My grandfather, Thomas Gardner Lesure, a scythmaker from Fitchburg, Mass., enlisted twice in the Massachusetts militia during the Civil War. He summarized his service on a single sheet of paper that I found in the back of the first of two diaries that he kept during his two enlistment periods, as follows:
Thos G. Lesure Fitchburg
Co A 53 Reg. M.V.
Enrolled 25th day of Aug. 1862
Mustered into service Oct 17th 1862
Mustered out Sept 2nd 1863
Camp Stevens Groton Junction
Expiration time of service
2nd Enlistment
Co H 4th Mass Heavy Artillery
Enrolled 10th Aug 1864
Mustered in Aug 20, 1864
Discharged 17th June 1865
Fort Richardson Va by reason of close of war
The following is as direct a copy as I am able to make of the first Civil War diary of Thomas Gardner Lesure (TGL). Much of what he describes agrees with the published history of the Fifty-third Regiment, Massachusetts volunteers written by Henry A. Willis (Willis, H. A., 1889, The Fifty-third Regiment, Massachusetts Volunteers, comprising also a History of the Siege of Port Hudson; Fitchburg, Mass., Press of Blanchard & Brown. 247 p.) Bracketed information below is from that published history where a page reference is given; elsewhere it is my own commentary.
Thomas G. Lesure
Fitchburg, Mass.
Co. A. 53. Reg.t
Mass. V. M. 1862
[Written on the flyleaf in ink. The diary is written in ink on lined pages and follows continuously until the August 1st entry. After 36 blank pages near the end of the book is a page in pencil of distances on the Mississippi from New Orleans to St. Louis. After a few more blank pages, the diary starts again in pencil with the Aug 6th entry and continues on the next page to the Aug 21st entry. It then skips several pages to a list of miscellanious stations, and has some notes on the last lined page about the trip from Muncie on to Schenectady where the diary part ends. The book is a pocket-sized note book; the pages 5 1/2 inches tall and 2 3/4 inches wide, lined, and bound in black oil cloth with a closing cover flap.]
Aug. 25th Inlisted with Fusaliers [at Groton Junction, Mass., p. 15]
Oc. 3d. Went in to Camp Stevens
Cloathing Received of Quartermaster
one pr pants $3.03one blouse
Blouse 2.63
2 Drawers 1.00
Over Coat 7.50
Dress Coat 6.71
Blankets 2.95
Shoes 1.97
25.79
17 Oc. Suorne in to service
[There were 76 occupations represented in the 950 officers and men, mostly farmers (332), mechanics (144), and laborers (80). Nine of the men were scyth makers (p. 16).][On the 8th Nov Lieutenant Colonel John A. Kimball was elected Colonel of the 53rd Regiment, p. 21. He was TGL's brother -in-law, having married TGL's sister Almira Melissa Lesure on 15 July 1851.]
Nov 18th Subscribed for the semmiweekly Journal
Payed 3.00
21 Received marching orders
22 Went home on Furlough
[Whole regiment given weekend furlough, p. 21.]
Friday
Nov 29th Left Camp Stevens [Nov. 29, 1862 was a Saturday; WGB]
30 Arived in N.Y. 12 o.c.
[Stayed at Park Barracks, p. 28]
Sunday - [Nov. 30, 1862 was a Sunday; WGB]
Dec 3d. 53 Reg. Went to long Isl went in to Camp with out tents layed on the ground without tents weather quite cold ground fros hard
[Camp Banks near Jamaica, Long Island, p. 28]
4 Pitced Shelter tents
5 Cold Snow storm
6 Cleaned out the cook house - on act. of filthy cooks. took the Provisions Hams, Butter Cheese Potatoes Shugar Tea & Coffee. Carried them to our Tents. Coldest weather for many years on the Island
[This is also mentioned in the regimental history, p. 39.]
Sunday
7th Weather very cold Struck Tents & went to Jamaca 4 miles to get in to better quarters for the night Co A Slept in a vacated Store
8 Marched to N.Y. 13 miles and went into Franklin St. Barracks
[14 Dec Regiment paraded 3 miles to attend church on 41st Street, p. 35.]
