Civil War Manuscript Life Cpl Hayden NH 7th Rgmt

CIVIL WAR AUTOBIOGRAPHICAL MANUSCRIPT - 'Our Life: A Volunteer of '61 - 938840', an unpublished manuscript of the life of Corporal Joseph Kimball Hayden, beginning with his childhood in West Canaan, New Hampshire and taking us through his experiences with Co C, 7th Regt, NH Volunteers, 2nd Brigade, 1st Div, 10th Army Corps. He is very well educated, writes with great vigor and clarity, describes in detail many episodes, quotes, and leaves us with a bit of original poetry. He ends his description right before the attack on Fort Wagner, in which his favorite officer, Capt. Jerome B. House (who had enlisted him), was killed. Touching episodes with newly freed slaves(including possible unique slave songs), loss by drowning of a young lad he had enlisted from his home town, horrific transport aboard the ship 'Mallory', obsession with food (great episode with large red insects - shrimp), details idiotic regulations, orders and poor equipment - typical soldier's griping but in colorful lingo of the period; a remarkable account that fills 302 pps of dense writing, includes a CDV portrait photograph at front. Fine condition.