When searching for information on the past, the researcher's
mind naturally turns to printed reference sources such as books,
magazine articles, maps and the like. Very often, though,
valuable alternative sources are overlooked-the diary, journal
and memoirs. Not only do these treasures give us a contemporary
picture of events and the climate of the days in which their
authors lived, but the writer's voice itself is also important,
lending insights into language of the day, social consciousness
and much more. In order to see how varied and large the wealth of
diary-type information truly is, let us look at a few examples
from different periods of history.
First there is the classic diary of Samuel Pepys, written
between 1659 and 1665. Much information about daily life in
17th-century London can be gleaned from the following: July 1st:
This morning to the city to buy several things as I have lately
done for my house. Among other things, a fair chest of drawers
for my own chamber, and an Indian gown for myself. The first cost
me 33 shillings, the other 34 shillings. On the once customary
practice of giving mourners gold rings at a funeral, somewhat
like wedding favors are given out today, Pepys wrote: July 3rd:
This day my Lady Batten and my wife were at the burial of a
daughter of Sir John Lawson's, and had rings for themselves and
their husbands.
Skipping ahead some 200 years across the ocean, savor the
observations in "Memoranda During the War" (1875) written by Walt
Whitman, who served as a Civil War nurse. His journals are filled
with his wartime experiences, which he so eloquently describes to
his readers. In the following passage, Whitman sheds light on the
practice of paying soldiers to re-enlist in the army: "One of the
things to note here now is the arrival of the paymaster with his
strong box, and the payment of bounties to veterans re-enlisting.
Major H. is here today, with a small mountain of greenbacks,
rejoicing the hearts of the 2nd division of the 1st Corps. In the
midst of a rickety shanty, behind a little table, sit the Major
and Clerk Eldridge, with the rolls before them, and much moneys
(sic). A re-enlisted man gets in cash about $200 down, (and heavy
installments following, as the pay-days arrive, one after
another.) The show of the men crowding around is quite
exhilarating."
In a book from Dover Publications called THE UNION READER: AS THE NORTH SAW THE
WAR , edited
by Richard B. Harwell, we are given an entirely different view of
the same war in an entry by Frederick L. Olmstead, Esq., renowned
land architect, who reported on the war. Written Saturday,
September 6, 1862, it was directed to the Secretary of the U.S.
Sanitary Commission: The Confederates have been seizing horses
from our farmers, tendering Confederate scrip in payments. They
allege military necessity in justification of this seizure.
Military necessity is a convenient cloak for any outrage
whatever. As an offset to these operations of the rebels... a
Frederick boy purchased a condemned Government horse for thirteen
dollars, with the hope that by careful feeding he might so
improve the animal's condition that he would command a profit.
Food and care, however, proved vain. The horse refused to eat for
two days, and was manifestly "sinking." A rebel asked the youth
if he had a horse to sell. By some special stimulus the horse was
induced to come out, and the proprietor stated that on
reflection, he would let his valuable animal go for eighty dollars in money-not Confederate scrip. The rebel remarked that
the horse held one foot off the ground, resting the weight of his
body on three legs. "Why, Lord bless you! Don't you understand
that? He is a natural racker; all natural rackers stand on three
legs that way." The money was paid over...the rebel... away,
somewhat to the seller's astonishment. He remarked to by-
standers, "I pledge you my word, gentlemen, he will last about
three quarters of an hour at least. Any other gentleman wanting a
natural racker can be accommodated at the shortest notice, if he
will only call on me."
Spanning both sides of the continent is THE 1826 JOURNAL OF
JOHN JAMES AUDUBON by Alice James Audobon and Alice Ford, which
details the naturalist's journey from New Orleans to England and
Scotland and provides not only colorful descriptions of his
lifework with America's vast bird species, but accounts of his
dealings with the social and scientific notables of Liverpool,
Manchester and Edinburgh, whom he petitioned for financial
support.
However, diaries needn't have been written by the famous in
order to be of value to the researcher. Should you be fortunate
enough to run across one yourself (try flea markets, town
libraries, used bookstores and antique shops), treat it as a
source of research-and a treasure.
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