Indiana Historical Society-Manuscripts and Archives Department

BRUMFIELD TURNER

NOTEBOOK, 1865

Collection # BV 0819, F 1302

Table of Contents

Collection Information 

Historical Sketch

Scope and Content

Cataloging Information

 

Processed by

Glenn McMullen

6 December 1999

Revised by Glenn McMullen

20 January 2000

COLLECTION INFORMATION

VOLUME OF
COLLECTION:

1 bound volume

COLLECTION
DATES:

April-May 1865

PROVENANCE:

Noel Sisco, Franklin, Indiana, January 1965

RESTRICTIONS:

None

REPRODUCTION
RIGHTS:

Permission to reproduce or publish material in this collection must be obtained from the Indiana Historical Society.

ALTERNATE
FORMATS:

Microfilm (F 1302)

RELATED
HOLDINGS:

See heading in online public access catalog for:
United States. Army. Indiana Infantry Regiment, 123rd (1863-1865)

ACCESSION
NUMBER:

1965.0111

NOTES:

 

 

BIOGRAPHICAL SKETCH

Brumfield Turner was a resident of Greensburg, Indiana, when he enlisted as a private in Company A of the 123rd Indiana Infantry Regiment on 18 November 1863. Eighteen at the time of his enlistment, he had been born in Decatur County, Indiana.

Turner's journal covers part of the spring of 1865, a time in which the 123rd Indiana took part in the Campaign of the Carolinas. Its activities included the advance on Raleigh, North Carolina (April 10-14), the occupation of Raleigh (April 14), and the surrender of General Joseph E. Johnston and his army (Bennett's House, April 26).

Turner was promoted to corporal on 1 January 1865 and was mustered out at Lexington, North Carolina, 25 August 1865.

 

 

 

Sources: Frederick H. Dyer, Compendium of the War of the Rebellion (1994 reprint), vol. 2, p. 1155; William H. H. Terrell, Report of the Adjutant General of the State of Indiana (1865-1869), vol. 7, p. 168; information in collection.

 

SCOPE AND CONTENT NOTE

The volume consists of pages 491-561 of a ledger (with some of these pages missing) turned into a notebook during the last part of Brumfield Turner's Civil War service. Turner wrote on page 491: "This is Brumfield Turners Book he kepps all accounts off this war he knows whin the war will be over but he wont tell[.]"

The notebook contains Turner's journal for the period from 9 April-11 May 1865 (pages 521-526), which he called "Detail of Sherman's Campaign from Goldsboro to Raleigh, N.C." In addition, the notebook includes several poems and drawings. Among them are "I am a Union Soldier and Far From My Home" (p. 506), "The Southern Girl" (pp. 512-513), "Homespun" (pp. 514-515), "Hard Times in the Army" (p. 516), "Daisy Dear" (p. 536), "The Veteran Soldier" (p. 548-550), and a drawing of a country schoolhouse (p. 561).

Finally, it includes financial accounts and various other kinds of entries.

 

CATALOGING INFORMATION

For additional information on this collection, including a list of subject headings that may lead you to related materials:

  1. Go to the Indiana Historical Society's online catalog: http://opac.indianahistory.org/
  2. Click on the "Local Catalog" icon.
  3. Search for the collection by its call number, using the letter or letters designation and four digits (e.g., M 0715, SC 2234).
  4. When you find the collection, go to the "Holdings" screen for a list of headings that can be searched for related materials.