| Jan. 2nd. | March to Mt. Pleasant. |
| Jan 3rd. | Marched all day toward Clifton. |
| Jan. 4th. | Marched; crossed Rockhouse Creek and Bufalow River. |
| Jan. 5th. | Marched through Ashland and camped at Waynesborough on Greene River. |
Tennessee, Kentucky, Indiana, Illinois, Ohio Maryland and North Carolina | |
|---|---|
| Jan. 6th, 1865 | Marched to Clifton; camped until the 16th. |
| Jan. 16th. | On board the steamboat "Bertha". |
| Jan. 17th. | Move down the Tennessee River. Passed Johnsonville, Patduca Ky. and up the Ohio River. |
| Jan. 18th. | Pass Smithland, Ky. and Battle Rock, Illinois. |
| Jan. 19th. | Pass Kenner, Indiana. |
| Jan. 20th. | Passed Portland, Ky., New Albany, Ind., and Louisville |
| Jan. 21st. | Arrived at Cincinnati, Ohio; took the Cars |
| Jan. 22nd. | Passed Columbus, Ohio. |
| Jan. 23rd. | Passed Zanesville, New Ark, Bellair, Ohio and crossed the Ohio at Brentwood, Virginia (hot coffee). |
| Jan. 24th. | Passed Piedmont, (North fork of the Potomac) Cumberland Md., and Martinsburg, Va. |
| Jan. 25th. | Passed Harpers Ferry, Va., Elliott's Mill, Md., the Realy Bridge, B&W R.R., and arrived at Washington City about Dark: Then to Alexandria, Va. on 8 o'clock train, where we rested at "The Soldiers Rest" until Feb. 4th. |
| Jan. 29th. | I visited the City of Washington on leave of absence, also the Pay Department, Capitol and Congress; heard the Hon. Benjamin F. Wade of Ohio, speak upon the retaliation question. |
| Feb. 4th. | On board the ship "City of Bath", down the Potomac, which is frozen over; ice ship brake the way. Pass Mt. Vernon, the home of Washington, anchor at night. |
| Feb. 5th. | Passed the mouth of the Potomac, now on the Chesapeak Bay. Passed "Point Lookout"; anchor at Fortress Monroe, Va. until Morning. |
| Feb. 6th. | Sailed (early) out on the Atlantic Ocean. |
| Feb. 7th. | Sailed on the North Carolina coast in the direction of Fort Fisher. |
| Feb. 8th. | At Sea; Rain! Storm! Waves running very high! Anchor until the storm abates. Arrive at Fort Fisher, N. C., at the mouth of the Cape Fear River. Our gunboats shell the enemies lines near fort. Landed at Fort Fisher and camped until the 11th. No wood: Only cypress and it was to carry out of the swamp. No water: Only such as we could get by digging into the sand. |
NORTH CAROLINA | |
| Feb. 11th. | Lay in reserve. 24th Army Corps under General Terry advanced, drove the Rebels some distance, taking some prisoners. Our "Monitor" shells the Batteries at Fort Morgan. |
| Feb. 12th. | Our Brigade (1st) moved up the seashore some distance and tried to get in the rear of the enemy, but failed on account of the sea being so rough that we could not lay our pontoon bridge across a body of water we would have to cross and we returned to our camps. |
| Feb. 14th. | Made the second attempt to get in the enemie's rear but failed on account of a boisterous sea. |
| Feb. 15th. | In camp at Fort Fisher. |
| Feb. 16th. | Embarked on the steamboat "Eliza Hancox" to Smithland, N. C. (5 miles) and landed. |
| Feb. 17th. | Marched toward Fort Anderson; built breastworks at Night. |
| Feb. 18th. | Advance on Fort Anderson, heavy skirmishing; our Brigade withdrawn very suddenly and take a circuitious rout and fall in on the enemies right flank and force them to retreat. |
| Feb. 19th. | Rebels evacuate Fort Anderson, leaving in our hands, 15 pieces of heavy artillery and their line of skirmishers. |
| Feb. 20th. | Our Brigade and the 2nd, took the advance and crossed Town Creek and captured a boatload of sweet potatoes, then charged a battery and captured it with about 400 prisoners, then camped on the battlefield. |
| Feb. 21st. | Advanced within 2 1/2 miles of Wilmington. Darkies came in shouting for joy. |
