Diaries

Diary of B. B. Smith
Image Courtesy of
Louisiana Research Collection
Tulane University

Today I should give an introduction to two men that left fairly detailed written accounts of their experiences in the 30th Massachusetts.  Both of these men kept a diary for all or most of 1862, and each gives new insight that adds to the the regiment's history, and from this point on I will quoting the diaries quite heavily.


Richard A. Elliot
The first diary that will be referenced will be that of 2d Lieut. Richard A. Elliot of Co. C.  This diary was published online about a year or so ago at the following location: http://libweb.uml.edu/clh/All/el1.pdf  The diary as posted has two images that were sketched out (presumably by Lt. Elliot), and it makes reference to maybe as many as 11 other images that have not been included.  I believe the original diary is in the collection of the Lowell Historical Society, but I have as yet not had much luck with contacting them about the diary or the other images it contained.  Likewise, I have not heard a response from them from my inquiries about the remains of Eastern Bay State Colors that should also be in their collection.  Perhaps someone else will have more luck than I have had with contacting the Society.  If you would like to read the full diary you can download it from the location I mentioned earlier...though it is not quite clear who has the rights to the work itself.

Bartholomew B. Smith
The second new diary that I will be using is that of Corporal Bartholomew B. Smith of Co. A.  Smith's diary has not yet been published or referenced in any format yet as far as I am aware.  The diary itself is currently in the collections at Louisiana Research Collection at Tulane University in New Orleans.  With the help of a graduate student, the diary was digitally scanned, and a copy sent to me.  I will be transcribing this diary as I go, so until about August I will not have a fully completed version of the diary that can be read...only the daily posts that I add to this site.  From the reading ahead that I have done so far, I can say that there is some very useful information contained within it, and like Lt. Elliot's diary it will help to explain a few things that have not previously been written about the 30th Massachusetts.

It will be a great deal of work for me to transcribe and post these sources (as well as others that I have and am working on obtaining).  I hope those of you that read these pages will find them useful.