Located in Chelten Hills just outside of Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, Camp William Penn was the largest and first Civil War facility to exclusively train Northern-based federal black soldiers during the war. Boasting the biggest free-black population in the country and the 19th-century’s epicenter of the Underground Railroad, Philadelphia and Camp William Penn, hosted the greatest anti-slavery abolitionists, including Frederick Douglass, Harriet Tubman, Sojourner Truth, Robert Purvis, and William Still. Douglass and Tubman spoke to and rallied some of the almost 11,000 soldiers, many of them runaway or ex-slaves, who trained in eleven regiments that fought in a slew of major battles, helped to corner the Confederate General Robert E. Lee and his Rebel forces, as well as capture President Lincoln’s assassins. Several earned the Medal of Honor for their bravery, and many gave their lives. At a time when America’s very existence was threatened, the warriors and freedom fighters for human equality associated with Camp William Penn were a major part of the country’s salvation. The complete story is told here. [from the publisher]
Spine title: George W. Irwin--his Civil War diary.
Includes indexes.
G. W. Irwin enlisted in the 28th regiment. Five companies of the 28th regiment were taken to form a part of the 147th regiment.
Summary
The author entered the Union Army from his home in West Fallowfield Township in Chester County. He served in Northern Virginia, Second Bull Run, Antietam , Chancellorsville, and Gettysburg. The diary covers September 18, 1861, through July 3, 1863.The book includes some letters from men in his unit who continued service beyond Gettysburg.
"Johann Michael Lindenmuth has left us one of the better day-to-day journals of the French & Indian War as well as a brief journal of his service in the Revolutionary War...When Lindenmuth was discharged in December 1759, he had fought through a multitude of the battles, skirmishes, and ambushes in western Pennsylvania. In a laconic, direct, and simple style he tells of what happened, who did it, and why. Amid the tales of scalping, looting, murder, mayhem, and of boredom, fatigue, huger, and desparir, Lindemuth also tells us of his family and friends, his ancestors, and his children and grandchildren." [from the back cover]
