THE DIARY OF DAVID M. STEVENS,
1st Maine Cavalry Regiment
1863
NOTE: David M. Stevens was born 24 Feb. 1823 in Litchfield, Kennebec Co., Me. On 26 Apr. 1846 in Gardiner, Kennebeck Co., Me. he married Lucy Jane Peacock. The births of seven children were recorded in their family bible. The diary and bible passed down through his son Alvah Burton Stevens who married Delia Mooers Atkins in S. Gardiner, Me. They had no children. The Diary and bible were placed in storage after Delia died in 1930. In 1965 I discovered both in an old trunk in a barn belonging to the Atkins family of S. Gardiner.
The diary itself is slightly less than three inches wide, six inches tall and about 1 quarter inch thick. Dated space for three days of entrys are provided on each page. This small space might have been a contributing factor to the general brevity of David's notes. David made his comments in pencil; one probably harder than a number 2 for the writing is relatively faint and sometimes difficult to read.
Based on a suggestion made by Dan Peters after he read a transcript of the Diary is is now known that David Stevens was attached to the 1st Maine Cavalry Regiment. The entries for the 1st Maine Cavalry contained in Dyers Compendium can be accessed at
THE DIARY
JANUARY 1863
Mon. 2 Jan. - Left the hospital.
No Entrys from 3 Jan - 7 Jan.
Sun. 8 Jan. - Got back to the brigade
No entrys from 9 Jan - 12 Feb.
FEBRUARY 1863
Fri. 13 Feb. - Went over to the 19th maine
Sat. 14 Feb. - Went to se the rigerment
Sun. 15 Feb. - A rough among the pieneers.
Mon. 16 Feb. - Brigade went out on picket and I comenced to cook.
Tue. 17 Feb. - We had a snow storm it snode 4 or 5 inches.
Wed 18 Feb. - Raind.
Thu. 19 Feb. - The boys came in from Picket. I received a letter from home.
Fri. 20 Feb. - Brigade reogerniesed
Sat. 21 Feb. - Went as orderlys for Birdon
Sun. 22 Feb. - We had about 8 inch snow.
Mon. 23 Feb. - Emerson went to his compeny
Tue. 24 Feb. - My 40th Birthday I was in camp near Falmouth, Va. Our pickets driven in by Stuarts Cavalry.
Wed. 25 Feb. - Sent out 500 men to strenthen the pickets
Thu. 26 Feb. - We had a heavy raine.
Fri. 27 Feb. - The weather was very fine
Sat. 28 Feb. - Heard from home and heard that William Peacocks little girle was dead.
MARCH 1863
Sun. 1 Mar. - raine in the morning but cleard of at noon.
Mon. 2 Mar. - Went down to the rigerment and got a horse.
Tue. 3 Mar. - Weather fine
Wed. 4 Mar. - Went to se the 19 maine.
Thu. 5 Mar. - very cold
Fri. 6 Mar. - Brigade went on picket I wrote Samuel
Sat. 7 Mar. - We had a joly time
Sun. 8 Mar. - We had an oster stew
Mon. 9 Mar. - Went up to Falmouth and saw the rebels pickets across the river.
Tue. 10 Mar. - Weather cold and some snow
Wed. 11 Mar. - Got orders to return to our compiney
Thu. 12 Mar. - Returned to rigerment
Fri. 13 Mar. - Weather very cold
Sat. 14 Mar. - put up or tent and moved into it
Sun. 15 Mar. - had a thunder showr.