16 Went on board the Steamer Missisippe Stayed two nights & Returned to Franklin St Barracks Because of the Scarlet Fever Prevailing Three Co.s A B & K ordered to Staton island to Foarce the N.Y. 2nd Zouaves on board the transports they having refused to go
[Regimental History reports that this incident happened on 15 Dec 1862, p. 34.]
[Jan 1 Companies A & B received a bountiful dinner from the "Ladies Soldiers Aid Society" of Fitchburg, p. 43.]
Friday
Jan 16 Went on board the Steamer Continental Weather rainey
18 Sunday
Weighed anchor and sailed for New Orleans
19th Arived at Fort Monroe 10 O.c Sailed again at 12
20 Windy Sea rough
21st Wednesday
High winds through the night & today blowing a gale Ship on its Beam end every thing looks Fearfull. Men all sick
22 Sargent in Co. I died and Burried at Sea
[1st Sergeant Marcus Hagar of I Company, p. 50.]
23 Friday
Weather Quite pleasant. Came in Sight of the Bahmer Islands. Warm as summer 400 miles out of our course by beeing blown to sea
[Great Abaco Island, one of the Bahamas, p. 50.]
24 Weather very worm Men lying in the shade of the canvas. Plenty of Flying Fist [sic] to be seen
Sunday
25 Boat Coaling at Key West Weather very hot went on shore Picked lemons Oranges & Benaners
26 Sat Sail again passed Tortugas Islands & Fort Jeferson
[Some of the men were sick from eatng too much fruit, p. 54.]
27 At 12. M. Commensed a storme and gale of wind Ship roaling fearfully
28 Wednesday
Storm Continues all day very hard Ship making only 3 nots per hour
29 Arived at the mouth of Missippi [sic]. Weather cool
Friday
30th Arived at Neworleens 2 o.c. in the morning went up to Carrolton 5 miles & went into Camp
31 Left the Boat and Pitched our tents at Camp Mansfield at 10. o.c. P.M. Continental in sinking Condition 100 men went down to take off our Provision and Bagage
[The ship was saved, p. 58.]
Feb 1st Sunday
Received our Guns and Equipments
3r Ordered to Batonrogue struck Tents went down to the river order countermanded and we returned to Camp again
Feb 4th Wednes
Heavy Rain Tents filled with mud and water ancle deep Weather Cold
5 Cold Wind
10 Struck Tents and went to Camp Kerney
[The regiment went to Camp Kearney and was assigned to the Third Brigade, Third Division, 19th Army Corps, Colonel O. P. Gooding, 31st Massachusetts, commanded the Brigade, and General W. H. Emory, the Division, p. 61-62.]
24 Settled and received From Government $22.60 up to the first of January. out of 54.60, the balance aloted 8 doll per month had on hand 25.85 cts [sic]
[The weather in February alternated between rain and hot sun. Many men sick from diarrhea, dysentery, and malaria, p. 64.]
Friday
Mar 6th Went on board the Cresent Citty for Batonrogue
[Steamer Crescent, p. 67.]
7 Passed Donoldsonville 12. M. arive in Batonrogue 6. oc. and went on shore
8 Sunday
Marched to Magnolia grove a [sic] went into Camp
9 Received Marching orders with 3 days rations 60 rounds Catriges
12 Went up the river on a Steamer 7 miles landed in the enemys lines and took a circutus rout towards camp looking for the enemy Our Pickets exchanged shots with the Rebel Pickets we captured one prisoner took 15 or 20 hed of cattl Some Horses one doube Gun 2 Revolvors found out the Enemys position and returned to Camp 15 mile
[The regiment loaded on two steamers, the Iberville and St. Maurice, and was convoyed by the Gunboat Albatross. They landed at Scotts Mills and marched to the Bayou Sara road, Company A was deployed as flankers through the woods, p. 68-69.]
13 Friday
Struck Tents Marched 8 miles and bivouacked for the night on the Road to Foart [sic] Hudson Slept till 3. o.c.
