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James M. Hart Civil War diary

 Collection — Folder: S0604
Identifier: S0604

Scope and Contents

The collection consists of a 25-page typed manuscript created by Jerry M. Easley in 1974, containing the typed transcript of the James Hart diary dated 1863. The document includes 7 pages of introductory materials with background information on the 7th Indiana Regiment and the battles, campaigns, and military engagements in which the regiment and Hart participated, including Battles of Port Republic, Gettysburg, Chancellorsville, Bristoe, Wilderness, Laurel Hill and Spotsylvania.

Dates

  • 1863, 1974

Creator

Conditions Governing Access

This collection is open for research.

Conditions Governing Use

Legal title, copyright, and literary rights reside with Rare Books and Manuscripts, Indiana State Library, Indianapolis, IN. All requests to publish or quote from manuscripts must be submitted to Rare Books and Manuscripts.

Biographical Note

James Marion Hart was born on June 22, 1839 to William (1812–1900) and Cealey Ann (Perry) Hart (1816–1897) in Indiana. He had two older brothers, Asa and Sefton, and a younger brother named Leonard Perry (1853–1925). The Harts lived in Salt Creek, Decatur County, Indiana. Hart married Harriet J. Shouse (1838–1902) on June 24, 1860 in Franklin County, Indiana and they had several children, including: Isabella (1861-1865), Elizabeth Jane (1863–1866), Francis Marion (1866–1955), Willard (1867–1925), Celia Ann (1869–1961), Sarepta (1871-1912), James Bernard (1874-1875), Thomas Jefferson (1876–1938), Daniel (1879-1898), and Allen Jasper (1882-).

After the outbreak of the U.S. Civil War, Hart joined his brother Asa in the 7th Indiana Volunteer Infantry, the latter serving until he was wounded and discharged in June 1862. Hart was wounded twice during his three years fighting in the war. He went AWOL from January 20 to March 3, 1863 and apparently went home because his daughter Elizabeth Jane was born in December 1863. When he returned, Hart was demoted from corporal to private. He mustered out of the Company G, 7th Indiana Regiment on September 20, 1864. In January 1887, the charge of desertion was removed from Hart’s military record and changed to absent without leave. Hart died on March 1, 1910 in Decatur County and was buried in New Pennington Cemetery in New Pennington, Indiana.

Sources:

Item in the collection.

Ancestry.com. "James M. Hart." 1850 United States Federal Census. Accessed May 5, 2022. http://www.ancestrylibrary.com.

Ancestry.com. "James M. Hart." 1860 United States Federal Census. Accessed May 5, 2022. http://www.ancestrylibrary.com.

Ancestry.com. "James M. Hart." 1870 United States Federal Census. Accessed May 5, 2022. http://www.ancestrylibrary.com.

Ancestry.com. "James M. Hart." 1880 United States Federal Census. Accessed May 5, 2022. http://www.ancestrylibrary.com.

Ancestry.com. "James M. Hart." 1990 United States Federal Census. Accessed May 5, 2022. http://www.ancestrylibrary.com.

Ancestry.com. "James M. Hart." Indiana, U.S., Select Marriages Index, 1748-1993. Accessed May 5, 2022. http://www.ancestrylibrary.com.

Ancestry.com. "James M. Hart." U.S., Civil War Soldier Records and Profiles, 1861-1865. Accessed May 5, 2022. http://www.ancestrylibrary.com.

Findagrave.com. "James Marion Hart." Find a Grave Memorial. Accessed May 5, 2022. https://www.findagrave.com/memorial/29954551/james-marion-hart.

Extent

0.01 Cubic Feet (1 folder)

Language of Materials

English

Arrangement

This collection consists of one item.

Custodial History

This collection was received by Rare Books and Manuscripts as a donation from Jerry M. Easley in 1974.

Accruals

No further additions are expected.

Processing Information

Collection processing completed 2012/05 by Nikki Stoddard Schofield. EAD finding aid created 2012/05 by Nikki Stoddard Schofield. EAD finding aid revised 2022/05/05 by Brittany Kropf.
Title
James M. Hart Civil War diary
Status
Completed
Description rules
Describing Archives: A Content Standard
Language of description
English
Script of description
Latin

Repository Details

Part of the Rare Books and Manuscripts Repository

Contact:
140 North Senate Avenue
Indianapolis, Indiana 46204 U.S.A.
317-232-3671