Local History Collections

(Description ID: 595266)

Rutherford B. Hayes Presidential Library & Museums

Cyrus Wing

LH-MISC MSS

Introduction
Biographical Sketch
Scope and Content
Inventory
Transcript

Introduction
Photocopies of the Civil War diary of Cyrus Wing and family correspondence were donated by descendant Lesta Voght in 1999. The original manuscript as well as other family material is located at the Western Reserve Historical Society. The typed transcript was prepared by Verna Young and Janet House.

Biographical Sketch
Cyrus Fernando Wing, born 1837, resided with his wife, Ann Eliza., in Scott Twp. Sandusky County, Ohio in 1860. With him lived Hiram Wing who may have been his brother. Cyrus Wing enlisted as a private in Company I of the 72^nd Ohio Volunteer Infantry. Wing was sometimes remembered by his regiment as the last soldier of the 72^nd to die in battle. Under cover of darkness, Wing bravely penetrated the Rebel defenses at Spanish Fort. He was killed that same night, April 8, 1865, while aiding a fallen comrade.

Scope and Content
The collection consists of photocopies of the Civil War diary of Sandusky Countian, Cyrus Wing who was killed April 8^th, 1865 at Spanish Fort, (Mobile) Alabama. Beginning in January of 1865, Wing made daily entries through April 6, 1865. Although brief and somewhat illegible, the entries provide possibly the only account of the regiment's activities during the final days of the war. In February of 1865, the regiment moved to New Orleans and then embarked on the ocean steamer Empire City, heading for Fort Gaines on Dauphin Island in Mobile Bay. The regiment landed on the east side of the bay, moving up the Fish River, thirty miles from Spanish Fort. On the 27^th, the rebel fort was invested, the siege lasting until April 8^th. Wing records his various army duties (tending to mules, picket duty, foraging) as well as the weather and the regiment's itinerary. Included with the diary are photocopies of two letters written by Regimental Quartermaster A.B. Putman, directed to Wing's widow. Putman details the circumstances of Wing's death and his heroic actions. A third letter to Ann Wing, dated March 14, 1865, is from her brother John Hill of Albion, Iowa. And a final letter addresses Mrs. Wing's prospects for gaining a pension. Included with the collection is a listing of the original Wing manuscript material at the Western Reserve Historical Society and a transcription of the Cyrus Wing diary prepared by the Rutherford B. Hayes Presidential Center.

Inventory
Ac. 5477
5 items.

Diary: January 1, 1865 to April 6, 1865
Letter from John Hill to Ann E. Wing, dtd. March 14, 1865
Letter from R.Q.M. A.B. Putnam to Ann E. Wing, dtd., April 8, 1865
Letter from R.Q.M. A.B. Putnam to Ann E. Wing, dtd., May 24, 1865
Letter from attorneys Robinson & Brooks, dtd., August 17, 1865

Transcript

Diary of Cyrus Wing, January 1, 1865 to April 8, 1865

Sunday, January 1, 1865
Took up the line of march about noon marched to Wanes Backross distance 12 miles had a cantein of whisky got pretty light Weather fine and pleasant heard canon roar ? Some distance to the front. Went to camp at 5

Monday 2
Took up the line of march about 9 oclock marched all day Went in camp at 5 pm got super and went out foraging got some honey and sausage got back at 12 oclock at night camp at the Tenn river.

Tuesday 3
laid (?) in camp at Clifton all day it commenced raining in the morning it rained till aroun[d] afternoon pleasant nothing occured worth notice Went outside the country found it a poor place to forage got one ham

Wednesday 4
laid(?) in camp till one oclock and then left camp for the boat got on board the gun boat no 36 laid at the wharf till sundown so so (?) And then we left for Eastport said to be 40(?) miles up the Tenn (?) River (?) Said to be fighting up the [re] (?)

Thursday 5
laid (?) on board the gun boat all day the fleet all moored up the river Our fleet numbers ? boats It commenced raining about noon drisling rain all day nothing occured worth notice

Friday 6
laid on board the gun boat all day anchored in the middle of river it rained all day very cold had to stay on the up[p]er deck ? went to ? on a gun boat ? Eastport is a little town on the river houses all burnt

Saturday 7
landed on shore at Eastport at 10 oclock Went ? camp at 8 oclock this camp is said to be our winter quarters Went out at foraging Went about 4 miles got 2 hams of meet some flour and potatoes and some chickens got back to camp at 8 oclock

Sunday 8
camp near Eastport on the Tenn River Went on Brigade ? The weather warm and cloudy moved our camp about 40 rodds. "dock" is culling (?) boards for to build a shanty nothing occured worth notice