14 Arived with 7 or 8 miles of Port Hudson
[The regiment bivouacked on the Alexander plantation. That night Admiral Farragut's fleet tried to pass Port Hudson, but only the cruiser Hartford and the gunboat Albatross got past the Confederate gun batteries, p. 70-71.]
Sunday
15th Men all on a lin exspecting a Battle Gun Boats Shelling Fort [sic] Hudson two of our Bun Boats pass up by the Fort the Misissippi burned with a dredfull explosion when his magazene took fire. Retreated towards Batonrogue. had a dredfull thunder Storm. Clothes wet through to my sim [sic] Tents all on floate
16 Weather Rainey
17 Marched from Camp Leizard to Camp in the woods went on picket
18 Went Back to Camp Lisard Weather very hot
[This camp, called "Rattlesnake Swamp" in the regimental history, was 5 miles from Baton Rouge, p. 71.]
19 30 Men detailed to special duty cuting down the timber between the river and road to give the Gunboats a chance to gard against the Enemy
20 Struck Camp and marched Batonrogue
[Camped in the Magnolia Grove, p. 72.]
21 Saturday
Men detailed from Co. A to go Batonrogue choping in the woods the [sic] furnished no axes so we returned
22 Sunday
Co A detailed to go from Magnoliar grove to Batonrogue to cleare up ground for a new Camp had a heavy thunder storm and we returned wet through
23 Man kild in Co H By the falling of a rotton limb struck him on the head and Broak his Skull
[Timothy Hubbard of I Company, p. 73]
24 Our Co mooved from Magniliar grove to the Shugar house. my self sick with Divereah
Wednesday
25 Stayed in Shugarhouse all night sick, Co A gone to Batonrogue to a new camp
[in the city near the asylum, p. 74]
26 Quite sick with Diareoah and in the Hospital
27 Sick in Hospital talk of mooveing down the River
28 in the Hospital had a thunder Storm rain and hail weather changed quite cold
30 Henry Woodbury died 2.o.c. A.M.
Ap 1st Left Batonrogue went down to Algiers
[The regiment went on the steamer Nassau to Algiers opposit New Orleans, p. 74.]
3d Left the Hospital
4th Co. A Went down to the River to help pump the water out of the Gunboat Shakem
9th Left Algears and went to Berwics Gay & Brashier Citty
[Regiment went by the Great Western Railroad to Brashear City, about 80 miles. The men amused themselves by shooting alligators from the top of the cars until ordered not to. At Brashear City crossed the river on a ferry to Berwick, p. 75-76.]
11th Took up line of march Gen Weitrel led the advance went up the Atchafalaga [sic] to Patersonvill Co. A acting as Skermishers Gunboat Clifton Shelled woods along.
12th Sunday
March at 12. oc. M. I was on gard down at a shugar house arived a litle village called Jefersonville at 4.o.c a sharp artilery duel was fought our batterries and the Rebel Gun Boat Diannah (which was captured from us on Berwicks Bay)
13 15 Killed. Diannah disabled and retired Lieut Nutting Killed and Charles Stuart Weather cold and cloudy some rain. layed on our armes all night
[Lieutenant Nutting was commanding officer of Company A. The 53rd led the assault after relieving the 38th Mass. Regiment. p. 77-79. (This was the Battle of Fort Bisland - WGB.)]
14th Arived at the Plantation of Mr. Anderson at 8.o.c. P.M. Oposite Franklin the Ram Queen of the west Blown up By Groves division
15 Marched 17 miles to No Town
[They crossed the Bayou and followed the Teche road and reached New Iberia on the 16th where they destroyed the salt works, p. 81. They marched past the scene of a cavalry skirmish of the day before and saw the bodies of men and horses lying where they fell, p. 82.]
17th Marched to New Libera 15 miles our Cavalry had a runing fight with Rebs. Cavalry
18th Marched 29 miles had a fight across the Bayou with the Rebs they haveing Burned the Bridge to keep us back
[This was the Vermilion river bridge, p. 86.]