Mon. 16 Mar. - went out on inspection
Tue. 17 Mar. - went down to the landing
Wed. 18 Mar. - went as ordley for gen cregge
Thu. 19 Mar. - rigerment came in from picket
Fri. 20 Mar. - cold snow storm
Sat. 21 Mar. - rane storm
Sun. 22 Mar. - weather very fine
Mon. 23 Mar. - went out to drill
Tue. 24 Mar. - went out on brigade drill and inspection and Co. M came to the rigerment
Wed. 25 Mar. - went out on grand revew and Co. H came to the rigerment
Thu. 26 Mar. - the weather very fine
Fri. 27 Mar. - weather very plesant
Sat. 28 Mar. - thunder shur and stormed all day
Sun. 29 Mar. - went on picket and the weather very cold
Mon. 30 Mar. - very plesant until 4 oclock and then it rained and snowd all night
Tue. 31 Mar. - the weather cold and windy
APRIL 1863
Wed. 1 Apr. - We was relieved from picket Pork from Luntz___?___.
Thu. 2 Apr. - the weather very plesant we had an alarm in camp that the rebels had crosed the river
Fri. 3 Apr. - the weather very plesant
Sat. 4 Apr. - weather cold and began to snow at night and snowed all night
Sun. 5 Apr. - the weather bad
Mon. 6 Apr. the weather very plesant
Tue. 7 Apr. - came in from picket
Wed. 8 Apr. - brigade went out to se two solgiers drumed out of camp
Thu. 9 Apr. - the weather plesant we had a scirmish drill
Fri. 10 Apr. - the weather very plesant we were mustered
Sat. 11 Apr. - weather very fine
Sun. 12 Apr. - the weather very plesant and we got orders to be ready to move at a momets notes
Mon. 13 Apr. - we brok camp and marched all day
Tue 14 Apr. - went to raperhanac (Rappahannock) stacion and drove the rebels from the bridge
Wed. 15 Apr. - rained all day we moved up about 1 mild and camped in a pine woods
Thu. 16 Apr. - we moved back about a mild and camped in an oak woods.
Fri. 17 Apr. - the weather plesant
Sat. 18 Apr. - we went on picket. I got a letter from home
Sun. 19 Apr. - we stil remane on picket I went into camp at midnight
Mon. 20 Apr. - started to cros the river to make a rade acros the river
Tue. 21 Apr. - we had to camp on acount of a raine
Wed. 22 Apr. - We marched to catlic (Catlett's) stacion
Thur. 23 Apr. - we are still at catlic on picket
Fri. 24 Apr. - it rained all day and cleard off with a thunder shouer.
Sat. 25 Apr. - a man shot his (self? unreadable )through the foot in Co., M. we went out on picket on the Gainsvill road
Sun 26 Apr. - we remain on picket and the weather very cold
Mon. 27 Apr. - the weather very warm
Tue. 28 Apr. - the weather rainey and we wear relieved from picket had order to move about 5oc (oclock?)
Wed. 29 Apr. - we crosed the river at 9 oclock in the morning
Thu. 30 Apr. - Marched down and crossed raperdom (Rapidan)
MAY 1863
Fri. 1 May - marched down and tor up the railroad, at night marched to thomsons cros roads
Sat. 2 May - We lay out (at?) loouiser (Louisa) court house and went to the cros roades at night
Sun. 3 May - went down and tor up a bridge and stoped at the meeting house at night
Mon. 4 May - came back to luing (?) crick and went into camp for the remainder of the night
Tue. 5 May - remaind thear until five oclock marched all night and crosed the Raperdan .....
