George W. Bonsall Diaries,
Scope and Content
Collection consists of two volumes of a manuscript diary, copied in 1865 of entries Bonsall wrote between May 23, 1861 (his 16th birthday) and 1865. Continues the diary sporatically after the war, with entries indicating his marriage in 1876 and the birth of his daughter in 1877. Bonsall writes in detail about his regiment's movements throughout Ohio, Kentucky, and Virginia during the war (particularly 1863 and 1864), but they never engaged in a battle with the Confederates. Bonsall also writes about working as a mason building dormitories for a new college in Berea, Kentucky, in 1869.
Dates
- Creation: 1861 - 1878
Creator
- Bonsall, George W. (Person)
Access Restrictions
Collection is open to research.
Use Restrictions
Permission to publish from the George W. Bonsall Diaries must be obtained from Special Collections, Virginia Tech.
Biographical Information
George W. Bonsall was born in Cincinnati, Ohio, in 1845. He served as a corporal in the 138th Regiment Ohio National Guard (originally formed as the 2nd Ohio Volunteer Reserve Militia) during the Civil War. He returned to Cincinnati after the war and worked as a carpenter.
Full Extent
0.2 Cubic Feet (1 box)
Language of Materials
English
Abstract
Resident of Cincinnati, Ohio, and a corporal in the 138th Regiment Ohio National Guard (originally formed as the 2nd Ohio Volunteer Reserve Militia) during the Civil War. Collection consists of two volumes of a manuscript diary, copied in 1865 of entries Bonsall wrote between May 23, 1861 (his 16th birthday) and 1865. The diaries also contain sporatic entries dating through 1878.
Arrangement
The collection is arranged chronologically.
Acquisition Information
The George W. Bonsall Diaries were donated to Special Collections prior to 1998.
Alternate Form Available
Selected images from the diaries are available on the Special Collections website. See the "Contents List" below for links to images.
General Physical Description note
1 box; 0.3 cu. ft.
Processing Information
The processing, arrangement, and description of the George W. Bonsall Diaries commenced and was completed in 1997. Additional description was completed prior to 2008 and in 2010.
Subject
- Bonsall, George W. (Person)
- Title
- A Guide to the George W. Bonsall Diaries, 1861-1878
- Status
- Completed
- Date
- © 2010 By Virginia Polytechnic Institute and State University. All rights reserved.
- Language of description
- English
- Script of description
- Code for undetermined script
- Language of description note
- Description is in English
Repository Details
Part of the Special Collections, Virginia Tech Repository
Special Collections, University Libraries (0434)
560 Drillfield Drive
Newman Library, Virginia Tech
Blacksburg Virginia 24061 US
540-231-6308
specref@vt.edu