[Among some papers in the back of the diary, I found a small slip of paper with the following printed on it:
ALFORD GODARD
On demand I will pay to bearer, the sum of
5 FIVE CENTS 5
in Current Funds when presented in sums of Five Dollars
VERMILLIONVILLE OCTOBER 22ND, 1862.
(signed) A D GodardI presume this was a local scrip in use because of the lack of small coins.]
19 Sunday
Rested on a.ct. of Bridg Being Built had a heavy thunder storm
20 Marched to Opalousas arived at 8.o.c. P.M. Men very tired
23 Weather hot had new Pottoes, Fred Works died
[Fred Works, Company A had been sick some days but helped along by his brother. Buried in the cemetery in Opalousas. Regiment stayed 2 weeks. Had a dress parade on 22 April, p. 89. The army gathered cotton, sugar and molasses to ship to New Orleans, p. 99.]
Friday
24th Went on Picket Duty
May 5th Left Opalousos marched 20 miles Weather very hot
6 Marched 20 dusty
[Passed through Holmesville at 3 p.m., p. 104.]
7 Marched 25
[Passed through Cheneyville about 2 p.m., p. 104.]
8 Marched 22 miles to Alexanderia on the Red River
[Regiment stayed a few days to rest, p. 107.]
11 Hird of My Wefes death, died Ap. 8th
15th Friday
Struck tents left Alexanderia marched 22 miles
16 Marched 25 miles on gard
17 Marched 25
[Passed through Moreauville, Enterprise, and Evergreen, p. 108.]
18 Marched 12 arived on the Acthafalaga Banks and Semsport landing
[Camped near fishers Landing on the Bradley Plantation, Simsport, LA, p. 108.]
22 Went to Bayou Sayiou 10 miles above Port H.
[The regiment embarked on the Laurel Hill, sailed up the Atchafalaya to the Red River and down the Mississippi to Bayou Sara about 10-12 miles above Port Hudson, p. 117.]
23 Arived in the rear of Port Hudson
24 Sunday
Commensed skermishing with the Enemies Pickets
25 Capt Baily was Shot of Co. A
N.Y 174 Reg and 53 Mas fired in to each other By mistake 9.o.c in the evening
26 Fight commensed at 10.oc. A.M. Co. A Put on to gard Prisoners at 12.o.c Cap Baily died
[Captain George H. Bailey was commander of A Company, p. 119.]
27 Lieut Col Rodman of 38 Reg killed he was a great enemy to the 9 months men and always swearing about them he was killed 9 month to a day from the time he went in to the service and was burried by a 9 months Chaplain of the 53 Reg
[The 53rd moved forward at 5:30 a.m. on the 27th and was in the front lines in rifle pits within speaking distance of the Confederate lines part of the time, p. 122-127.]
31st 53rd within 20 rods of the enemies works in Rifle pits Enemy Shelling Shelling us Shells burs beyond us
Jun 2 In the rifle pits in front thair mane works
[June 4th the 53rd relieved from the front lines and took up a position on the Clinton road, p. 128.]
5th Started for Clinton 20.m got Sunstruck and was sent back to Hospital to Shugar House
[6-8 men passed out from sunstroke on the long march, p. 128.]
7 Sunday
Started in an Ambulance for Springfield landing and Batonrogue
[Company A returned to the lines at Port Hudson on 8 June, p. 130.]
9 Arived at Batonrogue went in to Convalesant Hospital
Sunday
June 14th Capt Taft Shot Private Upham and Woldrich - Orderly Stickney reduce to the ranks for Cowardice
[Captain Taft died in New Orleans a few days later and Private Upham died on the 14th and was buried behind the camp at Port Hudson, p. 142. William Wooldridge died of wounds on 15 June, p. 220.]
22 Commensed nursing in Hospital Baton Rouge
Jul 4th in Hospital at Baton Rouge herd heavy firing at Port Hudson
[Vicksburg surrendered]
8 Port Hudson Surendered We took posesion the 9th Captured 6 thousand prisoners 20 heavy guns 30 pieces of lite artilery
[The capture of Port Hudson opened up the Mississippi River to Union ships and divided the South.]