Wed. 6 May - at five oclock in the morning and remaned thear until just as night and marched to the raperhanac
Thu. 7 May - crosed the raperhanac this morning
Fri. 8 May - recrosed the raperhanac and camped near bealton stacion
Sat. 9 May - the weather very fine we lay at bealton station
Sun. 10 May - I comenced to cook for head quarters we moved to potomac crick in the afternoon
Mon. 11 May - No Entry
Tue. 12 May - the weather very fine the boys came up from acqay (Aquia) crick
Wed. 13 May - the rigerment was payed off
Thu. 14 May - moved up on the hil
Fri. 15 May - marched to bealton stacion
Sat. 16 May - marched into the woods and the rigerment went on picket
Sun. 17 May - the compiney came in from picket
Mon. 18 May - I was sick with the dierrier
Tue. 19 May - I was sick all day
Wed. 20 May - we moved back to bealton stacion
Thu. 21 May - the forges came to the rigerment
Fri. 22 May - the compiney came in from picket and I got a parr of boots
Sat. 23 May - the weather very hot
Sun. 24 May - the weather very (no further entry)
Mon. 25 May - the weather cold enough for a grate coat
Tue. 26 May - the weather fine but cool
Wed. 27 May - the weather very fine
Thu. 28 May - had a leter from home with charley's minerture
Fri. 29 May - the weather fine but quite warm
Sat. 30 May - the rebs made a rade on the railroad and bunt a train of cars and we moved to warington junction
Sun. 31 May - the cars came to warington junction
JUNE 1863
Mon. 1 Jun. - the weather plesant
Tue. 2 Jun. - the weather plesant
Wed 3 Jun. - No entry
Thu. 4 Jun. - No Entry
Fri. 5 Jun. - No Entry
Sat. 6 Jun. - No Entry
Sun. 7 Jun. - kilpatrick returned and took comand of the brigade
Mon. 8 Jun. - we had orders to march at three oclock and marched down near kely ford
Tue. 9 Jun. - We crosed the river and had a fight near raperhanac stacion at Brandy.
Wed. 10 Jun. - we moved back to warington junction and went into camp.
Thu. 11 Jun. - No entry
Fri. 12 Jun. - No entry
Sat 13 Jun. - No entry
Sun. 14 Jun. - No entry
Mon. 15 Jun. - left camp at warington junction and stoped near manassus junction
Tue. 16 Jun. - remained thear until wednesday
Wed. 17 Jun. - left manassus junction and olney where we had a fight with the rebs
Thu. 18 Jun. - they wer scirmishing all day
Fri. 19 Jun. - had a hard fight lutenant kimball was kild
Sat. 20 Jun. - quiet all day
Sun. 21 Jun. - drove the rebels to ashleys gap
Mon. 22 Jun. - fel back to alldeis
Tue. 23 Jun. - remained in camp
Wed. 24 Jun. - remained in camp
Thu. 25 Jun. - at night camped near good crick
Fri. 26 Jun. - No entry
Sat. 27 Jun. - crosed the river after dark and marched all night
Sun. 28 Jun. - stayed at monoxey juncton until 2 oclock and marched to frederick
Mon. 29 Jun. - left fredrick at 9 oclock and marched to newincer ( "westminster" is crossed out).
Tue. 30 Jun. - marched to manchester and stayed for the night
JULY 1863
Wed. 1 July - marched to hanover and halted for an hour and then started for getersburg
Thu. 2 July - comenced to fight at getersburg
Fri. 3 July - had a tremendust fight at and near getersburg
Sat. 4 July - remained quiet all day
Sun. 5 July - marched to getersburg
Mon. 6 July - marched to grafton springs whear we passed the day and night
Tue. 7 July - marched to quincy and camped for the night
Wed. 8 July - left camp at 10 oclock and marched over the mountings camped on the mounting over night
Thu. 9 July - marched to midelton and camped for the night in a wheat field
Fri. 10 July - moved out back of the town and camped in a clover field
Sat. 11 July - marched to boonsborough whear we went into camp for the night
