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I had posted portions of this prior to the crash. Those post were lost. Lucky My dad and I have finished the transcription of Sgt Edward Brewer. He is an ancestor of mine that serves as the Commissary Sgt for the 30th Ga. I hope others find this useful. I will post it in a few parts.
INTRODUCTION
Edward Ebenezer Brewer was the son of Thomas Aspinwall Brewer and Mary Foster Brewer. He was born in Lexington, Oglethorpe County, Georgia, June 4, 1828. In 1838 his family moved to Macon, Bibb County, Georgia. Here he spent his life up until the War Between the States caused his life to come to a premature end. On July 17, 1858, Edward married Caroline Elizabeth Jones in Fort Valley, Peach County, Georgia. They had three daughters, Mary Lena, b. April 16, 1854, Matilda Georgia, b. January 18, 1858, and Catherine Emma, b. February 3, 1860. Before entering the army, Edward was a painter.
On May 14, 1862, Edward enlisted as a private in Company D, 30th Regiment of the Georgia Volunteer Infantry. The unit was known as the Huguenin Rifles and was assigned to the Army of Tennessee. He was appointed Assistant Commissary June 8, 1862. On August 1, 1863, he was appointed as Commissary Sergeant. His brother-in-law, Richard Aaron Benson, also served in this unit. Their joint service was for about four months. Richard enlisted as a private on September 25, 1861, when the unit was formed, and was discharged on September 26, 1862, at the end of his one year enlistment. Like Edward, Richard was appointed Commissary.
Over the time span covered in the diary, the 30th moved from Montgomery, Alabama to several locations around Jackson, Mississippi, back through Alabama to Atlanta and then on to north Georgia around Chattanooga. On November 18, 1863, Edward left his unit for Atlanta whereupon arrival he was quartered at the Fair Ground Hospital No. 2, Ward 17. From here he was sent to Macon on November 24th. Two days later on November 26, 1863, records reflect he was admitted to Floyd House & Ocmulgee Hospitals. The diary indicates by December 7th he was no longer a patient. The exact nature of his hospitalization is not known. On June 8, 1864, Edward died as a result of pneumonia.
The diary was written on a small book with pages slightly smaller than 3 inches wide by 5 inches high. Each page was divided into three days. Originally printed for the year 1861, Edward changed the dates to 1863. At some point, a child wrote on some of the pages. Fortunately all the entries are legible. Three pages are missing. The original diary is now in the possession of Mary S. Ferguson, wife of the late Jean Ferguson, great grandson of Edward E. Brewer. Mrs. Ferguson lives in Senerna Park, Maryland. It is because of her caring for family that made this transcription possible.
Persons and places mentioned in the diary have been identified where possible. Individuals and locations are indexed by date rather than by page as this makes spotting them easier. Military rank, units and dates of service are given where known. Other data such as birth and death dates and nativity are shown if known.
INTRODUCTION
Edward Ebenezer Brewer was the son of Thomas Aspinwall Brewer and Mary Foster Brewer. He was born in Lexington, Oglethorpe County, Georgia, June 4, 1828. In 1838 his family moved to Macon, Bibb County, Georgia. Here he spent his life up until the War Between the States caused his life to come to a premature end. On July 17, 1858, Edward married Caroline Elizabeth Jones in Fort Valley, Peach County, Georgia. They had three daughters, Mary Lena, b. April 16, 1854, Matilda Georgia, b. January 18, 1858, and Catherine Emma, b. February 3, 1860. Before entering the army, Edward was a painter.
On May 14, 1862, Edward enlisted as a private in Company D, 30th Regiment of the Georgia Volunteer Infantry. The unit was known as the Huguenin Rifles and was assigned to the Army of Tennessee. He was appointed Assistant Commissary June 8, 1862. On August 1, 1863, he was appointed as Commissary Sergeant. His brother-in-law, Richard Aaron Benson, also served in this unit. Their joint service was for about four months. Richard enlisted as a private on September 25, 1861, when the unit was formed, and was discharged on September 26, 1862, at the end of his one year enlistment. Like Edward, Richard was appointed Commissary.
Over the time span covered in the diary, the 30th moved from Montgomery, Alabama to several locations around Jackson, Mississippi, back through Alabama to Atlanta and then on to north Georgia around Chattanooga. On November 18, 1863, Edward left his unit for Atlanta whereupon arrival he was quartered at the Fair Ground Hospital No. 2, Ward 17. From here he was sent to Macon on November 24th. Two days later on November 26, 1863, records reflect he was admitted to Floyd House & Ocmulgee Hospitals. The diary indicates by December 7th he was no longer a patient. The exact nature of his hospitalization is not known. On June 8, 1864, Edward died as a result of pneumonia.
The diary was written on a small book with pages slightly smaller than 3 inches wide by 5 inches high. Each page was divided into three days. Originally printed for the year 1861, Edward changed the dates to 1863. At some point, a child wrote on some of the pages. Fortunately all the entries are legible. Three pages are missing. The original diary is now in the possession of Mary S. Ferguson, wife of the late Jean Ferguson, great grandson of Edward E. Brewer. Mrs. Ferguson lives in Senerna Park, Maryland. It is because of her caring for family that made this transcription possible.
Persons and places mentioned in the diary have been identified where possible. Individuals and locations are indexed by date rather than by page as this makes spotting them easier. Military rank, units and dates of service are given where known. Other data such as birth and death dates and nativity are shown if known.
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