Overview

On August 7, 1862, George Alfred Hitchcock, who was born in Ashby, Massachusetts on January 15, 1844, left Ashby looking forward to a reunion with his older brother, Henry Sparhawk Hitchcock, and membership in Company A, 21st Massachusetts Infantry. From this date until January 1, 1865, Hitchcock composed a personal narrative, keeping a meticulous, detailed record of his daily activities in pocket diaries. His first experience in battle was at Fox' Gap on South Mountain, and then by an attack across Burnside's Bridge at Antietam. This was followed by the disastrous Union advance toward Marye's Heights at Fredericksburg; a journey by rail to Paris, Kentucky via Pittsburgh, Columbus (detailed conflict of drunken 21st soldiers with local security) and Cincinnati; the protection of the Mount Sterling, Kentucky, area from guerrillas; an expedition from Camp Nelson through the Cumberland Gap to Eastern Tennessee; the skirmishes and battles in Burnside's Knoxville campaign; the arduous return march to Camp Nelson during a severe winter with Confederate prisoners; the persistent effort to regain his health and then his return to the 21st Regiment; and an compelling personal account of his capture at Cold Harbor and imprisonment at Andersonville, Georgia, Millen, Georgia and Florence, South Carolina; and finally, his release and life after 1865.

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9780786478903

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Reviews

an exceptional, down-to-earth, insightful diary --<i>Civil War News</i>; most welcome...highly recommended --<i>Blue & Gray Magazine</i>; well organized and handsome volume. Scholars and other interested readers will appreciate a diary from an enlisted man who experienced so much of the Civil War and who wrote about it with such astuteness and eloquence --<i>Army History</i>; A rare and comprehensive look at one infantry soldier's experiences in the America Civil War.... This book would be of interest to a number of Civil War audiences. This includes the experiences of an infantry soldier; the movements and campaigns of the 21st Massachusetts Infantry; and prisoner of war conditions. In addition, persons studying war in any time period would find value in Hitchcock's entries. --Janie C. Morris, retired Research Librarian, Special Collection Library, Duke University.

an exceptional, down-to-earth, insightful diary --Civil War News; most welcome...highly recommended --Blue & Gray Magazine; well organized and handsome volume. Scholars and other interested readers will appreciate a diary from an enlisted man who experienced so much of the Civil War and who wrote about it with such astuteness and eloquence --Army History; A rare and comprehensive look at one infantry soldier's experiences in the America Civil War.... This book would be of interest to a number of Civil War audiences. This includes the experiences of an infantry soldier; the movements and campaigns of the 21st Massachusetts Infantry; and prisoner of war conditions. In addition, persons studying war in any time period would find value in Hitchcock's entries. --Janie C. Morris, retired Research Librarian, Special Collection Library, Duke University.

Author Information

After serving 30 years as a high school principal In New Jersey, Ronald G. Watson retired in North Carolina, focusing on community service, gardening (Master Gardener) and historical research; In 1992, President George H. Bush selected Watson as the 704th Daily Point of Light in his “Thousand Points of Light” programme, recognising outstanding community service. He lives in Burlington, North Carolina.

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