Sun. 12 July - remained in camp at boonsborough
Mon. 13 July - remained in camp
Tue. 14 July - marched to harpers fery whear we camped for the night
Wed. 15 July - remained in camp
Thu. 16 July - had a hard fight near sheperdstown and fel back to harpers fery at night
Fri. 17 July - got back to harpers fery in the morning and remained in camp
Sat. 18 July - remained in camp all day
Sun. 19 July - remained in camp until 10 oclock and marched to lovilsvill and went into camp fore the night
Mon. 20 July - left lovilsvill and marched through leaburg and camped for the night
Tue. 21 July - marched through centersvil to with about two miles of mannasses juncion and camped for the night
Wed. 22 July - marched to manasses juncion and went into camp
Thu. 23 July - remained in camp
Fri. 24 July - marched from manasser juntion to within tow miles of werington juntion and camped for the night
Sat. 25 July - moved to warington junction and went into camp
Sun. 26 July - marched to bealton station and went into camp
Mon. 28 July - remained in camp
Tue. 29 July - marched from bealton station and camppent on the warington and waterloo pike
Wed. 30 July - resumed our march and marched to tomisvill and went into camp
Fri. 31 July - we moved camp
AUGUST 1863
Sat. 1 Aug. - rigerment went on picket but I remained in camp
Sun. 2 Aug. - remained in camp
Mon. 3 Aug. - the rigerment came in from picket
Tue. 4 Aug. - we remained in camp
Wed. 5 Aug. - stil remained in camp
Thu. 6 Aug. - remained in camp
Fri. 7 Aug. - we marched to near celpher springs and went into camp
Sat. 8 Aug. - remained in camp the weather very hot
Sun. 9 Aug. - remained in camp the weather very hot
Mon. 10 Aug. - went over to celpher springs
Tue. 11 Aug. - remained in camp the weather very hot
Wed. 12 Aug. - remained in camp
Thu. 13 Aug. - rigerment went on pickit
Fri. 14 Aug. - remained on pickit
Sat. 15 Aug. - came in from pickit and moved near catlic stacion
Sun. 16 Aug. - went into camp
Mon. 17 Aug. through Mon. 31 Aug. - No Entries
SEPTEMBER 1863
Tue. 1 Sep. - No entry
Wed. 2 Sep. - went on gard
Thu. 3 Sep. through Sat. 12 Sep. - No Entries
Sun. 13 Sep. - rigerment started on a reconorcenses and I went back over the river
Mon. 14 Sep. - we started for cul peper and stoped all night 2 miles out of town
Tue. 15 Sep. through Fri. 25 Sep. - No Entries [ It appears from subsequent entries that at some point during this period of time David Stevens went again as a cook since he records payments for supplies from 26 Sep through Oct. 4 in his diary.]
Sat. 26 Sep. - payed for our beefs liver $5
recieved of mager chilley 5:00
Sun. 27 Sep - payed for fresh beef 2.70
payed for bisket 75 {cents}
Mon. 28 Sep. - payed baker for bisket 50
Tue. 29 Sep. - payed for potatoes and onyons 75 {cents}
payed baker for bread 50
Wed. 30 Sep. - reciefed 5.00
payed the comasary for bread and beens 150
payed baker for biskit 20
OCTOBER 1863
Thu. 1 Oct. - payed baker for a cake 35
payed forest for chees 25
Fri. 2 Oct. - payed baker coks {Cox?} 25
Sat. 3 Oct. - payed baker for bisket 50
Sun. 4 Oct. - payed baker for cakes 20
for chees 125
Mon. 5 Oct. - No entry
Tue 6 Oct. - returned to the compiny
Wed. 7 Oct. - No Entry
Thu. 8 Oct. - No Entry
Fri. 9 Oct. - No Entry
Sat. 10 Oct. - rigerment started for the frount
Sun. 11 Oct. - sunday I went into warington junction in the cars
Mon. 12 Oct. - went back to bealton and got a pass to go to the dismounted camps
Tue. 13 Oct. - got to the dismounted camp
Wed. 14 Oct. - remained camp
Thu. 15 Oct. - remained in camp
Fri. 16 Oct. - went on guard
Sat. 17 Oct. - started bck to the rigerment
