0.01 Linear Feet, Summary: 3 items (1 folder, 3 items); 1 reel of microfilm
Creator
Chidester, James M.
Location
West Virginia and Regional History Center / West Virginia University / 1549 University Avenue / P.O. Box 6069 / Morgantown,
WV 26506-6069 / Phone: 304-293-3536 / Fax: 304-293-3981 / URL: https://wvrhc.lib.wvu.edu/
Language
English
Abstract
Diary kept by Corporal James M. Chidester, Co. A, 3rd Regiment, Virginia Volunteer Infantry, during his service in the Civil
War, 1861-1864. Contains day by day accounts of the marches and battles in which he participated, descriptions of camp life
and general conditions for Union soldiers. His company was active throughout West Virginia, Western Maryland and the Northern
Virginia and District Columbia area. He participated in battles at Romney, Cedar Mountain, Manassas Junction, Janelew, Hedgesville,
Martinsburg, Bull Run, and White Sulphur Springs. At White Sulphur Springs in 1863 he was wounded and taken prisoner by the
Confederate Army and transferred to Richmond, Virginia. He remained in Richmond for about one month, then was traded for Confederate
prisoners and sent to Annapolis Hospital at the U.S. Naval Academy, and later discharged, March 1, 1864. The final page of
the diary are a memoir of Chidester's life after the war as a teacher and storekeeper in Preston County, West Virginia, where
he served as assessor and deputy sheriff for many years. There are also some accounts, a record of letters sent and received
while in the hospital in Annapolis, and lists of books read while in Annapolis.
Permission to publish or reproduce is required from the copyright holder. For more information, please see the Permissions and Copyright page on the West Virginia and Regional History Center website.
Conditions Governing Access
No special access restriction applies.
Preferred Citation
[Description and date of item], [Box/folder number], James M. Chidester Civil War Diary, A&M 2707, West Virginia and Regional
History Center, West Virginia University Libraries, Morgantown, West Virginia.