Petersburg (Va.) -- History -- Civil War, 1861-1865

Scope and Content

Union soldier in the 5th New York Regiment, Battalion J, during the Civil War. Papers include a diary written between January and May 1865, while stationed in New York and Virginia. Participated in the occupation of Petersburg, Virginia, in April 1865. Entries refer to the assassination of Pres. Abraham Lincoln and the capture of Jefferson Davis. Also includes a typescript essay by Ernest Flint Kelsey (Stephen Kelsey's son) commenting on the diary.

Abstract The collection includes William A. Leonard's letters home from February-July 1865, as well as his diary from August 1864-April 1865. Leonard served as an ambulance driver in and around the siege at Petersburg, which is the focus of his short diary entries. His early letters focus on war news and rumors, daily life, and news from home. Post-surrender letters emphasize Leonard's experiences while stationed around Washington, DC, daily life (including the growing frustrations of soldiers...