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J.P. Carney, Civil War Era Diary

 Collection
Collection Number: A&M 3597

Overview

Diary of John P. Carney of Moundsville and Benwood, West Virginia, from January to October 1864, chiefly documenting Carney's daily activities, the weather, and movement on the Ohio River and the Baltimore and Ohio Railroad (B&O). Carney initially writes from Moundsville, where he appears to be a student, and then from Benwood, where he begins work at the B&O Railroad depot in May 1864. Almost daily entries record the weather and its effects on the Ohio River, including the amount of ice in the river and how it rises and falls. Comments about the Civil War are scattered throughout the diary and are mostly reports of what Carney reads in the newspaper. Carney briefly mentions troop movements; Confederate prisoners and black Union soldiers passing through the area; the death of Colonel James Mulligan; General George B. McClellan's presidential campaign; General Jubal Early's raid on Washington, D.C., and the B&O Railroad in July and August. He appears mostly concerned with the status of the railroad during Early's raid. Restoration of telegraph lines to Baltimore is indicated for September 13. Several pages are faded and illegible, and there are no entries for the month of April.

Dates

  • Creation: 1864

Creator

Language of Materials

English

Conditions Governing Access

No special access restriction applies.

Conditions Governing Use

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.

Extent

0.1 Linear Feet (Summary: 3/4 in. (1 folder))

Physical 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/

Title
J.P. Carney, Civil War Era Diary, 1864
Author
Staff of the West Virginia & Regional History Center
Description rules
Describing Archives: A Content Standard
Language of description
English
Script of description
Code for undetermined script
Language of description note
English

Repository Details

Part of the West Virginia and Regional History Center Repository

Contact:
1549 University Ave.
P.O. Box 6069
Morgantown WV 26506-6069 US
304-293-3536