In
an afterword, Thiselton also explains his motivation for recording his
experiences:
The
above record gives but the prominent features of the experience of
the company. Of the thousands [of] hardships trials and petty annoyances
inevitably connected with a millitary life either in camp or field,
nothing has been written. They were borne patiently and endured bravely...of
the original 1100 men who enlisted in August 1862 there were but 65
men who could not write their names and but one of those was native
born. When the regiment was formed there were no large bounties offered
as an inducement to enlist and it is safe to say that Patriotism was
the only motive that brought this body of men to the defense of our
country corner stone the "Constitution." (Some punctuation
added.) (View page 98
and 99
of diary.)
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