| Feb. 22nd. | Rebels, after a slight skirmish, evacuate Wilmington destroying their cotton and a gunboat. |
| Feb. 23rd. | The 23rd. Army Corps crossed the river and entered Wilmington, where we camped until March the 6th. |
| March 6th. | 23rd. Army Corps started to Kingston, N. C. (a distance of 100 miles); after a toilsome march through quicksands, swamps, and laggoons; we arrived at Kingston on the 12th. |
| March 12th. | In camps at Kingston until the 20th. |
| March 20th. | Crossed Neuse River, passed through Kingston. |
| March 21st. | Regiment guarded a wagon train; arrived at Goldsborough at midnight. |
| March 22nd. | Took a position at Goldsborough and fortified. |
| March 23rd. | The head of Sherman's Army arrived at Goldsborough; via Savanah, Charleston, Columbia, N. C. Our division was on general review. Maj. Gen. Sherman, Maj. Gen. Cox, Brv. Brig. Gen. J. M. Reily and Staff were present. Here we camped until April 11th. |
| April 2nd. | Petersburg and Richmond taken with 15,000 prisoners and 500 pieces of artillery. |
| April 8th. | Sherman's Army cheered over the fall of Richmond and Petersburg by firing artillery and small arms and threw up red, white, and blue sky rockets at Head Quarters. Brv. Brig. Gen. Reily bid farewell to his Brigade. |
| April 9th. | Gen. R. E. Lee surrendered. |
| April 10th. | 20th Army Corps advanced on road to Raleigh. |
| April 11th. | Our Brigade guarded wagon train 18 miles. |
| April 12th. | Marched to within 2 and one half miles of Smithfield. |
| April 13th. | Marched all day and until 2 o'clock at night. Information recieved of the surrender of Lee; great joy and excitement among troops. |
| April 14th. | Arrived at Raliegh, where we remained until May 6th. Maj. Anderson hoisted the Stars and Stripes at Fort Sumpter, S. C. |
| April 15th. | Regiment detailed as Provost guard of Raliegh. |
| April 25th. | The 15th., 17th., and 20th. Army Corps started to Richmond. |
| April 26th. | Gen. Joseph E. Johnson surrendered his Army to Gen. Sherman. (birthday) |
| May 2nd. | 104th. O.V.I. went to Greensborough to take possession of the arms surrendered by Johnson's Army. |
| May 4th. | 65th. Indiana went to Greensborough. |
| May 6th. | 8th. Tenn. went to Greensborough on the cars. |
| May 7th. | I went to Greensborough on the cars with a detachment of the 8th. Tenn. Passed Durham's Station, Hills Borough and crossed Haw River. |
| May 8th. | Went into camps at Greensborough until the 10th. |
| May 10th. | 8th. Tenn. took the cars to Company Shops, N. C. to take charge of and guard a foundry and machine shop and public store where we camped until we were discharged from the United States service and started to our homes July 3rd, 1865. |
| May 16th. | Collected arms and public property at Company Shops. |
| May 18th. | Placed a guard on the depot at Company Shops. |
| May 20th. | I went to Raliegh on 12:00 train; returned at night (lost my hat off of train). |
| June 5th. | I was ordered to report to Greensborough to a board of Officers (Brev. Brig. Gen. Henderson and Brig. Gen. Schofield) to be examined pertaining to the Military History of the Officers of the 8th. Tenn., Volunteer Infantry, (per instructions from the Secretary of War). |
| June 17th. | In accordance with instructions from Army H. Q., I was detailed to proceed to Graham's Station, the County Seat of Alamance County to orgainize a Company, called the Local County Police. After much counseling among themselves; I swore them in under Capt. Hold of North Carolina. |
| June 24th. | Ordered to Greensborough for instructions pertaining to the mustering out of service of the 8th. Tenn. Received orders to that effect. |
| June 26th. | I made out the discharges for the enlisted men of Co. C, 8th. Regiment, Tenn. Vol. Inf. |
