Mapping Journals and Diaries of the U.S. Civil War
This map is based on entries from Civil War era journals and diaries from collections in the Woodson Research Center at Rice University.
About the Project
This project also offers a visual representation of each journal that will enhance finding aids by providing an expanded preview of some of the historical topics or regions associated with each journal/diary that may be of interest to researchers.
The unifying theme for all of these journals and diaries is movement. This project illustrates the high level of mobility that occurred during the Civil War. Wilkinson Green, Alexander Hobbs, and William Heartsill all marveled at the new environment and people they encountered as a result of military service during the Civil War. I hope this will encourage scholars to ask new questions about the consequences of this mobility for Civil War soldiers.
The Base Map
The state/territorial boundaries in this map are from 1860, and represent Theaters of War.
The Authors
William Wilkinson Green: A Union soldier from Michigan
Alexander Hobbs: A Union soldier from New England
William W. Heartsill: A Confederate soldier from Texas
Instructions for Using the Map
To view more information about a specific diary entry, click on a colored square on the map. A "pop-up" will show users more information about the date the writer wrote that entry, the name of the location, and the date the author arrived at and departed from that location. Additionally, if users wish to view the actual text of the author's journal/diary entry, there are URLs to allow users to view that text. All of these collections have been digitized.
Be aware that some points may have more than one entry. If one of the authors remained in a particular location for an extensive amount of time, they may have written multiple entries. After clicking on the point to display the pop-up, select the forward or back arrow at the bottom right corner of the pop-up to navigate to other diary entries.
William W. Heartsill's War: 1861-1862
Image from journal
William W. Heartsill's experience in the early months of the Civil War differed from many other soldiers.
Instead of participating in some of the early Civil War battles in the Eastern and Western Theater, Heartsill's unit spent most of 1861 and the early months of 1862 garrisoning forts in West Texas.
His journal entries address a variety of topics: the physical environment of West Texas, camp life, Native Americans, politics, scouting expeditions and other subjects.
Alexander Hobb's War: 1862-1863
Prisoners of War
Alexander Hobbs was captured by Confederate forces during the Battle of Galveston on January 1, 1863. Hobbs' diary offers a detailed descriptions of this battle and his capture. Hobbs' diary also chronicle his time as a prisoner from January 1863 to July 1863 when he was exchanged.
Journal entry describing Hobbs' deception
The blue line on the map represents Hobbs' journey as a POW from Galveston to New Orleans
An Unlikely Connection
During his journey east from Texas, Hobbs mentioned encountering another group of Union prisoners. These prisoners were soldiers from the U.S. Regular Army who had been captured by Confederate Soldiers in May 1861 during the Battle of San Antonio . Ironically, William W. Heartsill participated in the Battle of San Antonio and offers details on the circumstances that ultimately resulted in the capture of these same prisoners.
Heartsill journal entry
Hobbs diary entry
Hobbs' Secret
Hobbs reveals a secret on February 24th, 1863. A southern unionist sought protection from Hobbs and other soldiers from his unit during their initial occupation of Galveston. The unionist fought with Hobbs' unit during the Battle of Galveston and disguised himself as a Union soldier when he realized that he could not escape the battle. In Hobbs' words, "[there] would be death" if Confederate forces captured a southerner who actively aided Union forces.
Journal entry describing Hobbs' deception
Themes
The purpose of the thematic map is to show the locations of certain themes and subjects that might be of interest to researchers. Each symbol in the legend corresponds to a specific theme addressed by one or more of the authors. To fully access the interactive thematic map, click here.
Marginalized Groups
All three journals mention marginalized groups. Wilkinson Green mentioned the involvement of women in ceremonies dedicated to Union soldiers returning home to Michigan from the war. During his time in West Texas, William Heartsill frequently articulated his negative views of Native Americans . Heartsill also discussed his unit employing Hispanics as cooks and teamsters. Hobbs wrote about his hatred of slavery after witnessing the sale of enslaved African Americans during his time as a prisoner of war.
Useful Web Links
Links to Interactive Maps:
Links to PDF versions of diaries and journals in Woodson Research Center:
