ADMINISTRATIVE INFORMATION

Title
Edward Lewis Squires Collection
Collection 421 

Description
Two manuscript diaries, dated 1863-1864.
Dimensions: 8.5 cm x 14.5 cm.
Long Island resident stationed in New York, Virginia, and Coles Island, Charleston Harbor, South Carolina during the Civil War.
Private Company G, 127th Regiment, New York Volunteers.

Processed by Kristen J. Nyitray, Head, Special Collections and University Archives, December 2008. Updated April 2014.

History

Edward Lewis Squires was born on May 29, 1844 in Southampton, Long Island, New York to Lewis Squires and Sarepta Fanning. He married Mary Henrietta Foster (1850-1914) on March 19, 1867 at Good Ground (Hampton Bays), Long Island. They had four children: Benjamin E. (1868-1951); Mary Etta (1869-1953); Anna Elizabeth (1874-1943); and Bernice Foster (1878-1968). Edward Squires died on January 3, 1934 in Good Ground. He is buried with his wife at the Good Ground Cemetery, Hampton Bays, New York.

Contents

Diary #1: 1863
Entries dated February 10 through December 31.
Front inside cover: a sketch in ink of a man and a woman; the name of Mrs. E? Ethel Squires, River Head, New York State, is handwritten on the following page.

The daybook begins on February 10, 1863 (the January pages are missing); entries begin on February 19. Each day, Edward Squires composes a brief entry about his daily activities. He gives much attention to the weather conditions. His commentary includes notations about: a battalion drill and dress parade rehearsal; marching toward Vienna and Falls Church, Virginia; his arrival at West Point in May; receiving orders to march to Williamsburg on June 9; travelling on July 10 to Yorktown, Virginia; being seen by a doctor about problems with his legs in October and November; and later that year, being excused from duty for several weeks and his admission to a hospital.


Diary #2: 1864
Entries dated January 1 thorugh June 24; September 15 through December 31.
Front inside cover: Edward L. Squires, 127th Regiment, N.Y.V., Coles Island, Charleston Harbor, South Carolina.
Back inside cover: Edward L. Squires, Pond Quogue, Town of Southampton, Suffolk County, Long Island, 1864.

In this daybook, Edward Squires writes entries on a daily basis that provide commentary about: the weather conditions; returning to New York on February 3, 1964 ("took the cars at Hunters point and arrived in Riverhead about two o'clock"); and his medical problems (pain in his back). The last pages of the book have some accounting information, including an itemization of clothing purchased and a statement of "land owned by Lewis Squires, total 192 acres."