11 53d Reg Came down to Baton Rouge
[The 53rd went on picket duty near "Plains Store," p. 178]
15 53d Went down to Donaldsonville
Aug 1st Received of Co funds $1,25
[This is the last entry written in ink. The next 36 pages are blank.]
Distances on the Mississippi
From New Orleans to St Louis 1,240 miles
to Baton Rouge 125
Baton Rouge to Fort Hudson 25
Port Hudson to Grand Gulf 185
G. Gulf to Vicksburg 60
New Orleans to Vicksburg 400
Vicksburg to Halena 325
Helena to Memphis 90
Memphis to Fort Pillow 70
Ft Pillow to Isl No. 10 110
No. 10 to Columbus 40
Columbus to Cairo 20
Cairo to St Lewis 185
[After another blank page the following begins in pencil.]
Aug 6th Left Hospital & went in to camp
Wednesday
Aug 12th left Batonrogue Imbarked on the Meteor
[Morning of August 12 the regiment turned over all guns, equipment, and ammunition and prepared to leave, p. 194.]
13th Thursday
Arived at Natchez 10.oc.A.M. 150 mile from Baton rouge Arived grand gulf 7.o.c. P.M.
Friday Morning at 4.o.c. arived at Vicksburg Coaled up and mooved at one o.c. P.M.
16 Sunday 16th
12.o.c.M. Touched Helena Arkansas
17th Coaled up at Memphis. Started at 12.oc. M.
Aug 17th Passed Fort Randolph at sundown 80 mile from Memphis
18th Stoped during the night of Fort Pillow
18th Passed Isl No.10 at Sundown
19 Arived at Cairo
[Colonel Kimball made requisition for transportation by railroad and secured a train in the late afternoon. All but one car were common freight cars and the trip was uncomfortable, p. 200.]
20 Crossed the War Bash at Sundown
[Arrived at Mattoon, Ill. at 12:30 p.m., and changed trains. Still only freight cars, p. 200.]
21 Arived at Indianapolas 4.oc. A.M. Took Breakfast at the Soldiers Home left at 1.o.c.P.M.
Changed cars at Matoon Stopped at Muncie Got refreshements I.N. d Saturday Morning arived at Gallion Ohio
[Left Indianapolis at 2 p.m. and arrived at Muncie, Ind. at 6:00 p.m. Many people brought refreshements to the train, p. 201.]
22 Arived at Cleveland at 12.oc. M took dinner
[The citizens of Cleveland provided dinner at the station. (They arrived at Cleveland at 1 PM, p. 201. WGB)]
22 Arived at Buffaloo at 12.o.c.P.M. (midnight - WGB) Left Buf 1.o.c. in morning Passed Through Syracuse 8.o.c. Sunday Morning
Sunday
Arived at Utica 11.o.c. took Breakfast Arived Schenectady at 3.o.c.
[The diary ends here. The following list of towns is on the page before the last page. The first three are northwest of Fitchburg. The others seem to be mixed up. Apparently the railroad went northeast of Albany into Vermont and then southeast across part of New Hampshire to Fitchburg. The regiment arrived in Fitchburg on August 24 about 6 a.m. The train was stopped at South Fitchburg to enable all hands to bathe in the river and prepare for the grand reception prepared by the people, p. 204.]
Ashbernham Winchendon Fitzwilliam Troy Marlboro Westnorland Belows Falls Charleston & Claremont Hartland & White R. Junction Poasomsic Fainlee & Oxford Bradford- Newbury Bannot Passumric
[TGL was discharged at Groton Junction, Mass., on 2 Sept 1863. His second enlistment took him to Washington where he was on guard duty till the end of the fighting. He returned to Fitchburg, worked in Ohio for a few years, again returned to Fitchburg, bought a small farm, remarried, had one son, and died in 1915, age 89.]
Compiled by Walter G. Blenderman;