lot of huntin.
Wrote Betsy a letter an Ma, sent ta Joe ta deliver. That way, no one knows about this here Union soldier. Late be gettin on a riverboat early best get some sleep.
15, October 1862
Made it ta Paducah Kentucky, my that boat was packed full, couldn't hardly find a place ta sit nor sleep. Where we are headed from here, no idea Leonard thinks we goin ta Tennessee, from here we can go ta Missouri also. Only wrote Betsy that one letter before I left. I know she is fit ta be tied.
I had hard time just jottin stuff down in this diary. Just sent another off ta both. Hope they understands, how little time I have. Theo got me a holster fer my Griswold. So I don't have ta tuck it in my cartridge belt. Supper was beans cornbread little bacon in the beans. This here Army food ain't fit ta eat. They give us rations ta eat, lan sakes the bacon tasted like it gone bad. Feel a might tired.
History Lesson Camp Dennison
The Camp was named for William Dennison a Cincinnati native and Governor of Ohio at the start of the War. The camp was established in 1861-1865 deactivated after the War. It's primary use was recruitment, Training, and Hospital, it also was used as a Muster out point. A force was kept on hand to defend southwestern Ohio.
The site was chose by William S. Rosecrans. Tract of land located 17 miles from Cincinnati, the land had both sides of the Little Miami Railroad track, which ended at the Public Landing in Cincinnati.
The little Miami Railroad could transport troops from north central Ohio or to the Ohio River in Cincinnati.
The Camp had a fresh water supply from the Little Miami River. The land it encompassed was about 700 acres of land. General Melancthon Smith was the first Commander.
More than 50,000 soldiers were Mustered in or out of service at Dennison, as many as 12,000 occupied the camp at any given time. In 1862 when Cincinnati was threatened by the cavalry of Albert G. Jenkins. The Camp responded. Again when General John Hunt Morgan in 1863 crossed the river, called Morgans Raid.
Shortly after the battle of Shiloh a 200 bed Hospital was built. 340 Union soldiers and 31 Confederate soldiers died at Camp Dennison.
Many men contracted pneumonia and the camp had a measles epidemic. The Sanitary Commission had to teach a lot of new recruits what a latrine was. To keep from polluting the water supply.
Cincinnati
Was Headquarters for the Department of Ohio also called the Department of the Cumberland. It's first Commander was Major General George B. McClellan.
Among the most noted Cincinnati regiments was the almost all German 9th Ohio Infantry, I mentioned it in the battle of Mills Creek. The city gave 250,000 dollars to organize this regiment. Associate members of the United States Sanitary Commission from Cincinnati through their efforts Good Samaritan Hospital, was completed as medical facility for wounded and sick soldiers. A year after they established soldiers home.
The city built gunboats and other Union Navy vessels. Boilers, armour plating, cast iron cannons. Cincinnati was major distribution point for grain pork, beef, and other things to the Union Armies of the west.
By the end of the war, Cincinnati had 27 earthworks and batteries. Six of these positions remain Hooper Battery and Shaler Battery are open to the public. Shaler Battery a small earthwork fortification for the artillery ringed with rifle pit entrenchments. Located near Newport Kentucky, named after Nathaniel Burger Shaler a doctor in Newport, he offered his families hill top vineyard for the Battery.
A portion of the earthwork remains and the powder magazine site is marked it is in the Evergreen Cemetery Southgate Kentucky.
The most Major Campaign of the War was discussed and planned in Cincinnati. Grant and Sherman planned the ending phase of the war. Sherman's march and the eastern Campaign. Effectively cutting the western railroad hub in Atlanta and his swing north from Savannah. Where the two Armies would crush the Confederacy.