Monday 9
Camp near Eastport on the Tenn river was on detail to throw up breast work it rained all day got us wet ? a ? drowned ? and cold enough to freeze had no dry place to sleep rained all night

Tuesday 10
laid in camp all day Was on detail to clear up the coller line got done work at noon it rained all day was very cold at night it commenced snowing dock went out and got a flock of birds

Wednesday 11
laid in all day Worked a little at our house was not very well the weather as warm and pleasant General Smith and General Gerard and General McClurther rode by they was laying out the ground for a line of breast works

Thursday 12
laid in camp all day Was at work at our Shanty got it all done the day was warm and pleasant the boys are to work on the breast works We have orders to be ready to march at 2 (?) oclock in the morning

Friday 13
laid in camp all day did not feel very well we had marching orders orders [sic] was to move at 8 AM the order was countermanded we look for orders to move in a day or so the [boys] are swearing they have just got their winter quarters done

Saturday 14
on detail to work on the breast works did not feel very well Consequence I did not do much work quit work at 4 oclock went to camp got sup[p]er and to playing cards played a a [sic] few games and went to bed

Sunday 15
Weather very warm and pleasant was detailed to go to the river to unload boat left camp at noon and got back at dark received a letter from home dated Jan first was the first that I got for a month was glad to hear from mom

Monday 16
Weather weather [sic] and pleasant was detailed to work on the breast works worked 6 hours in all (?) day (?) it will take about 4 days to finish the breast works

Tuesday 17
laid in camp all day had inspection of arms and napsacks the weather was warm and pleasant the nights are cold but the days are warm

Wednesday 18
Was on detail to work on the breast works and went on guard at night wrote a letter home nothing occured worth notice weather pleasant

Thursday 19
the Weather warm but cloudy looks like rain (?) I laid in camp all day had nothing to do the times are dull nothing adoing it is very lonesome and the time passes off very slow

Friday 20
Weather warm but cloudy and rained all night did not do anything all day and piled (?) it up at night

Saturday 21
Weather cloudy and very rainy Rained all day I stayed in the Shanty all day and tryed [sic] to make a finger wring [sic] but did not succeed

Sunday 22
rained all day and at night it snowed was on detail to go down to the river to unload boats got back at noon and wrote a letter home

Monday 23
Weather cloudy and cold with snow on the ground every thing quite [sic] in camp the boys went out rabit [sic] hunting got 3 rabits [sic] used one (?)

Tuesday 24
the weather clear but cold was detailed to drive team at Division Headquarters went down to the boat and got six mules last night was very cold night

Wednesday 25
Weather clear but cold was down at the corell [sic] and was taking care of 6 mules last night was the coldest night we have had this winter

Thursday 26
Weather clear but cold and windy was down to the corall [sic] taking care of mules We have about 400 mules in the corell [sic]

Friday 27
Weather warm and clear the night very cold Was down to the corell [sic] taking care of mules three of our mules died last night nothing occured worth notice

Saturday 28
Weather clear but cold Was down to the mule corell [sic]to take care of the mules Wrote a letter home in the evening

Sunday 29
Weather warm and clear bot [about?] like Spring We have nothing to do but take care of mules We are corelled [sic] on a side hill close to the creek

Monday 30
the weather is warm and pleasant I think we will leave ? in a days [sic] We are waiting for them to ? our wagons and harness

Tuesday 31
Weather warm and pleasant Nothing occurred worth notice Was up to the regiment (?) The Boys are all well Came back to the corell [sic] and took care of my mules and this ends this month

FEBRUARY

February Wednesday 1 1865
Weather cloudy and rainy (?) We drew our pay today Nothing ocurred worth notice

Thursday 2
Weather still raining and mud[d]y Nothing ocurred worth notice

Friday 3
Weather still raining and very mudy We was at work fit[t]ing our harness and hitching up We had a very mudy [sic] time of it We got mud all over

Saturday 4
Weather cloudy I was releved [sic] from driving teams and was sent back to my boat

Sunday 5
Weather warm and pleasant We have orders to move on board the boat We are su[p]ose to go to New Orleans

Monday 6
Went on picket in the morning and was releaved [sic] at 3 oclock in the afternoon got on board boat City Memphis [City of Memphis] It snowed in the afternoon

Tuesday 7
Still on board we arived at puduca [Paducah] some time in the layed there till morning and then started for Caro [Cairo?]