Sun. 18 Oct. - got back to the rigerment
Mon. 19 Oct. - my hors played out
Tue. 20 Oct. - got up with the teems and went to gainsvill
Wed. 21 Oct. - went to near fayetsfill and went into camp
Thur. 22 Oct thru Mon. 26 Oct. - "remained in camp"
Tue. 27 Oct. - the rigerment went on pickit
Wed. 28 Oct. - remained on Pickit
Thu. 29 Oct. - remained on Pickit
Fri. 30 OCt. - the rigerment remained on picket
Sat. 31 Oct. - we went out to the pickits and saw the fight at raperhanac stacion
NOVEMBER 1863
Sun. 1 Nov. - was called in from pickit and marched to morisvill and stoped in an open filed
Mon. 2 Nov. thru Wed 4 Nov. - No Entries
Thu. 5 Nov. - Ridley 1.00
Burns 1.00
Peavy 1.00
Fri. 6 Nov. - No entry
Sat. 7 Nov. - No entry
Sun. 8 Nov. - Lent ranals 50
Mon. 9 Nov. - marched to kelys ford
Tue 10 Nov. - went to calits station with condemed hosses
Wed. 11 Nov. - came back morisvil and went into camp. lent liby 4.00
Thu. 12 Nov. - remained in camp
lent Abbut 4.00
lent andrews 50
Fri. 13 Nov. - rigirment went on pickit
Sat. 14 Nov. - rigerment remained on pickit
Sun. 15 Nov. - thear was fighing on the raperdan
Mon. 16 Nov. - rigerment came in from pickit
Tue. 17 Nov. - remained in camp I was sick
Wed. 18 Nov. - I was sick
Thu. 19 Nov. - I was sick
Fri. 20 Nov. - I was better
Sat. 21 Nov. - I was better
Sun. 22 Nov. - remained in camp lent lou (?) libby 5.00
Mon. 23 Nov. - had orders to move and got all redy and then went into camp
Tue. 24 Nov. - marched at six oclock and crosed alises ford and marched towards the railroade and camped near the tems (teams?)
Wed. 25 Nov. - remained in camp all day and all night
Thu. 26 Nov. - the army crosed the raperdan and we came back near elises ford and stoped overnight
Fri. 27 Nov. - fighting all day the teems moved down to the river
Sat. 28 Nov. - we remained in camp all day
Sun. 29 Nov. - thear was a cavalry fight near the plank road
Mon. 30 Nov. - the train moved back about one mile
DECEMBER 1863
Tue. 1 Dec. - our army began to fall back
Wed. 2 Dec. - we fal back part way to brandy stacion and stoped until (4 oclock is marked out) morning
Thu. 3 Dec. - started at fore oclock and went to brandy stacion whear we stoped all night
Fri. 4 Dec. - remained at brandy
Sat. 5 Dec. - stil remained at brandy station
Sun. 6 Dec. - joined the rigerment lent colbern 2.00
Mon. 7 Dec. - the rigerment went on pickit
Tue. 8 Dec. - remained on pickit
Wed. 9 Dec. - Ellit 1.00
Sanborn 1.00
Andrews 1.00
Maraner 20
Thu. 10 Dec. - No entry
Fri. 11 Dec. - No entry
Sat 12 Dec. - we moved to bealton
Sun. 13 Dec. - remained in camp
Mon. 14 Dec. - the rigerment went on picket
Tue. 15 Dec. - a squad came from Culpeper with horses
Wed. 16 Nov. - No entry
Thu. 17 Nov. - No entry
Fri. 18 Nov. - William Peacock comenced to take milk the 11 day of Oct.
Sat. 19 Dec. - No entry
Sun. 20 Dec. - No entry
This ends the dated portion of the diary. The pages containing dates 21 through 31 December were not present, having been removed from the diary at some time prior to when it came into my possession.
In the Memoranda section of the diary is found:
"A toast:
Our fire engines may they be like our old maids. all ways ready but never wanted."
"No. of carbeen 64,5,28"
"No of Pistol 24,5,97"
There were numerous columns of numbers written in blank pages of the diary. Apparently he had been doing some bookkeeping concerning supplies or perhaps in some cases concerning the money he had lent out. There were no written notations associated with the numbers and math work.
ALPHABETICAL LISTINGS
A thru C D thru F G thru I J thru L M thru P R thru T V thru Y