| June 30th. | 8th. Reg., Tenn. Vol. Inf. mustered out of the service by Capt. Smith, A.C.M. |
| July 2nd. | Completed Muster out rolls. Lieut. L. Bible started to Nashville, Tenn. by railroad with the records, papers. and documents of the Regiment. |
| July 3rd. | 8th Tenn. started to Nashville, Tenn. long and loud, cheering, with colors flying on the train; with many good wishes and good bies to the loyal people of Company Shops, N. C. We bid farewell to the scenes of war.: Passed through Greensborough, N.C., Danville and Cloverhill Station, Va. Lay by until morning. At the latter point, David Renner, Private, Co. B, being deranged, escaped from his guard and ran away and did not arrive at his home in Greene County, Tenn. for many months. |
| July 4th. | Arrived at Burksville Junction, Va. at 12:00 noon. (This point is not far from where Lee surrendered) Lay over until the 5th. |
| July 5th. | Took train at 2:00 P. M. Passed Notaway Courthouse, Blacks and Whites, Wellville, Petersburg, Va. lay by 5 miles east of Petersburg until 10:00 A. M. the 6th. |
| July 6th. | Arrived at City Point on the James River; on board the "Thomas J. Morgan", Arrived at Fortress Monroe, Va. at the mouth of the James River at 6:00 P. M. Near sunset we sailed from Fortress Monroe; on the Chesapeak Bay all night, in the direction of Baltimore. |
| July 7th. | Arrived at Baltimore at 12:00 noon. Ice water issued to us. Extremely warm weather. Took the Baltimore and Ohio R. R. at 5:00 P. M. Passed the Realy Bridge at Washington Junction, passed Harper's Ferry after dark. |
| July 8th. | At break of day we arrived Martinsburg, Va.,; Passed Hancock on the north fork of the Potomac, Sir John Run, and arrived at Cumberland, Md. at 3:00 P. M. and at Piedmont at sunset; crossed the mountains after dark. |
| July 9th. | Passed Clarksburg, Va., Canah Valley., and arrived Parkersburg, W. Va. on the Ohio River at 6:00 P. M. Lay over until Morn. |
| July 10th. | On board the steamboat "Viola" to Buffington's Island, where John Morgan crossed the Ohio on his return from his great raid. Changed from the "Viola" onto the "Madison". |
| July 11th. | Passed Coalport, Gallapolice, Mouth of Big Sandy River, Cattletsburg, Portsmouth. |
| July 12th. | Arrived Covington, Ky. at sunrise and at Louisville at sunset. |
| July 13th. | Lay over at Louisville until 7:00 P.M. when we took the B&N R. R. and arrived at Nashville at sunrise on the 14th. |
| July 14th. | 8th Regiment occupied the exchange barracks at Nashville, where it remained until discharge from the service. |
| July 23rd. | Employed. S. V. Clevenger, Claim Agent, to settle my accounts with the Q. M. Depot. |
| July 25th. | 8th Regiment of Tenn. Vol. Inf. paid and discharged from the United States Army at Nashville, Tennessee. |
| July 27th. | This day I was paid. |
| July 28th. | Took the cars for home; arrived at Chattanooga about dark and at Knoxville the following morning where I stayed until the 2nd of August. |
| Aug. 2nd. | Took cars for Midway, where I met Reuben Bible and A. J. Cobble Esqr. and arrived at home on Little Chucky, Greene County, Tenn. |
| The forgoing brief journal touches upon the times, places, and travels, during the Great Rebellion in the United States, in which I served two years, seven months, and three days and participated in the following battles. Watauga, Blue Springs, Siege of Knoxville, Buzzardroost Mountain, Resacca, Dallas, Burnt Hickory, Kennesaw Mountain, Atlanta, Utoy Creek, Columbia, Franklin, Nashville, Fort Anders, Town Creek, Wilmington, and many other skirmishes not herein mentioned. And was in Eleven States and the District of Columbia. | |
| Thomas Bible Capt. Co. "C" 8th. Regt. Tenn. V.I. 1st. Brigade 3rd. Division 23rd Army Corp Army of Ohio | |
Transcription of Diary made by Donahue Bible.