Wednesday 8
On board the steam boat We arived at Caro [Cairo?] At noon the boys went on shore they stole every thing they could lay hands on and the guards could not

Thursday 9
Weather pleasant laid on board bout all day at Caro [Cairo?] Was detailed to load rations Wrote a letter home

Friday 10
Weather pleasant we left Caro [Cairo?] at 3 oclock in the afternoon and started down the river

Saturday 11
Weather warm and pleasant we arived at Memphis at dusk we was 27 hours coming from Caro [Cairo?] to Memphis

Sunday 12
Weather warm and pleasant We left Memphis about 11 oclock our next port will be vixurgh [Vicksburg] I am geting [sic] tired of boat riding I wish we was at our journeys end

Monday 13
Weather rainy We landed at Milikuns bend [Milliken's Bend] about 7 oclock at night laid on wood laid there all night it rained all night

Tuesday 14
left milikuns bend [Milliken's Bend] at day light and landed at vixburgh [Vicksburg] at 9 oclock in the morning laid on the boat all day

Wednesday 15
Weather pleasant We landed about 9 oclock and got a pass and went up in town Came back about noon and then we had orders to move out about 4 miles We got in camp at dusk

Thursday 16
Weather warm and pleasant laid in camp all day had a game of ball in the forenoon and afternoon farmers ? ? plowing here

Friday 17
Weather warm and pleasant We have nothing to do here but play ball so the time passes off very slow

Saturday 18
Weather warm and pleasant We had a game of ball today Was on guard at night orders came about 12 oclock at night to move on board steam boat

Sunday 19
Weather warm and pleasant the bugle sounded at 4 oclock in the morning we marched at 8 oclock for the boat We did not go aboard the boat till sundown

Monday 20
We left vixburgh [Vicksburg] at 4 oclock in the morning we passed (?) And several (?) small towns on the river the is warm here We passed red (?) river some time in the night

Tuesday 21
on board boat the weather is warm it comenced [sic] raining about 3 oclock in the afternoon the wind blowd very hard and the river was rough the old boat cracked and screeched as if to go under

Wednesday 22
Weather very rainy We landed at New Orleans at 10 in the fore noon Was on detail to unload the boat Went to camp at 3 in the afternoon

Thursday 23
Weather very rainy Got a pass and went to the city of New Orleans and but a = x 11 = +W Er (?) came to camp at dusk and found the camp very muddy

Friday 24
Camp Jackson ( ?) laid in the afternoon it was warm and pleasant Went up to (?) In the morning got back at night had (?) of fun = 'xo-, =1 our camp is very muddy I wish we were ?

Saturday 25
Weather warm but cloudy I was up in town came back in the afternoon =1- = + our camp is very muddy

Sunday 26
Camp Jackson Weather warm in the fore part of the night it rained I received a let[t] er from home and was glad (?) to hear from home it is very muddy

Monday 27
Camp Jackson Weather rainy got a pass and went up town the distance from camp to town is about 5 miles x =

Tuesday 28
Camp Jackson Weather drisling [sic] rain Was on guard We got orders to go on board steamship went on board about 2:00 in the afternoon We left New Orleans about 8 in the evening

MARCH

March Wednesday 1 1865
On board steamship Empire City We arived [sic] at the mouth of the Miss river about noon but it was so fogy that we could not see to cross the sand bar at the mouth of the river

Thursday 2
On board steam ship Empire City lyin[g] in the mouth of the river waiting for the fog to clear so they can see to cross the sand bar the fog cleared way about noon and we are underway bound to (?)

Friday 3
on board Empire City the weather was some what rough Some of the boys got seasick and heaved up (?) we landed on dauphin island in mobile bay at dusk we passed by fort gaines on the island

Saturday 4
Camp near Fort Gaines on dauphin island Went down to the oyster bed and got about half bushel of oysters in the ? shell made about '4/8 (?) dozen after they was taken out of the shell Weather was wind and cold (?)

Sunday 5
Camp near ft. gaines on Dauphin island Went out after oysters Dock and Francis K ? and myself We got about 20 dozen and them came back to camp our camp is nothing but one bed of (?)

Monday 6
Camp at ft gaines on dauphin island Al[abama] Weather dry and windy laid camp all day nothing ocured worth notice

Tuesday 7
Camp at ft gaines laid in camp all day at night I went up by landing stole a (?) And came back to camp Weather cloudy rained in the evening

Wednesday 8
Camp at fort gaines Al went out after oysters in the forenoon and in the afternoon I went to town +^=l/ Weather warm and pleasant

Thursday 9
Camp at ft gaines on dauphin Went to the oyster bed and got about and went out in
? and got about six bushels of oysters in the shell Jeneral [General] C (?) and Jeneral
grung (?) came down where we were getting oysters very rainy in the afternoon

Friday 10
Camp at ft gaines we had 2 hours drill in the forenoon and 2 hours in the afternoon Weather is very windy and cold and the sand is continual [ly] flying

Saturday 11
Camp at ft gaines we had drill in the forenoon and afternoon in the (?) We had a great time throwing the boys in a blanket the weather windy and cold

Sunday 12
Camp at ft gaines we had Brigade inspection Jenral Austerhausi [General Osterhaus ?] inspected our Brigade Weather was warm and pleasant

Monday 13
Camp at ft gaines went out oystering Dock and francis keenan and myself went out after oysters got about 75 dozen got back to [camp?] at 4 oclock I went to meeting in the evening weather cloudy and (?)

Tuesday 14
Camp at ft gaines laid in camp all day it rained (?) So hard that I did not get out of my tent but once all day

Wednesday 15
Camp on Dauphin island laid in camp all day rained in the afternoon weather windy

Thursday 16
Camp at ft gaines was on drill in the forenoon in the afternoon we got a pass and went for oysters dock and francis keeman and Mur? and myself we got a good many We got back at too oclock in the night

Friday 17
Camp at ft gaines laid in camp had nothing to do but drilled 2 hours in the day weather pleasant and warm but the night was cold

Saturday 18
Camp on Dauplin Isl was in camp all day I washed my shirts and pants We expect to get marching orders minute (?) Weather pleasant and warm

Sunday 19
On board J M Brown left ft gaines about 12 ocl we laid on board all night the is fair ther[e] is about 20 boats loaded with troops bound for Mobile

Monday 20
On board steam boat J M Brown We left fort Morgen (?) about 9 ocl in the forenoon We went up fish river and landed at 4 ocl in the afternoon we marched 2 miles and went in camp

Tuesday 21
Camp in fish river Weather rainy in the forenoon and pleasant in the afternoon I was on Brigade headquarters guard

Wednesday 22
Camp on fish river we was out building breast works there was conciderable [sic] picket firing today I was on detailed [sic] to go to the river to unload boats I got back to camp about 12 ocl at night

Thursday 23
Camp near fish river Al[abama] Was out to the picket line there was some picket [firing?] I did not see but one rebel weather warm and pleasant

Friday 24
left camp at 4 ocl in the morning to go on a recrenorter [reconnoiter] We went out about 3 miles We saw 6 or 8 rebs but did not get to shoot at them We returned back at 10 ocl

Saturday 25
We took the line of march at 8 ocl in the morning We march about 8 miles we went in camp at 4 oclock in the afternoon I was on picket at night I ? for too [two]rebs

Sunday 26
took up the line of march at 7 ocl in the morning We got in camp at half past 2 in the afternoon we throwd up breast works there was some skirmish in the afternoon

Monday 27
took up the line of march at 6 in the morning marched about 3 miles and then we came up to where the rebs are in strong breast works they comensed [sic] shelling at half past 9 our skirmishers are in gun shot of their fort

Tuesday 28
We moved our camp about a half mile we are in plain sight of the works I am to go on picket tonight

Wednesday 29
On picket today we had a good time a shooting I shoot over 200 rounds of cartridges
I think I give one or too rebs the bel[l]y ache

Thursday 30
Camp near Spanish fort laid in camp all day and was detailed at night to Sap and mine We worked till 12 ocl the bullts [bullets] flew just like hail

Friday 31
Camp in the field was a good [ ] of canonading today the water Baterys [sic] opened on the rebs boat and drove them away from their position

APRIL

April Saturday 1 1865
Weather warm and pleasant I was on detail to help build a fort on the river Nothing occurred worth notice

Sunday 2
Camp in the field I was in camp all day and was detailed at night to go on picket the weather is pleasant there was canonading [sic] today

Monday 3
Was on picket we had a pret[t]y warm time of it the shell and shot flew very fast We are in about 3 hundred yards of the rebs works I went outside of our lines and crawledup to the rebs works got back safe

Tuesday 4
Camp in the field the weather is pleasant We opened with artiley [artillery] all along the lines at 5 ocl in the afternoon the shelling was terrible it lasted 2 hours

Wednesday 5
Camp in the field weather pleasant the regt was detailed to go to the bend to get forage for the division we got back a 4 ocl in the afternoon there was very little firing along the lines

Thursday 6 [April 1865]
Camp in the rear of Spanish fort the weather is cloudy looks for rain I was out to the rifle pits one of the rebs shells bursted in?